Gone are the days when we necessarily needed professional technicians to come home and spend the entire day installing and setting up our home security system. Thanks to the ADT Self Setup smart home security system, we could now do it all on our own without breaking a sweat. The ADT DIY home security setup prioritized compatibility with Google’s entire collection of smart displays, Nest cameras, and doorbells, as well as ease of installation. What’s more, it even offered reliable voice controls as well as broad third-party support via Z-Wave technology.
We still needed to pay for ADT’s monthly monitoring plans to unlock these remote controls through the ADT companion app, ADT+, formerly called Blue by ADT. However, it was still a value-for-money and a worthy choice for home protection, especially since we’re absolute fans of Google’s entire lineup of smart home devices. To that end, here’s a review of the self-setup home security system from ADT.
Also read: The best wireless cameras for home security.
Self-Setup Packages From ADT
ADT has three Self-Setup packages:
- The “Build Your Own” kit: Costing USD 195, this kid came with a window and door sensor and a Smart Home Hub, and also unlocked access to the ADT+ mobile app.
- The “Starter” kit: Costing USD 480, this kit came with 2 motion sensors, 4 window and door sensors, a smart home hub, a Nest doorbell, a pack of four ADT window stickers, an ADT yard sign, as well as access to the ADT+ app.
- The “ADT Self Setup Premium” kit: Costing USD 580, this kit featured everything from the starter kit, as well as the ultimate in smart hubs, the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen).
What’s more, we could further customize every ADT kit by adding components from Google, ADT, or both. On the higher end of this lineup were the Nest Hub Max (USD 229), the battery-powered Nest Cam (USD 180), the Nest Thermostat USD 130), and the indoor wired Nest Cam (USD 100). Meanwhile, sensors for the systems were less expensive. For instance, the temperature and flood sensors cost USD 35 each, the motion sensors sold for USD 25 each, and the window and door sensors cost USD 15 each.
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The Smart Home Hub
The brain of the ADT Self-Setup system is the inimitable Smart Home Hub. It was also part of the former DIY setup from the brand, the Blue by ADT Home Security System. Featuring a matte-white finish, this hub featured a top with a keypad with function buttons and number keys, as well as a speaker grille on the front. Additionally, the top also had a thin LED strip that glowed solid green when our system was inactive, and a solid blue when the system was active. Moreover, it blinked blue when our system was in either entry or exit delay mode, as well as pulsing red when it was in panic mode. Finally, it would flicker green when the system wasn’t ready or active.
On the inside, the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radios and Bluetooth, while a Z-Wave radio allowed us to control third-party devices such as lights, cameras, and locks. Moreover, there was even an LTG 4G radio that kept the system connected to the monitoring service even when the Wi-Fi connection was down. If that wasn’t enough, there was even a backup battery and an 85dB siren. When a sensor was triggered, the hub would sound off a chime and generate text, email, and push notifications to inform us of the event. If that wasn’t enough, it would even send a signal to ADT’s 24/7 monitoring service. Besides the fact that the already paired with the system when they shipped, they were also easy to install.
We needed to pay USD 25 for our first month of ADT’s Essential 24/7 professional monitoring service, along with an extra USD 10 per month for the Nest Aware video storage plan, when ordering the Self-Setup system.
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The ADT+ Mobile App Experience
The nucleus of the Self Setup Starter kit is the ADT+ mobile app, which is available for iOS and Android. We loved the main screen setup that showed the system’s current status: Armed Away (everything is on), Armed Stay (motion detection is off, but entry/exit delays are on), Armed Night (motion and delays are off, but window/door sensors are active), and Disarmed (everything off). Below the status display were panels for all installed devices, such as thermostats and cameras, which we could tap for viewing live video feeds. At the screen’s bottom were listed recent security events.
Next, we tapped the overflow icon in the upper left corner for additional settings. Here, we could also add users as well as assign them roles: Basic (arm/disarm only), Standard (monitoring and limited settings), Admin (all settings and functions), and Duress (disarm and send panic alarms). Furthermore, we could view and configure a list of all installed hubs, cameras, and sensors and their statuses in the “Devices” tab (open, offline, online, or motion detected). Plus, we could even rename devices, change their locations, choose alarm types, allow chime alerts, and even set up entry delay times.
On the Alerts tab, we could enable alarms for arming/disarming events and create custom alerts, while the “Rules” tab allowed us to build automations involving other Z-Wave devices. Under the “Google Integration” tab, we could link our ADT account to our Google Home account and manage our Google devices. Finally, the Settings tab allowed us to access every other setting related to the system.
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Setting UP ADT+ Home Security
We loved the painless process of setting up the ADT+ DIY kit. First, we created an account in the ADT+ app by entering our address and the activation code that shipped with the hub. Those were very easy to install as they arrived pre-paired with the hub and had number labels. We had to tap the sensor panel and choose install locations for window and door sensors by giving them a name and pulling the plastic tab to activate their batteries. For installing the motion sensors, we tap the sensor panel again, give it a name, and pull the plastic tab on the back to pair it with the hub. Again, actually installing them was easy using the bracket screws, the double-sided tape, and the plastic tab.
Do you want to add the Google Nest Video Doorbell? Head to the “Devices” screen and tap the plus icon on the upper right corner, choose the Google Nest Device, and grant the ADT+ app permission to access the Google Home account. After returning to the main screen and tapping “Set Up New Device,” the Google Home app appears. From “New Devices,” choose the Nest Doorbell (Battery) from the list. To complete the connection, scan the QR code on the back and follow the instructions. We liked how the kit worked, as the siren was loud, the system would send emails and push notifications immediately whenever sensors detected motion, and the hub responded quickly to voice commands.
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Useful Add-Ons: Trusted Neighbor
One of ADT’s new (and possibly one of its best) features is called “Trusted Neighbor.” It builds on the age-old practice of trusting a copy of your home key with a trusted neighbor, who can let in people, keep an eye on the house, and help you out in case of emergencies. This feature uses facial recognition and other signals to let trusted people into your house by automatically verifying their identities. For instance, your babysitter or dog walker who comes in everyday can use ADT to open the door and disarm the system, allowing them to enter without any hassles. Of course, you need to put them on the “Trusted” list first.
Trusted Neighbor needs many key components: an indoor Nest Cam to record activity inside the house, the ADT+ app installed on the guests’ phones, a compatible smat lock to open the door automatically, and an outdoor Nest Cam for identifying people’s faces. How it works is that we first introduced our “trusted neighbors” to our Nest Cam by letting the camera see their faces and tagging them. Next, we set up the rules, that is, when specific people are seen between specific times or during specific hours, then Trusted Neighbor will be activated. Finally, have your trusted people install the ADT+ app, which they need to unlock the door and disarm the system whenever they visit.
Not only did we find Trusted Neighbor to be surprisingly reliable, but we also found that its detailed activity logs and custom rules — such as emergency access when the smoke alarm would be activated — added real value.
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Protect Your Home With ADT and Google
Finally, we got all of the benefits of ADT’s 24/7 home monitoring support and service for Google’s lineup of Nest devices with the ADT Self Setup Starter kit. The kit was not only easy to install but also responded quickly to both doorbell and sensor events. What’s more, we had no issues adding Nest devices to the system or controlling them through Google Assistant voice commands. Do you have existing Nest smart home hardware? The ADT Self Setup might better suit your needs already.
We loved all of Google’s pieces of equipment that came with this system. Whether it was the Google Nest cameras or others, it was very easy to use and monitor them via the AD+ app, which we could even use to setup and use advanced features like Familiar Face Alerts. If that wasn’t enough, the USD 40 Self-Setup monitoring package included a Google Home Premium subscription. That meant that all cloud recording and advanced features were automatically added to our Google Nest cameras without us having to pay more money.
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What email address do I use to create my ADT Account?
Users should use the same email address to create their ADT account as the one they used when they were placing their order.
Can I take my ADT Self Setup home security system with me when I move?
Yes, absolutely. Since the ADT Self Setup system only offers DIY equipment and security systems, users can easily remove the equipment at their older home and reinstall it in their new home.
Can I use ADT Self Setup cameras without a system?
Yes. One doesn’y need the ADT monitoring plan or the Self Setup security system to use its cameras. They can also use the ADT Self Setup cameras without adhering to or subscribing to any storage subscription plan.
Some images on this article are copyrighted by ADT.