Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro WiFi Smart Lock REVIEW

Easy DIY smart lock for a smarter home.

The Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro WiFi Smart Lock arrived in an attractive 4 1/2 inches wide by 10 inches tall by 4 3/8 inches thick retail box.  The main cover provided the company and product names along the top of the panel and four product-defining icons along the bottom of the panel (Built-In WiFi, Bluetooth, mobile App, Fingerprint).  In addition to the attractive blue icons, I liked the black/grey bubble font of the ULTTRAL8Q company name, the dark blue product name, and the wispy WiFi Logo.  Despite the accents, the prime visual attraction was the photo-quality image of the U-Bolt Pro device.  The shading along the inferior of the design added a nice degree of depth to the panel.  When combined with the fingerprint sensor, green accent ring, and the contrast between the vibrant white font and black buttons, Ultral8Q did a great job at capturing my attention.

At the top of the left side panel, you will find an impressive image of the thumbprint sensor. The oblique image showed the buttons, the sensor, and the depth of the device.  Beneath the image, you will find five detailed icons: 1. 360 degrees live fingerprint identification. 2. Auto Unlock and Smart Auto-Lock (locks/unlocks automatically with your phone nearby). 3. Anti-peep Numeric Keypad with Backlight.  4. Door sensor for peace of mind. 5. Hidden Mechanical Key.  The right side panel was designed similarly to the left panel.  The image at the top of the panel illustrated the Ultraloq App control and relayed information that an extra hub was unnecessary.  Beneath the image, you will find logos for the App and Google Play Stores, plus four more product details: 1. Manage Users. 2. Share Codes and Keys. 3. Log Record. 4. More Ways to Control (IFTTT integration, Works with Alex, Work with Google Assistant).  

To round out the outer packaging, the company added a vibrant dark blue accent panel with the company name  “The Ultimate Smart Lock For Everyone” along the top.  The bottom panel provided a few product manufacturing labels and a large barcode. The rear panel provided a simple DIY installation image.  The upper image showed a deconstructed lock installation, while the middle image showed which type of doors could accommodate the iP65 weather-resistant lock.  Lastly, you will find the WiFi logo (802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz), the Bluetooth Smart logo, and instructions to contact support. 

You will find a thin plastic wrapped informational packet and a 2 pound 4.8 ounces styrofoam padded container with the smart lock parts within the box.  The light package contained a convenient door lock template to add a deadbolt to any door and the bilingual (English/Spanish) installation and user manual.  Before the installation guide, the manual showed a few critical notes and a detailed pictorial packing list.  You can scan the QR code to watch the installation process, or you can follow the simple step-by-step guide. Since my door already had a deadbolt, I did not need to prepare the door before installing the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro.  I removed the old deadbolt, the old bolt, and then the old strike on the doorframe.  I then removed the white styrofoam box from the outer packaging and set the contents aside.  I used the new flat striker and screws B to install the strike onto the doorframe.  I was unable to use the strike with the metallic bucket due to a metallic plate at the edge of the frame.  With the strike installed, I used screw C to install the bolt into the door.  I aligned the “T” shaped slot into the upward position and made sure that the up icon was facing upward.  

The third and fourth sections of the instruction manual (pages 5 and 6) walked the user through the installation process.  I loved the use of the QR code and the included step-by-step setup process. I watched the installation video and then followed the written instruction within the manual.  I made sure the bolt was retracted and then inserted the 1 7/8 inches long metallic bar through the slot in the bolt mechanism.  The 13.4 ounces, 3-inches square by 1 1/2 inches thick exterior assembly device was easily installed into the mechanism, while the cable was directed inferior to the bolt.  I then oriented the mounting plate on the inner door, ran the cable through the lower notch, and inserted both of the screws labeled Screw D.  Next, I grabbed the 11.9-ounce, 2 7/8 inches wide by 4 13/16 inches tall by 1 7/8 inches thick interior assembly, removed the battery cover, aligned the notches on the connector cable and installed the device.  I installed the small setscrews Screw E into the frame and was impressed with the ease of installation.  I installed the four AA batteries, slid the rear cover into place, added the door open/close sensor to the door jamb, and turned to the manual for information regarding programming.  In total, it took about seven minutes to install the Ultraloq device once the old hardware was removed.  

Before turning to the App, which was my primary preference, I attempted to use the Standalone Mode Programming Guide. As an important piece of information, the manual stated that the standalone mode would not longer work post App registration. The exterior section of the smart lock had a central 9/16 inches diameter fingerprint sensor surrounded by 11/32 diameter black buttons labeled one through zero.  Along the inferior aspect of the exterior segment, you will find a 15/16 inches wide by 5/16 inches tall button.  To add an admin code, you will need to hold the lower button for a total of 3-seconds.  The rim around the fingerprint sensor will illuminate and the device will beep.  The manual instructed the user to input a 4-8 digit code before pressing the lower button again.  It then recommended repeating the process to add the admin code.  The device beeped several times, while the light continued to flash.  I tried the process a total of 3 times before I removed the batteries, the backplate, the internal device, and checked the deadbolt.  I reinstalled the components and tried to repeat the above steps. Next, I used the included reset key and pressed the button on the interior component.  Despite my efforts, I was not able to program it directly. Additionally, it appeared that the deadbolt was set up backward; from an unlocked position, the lock did not extend when I pressed the button.

I used the QR code, downloaded the U-tec App, and followed the prompts.  The App will ask for permissions and then will provide an option to create an account.  I selected “Create an Account” along the bottom of the panel and entered my first/last name, email, phone number, and desired password twice. The App setup process proved to be more efficient than the Standalone mode.  I chose the Ubolt WiFi Pro along the top of the App (you can select several of their door locks), took a picture of the device, chose the location of the smart lock, installed the door sensor, set up the WiFi, and then was able to select the orientation of the lock on my door.  This step was the main missing step in the manual setup process.  Like the door lock installation, the App setup was a breeze.   I found that I was ready to enjoy the lock/App pair after a total of 15 minutes of fiddling. 

When you log into the App, you will see your name along the top of the panel, and a list of your installed device.  For my case, I had the Back Door U-Bolt Pro WiFi picture that I had taken adjacent to a generic stock photo.  You can select the head icon along the top left of the App to navigate to options for “My device, store, support, language, about.”  If you tap the “+” icon in the top right, you can add electronic devices. If you select the image of the Back Door lock, it will take you to a second screen with a large centralized circular button to lock/unlock the door and an open/closed icon status along the top panel.  If you tap the central circle, it will turn green and display “unlocked.”  If you tap it again, it will turn red and display “locked.”  The ability to open/close the smart lock with the App was quite powerful and responsive.  Sitting in my living room and on my front porch, I was able to tap the central button to immediately lock or unlock the back door.  The response time was minimal and I had a 100% success rate. 

You will find four icons along the bottom of the main App screen: Lock, Person, Tablet, Settings.  The lock icon did not appear to do anything at first. However, it will return you to the main panel from the other panels. When I tapped the double person icon, it took me to another page for “Users.”  You can tap the + along the top right to change the user type between the normal user, admin, and temporary user. You can assign entry options through this stage of the app. Or you can tap on Administrator and navigate to a third panel regarding fingerprint addition, password addition, and smartphone App Access.  You can add new users then adjust their access further. If you tap the paper icon, you will navigate to a list of events registered through the WiFi. Lastly, if you tap the cog icon, you will navigate to the settings panel.  You can see the serial number, Mac, Time, and battery level for the device.  You can create smart notifications (I have not tested this feature), toggle on/off the lock sounds, change the status to normal/lockout mode, change the direction of the smart lock (orientation of installation), turn on/off the auto-lock, and unlock feature.  Perhaps one of the most exciting options was the Magic Shake option.  If you select the mode, you can choose a given number of phone rotations to unlock the door lock.  I felt it was a rather ingenious add-on, and delivered a Hogwarts-style vibe. Lastly, the panel will allow you to access the WiFi, firmware, and advanced options.  From the Advanced Options Panel, you can delete and reset the smart lock to factory settings and erase all data. 

If you are looking for an easy-to-install deadbolt, the Ultraloq should serve you quite well.  The only caveat to the easy installation was the difficulty in programming the smart lock through the Standalone mode.  Even though this may appeal to some that want a “NO APP” setup, I do not feel that the mode was functional or valuable.  I utilized videos or the written user manual for the installation process and to learn more about the App/Setup.  I loved the dual installation options and felt that the videos pared quite nicely with the instruction manual.  The App, like the installation process, proved to be very intuitive.  Once the smart lock was attached to WiFi, I could lock/unlock the device from anywhere.  Additionally, the App/Lock was able to pair via Bluetooth.  I turned on/off my phone WiFi and Bluetooth, and I used the App to lock/unlock the door.  I tested the open/closed sensor and had my wife repeat the open/close status test when I was away from home.  The App was able to report the open/close and lock/unlock status of the door remotely.  Additionally, I was able to open/close the lock remotely.  If you forgot your phone, or failed to program a fingerprint/code, you can fold down the exterior segment to access the keyhole. Lastly, if the device runs out of power, you an use an external battery with USB-Micro cable to add enough power to unlock your door.

As an added level of security, the smart lock provides dual-layer encryption and supports peep mode. The Peep mode will allow you to enter any combination of up to 16 button presses, so long as your code appears in sequence. As an example, I programmed an entry code of 246810. You can enter just that code or you can enter 0000246810000, 00246810, 0000024681000, etc. Any combination of up to 16 digits will allow the lock to find the correct sequence and unlock the door. I liked the feature and felt it had a Kingsmen feel or a 007 James Bond Feel. When paired with the sensitive fingerprint scanner, the smart lock did a great job at controlling the flow of people into/out of my home. The device should stand up to the elements thanks to the IP65 rating and should stand up to time thanks to the listed ANSI Grade 1 certification.

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