topic Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end in Arlo Essential Wire-Free Cameras

Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

andy80 — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 10:38:27 GMT

I got an Essential Spotlight camera. Thought it was an easy setup process but boy am I in for a ride.

Been at it for like an hour, and the app (or my.arlo.com on my desktop) will just not want to discover the camera.

I have tried everything, both phone and cameras connected to 2.4G network, network SSID and password are correct, i can even see both my phone and the arlo already connected to my Asus router in the network device list page in the router.

tried to factory reset the arlo, reboot router, everything done. nothing works. arlo app will just not see my the camera.

Pls help....

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

StephenB — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 12:15:34 GMT

@andy80 wrote:

I got an Essential Spotlight camera. Thought it was an easy setup process but boy am I in for a ride.

Been at it for like an hour, and the app (or my.arlo.com on my desktop) will just not want to discover the camera.

I have tried everything, both phone and cameras connected to 2.4G network, network SSID and password are correct, i can even see both my phone and the arlo already connected to my Asus router in the network device list page in the router.

tried to factory reset the arlo, reboot router, everything done. nothing works. arlo app will just not see my the camera.

Pls help....

Essential Gen 2? Or the older (original) Essential?

Do you perhaps use a VPN? If you do, it needs to be turned off during the install.

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

andy80 — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 12:20:04 GMT

Its the old one, Gen 1, Essential Spotlight. I do not use any VPN service.

I spoke to an Arlo support chat guy, spent like almost an hour, tried everything but to no avail, all he ended up saying was it could be a defective cameras and asked me to seek a replacement...

kinda disappointing.

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

StephenB — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 14:12:51 GMT

@andy80 wrote:

Its the old one, Gen 1, Essential Spotlight. I do not use any VPN service.

It is joining your wifi network, but the app (or PC) can't "discover" the camera later on.

If you have any internet security software running on the PC, disable it. Also, if you can connect the PC with ethernet instead of using wifi, then try that.

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

andy80 — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 15:20:57 GMT

yes, i can see the camera connected to the wifi, just that the app or desktop is unable to add the camera.

i do not have any internet securit software, i'm using a macbook. Tried ethernet too, but to no avail... =(

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

StephenB — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 15:32:19 GMT

One other thing you can try:

turn off the wifi in the router
create a hotspot in the phone that has the same wifi name/password as the router
try to install on the phone, connecting the camera via the hotspot

If that works, then just turn off the hotspot and turn the router back on.

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

andy80 — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 15:58:31 GMT

just did what you suggested.

1. switched off the router's 2.4Ghz wifi

2. I used a spare android phone (with mobile data connection) to create a hotspot with the exact same SSID and password as the router's 2.4Ghz wifi.

3. setup as per arlo secure app, able to see both my iphone and camera connected to the android phone.

4. tried to connect to the camera using the arlo secure app, same thing,"No Arlo devices found"

it is unlikely, but I am convinced that i may have a fault camera.....

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

StephenB — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 16:20:03 GMT

@andy80 wrote:

just did what you suggested.

1. switched off the router's 2.4Ghz wifi

2. I used a spare android phone (with mobile data connection) to create a hotspot with the exact same SSID and password as the router's 2.4Ghz wifi.

3. setup as per arlo secure app, able to see both my iphone and camera connected to the android phone.

4. tried to connect to the camera using the arlo secure app, same thing,"No Arlo devices found"

it is unlikely, but I am convinced that i may have a fault camera.....

It could be the camera, but the fact that it connects to your router suggests that it's not.

I was thinking you'd create the hotspot on the phone on which you were doing the install. Can you try that?

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

andy80 — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 16:33:38 GMT

do you mean to create the hotspot on the phone with the arlo secure app that is trying to connect to the camera?

unfortunately, it seems that the iphone does not allow me to change the SSID.

i will try to get my hands on another router tomorrow just to give it one last go. sigh... =(

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

StephenB — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 21:08:30 GMT

@andy80 wrote:

do you mean to create the hotspot on the phone with the arlo secure app that is trying to connect to the camera?

I did mean that.

@andy80 wrote:

unfortunately, it seems that the iphone does not allow me to change the SSID.

Yeah, I just confirmed that with my own iPhone. I'd forgotten that limitation. FWIW, apparently you can do it by changing the name of the phone. Which is annoying.

But you could potentially install the Arlo app on the Android phone that created the hotspot.

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

andy80 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 02:16:51 GMT

i did a quick test, it seems like it is not possible to have the hotspot phone to use the arlo secure app to add cameras. when i run the arlo app on the phone with the hotspot, I am unable to setup the QR code in the app for the camera to scan.

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

BrookeN — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:14:23 GMT

Were you able to get the camera to set up?

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

andy80 — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 03:49:15 GMT

nope. I got a replacement camera with the distributor, but now I am consider letting it go and not using its since its such a hassle to setup.

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

BrookeN — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:37:28 GMT

I reached out to support to have them reach out to you and help set up the camera. They will get a hold of you as soon as possible.

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

theisjohnson — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 21:32:55 GMT

I would like to hear how you did solve it as I have same problem with 5 cameras essential v1

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

theisjohnson — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 21:33:24 GMT

and I did try everything I think I have had 20 hours of trying

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

BrookeN — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

Can you please dm me a callback number as well as a good time to call. That way I can have support look into this further. You send a dm by clicking on the envelope icon on the top right of the forum page.If you don't see it, then go into your profile settings and select preferences, then "Private Messenger." Then select "Turn on private messages" if it is turned off.

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

theisjohnson — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 20:12:27 GMT

I have 3 essential gen 1 cameras

i have had them connected but changed the wifi

not I can't connect them again.

i have a 2,4 ghz wifi - "multiband also 5 ghz

the 2,4 have a separate name and code

I think I have spend + 20 hours on it bt don't know what to do

Re: Unable to connect to wifi - at my wits end

StephenB — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 20:27:25 GMT

@theisjohnson wrote:

i have had them connected but changed the wifi

now I can't connect them again.

The best strategy is to keep the same network and password. That makes changing to a new wifi system much simpler.

@theisjohnson wrote:

now I can't connect them again.

I think I have spend + 20 hours on it bt don't know what to do

If they are still in your account, you can try changing the wifi network name and password to match what you had before.

Otherwise, try a hardware reset on the cameras. Press the sync button near the charging port until the camera LED flashes amber (about 15 sec). Then try adding the cameras again.

Also, if you haven't tried a PC (browsing to my.arlo.com), then do that. It sometimes works when the app fails.