topic help please (IFTTT & Smart things) in Arlo Pro 3

Notifications - help please

sam2021 — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 01:05:11 GMT

HI we have an Arlo 4540 smart hub, 2 x Pro3 cameras and 2 x Essential XL cameras, plus an Arlo video doorbell. Everything (except the doorbell) is powered by solar panel and connected to the smarthub. I believe everything is running the lastest firmware.

Been having a lot of issues with one of the Pro3 camera connecting to the hub, was bought as 2 pack of cameras, the other is fine and they are both equal distance to the hub. I have tried it in 3 different locations, its always that camera that is on / off. I have become a master of the hub reset and I'd say 50/50 it brings the camera back or I have to take it down, pop the battery and get it going again.

Last night I moved the hub closer to the camera (the one that goes down several times a day) and waiting to see if that improves the reliability. But here's the issue. They only way I know if my camera system is working ie "online" is by logging into the app and tapping the camera image to see if I can get a "live" connection. If the image says "live" then I know they are working, if it gives me the "offline" error then obviously they are not.

So my camera could have in theory been "offline" for hours before I decide to randomly check if it's working - which is not a great security system - Surely there must be another way I can be notified/check the system is working other than manually checking the feed. I can't check it every hour of the day and quite frankly for the amount I have invested in 5 cameras + hub I shouldn't have to? Has anybody found one? Has anybody set up some sort of clever IFTTT rule or something else that can do this?

Arlo works (when it wants to) but it's not giving me any peace of mind at the moment. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Re: Notifications - help please

jguerdat — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 13:43:40 GMT

The first thing I'd do would be to swap the cameras around to see if the issue stays with the camera or location (yes, I know you said you moved the camera). You can also remove and resync the camera. If the camera is the issue, use the Contact Support link at the bottom here for a hardware problem.

help please (IFTTT & Smart things)

sam2021 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 00:57:17 GMT

Thanks, it seems that moving the hub, has increased the stability of that one camera.

In terms of notifying me when cameras are working or not - without me having to manually check - I have discovered 2 options that I am trying out to see what's possible.

An IFTTT applet that records every hour, for a specified camera, for a specified duration - but I have to find a way to get alerted if it doesn't run. And then I will know the cameras are down.
Looking into "smart things" scene's and bixby routines - looks like some possibilities there. Have a "scene" set up to test all cameras are on - its good because it can check all cameras at once rather than one applet per camera (as IFTTT does). Using bixby routines to schedule this scene to run every hour. Again need to find a way to get alerted if it doesn't run. Working in it. 😀 Testing to see if "offline" is considered on or off?

HELP PLEASE

If anyone knows of a way to make smartthings and / or bixby to:

record from an arlo camera at a scheduled time (like IFTTT does) please let me know.
to send me a notification when a scene or routine fails to run please let me know.

Not very familiar with either software so taking some time to trial and error my way through options. Will post a solution if I get one.