topic Re: App update in Arlo Secure

App update

Redbear6 — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:49:54 GMT

Arlo completely broke their app with this latest update.

Re: App update

jguerdat — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:58:23 GMT

Working here on Android.

Re: App update

DannyBearAgain — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 03:14:15 GMT

What have they broken this time?

Re: App update

edhoke — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 21:46:53 GMT

Ditto. Now I'm getting notifications but can't see any cameras. Makes no sense.

Re: App update

DannyBearAgain — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 06:00:03 GMT

@edhoke ,

sounds like you are using the new UI arlo app on your account.

If you’re expecting to get friends sharing to work then the camera owner account should also be upgraded, so you will need to have them upgrade their app. Mind you they may not consider you a friend after they upgrade.

Re: App update

edhoke — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 20:46:50 GMT

I am. I mistakenly thought updating the app was like every other app update... and I was so very wrong. My husband originated the account for our retail shop, now I'm struggling to get cameras to come back online. I'm about to ditch the whole thing and start from scratch because the whole thing seems like a mess. Even after we update it seems like getting the cameras to migrate is a journey.

Re: App update

ShayneS — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 17:11:50 GMT

@edhoke What are the error messages you see? The cameras will automatically be migrated. Also, If you re granted access you will have to have the latest UI as well to see the cameras in the devices list.

Re: App update

edhoke — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 21:50:33 GMT

No error messages. I think the problem is that my husband started the account and he hasn't upgraded yet. So I need him to upgrade, then I can start checking things again and hopefully get the two cameras that are down back up.

Or, I need to delete the whole thing and try to start over with me as the owner. Might be easier.

Re: App update

ShayneS — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 17:12:13 GMT

@edhoke Let me know how it goes and I will be here to assist.

Thanks

Re: App update

edhoke — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 15:32:26 GMT

Deleted everything and went to set up from scratch. Got the hub up, now I cannot get a single camera connected. I've tried multiple cameras and from both the mobile app and desktop. Is there a secret key somewhere to complete this quest?

I did get a solid blue light on one camera, but even after restarting the app etc, I see no camera.

Re: App update

edhoke — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 15:43:20 GMT

I'm ordering some new batteries in case that is somehow messing all this up?

Re: App update

ShayneS — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 17:08:09 GMT

Can you try onboarding the devices via this article: https://kb.arlo.com/000062755

Re: App update

edhoke — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 19:21:18 GMT

Why yes, I did see that article in multiple searches. The only difference is that I did not see an option to manually pair the device.

I tried different cameras, switched out batteries, took batteries out for 30 seconds to reset, tried both mobile and desktop... nothing. Since the cameras are a few years old, my guess is the batteries are drained. We have the plugged in non-stop, but it's the only thing I know to try.

Re: App update

ShayneS — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 19:30:58 GMT

What happens if you try to onboard while plugged in to AC power without the batteries installed in the camera(s)?

Re: App update

edhoke — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 15:21:50 GMT

Yes. I have tried with batteries, without batteries, with NEW batteries. I've tried the basic cameras I have and the xl essential. Nothing. Cannot get a single camera to connect.

Even more baffling is I can get a single camera to have a solid blue light, but they do not show up under devices on desktop or the app. Despite closing the app, refreshing etc.

I'm ready to chuck the whole system. This seems clearly to be a problem of coding somewhere deep in the system that is not allowing cameras from 5 years ago. I have tried every option.

As a last resort I'm taking most of the system home and will see if I can reset and get it to connect at home. But looks like I'm shopping for cameras this weekend.

Re: App update

ShayneS — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 20:15:51 GMT

@edhoke I have notified my team to see if we can resolve this. I will provide another update as soon as possible.

Re: App update

edhoke — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 19:54:09 GMT

Well let me add this to the fun.

I brought the system home. Both locations have similar internet through comcast BUT one is a business comcast acct and one is xfinity residential. The xfinity is newer router, and I live maybe 2 miles from the business location, but it is different.

Could not get the hub to connect. Tried XL Essential cam direct to wifi and... it connected but does need a firmware update. Went back to hub, did a hard reset and hub connected. And then the basic cams connected via the hub.

So, either the problem is with the business router? Or maybe the firmware update couldn't happen there somehow? The business has the 2.4 and 5hz separated, where the home has it together (I forget the technical term, I really try to not be tech support for everyone but here we are.) Since this all worked before the app update, I'm assuming there is something in there.

Not sure what I can do, I might try a hard reset on my business router and a call in to check the internet there.

Re: App update

edhoke — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 14:43:39 GMT

Let me add to it...

Had comcast install a brand spanking new modem. It has dedicated 2.4 and 5 networks.

Got the hub installed. Ok. No cameras will install. fast blinking amber light of death.

Did get the xl essential installed direct to wifi again. Somehow got a number to call after doing a network scan and got through to a human. They could not hear me and hung up (understandably but what a tease.)

internet and wifi is working fine for every other device. I have to assume this is a problem with the hub and internet and new app stuff. Because it worked before. It works at home. But will not work where I need it to work. Will a new hub solve it? We may never know....

Re: App update

edhoke — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 01:22:26 GMT

In case anyone is following this...

Had comcast out a second time. Got on the phone with Arlo support. Had comcast guy directly open ports 80 and 443 to Arlo device. Still doesn't work. Arlo suggests getting new cameras. This makes no sense to me, because the cameras work at my house, with all the same cords, connections etc. Then suggested my internet is not good enough at my business. It was good enough before, but maybe? Could internet download speeds be stopping the cameras from connecting to the hub?

The other possibility is that comcast has security bots blocking things (or insert the tech term for it), and when I updated the app and tried to re-install, for some reason the arlo hub got flagged. Since there seems to be no way to confirm what ip address arlo is using, or no way to submit it to comcast to white list it, I have no way to prove this theory right now.

I am curious if a new arlo hub would fix this, but arlo support would only offer a discount on new cameras.

I still have no answers but my options seem to be- ditch the system and go with Wyze, buy a new hub and hope, or buy new cameras that direct connect and ditch the hub.

Re: App update

StephenB — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 12:07:39 GMT

@edhoke wrote:

Could internet download speeds be stopping the cameras from connecting to the hub?

The cameras connect directly to the hub wifi, and the hub connects to the cloud with ethernet.

Your internet upload speed might be an issue - though I suspect that's unlikely. You can measure that with speedtest.net.

Are you using a normal home comcast router at the business? Or is there something else (perhaps with a enterprise grade firewall)?

@edhoke wrote:

Since there seems to be no way to confirm what ip address arlo is using, or no way to submit it to comcast to white list it, I have no way to prove this theory right now.

Some confusion here. The hub will get a local IP address from the comcast router - and you can see what that address is, by looking at the attached device list in the router's web interface.

All the devices on your business network will share the same external IP address - which is the one assigned to your router by Comcast. This is done by the router using a technique called network address translation (NAT).

Neither of these addresses need to be whitelisted. But it is conceivable (though rather unusual) that the Arlo Cloud is being blocked by Comcast. I don't know what domain names are being used by the hub (and you'd need to whitelist the domains, and not specific IP addresses). But you could ask comcast if they are allowing all traffic, or if they block some.

@edhoke wrote:

This makes no sense to me, because the cameras work at my house, with all the same cords, connections etc.

I am curious if a new arlo hub would fix this, but arlo support would only offer a discount on new cameras.

Since it works perfectly at your house, then it's clearly not the cameras. It's also not the hub, so replaceing that won't help.

I am thinking it more likely is something going on with the business router.

Many routers have a "DMZ" feature, where they don't filter any traffic going to a particular device. You might ask Comcast if your router has that, and then set the arlo base as the DMZ device. If you do this, you'd also want to have the router assign the hub a fixed local IP address.

Also - you might want to confirm that the router has an external IPv4 address. It doesn't need to be static (in case they ask).