Add device

[Parkerlewis]

When I try to add a device, the Arlo Essential Outdoor Cam, I am unable to scroll down in the app to the networks available and choose one. I have un-installed the app multiple times.

 

[jguerdat]

Start by rebooting the phone, too.  I assume normal touching of the screen to scroll works elsewhere, right?

[StephenB]

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@jguerdat wrote:

Start by rebooting the phone, too.  I assume normal touching of the screen to scroll works elsewhere, right?

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Also, make sure the phone is connected to your home wifi, and that bluetooth is turned on.  If you use a VPN on the phone, then disconnect from it.

[Big_Dee]

Check your router Band, the Arlo is 2.4 ghz, and if your router is set on 5 ghz like mine is, Arlo will not find the network.  You could reset it to 2.4 then sync the device and once connected, change it back to 5 ghz, but it might cause the battery to degrade I read.  I realize now, my next router will be a simultaneous dual-band and all devices will be dual-band too.  5G increased my internet 400% over 2.4G speed and simultaneous dual-band with separate IDs can help increase those speeds further.   

[StephenB]

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@Big_Dee wrote:

You could reset it to 2.4 then sync the device and once connected, change it back to 5 ghz,

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The Essential models only have a 2.4 ghz radio.  If you are connecting the camera to your home wifi, you need to keep a 2.4 ghz network running.

If you are connecting the camera to an Arlo Hub, then the situation is different, because the Hub is providing the wifi.

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@Big_Dee wrote:

 change it back to 5 ghz, but it might cause the battery to degrade I read. 

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No. If you have a dual-band Arlo camera (for instance the Pro 5s), then there is no battery degradation when it connects to 5G.  

5G might use a bit more power, and it certainly has a shorter range than 2.4 ghz.

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@Big_Dee wrote:

 I realize now, my next router will be a simultaneous dual-band 

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Almost all routers are.  What manufacturer/model is your router?

If you are going for max performance, you'd want to get a router that has 2.4 ghz, 5 ghz, and 6 ghz.

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@Big_Dee wrote:

simultaneous dual-band with separate IDs can help increase those speeds further.   

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I think you might be misunderstanding what you are reading.  Most modern routers generally use the same network name (SSID) on all bands by default.  That is largely to simplify the user experience.  There is no speed advantage to using different SSIDs on each band.

As far as clients are concerned, the relevant feature is called  MLO (Multi Link operation).  That is a quite new WiFi-7 feature, and there aren't many client devices out there that can use it.  I doubt that Arlo will implement it, since it will use more power, and the cameras only need a couple megabits of bandwidth - so it doesn't have any benefit for them.