Arlo Essential Spotlight not connecting to wifi, shuts off.

[er-minio]

I recently purchased an Arlo Essential Spotlight from Amazon (Amazon used/refurbished) and I'm trying to add it to my account.

I already have another Arlo camera that has been working perfectly for years.

I'm following the onboarding procedure and double checked that we are using the 2.4Ghz wifi.

As other people described everything goes ok until the camera scans the QR code. After hearing the chime, I position the camera next to the wifi router, it keeps blinking blue for another 10/15 seconds and then no more blinks (does it shut off).

Of course the app doesn't find it.

I tried the onboarding both via a desktop computer and an iPhone.

At some point during the day I was able to see the camera on my account but it was always offline, so I deleted it (big error) and tried the onboarding procedure again to no avail.

I tried to reset it multiple times. I cannot get the blinking blue/amber led sequence the same as in the manual, but it looks like it goes through a restart procedure.

I charged the battery for an hour or two, to be sure there was enough juice in it to go through the pairing.

The fact that, at some point, I was able to add it to my account, makes me think that it is not already paired to some other accounts (remember: refurbished).

[jguerdat]

What is the blue blinking rate before it turns off? If rapidly blinking, it thinks it's connected. Check your router to verify the camera has an IP address.

If nothing works, try the reset procedure:

https://kb.arlo.com/000062438/How-do-I-factory-reset-and-re-sync-my-Arlo-camera

[er-minio]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

It is slow blue blinking. Then it stops. So I don’t think it connects. I don’t see the camera listed on the router side. Is there a way to find the camera’s MAC address?

The blue led never blinks faster (unless I connect an usb cable sometimes).

I should be able to make a video of it tomorrow.

[jguerdat]

The box has the MAC address. If there's no rapid blue blinking when connecting, it's immaterial.

Did you reset the camera?

[er-minio]

Yes, I did the reset procedure multiple times.

Even though the blinking lights are not exactly as described in the manual.

This is what happens (video): https://www.dropbox.com/s/db9ox83ygs4pl3r/arlo.mp4?dl=0

[StephenB]

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@er-minio wrote:

Yes, I did the reset procedure multiple times.

Even though the blinking lights are not exactly as described in the manual.

This is what happens (video): https://www.dropbox.com/s/db9ox83ygs4pl3r/arlo.mp4?dl=0

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FWIW, your video doesn't show a reset, it shows an ordinary sync attempt.  You need to hold down the sync control for around 15 seconds to trigger the reset. 

The manual says it will blink amber three times (which I think is correct).  But the knowledge base article says it will blink blue. I haven't done this with an essential for quite a while, so I don't recall the LED status I saw.

Tagging the mods ( @JamesC and @ShayneS ), so they can resolve the mismatch in the documentation.

[er-minio]

I made the video just to show how the camera shuts off after the chime.

I've done the reset procedure a million times in the last few days. The issue with that is: the camera doesn't blink 3 times red and restarts (as the manual says) but if you keep pressed the button 15 seconds it switches to blinking red (same blinking interval as the blue light) continuously.

I've done the reset pressing the button 15 seconds or 45 seconds (there is another procedure).

Also, when the camera starts blinking red, the only way to stop that is to plug it into a charger.

Just to be clear: this blinking red is not the same as the low battery warning. That is a faster blinking.

[StephenB]

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@er-minio wrote:

The issue with that is: the camera doesn't blink 3 times red and restarts (as the manual says) but if you keep pressed the button 15 seconds it switches to blinking red (same blinking interval as the blue light) continuously.

If you can still return it to Amazon, then I'd do that.

I don't think their refurbished cameras are covered by Arlo's warranty (and I believe they are sold by Amazon, not Arlo).

[er-minio]

Here's what happens when I reset it:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9gp9qiie393tcph/arlo-reset.mov?dl=0

[er-minio]

I opened a support request with Arlo. This was an option from Amazon while checking to return the camera.

[er-minio]

As an update: I am now trying to connect it to another network (never worked on the first one).

Performed reset, set up 2.4Ghz only network.

As before: on the first run the camera gets added on the app only but never connects to the network and is never available and always disconnected in the app.

Performed several resets and connection procedures and never worked.

I opened a case with Arlo last week as mentioned before. I have a case number, but no response from them so far...

I am returning this.