Arlo Essential spotlight worked perfectly for a little over a month before disconnecting

[Anamaris]

I bought my Arlo Essential Spotlight in August 2021. They worked perfectly for a little over a month before disconnecting all together. I tried to reconnect them several times but nothing was working, so I removed them from the app and tried adding them again. I even tried opening a new account with different email.
The cameras are not connecting after reading the QR Code.
I tried following the troubleshooting and doing the full resets but nothing has worked… I don’t know what else to do and i cant find no support contacts in my area

[jguerdat]

Did you also reset them as per the procedure found in the FAQ in the support section here?

https://kb.arlo.com/000062438/How-do-I-factory-reset-my-Arlo-wire-free-camera

[Anamaris]

Yes, and thank you so much for replying.
I did follow that. And by removing the device, now it’s not recognized it and not allowing me to add them back… it just keeps spinning trying to find the camera but it never does. That why i tried to add them by trying to create a new account but it didn’t work either

[jguerdat]

It certainly could be a faulty camera. Use the app, go to Settings, Support to get started with support that may lead to an RMA.

[Darfus]

My  arlo cam has done the same as yours. It was installed next to my front door, and worked for about a month. It is sheltered by the porch roof, so it won't get wet.  It indicated it needed recharged already, which I did.  The orange light on the cam flashes, when I depress the button, but my phone says it's not connected to the net. I tried the procedure for reconnecting, without success.  The orange light also flashes occasionally, without depressing the button.  Has my cam failed?  I purchased it at Best Buy for $135 or so. Not a fortune, but too much to waste on a gadget that conks out so soon.

[JamesC]

Darfus,

The LED behavior you're describing sounds like the battery needs charged. Are you charging the camera with an official Arlo branded charging cable?

JamesC

[Retired_Member]

To get the Essential Spotlight back online when it misbehaves:

1:  Remove the camera from the account

2:  Factory reset the camera by holding down the sync button for 15+ seconds - it should flash a rapid amber LED

(note - it won't reset if it's connected to power, at least I've never been able to get it to reset unless it's unplugged)

3:  Wait for the amber LED to stop then press the sync button again for a couple of seconds to put it into sync mode - slow flashing blue LED

4:  Point the camera at a wall or otherwise make sure there is no movement in front of it

(note - the Essential Spotlight seems to go into a 'busy' state when motion is detected, by default.  You can't add it to the account when it's in that state - you have to ensure there is no motion in front of the camera in order for the app to find it when you 'Add device'.

5:  Add the camera to the account using the same procedure you'd use if the camera was new.

Some of these steps may no longer be necessary, the 'busy state' thing may have been resolved by a firmware update at some point since I figured out this procedure, but following these steps always works for me when one of my Essential Spotlight cams decides it doesn't like being online anymore. (happens a lot)

[Darfus]

Thanks, James!  The problem was as you suggested, related to the cam not being charged. But, it was the receptacle that I had my charger adapter plugged into. I plugged it into another receptacle, left it over night, and now it works fine.  By the way--the adaptor I have is one with a longer cord, with a Wasserman brand.  It works fine; just have to plug it into a good outlet(receptacle).