Arm 1 Arlo Device in Arlo Secure 4.0

[DesertGuy]

In Arlo’s Secure app 4.0, I am unable to locate how to arm one Arlo device when I am at home.  The previous Arlo app was so much easier to use than this new version.  Say if I want to arm my doorbell when I am home so it alerts me - how do I do that in the new app?  Or if I am expecting someone to show up at my house - how do I arm just one camera to notify me in the new app?

[TomMac]

I mostly use the web so this is based on that... ( tho it is similar on app, just diff icons )

Go to Routines

you should see Away, Home, Standby

You need to EDIT the one you want ( in this case, Home )

Hit the ">" symbol to edit and ADD a Rule ( pick camera you want on / settings ) ( think it's a gear icon on app )

Save and you should see under the Home a list of number of cameras active in that routine

[DesertGuy]

Thank you for the response.   I have the newest version of the Arlo Secure app because I also have the new Arlo Security System.   I am not able, at least from what I can find, to arm just one device.  Additionally, I am unable to tell if one device is even armed.   Previous to getting the Arlo Security System, the older version of the app was very easy to use; however, when you get the Arlo Security System you have to upgrade your app.   The new app appears to be poorly constructed and I may need to return the Security System to Arlo, purge this new app, and then re-install just using the Cameras only.   

[RegularJoe]

I'm here to tell you, the new and improved app is easy to use if you're a scientist at the jet propulsion laboratory at Cape Canaveral..

[jguerdat]

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@DesertGuy wrote:

Thank you for the response.   I have the newest version of the Arlo Secure app because I also have the new Arlo Security System.   I am not able, at least from what I can find, to arm just one device.  Additionally, I am unable to tell if one device is even armed.   Previous to getting the Arlo Security System, the older version of the app was very easy to use; however, when you get the Arlo Security System you have to upgrade your app.   The new app appears to be poorly constructed and I may need to return the Security System to Arlo, purge this new app, and then re-install just using the Cameras only.   

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The biggest issue is that there are only 3 available modes - hopefully that will change over time. It's really not that hard to work with but it's definitely a new way of doing things if you're used to the old way. 

You'd have to pick one mode to configure for just one camera (perhaps the Standby mode - I use it in a similar vein but with a couple of cameras).  As for determining what camera(s) are armed, all you need to do is look in either the Dashboard for the chosen mode or Routines where the Mode selection presents the 3 modes and tells you which one is active and what cameras are in that mode (to see the specific cameras, click on the 3 dots at the top or just click on the mode to verify what is armed. The Devices section also shows which cameras are armed via a blue dot along with the signal strength icon, etc. My issue is with the blue dot (and, really, that whole icon row )with it being difficult to determine what the icons are showing due to color and contrast.

Lastly, since you've migrated to the new UI, there's no going back. I expect that soon everyone will be migrated to the new UI anyways so it would only be a very limited time before you're back you where you are now.

[DesertGuy]

Thanks for the response.   The functionality to enable one device like in the previous version of the app is a miss for Arlo.  I get that it can be accomplished by adding it to a Mode programming, but then you also have to remove it out of the Mode programming when you don’t want it armed - the previous version was one click and it was armed.  

Regarding how to see which devices armed, this is not reflected in the Dashboard screen at all.  Within the Dashboard screen, I am not sure I understand the purpose of adding a widget since the Devices screen shows the same thing.  Now it would have been nice to show which devices were armed or in one of the 3 modes when you do add a widget to the Dashboard screen, but current state of the widgets do nothing other than mimic the Device screen.   I think the only way I can tell if a device is armed is by viewing the device on the Device screen and the little dot within the device box is white instead of grayed out.    

Bottomline, in my mind, Arlo went from a good app which was very user friendly to a poor app which is not user friendly when they had the opportunity to make this a great app - this is a miss. 

[RegularJoe]

I wish commenters would refrain from using abbreviations in their responses.

  I had to sit around and think "what could UI stand for?"

   I was thinking "urinary tract infection".. but I'm guessing it means user interface.

  Why not just write user interface?

  That rant aside I agree with you 100%.. somebody screwed up.

  Most of us seem to be like rudderless ships at sea... aimlessly sailing around with no theodolite to help guide us on our journey through this informationless wasteland called Arlo Camera...

  I've had these cameras about 6 months, and I think I have everything pretty well figured out... then they threw this curveball that knocked my feet out from underneath me, and I'm having to learn to walk again.. like I say.. I thought I knew what I was doing, and it took me a long time to get proficient at it.. and now that it's all new again I'm having to relearn... how do they expect a new user to figure out any of this stuff when even us seasoned users can't figure it out.?

  No written instructions anywhere.. trying to glean any information off their jumbled up poor excuse for instructions on the website is like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube in the dark..

[jguerdat]

UI is a whole lot easier to type than user interface. Be aware that UX may also be used. Abbreviations are a part of Internet life. LOL. 🙂

You don't necessarily need to remove the rule to turn the camera off. You can simply choose a different mode which doesn't have the camera rule or go into the device settings to turn it off. 

I do agree that the new interface needs work since a number of previously available features are missing. I'd like to think features will be added in future releases  but no guarantees.

[DesertGuy]

jguerdat -

Thanks for the response.  

You stated “You don't necessarily need to remove the rule to turn the camera off. You can simply choose a different mode which doesn't have the camera rule”.     I am only seeing 3 modes and if I have my Doorbell is armed in Standby mode and then switch to either of the other 2 modes, Arm Home or Arm Away, then that would impact other devices - I am not sure that is a solution for only arming one device in the new app.

You mentioned “go into the device settings to turn it off” but I am not seeing where I can specifically turn on (arm) or turn off (remove arm) in the settings of doorbell.   Are you able to direct me how to turn off the doorbell in the doorbell settings?

Thanks for your help.

[jguerdat]

Ah! The doorbells don't have the ability to turn them off in the settings - I missed that. Sorry.

The 3 modes that are available can be configured uniquely but, unlike the old custom modes, you may not have enough options to do what you desire. SLog through the modes to see if you can come up with a compromise but, as you say, you may not be able to arm only one device appropriately. Remember that you can add or remove rules in each mode so the doorbell may be added to all but other cameras may be selectively left out.