Essentials VMC2030 not able to connect - will a base station solve the issue?

[WayneO]

So I have two Arlo Essentials (VMC2030) and we have recently moved house and all the new routers do not have an option to manually set a  2.4ghz network. So it is impossible to connect the two cameras directly to the wifi. If I purchase a base station and connect that with a wired connection to an ethernet port, will that solve the problem?

As a follow up 2 questions, if which base station and would having the arlo subscription then no longer be necessary?

[StephenB]

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@WayneO wrote:

 all the new routers do not have an option to manually set a  2.4ghz network. So it is impossible to connect the two cameras directly to the wifi.

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Have you tried?  FWIW, my Orbi router doesn't let me disable 5 ghz either, and I have been able to onboard cameras to its wifi anyway.

[WayneO]

Yeah, tried several times.

[StephenB]

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@WayneO wrote:

If I purchase a base station and connect that with a wired connection to an ethernet port, will that solve the problem?

As a follow up 2 questions, if which base station and would having the arlo subscription then no longer be necessary?

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It's a different on-boarding process, so it might work better for you.

As far as the subscription goes, you could potentially get a VMB4540 or VMB5000 smarthub and use direct access to local storage instead of a subscription.  But cloud storage isn't the only subscription feature (activity zones is another one that many find important), and direct access has a lot of limitations.  We can chat more about that if you like.

Stand-alone bases are in short supply, and the ones that are available are often seriously overpriced (~$100 USD more than MSRP).

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@WayneO wrote:

So I have two Arlo Essentials (VMC2030) and we have recently moved house and all the new routers do not have an option to manually set a  2.4ghz network.

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FWIW, it might have been easier if you'd left the cameras in the account, and set the new router to use the same network name and password as you used in the old house.

If you haven't reset the cameras, then I suggest doing that next.  https://kb.arlo.com/000062438/How-do-I-factory-reset-and-re-sync-my-Arlo-camera

Also, make sure you are choosing the Essential Spotlight model when you onboard (not the Essential).

[lp77]

>>>Also, make sure you are choosing the Essential Spotlight model when you onboard (not the Essential).

OMG! You just saved my complete frustration!!!

It's taken me all weekend, trying to add this camera, and I was adding the essential!

[RegularJoe]

New user here.

  Mine are about a week old, and they act up all the time.

Sometimes I think it's the wifi signal dropping off, because a cam or two will have some issues that won't "fix", then an hour later... everything's working again.

  One this morning... showed "offline". I tried all the suggested fixes... wouldn't come back to life. Let it set on the desk for an hour... came back later... it had synched up and was alive. It's like they've got a mind of their own.

[jguerdat]

Signal strength/quality is likely the issue. Moving the cameras to a different location and/or closer to your router may well help.