FOURTH Arlo Essential Spotlight camera "not found" after chime

[jojobebe]

I purchased three sets of three essential spotlight cameras, total of nine cameras.  I installed the first three with no problem.  I tried to install a fourth camera and I keep getting " no camera found" after it reads the QR code and chimes.   I tried multiple cameras from the second and third sets of cameras with no luck.  I spent an hour and a half texting with support (they refuse to talk on the phone!) and all I get are standard answers.  They were going to send me a replacement camera even though I tried multiple cameras.  The network is fine since I setup the first three. 

Does anyone have any suggestions?   Thanks, Steve

[jguerdat]

Have you tried resetting the cameras?

[jojobebe]

Yes, reset them by holding down the button for 30 seconds, correct?

[jguerdat]

That's excessive time but yes.

Are you connecting to your router or to a hub? Have you tried rebooting whatever is in use? Might be worth trying the web client for this, too.

[jojobebe]

Going to a router from the cable box and then to the camera.  I did reboot the router.  The first three cameras setup fine, so I assume the network is fine.

[jguerdat]

And use of the web client?

[jojobebe]

not sure why that would work if the first three cameras are fine, but no did not try it, not sure how to do it

[jojobebe]

ok, i figured it out, as expected it was not technical, the cameras and network were fine.  I found the issue by accident and it is annoying because I asked arlo support if the blue light should be blinking when it was looking for the camera after accepting the QR code/chime and they said yes. It SHOULD NOT be blinking.  I kept pushing the button to be sure the light was blinking when it was supposed to shut off.  One would think ARLO support would have mentioned this.  

[RegularJoe · Accepted solution]

  I understood the way it's supposed to work is the the blue light should be blinking, somewhat slowly, during the discovery/linking process, and if it stops, push the "arm" button again to get it to blink and be discoverable.

  I couldn't point you to where I read that, but I did read it on here. That's how I do it while I'm trying to link a camera to the system... make sure it's blinking to be discoverable.

  This entire website leaves a little to be desired in the explanation department.  It's hard to explain, to who you're asking, what it is you're seeing when it's happening... I think a lot gets lost in the translation.

  Just today, I tried to link 3 new (to me) Essential Spotlight cameras to my existing system. These were purchased from an individual, who did buy them new from Arlo in January.

  Figuring that they'd been linked to a different system previously, I "reset" all of them....by holding the "button" in til the yellow LED started blinking. Then, with my phone, I set about trying to link them up individually. 

  I should explain that at my house, I have the wifi router set up with a primary and secondary (guest) channel. 

The first cam was not discovered by the system, neither was the second. The third cam took right to it and linked up.  This was using the primary channel.

  After that, I changed the SSID and password to try the secondary channel. The first try, nothing worked... so I tried it again and it linked right up. I named that cam and picked up the last one.

  It took 3 trys, but it finally linked up to the system.... so, now I have a total of 9 cameras in my system.

  Sometimes there just seems to be a glitch in their system and you just have to keep trying. I don't really know if me trying to different channels on the same wifi router actually makes any difference, but it sure makes me feel better knowing that I have that option to try when nothing else is working right.
   

  

[jojobebe]

Interesting.  Appreciate the feedback.  I have 4 more cameras to setup, hope they work with my new found process.