Firmware updates resulted in two cameras no longer being recognized

[Orpheus23]

I currently have two Arlo Essential cameras and on Essential spotlight connected via WiFi. Have had all three for almost a year with no issues. I have them connected to an eero mesh network. Install had been done via an iPhone using minimum of iOS 14

In early August, the two Essential cameras go offline at the same time with a system message saying it was completing a firmware update, and to wait 5 minutes or so. I sleep on it, hoping it will have completed by the next day. 

The next day, both cameras are still offline (“wait 5 minutes”) and it’s obvious something else is going on. Both cameras were not on low battery but not fully charged either. Once the firmware update process is underway, everything about the camera is basically inaccessible, but this is what I recall. 

Called support and after numerous power cycling, factory resets (removing devices from network, holding sync button for 15 seconds) and then trying to reconnect, the Arlo app will not recognize the cameras. Yes, I reconnected them only to a 2.4 ghz network. I can see that the devices are connected to my network via the eero app (and at 2.4), but the Arlo app continues to spin looking for the camera before it times out. 

Support sent me a new camera. This time the Arlo app was now able to find the device (yay), but then the firmware update process started, and it hung there for more than an hour. I tried removing this again and resetting but am back to the Arlo app not recognizing the camera at all. Not really sure what else to try. This shouldn’t be this hard. I have no idea why the essential spotlight camera works perfectly but the two essential wireless do not. 

I have heard some say that connecting them to a different network may help. Tried a guest network and no change. I also heard some having better luck doing this through a browser, and I tried this via safari on my iPad, and no change. Maybe I need to do this from a laptop.

Anyone else having or had a similar issue?

I am ready to give up, and I would probably go with another option if not for the fact that the other camera works fine. Any help would be appreciated. 

[jguerdat]

To the OP, there seems to be a spate of Eero network issues. I don't have one so can't comment as to fixes. I would continue to work with support since you're not the only one - maybe a true solution will be found. You may also want to be in contact with Eero since it appears to be an issue with their network.

A possible workaround could be to try adding another router to your network as a bridge. Perhaps connecting to that router's WiFi may help. 

[Orpheus23 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the reply. 

While I wasn’t able to try another network via a WiFi extender, I did finally manage to get this working. The replacement camera that was sent to me finally worked, but there was nothing I did differently to get it installed. I simply waited a few days between attempts and that seemed to do the trick. I know this won’t help many others out there and am sorry there isn’t anything more useful than “wait a day or two and try again” but this miraculously worked in my case. I also checked that no firmware updates were made (eero or Arlo alike) during this “break.” Hope this bodes well for others. 

[Durward]

Impressive！Thanks for giving me an idea to my site. Ill be following your works from now on. Hoping for your success.

[Gnobbe]

I had a similar result - after the firmware update, one of my 4 cameras would no longer connect.  Spent a lot of time with chat support - one of the suggestions was to remove the camera from the base, and then reconnect it.  After removing, now the camera will not re-sync to the base.  After a long time of trouble shooting, they finally came back and said the camera was defective.  Keep in mind, the camera worked fine before the update, but after the firmware update stopped connecting.   What is most disappointing, they said it is out of warranty (over a year old) and could not replace it.   As we all know, these systems are expensive - I don't mind paying for more if I get more, but do not feel like I am getting more.  Arlo let me hang on this one - encourage me to use a small discount to buy another one.   My thought is, if they let me hang on this one, they will do it again and I would be foolish to invest more.    I am also reluctant to do further firmware updates as the remaining 3 cameras still work.   That is my experience, and hopefully no one else goes through it.