Power outtage cameras not reconnecting Essential Spotlight

[Burtemannen]

I have 4 Arlo Essential Spotlight, and 1 Arlo Wireless Doobell. We live in an area where all our electronic/electric devices are prone to get damaged during thunderstorms (end on the powerline or something like that). So, everytime we have thunderstorms, I disconnect the router and WiFi accesspoints (Deco) from the powergrid. 

After reconnecting router and WiFi accesspoints to the powergrid, none of the cameras are able to reconnect to the network.

I have tried changing the WiFi to only be 2.4Ghz without any luck, I am just not able to get them to reconnect.

The only solution I have found so far is to delete the cameras from my account, and add them back. But this process get's really old really fast.

There has gotta be some option for reconnecting the cameras, when nothing about the WiFi has changed (same Ghz, samme SSID and so on).

And also, why is the reconnect operation not done automatically?

[StephenB]

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@Burtemannen wrote:

this seems to be something that should be completely unnecessary. 

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FWIW, I agree.

The cameras do store the wifi credentials, and they are supposed to automatically reconnect.

The cameras will use a lot of power when they are actively looking for the network, so one possibility is the battery has simply drained.  But this also is something Arlo could improve, by backing off how often the cameras try to reconnect over time.

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@Burtemannen wrote:

We have also tried UPS before for the modem, but this was back when we still used ADSL, and the surge just went in through the copper instead and cracked the modem. 

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Yes, I mentioned that possibility above.  Some UPS provide protection for RJ45/ethernet - not sure if that would also work for ADSL, but it likely would (since the RJ11 connector will fit into the socket, and the protection has to be analog).  But it might not be enough anyway.

Still, I think a UPS would make sense, since your current strategy only works when you are home and able to disconnect the electronics.

[jguerdat]

They're supposed to reconnect automatically but you're not the first to state that doesn't happen. One thing that may help is to put a UPS in place that powers your router and unplug the UPS from the wall instead of the router. That way the WiFi connection is always maintained. If you also connect your modem to the UPS, your internet connection remains up all the time. The UPS also provide surge protection with some/many/most providing monetary coverage for damage that still occurs.

Since you have constant problems with this, I might be considering some power line protection devices for your house so you don't have to jump through those hoops to protect your various devices. Something like a whole house power conditioner or, at least, surge protector. If you go that way, talk to an electrician for real recommendations. Sorry that doesn't solve the immediate problem but may be a worthwhile investment.

[StephenB]

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@Burtemannen wrote:

 We live in an area where all our electronic/electric devices are prone to get damaged during thunderstorms

FYI, nearby lightning strikes are really hard to defend,  Surge protectors and UPS often aren't enough.  If you do use them, keep in mind that any wiring in the house can carry the power surge - including ethernet, coax, and phone lines.

That said, I'd just leave the router on.  While there could be some risk, there are a lot more expensive things that could be damaged - TVs and all your major appliances.  And probably your heating/cooling.

But I do suggest a UPS for the router, as mine will keep my internet working during short power outages.  You might not need one for the mesh elements, as your wifi will often travel farther during a power failure (since there are no competing signals).

[Burtemannen]

Hi, and thx for the reply. In our case we already have surge protection in place in the fusebox for the house. We have also tried UPS before for the modem, but this was back when we still used ADSL, and the surge just went in through the copper instead and cracked the modem. We could try UPS again now that we have fiber, but to be fair, this seems to be something that should be completely unnecessary. I just don't understand how these cameras are working since they don't reconnect, I mean they gotta have some internal memory to store the configuration for the WiFi, if not they would not know which WiFi to connect to. 
To me this sounds like a pure firmware issue, and something that Arlo should be able to fix, especially given that I have also seen others owners feedback on this issue. 

[StephenB]

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@Burtemannen wrote:

this seems to be something that should be completely unnecessary. 

---

FWIW, I agree.

The cameras do store the wifi credentials, and they are supposed to automatically reconnect.

The cameras will use a lot of power when they are actively looking for the network, so one possibility is the battery has simply drained.  But this also is something Arlo could improve, by backing off how often the cameras try to reconnect over time.

---

@Burtemannen wrote:

We have also tried UPS before for the modem, but this was back when we still used ADSL, and the surge just went in through the copper instead and cracked the modem. 

---

Yes, I mentioned that possibility above.  Some UPS provide protection for RJ45/ethernet - not sure if that would also work for ADSL, but it likely would (since the RJ11 connector will fit into the socket, and the protection has to be analog).  But it might not be enough anyway.

Still, I think a UPS would make sense, since your current strategy only works when you are home and able to disconnect the electronics.