One camera detects motion but never sends anything to my phone

[horrified_user]

I bought two Arlo cameras back in April/May. Since then I have had a problem pretty much once a week. I had my cameras replaced twice, numerous trips to the T-Mobile store where I bought them from. Right now one of the two cameras stopped detecting motion, or to be exact, it seems top detect motion but never sends anything to my phone, like the other does. On top of that I was asked to log back in several times and apparently the Arlo's developers do not know how regular expressions work and so satisfying their password requirement is near impossible. I guess Arlo's scrapped the bottom of the barrel in Bangalore. This product is horrible and the only sound approach to it is to stay away.

[JamesC]

When you say the camera "never sends anything to your phone", are you referring to it not recording when motion is triggered and saving the content in library/feeds? Or are you referring to push notificaitons?

You might consider checking the mode/rules for that camera to make sure they are set up to function as desired: https://kb.arlo.com/000062777/About-Arlo-Routines-Modes-Rules-and-Automations

JamesC

[horrified_user]

History: I bought two cameras a few weeks apart from each other. Both of them stopped reacting to motion within the 4-month free trial period that T-Mobile did not tell me about. At this point, one of them is past 4 months and it only sends notifications. The other stopped sending anything, but when I test the motion detector from the app, it works. BTW, I have had both of the cameras replaced already because T-Mobile had no idea why they stopped working. I actually think the problem is the app and I have a few reasons for that. Among other things, the app's developers do not know how regular expressions work and so coming up with a new password is quite an adventure. I have screenshots, truly remarkable. I do not think anybody cat tell me how to fix my camera this time and so I am going to T-Mobile again this week.

[jguerdat]

Sounds like your trial subscription expired. Have you verified that you do or don't have an active sub?

[horrified_user]

The tech support responded to me by sending instructions on how to report a hardware problem. So at least someone is awake there. The only problem is that hardware problems cannot be fixed remotely and so I am going to T-Mobile and get my camera replaced again. If they refuse then I am completely screwed because there is no way how to get out of this contract. T-Mobile says that it is buyer's remorse. No, it is not. Arlo sold me garbage, that's what it is. I would be perfectly happy if everything worked as advertised.

[jguerdat]

You didn't answer the question about having a subscription.

[horrified_user]

Yes, I did. The subscription expiration only means that the feeds are not sent anymore. The notifications are supposed to be sent for the duration of the contract.

BTW: I just ran a scheduled phone update after which I cannot log back in into my Arlo cameras. The error says that I have no internet connection. You must be fu*king kidding me.

[jguerdat]

iOS? have you checked that the app permissions allow access to data connections? If so, that's an iOS thing, not Arlo.

[horrified_user]

So, I did go to T-Mobile and they first restarted my phone. That took care of the "no internet" message. Then they said they would replace my camera, for the third time (!), and asked me to show them the serial numbers. I pulled the battery to see the numbers underneath and then pushed it back in place. Yes, you guessed it - the camera started to work. This is Microsoft has done for decades - if the system hangs, restart, reboot. At this point the camera detects motion and it also produces feeds because it still is within the four months of free trial.  So here it is: Reboot twice. First your App/phone and then the camera itself and everything will be dandy...

[horrified_user]

Also, a new problem: One my two cameras never shows the blue light that indicates a full battery. So one of them does, the other one does not. They are both plugged in. What kind of sh%t is it this time??

[horrified_user]

I put a memory stick to one of my cameras and if recorded feeds for some time. Now it goes not. I have not even touched it. This product is complete garbage.

[JamesC]

horrified_user

Arlo Go 2 cameras require an active subscription plan or trial to save content to feeds. To view content saved to the SD card you would need to remove the SD card and view using a device that can read it.

JamesC

[horrified_user]

I do have an active subscription, of course. As I mentioned in my original post, it used to work. That would have been impossible without a plan. It simply stopped working for no apparent reason. I am not talking about reviewing the content of the SD card either. What I am saying that it does not record any feeds anymore.

[JamesC]

I looked up your information based on the email address associated with your community account. You appear to have 1 camera that has a trial plan associated with it and another that has no plan.

The camera with no active plan will not save recordings to feeds without an Arlo Secure subscription.

JamesC

[horrified_user]

I bought 2 cameras, one in April and one in July, I think. One of them stopped recording feeds about two months ago and Arlo told me that was because the 4-months trial ended. The solution was to either start paying for Arlo servers or use a local SD card. I picked the SD card on my own dime. Once again: IT WORKED! I was able to record feeds on the SD card and reviewed them on my phone.

[horrified_user]

If what you saying is true then Arlo must have changed their policy to disable local memory recording to make users pay for the servers. I would not be surprised by this, but maybe you should come clean.

[JamesC]

No policy changes have been made, you can view this article from June, 2022 detailing how local storage works with Arlo Go 2 cameras: https://kb.arlo.com/000062623/How-do-I-install-an-optional-SD-card-in-my-Arlo-Go2-Camera

JamesC

[horrified_user]

1. These two sentences seem to contradict each other:

You can use an optional micro-SD card (sold separately) to store Arlo recordings locally when your Arlo Go 2 Camera is not connected to the cloud.

Local storage cannot be used on its own as a substitute for cloud recording.

2. I was told that it was possible to use SD cards instead of cloud.

3. If what you are saying is true, how come it worked? Something must have changed. Or are you suggesting  that I am lying?

4. I was on the call with T-Mobile regarding this and you would not even pick up calls from them.

[JamesC]

Arlo Go 2 local storage is designed to be a backup alternative to cloud storage. The intended use is to allow the camera to continue to record in the event of an LTE outage where the camera is no longer able to communicate with the Arlo cloud. It is not designed as an alternative to an Arlo Secure subscription, which allows content to be stored in the Arlo cloud and viewed within feeds.

Upon first installation, Arlo Go 2 cameras have a trial subscription that is automatically applied to your account. This allows the camera to save content to feeds for the duration of the trial. After the trial's expiration, you will need to purchase an Arlo Secure subscription to continue receiving the same benefits provided by the trial. No changes have been made to this process for local storage on Arlo Go 2 cameras, if you were seeing content in Feeds, this indicates a trial or subscription plan was active at that time.

JamesC

[horrified_user]

1. If you look at the App, the Storage Settings, you will NOT find any mentioning of the the local storage being a backup technology. It simply says that you may chose to store feeds locally. If what you are saying is true then Arlo is CLEARLY uses deceptive business practices. NO NONE could possibly read the App UI in the way you  described it.

2. This is NOT the first time Arlo used deceptive business practices on me. The 4-months "trial" period is 3  1/2 months PAST what T-Mobile calls "buyers remorse". In other words, you disclose that the user is supposed to pay extra way after he can cancel the deal. That is BELOW a used car salesperson's practice. You are just tricking your customers into buying the product by hiding additional cost.

3. I am still waiting for an answer why I was able to store my feeds on the SD card locally for a couple of weeks.