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Make PC as a trusted device for 2FA

I use 3 devices to access my Arlo cams. My phone, my tablet and my PC. It isn't possible to add my PC to known devices for the 2 step verification process. Every time I try to access my cams via my PC, I have to get the code from my phone and enter it in my PC. Would be much easier for PC users to have the capability to list the PC as a known device. 

Comments
arlo-user123
Apprentice

I just created the account today and there is no slider to turn 2FA off. Now what?!?

 

p.s. I am on a Mac if that makes a difference. Any ideas?

 

Rwatking
Guide

One other thing has just occured to me ..... have you tried turning off 2SV by accessing your Arlo account via your phone or other device rather than your PC? Sometimes those devices have a higher level of privilege than your PC so will allow you to make changes that you can't make on your PC. This fact is the reason why so many of us want to get Arlo to make our PCs a Trusted Device, rather than the second class status that Arlo seems determined to force on what to many of us is our primary means of accessing our Arlo devices. I'm afraid that like you, I'm from a different era, and I do not want my life ruled by my phone! I've got a lot better things to be doing than being tied to a lump of technology. I believe that technology should be a servant to us, not the other way around!

arlo-user123
Apprentice

Yes, just checked my phone and the screen is identical to the PC. No slider. What these Arlo folks don't realize is that there are others like myself with vision disabilities that makes the use of a phone screen difficult, as well as having to type in the code on the computer. We use the computer because the screen is much larger but Arlo seems to say we don't care about you.

BobT42
Onlooker

On my PC I go to Settings->Profile-> then click on 2-step verification to expose the On/Off slider

arlo-user123
Apprentice

I wish I could show you a picture but doing the same thing on my Mac does not show any slider.

Rwatking
Guide

I'm sorry that it's not working for you. I don't know whether you're aware but there is a difference between the Arlo Web Portal (for accessing your cameras, profile and settings on a Windows PC (and I believe the Mac PC)) and the Arlo App (for Android or iPhone phones). Certainly, in my case on Android, I can turn the 2SV on and off using the Arlo App on my phone. If I turn it ON, however (on any device) I then can't turn it OFF on my PC. If it's OFF I can turn it ON on my PC but I can then only turn it OFF on the App. This is BIZARRE I know, but unfortunately, typical of Arlo!

rpalmer
Guide

Many apps use OAuth2, and I find Arlo's implementation to be the least user friendly. A couple of enhancements could correct that:

 

1. Give the user an "option" to "trust this device" so that subsequent Arlo logins on that device will not require the entry of an authentication code. This logic is widely used.

 

2. This could be further enhanced, where the notification sends a message like: "Someone is attempting to log into your Arlo account.  Is that okay?" ... along with "Yes" and "No" buttons which will reply to the notification and either allow or disallow the login. This logic is more rare, but is used by Google and others. 

 

LandJS
Mentor

AMEN that is what most do today.  It's BS to have to have my phone to log in on my PC, if I have to go get my phone I might as well just use it but then that would make Arlo tech happy they don't have to fix a broke system.

jguerdat
Guru

@rpalmer wrote:

1. Give the user an "option" to "trust this device" so that subsequent Arlo logins on that device will not require the entry of an authentication code. This logic is widely used.


This already in place for devices that use the app. When first logging into an account that is set to use 2FA, there's a choice to trust the device. This can also be manipulated in Settings, Profile, Login Settings, Two-step Verification.

 

Unfortunately, computers are not yet trusted. Hopefully that will be resolved at some point.

JessicaP
Arlo Employee Retired
Status changed to: Engineering Investigation

We appreciate all of the feedback provided so far for two-step verification and will continue working on enhancing the two-step verification experience in the future. We will update this thread once we have more information available.