Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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Wireless Channel config manual override

Here's the deal;

wireless_in_the_city.jpg

 

This is my WiFi *indoors*, if I go outside it's even more and stronger signals. It amazes me that this Arlo system even uses WiFi when it offers is no manual control whatsoever, which I obviously expected it to offer, because, well, it's from NETGEAR!? All your equipment offers the user settings and full config and control, yet when it counts (to protect and secure our home reliably) it just doesn't?? WTF is that about? Please netgear, explain this to me. I demand the option to set the channel the base-station uses.

To be honest I didn't even expect it to use 2.4 GHz WiFi. Why did you pick that? Since it's proprietary anyway, why not use some unused frequencies? WHY WHY WHY?

 

Seriously, I'm going to publish this fact everywhere I can, because if knew beforehand, I would never have paid so much for such a useless wifi distortion unit. I would *not* have bought it.

 

Second thing is the fact it's reliability fully relies on your internet being up (and wireless signals not being distorted purposely). I can just pull the phone-cable outdoor so the DSL is lost, I can even check the wireless band from my car for the netgear ssid (which is always the same) and then switch on a scrambler and rip the house blind.

 

This has got to be the most insecure system ever, there's no local backup option of the footage, no memory, nothing (I've tested it). Frankly, not at all what I expected from a big name like netgear. Your routers are OK, but this arlo hands-off cloud-only stuff blows. And then no Advanced config in the base-station? For crying out loud you guys, get that fixed channel setting in the firmware or I'll send my expensive arlo crap right back to the seller.

 

Comments
DannyBisaerts
Novice

I agree that this should be standard functionality. C'mon Netgear, you can do better than that 🙂

yesimageek
Novice

I currently have my Arlo base station on a wifi extender far from the main router.  It worked great for a long time, then after a power failure, I experienced a long process of identifying problems with almost everything on the network dropping connections regularly.  I'm pretty sure I've resolved the problem by inventing a procedure for forcing the Arlo to operate on the router's channel (which the extender follows) on power up, then moving the router to a distant channel after the Arlo is up.  Time will tell if this procedure works reliably, but it would be much easier to implement and "set and forget" if the Arlo had an advanced configuration setting as suggested above.  I love my cameras, I do not love debugging my wifi network for a week.

SanderJ
Star

Using the same WiFi channel is the biggest nonsense I ever heard. I just can't imagine that a company who is supposed to know WiFi comes up with this. Even worse, Netgear is not working on a solution/update.

 

Arlo_channel.PNG

RudyA
Observer

This is the most ridiculous "feature" I've ever seen in my 30+ years of working with networks!

 

Come on Netgear, get your head out of the sand and fix this!

 

Even if your "engineers" think that following an existing wireless channel is the correct way to design a product (it isn't), give us "idiots" the ability to override things so we can all "do it wrong" and regain control of our network infrastructure.

 

I have, over the years, purchased many Netgear products without hesitation (ReadyNAS, managed enterprise switches, consumer grade routers, Orbi, Arlo, etc.) but this sort of thing will truly make me think twice before ever considering buying (or recommending) another Netgear product in the future.

 

All I can say is wow, just wow!!

 

 

 

 

HighValueWarrio
Onlooker

I cannot believe this basic functionality has not been added to the UI.

Truly negligent.

GIVE USERS THE CHOICE OF CHANNELS FOR THEIR NETWORK.

 

Lack of action on this issue is deplorable. The engineers need to get their thumbs out.

patmvcr
Follower

Since I got the Arlo system, we have been having trouble with our home network. Lots of interference with our Airplay setup... even though our Airport EXtreme basestation was a mere 3 metres away from the stereo. I set up NetSpot on my laptop and discovered that there was a very strong router on the same channel as my Airport EXtreme basestation. I would set my Airport EXtreme basestation to a new channel and the interference disappeared. But then I would find that within a day NETGEAR55 was back on the same channel!! I spent hours and hours over the course of a year trying to figure out what the source of the NETGEAR55 WiFi signal was.   I had assumed it was an unfriendly neighbour. I went so far as to buy another router and highly directional antenna to blast this neighbour so he would have a taste of his own medicine. I gave that router the SSID "Fook Yoo". Then I decided to actually map the WiFi signals in the house. I discovered that the NETGEAR55 source was inside MY house! I was aghast to discover that the NETGEAR55 MAC address was the MAC address of my Arlo Basestation!!!!!

 

I only discovered this discussion thread today.... (https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo/Is-it-possible-to-change-the-wifi-channel/td-p/1537/page/2) and I have read all the input. I can appreciate some of the logic put forward by the Arlo reps on this matter, but I can tell you that Co-channel interference of the Arlo base is real and quite a problem here at my house. I really don't care about the first principals science.. from an emperical science perspective, the Arlo base DOES degrade my home network considerably.

 

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SELECT A CHANNEL FOR THE ARLO BASE.

 

From my surveys I could use Channel 1 for Arlo and Channel 11 for my home network.. these channels are sufficiently separated to not interfere. There really is not a lot of channel clutter where I live. Arlo creates the problem! (https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/adjacent-channel-congestion.html)

madcitygeek
Novice

I recently replaced my wifi base station with gear from Ubiquiti. Fantastic stuff. I have mapped out the house, set each AP with a non-overlapping channel in the 2.4 GHz range. Fantastic, except for this NETGEAR02 AP. As others have discovered, it is my Arlo Pro 2 base station.

 

After realizing that it was following the closest APs channel, I disabled the 2.4 GHz radio on that AP. Now the Netgear has picked channel 3, which isn't one of the three non-overlapping channels, and in fact overlaps with both my channel 1 AND my channel 6 APs. 

 

Why can't I set it to a non-overlapping channel? I'm not going to argue with the engineering decision for the default, but add an option for "Advanced", please?

wxh
Initiate
Initiate

If you are listening to your customers, please please please, add an Advanced Settings section or something that we customer can disable auto channel selection and set it to use a specific channel. 

 

amarks33
Onlooker

If you are listening to your customers, please please please, add an Advanced Settings section or something that we customer can disable auto channel selection and set it to use a specific channel. 

RudyA
Observer

It will be very interesting to see if the newly announced Arlo Ultra "SmartHub" has the ability to select the wireless channel! https://www.arlo.com/CES2019/arlo-ultra

 

All I know is that it looks as if Netgear is not paying attention or listening to the comments in this thread.  It's been around for quite some time now (approaching two years) while it's status is still showing up as a "new idea" and nobody from Netgear has chimed in with any comments.

 

I'm very close to ripping all of my Arlo gear out and going in a different direction since this stupid implementation of wifi on the Arlo Pro hub is causing me nothing but problems and interfering with many other IoT devices on my network.  I'm pretty much done with ever buying anything from Netgear again...

 

The way this hub is "designed" is just completely irresponsible and the way Netgear has responded is utterly ridiculous!