Arlo Pro 2 Notifications NOT working and rules not working

[ShaneLee72]

Arlo Pro 2 is not sending push notifications, even though I have them selected. I have gotten NO notification in the past 3 hours, even though events have triggered the cameras to record.

Also the rules I have set up aren't working. I have 2 cameras in the backyard, and 2 cameras in the front. I have the set so if one of the front cameras are triggered with motion, then both should be recording. The backyard cameras are the same. They don't seem to want to trigger each other. 

I have had these cameras for 2 days now, and nothing but problems for 2 days. I am considering returning them -- it doesn't seem to be worth the hassle nor are they dependable.

[brh]

@ShaneLee72

I don't know about the notifications, but have you set up you rules like the following?

If camera A detects motion then camera A records.

If camera A detects motion then camera B records.

If camera B detects motion then camera B records.

If camera B detects motion then camera A records.

Brian

[ShaneLee72]

They have started to "sort of" work again, at least for the time being, but exactly as you describe. 

Camera A detects motion = Camera A and B records

Camera B detects motion = Camera B and A records

Camera X detects motion = Camera X and Y records

Camera Y detects motion = Camera Y and X records. 

Still not getting push notifications, even though the options to receive are all checked in the rule. 

[brh]

@ShaneLee72

There may be some problems with Arlo's servers or the Cloud. I know my Smartthings messages were very delayed today. Give it a little time and see if others have the same problems. I think several people have been posting lately about not getting notifications.

Brian

[ShaneLee72]

Thanks. I am actually on the phone with them as we speak. I thought there might be major problems with them, but they seem to be clueless on the phone support. 

The other thing I find highly annoying is I did connect my smartthings system to it and every time my smartthings system goes into home mode (which is most of the time because I am home most of the time -- and I work from home), that disables the armed mode and set it to disarmed. I just removed the ST integration from it, and at least it stays armed now. 

[brh]

@ShaneLee72

I didn't realize that you had Smartthings too.

There is a trick to getting Smartthings to work properly with Arlo. The trick is to leave the Arlo cameras in the Armed Mode all the time and don't use the Smartthings Mode at all. Have your Arlo rules set so that each camera only records to itself when it detects Motion.

In Smartthings use your routines to activate/deactivate the cameras. Then create Custom Smartthings Rules or Scenes to tell which cameras to record when you need them to. Let me give you some examples. (Don't use the 3 buttons on the Smartthings home page to activate the cameras, as they won't do it. Rather use your routines to arm/disarm the cameras).

When I leave the house I activate the Goodbye Routine. I have it set to activate all my indoor and outdoor cameras. When I return, I use the Good Morning to deactivate all the cameras. I use the Good Night routine to activate only my outside cameras. I set up a Custom routine and called it, "Waiting For Delivery," which I set when I am expecting a package delivery or the mailman. 

I do a lot more things with Smartthings that I can tell you about later, but for now, I let Smartthings do most of the control of the cameras rather than Arlo and so far I have found it to be a better way of controlling them.

Brian

[ShaneLee72]

Thanks for this info. I might use it in the future if I decide to keep these Arlo camera. I haven't made the decision yet. I did remove the ST integration when I discovered it was disarming them. I thought I would figure that out later. I have a lot of parts between these new Arlo camera, SmartThings, Homebridge (to make Siri work with all of my devices - including Nest thermo, all my lighting inside and outside, garage door, Sonos, Logitech Hub, etc.). I's have to rethink my entire setup with ST not to use modes, since a lot of my devices are dependent on it. I'll have to think about this more if I add it back to ST. I think it might be just as easy to use the scheduling feature on Arlo. I would only disarm the camera in the backyard during the day because I do use my pool and the backyard a lot in the summer. No since in having recording then, but then have them activate back to fully armed at night before bed. The front camera can stay armed all the time. I'd rather know who's coming to my door or up my driveway. 

Netgear suggested removing the cameras and repairing them, but honestly that's a huge pain since some of them are mounted and wired (not on the magnets) and requires a ladder, etc. I have just discovered that's it's only 2 cameras in my system that aren't sending push, even though they should be. If I have to do this more than once, I'm not sure it's worth keeping this system though -- the realiability factor just isn't there. 

I had a Samsung smartcam on my drive for the past few years (and I hated it) but it rarely failed (until this past week when a stranger was sitting on my porch and I didn't know it). I am trying to rid my house of Samsung (except for smartthings -- that seems to work fairly well). 

[ShaneLee72 · Accepted solution]

Just to follow up here, re-pairing the 2 cameras push wasn't working on made them work again. Hopefully this will not happen again.