Arlo Pro 2 camera does not pair or appear on the app

[Hudsonite]

I moved my Arlo Pro 2 camera so deleted it from one base unit and was going to add it to another base unit. I've tried pairing it with either base unit without success. The battery is charged, the blue light comes on when I remove the batter and reinstall it, it slowly blinks blue when I push the sync button, and it speeds up and blinks rapidly as if it is pairing. Then it stops and goes dark. Nothing. The app keeps spinning looking for the device. I've tried rebooting the base unit, removing the battery, etc. I cannot figure out why this camera, which worked fine until I deleted it from the downstairs base unit, will not pair with either downstairs or upstairs base unit now. It blinks slowly, then blinks rapidly, then goes dark. Any advice?

[DannyBearAgain]

When you try syncing  the camera to the base station do you start the process by momentarily pressing the base sync button before the camera?

Move the camera near the base with it plugged into charger as this can help.

[Hudsonite]

Yes, I tried that and it doesn't work. The base station blinks as if it is looking for the device, the device blinks slowly at first and then rapidly as if the base station pick up on its signal. Both the base station and the device then stop blinking altogether as if it is paired. However, the app on the phone continues to spin as if it cannot locate the device. I don't understand why the device would blink rapidly as if pairing and the app on the phone act as if it cannot find the device.

[jguerdat]

This has been reported many times recently. I suspect it's something to do with newer firmware and/or backend changes. The rapid blue flash does indicate that it's connected to the base but it seems to me to be an account issue where it's not shown for some reason. Since support has ended for legacy devices, there's little emphasis on fixing these sorts of problems, as Arlo indicated when first announcing the EOL policy a couple of years ago. 

There's probably nothing you can do except 1) wait to see if it's ever fixed (good luck) or 2) invest in a new system. Arlo does have some upgrade discounts you may be eligible for.

[Hudsonite]

Thanks for your response. Its disappointing but I suppose there's nothing I can do. Do you know if the newer Arlo outdoor cameras work with the Arlo Pro 2 base station, or does it have to be a brand new system?

[StephenB]

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@Hudsonite wrote:

 Do you know if the newer Arlo outdoor cameras work with the Arlo Pro 2 base station, or does it have to be a brand new system?

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It depends on exactly what hub model you have.  The compatibility list is here:

• https://kb.arlo.com/000062284/Arlo-SmartHub-and-Base-Station-Compatibility

If you aren't sure what you are using now, just look for a VMBxxxx label on the base.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

A new system can be any system. It doesn't need to be Arlo, though indeed there are discounts on Amazon. 

[DannyBearAgain]

Just be aware that any arlo camera model after the pro2 requires a paid subscription plan to use the arlo cloud storage services.

Some users get around this by using a 4540/5000 hub that gives direct access to the backup storage to download and view recordings.

Try using a android device with the arlo app as arlo has only broken the iOS and web versions to date.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

If you don't manage to get it working, you should complain to the company directly or to the local trading standards office. The fact that the product is EOL can't mean that it's no longer usable. True that there may not be any specific updates*, but this should not stop the product from operating altogether, especially the EOL process itself is a questionable one.  

*Companies like AVM here in Europe continue supporting their products even though they're quite old. Also, from the environmental point of view, companies can't continue shelving products that are still good and operational, especially the likes of CCTV cameras that are quite simple products that don't require a lot of resources and can continue operating (cf. RPi).