Arlo Pro2 FMS4230P base and 2 cameras, plus doorbell Arlo Chime2

[MRojas]

I bought a base station and 2 cameras in 2020 and connected them to my home network - has always worked great. I did not have or need a subscription plan. Video recordings were available in the app.

In December I added a doorbell camera (Arlo Chime2). It came with 90 day free subscription to Arlo Secure.

Everything was fine until the free trial ran out. Now my app appears to record videos but when I open the device, no recordings are there. On Arlo Support I saw something about needing to connect a USB drive to my base station, which was never needed before but I decided to try it. Now settings gives me the option to record locally, but videos are still not being recorded.

So is Arlo now setting it up so you have to have the subscription plan? The whole reason I bought the system was to avoid having a subscription plan in the first place. How do I get my recording capability back like it was before the "free trial" which appears to have rendered my system useless. 

Appreciate any help on this issue!!

[DannyBearAgain]

Are you able to still see the cloud triggered recordings for the pro2 cameras? Can you still make manual recordings with the pro2 cameras?

Any arlo camera model after the pro2 were never bundled with free cloud storage which happened back in 2018 when they released the arlo ultra cameras. All camera/doorbell  models after requires a subscription plan to have cloud storage.

Arlo released the vmb4540/vmb5000 hubs that can support in app direct access viewing with a mobile.

Read article carefully,

https://kb.arlo.com/000062337/What-is-Direct-Storage-Access-and-how-do-I-use-it-for-Arlo-video-recor... 

[MRojas]

Sorry for the delay and thank you for your response. I finally found time to carefully read the links/info you sent. No, I am not able to view cloud recordings on the Pro2 cameras. The app shows that recordings have been made (in the circled number next to the # under Device) but I cannot view it in the Arlo Secure app.

I have a VMB4000 base station - so from what I understand on this and a reply you sent to another user (topic "Recorded Videos Not Available"), I should still have the 7 days free cloud storage that came with the Pro2 camera. However I purchased a doorbell chime that came bundled with a free trial of the Arlo Secure subscription, and after that free trial ended I lost ALL cloud storage.

So NEW question: how do I get my 7 days of cloud storage back? There appears to be no Arlo customer service option to non-subscription users, other than chat-bot which did not work for my issue.

I was able to set up local storage and then see the videos on a USB drive attached to the base station. However this does not solve my problem. Most of the time when I want to see a video, I will be away from home. I was UNABLE to set up Direct Storage Access; this option is not in my Storage Settings menu on the app - and from the article it does not apply to the VMB4000 base.

[DannyBearAgain]

Yes the pro2 cameras have the 7days free cloud storage and will continue to do so according to arlo.

Although the vmb4000 Base station will support backup recordings to USB for triggered events it does not support in app access to stored videos, only the arlo smart hubs supports the feature with considerable limitations.

Getting the pro2 library recordings back and working is likely to be difficult since we do not know if this is just an arlo bug or an intended path by arlo.

I would check the pro2 cameras are not included in the subscription list since if they were they would have been using a different cloud storage service, 30days, which would have ended when the trial subscription ended. Removing the pro2 cameras from the subscription plan should default them back to the 7days cloud storage service.

Worst case is you will need to remove the pro2 cameras from your account and import them again. Try one camera individually in case you can’t readd them back again.

[Svede]

I have the same issue. I have not received any notifications or have any recordings since 4/6/23. According the the amended EOL we should still have these functions. Support is non-existent.

Anyone have any ideas? 

[DannyBearAgain]

@Svede ,

Are the missing notifications email or push notifications to the mobile?

 If you don’t have notifications it’s likely the cameras are not sensing any motion so not triggering.

Can you live stream the cameras, if so can you manually make a recording and see it in the cloud library?

You may want to check the operating mode is set to armed.

[MRojas]

Since the subscription is inactive I have no access to see what devices are listed.  I will try removing one camera and adding back.  I am worried that could make things worse if I cannot get it added back.

I am considering subscribing for one month just to remove my devices from the subscription in hopes that fixes the problem. Otherwise it is frustrating to have invested in now worthless equipment. 

I suppose my newer doorbell chime requires the subscription, is that right? I loved Arlo for the first two years. I chose it because it did not require a monthly service. Now I would not recommend it to anyone.

Thanks for your help.

[DannyBearAgain]

The doorbell requires a subscription to be able to use cloud storage, without you should get push notifications and be able to live view.

Regards the subscription list, you should be able to check this using the pc web browser arlo login my.arlo.com and select the manage option under subscription from the settings menu.

[MRojas]

Thank you for clarifying that subscription is required for the doorbell.

FYI, I have checked the subscription using my PC browser but the "manage" option is not available since I do not currently have a subscription.

[DannyBearAgain]

@MRojas ,

I would start with removing the doorbell from the account to see if your pro2 cameras start recording to the library. If so then add the doorbell back. If not then remove a pro2 camera and add back to see if it starts recording again.

 If not remove all including base station and add them back again.

[MRojas]

I removed the doorbell as you suggested. It worked; I can now view videos taken by the Arlo Pro2 cameras. I reinstalled the doorbell and tested the cameras again and I am still able to view the videos. So that appears to have reset me to the free 7-day cloud storage.

Thank you again for helping me through this.

[DannyBearAgain]

@MRojas ,

Great to hear, why you lost the pro2 recording ability when the subscription trial ended for another device will no doubt remain an arlo mystery. Seems to me to be an intended path by arlo.

I hope this will save others from wasting their time.