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Nighthawk M1 (MR1100) Arlo update: Cannot update to latest version for camera/base station

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SecBust
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Hi all,

hoping for some sort of answer/direction from an/some Arlo gurus out there. 

I am using the Nighthawk M1 (MR1100) as the base station and router for my Arlo pro 2.  The only problem is that the Arlo software on the base station and my cameras will not update to the latest version ( the latest version that the dedicated base station and cameras use).

I have followed this thread https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Pro-2/Arlo-Pro-2-With-Mobile-Router-Nighthawk-M1-MR1100r0-Batteri... with interest.  As it relates to the same issue — when you use the Nighthawk as the base station, the cameras will not use the latest version of the firmware.  I have to say that most of the time it is not that much of an issue.  However, I have had one camera chew through the battery (an issue which does not happen with the latest firmware on the base station and cameras), and the issue where the battery discharges itself and will not receive charge from the solar panel.  Oh and it seams that the Arlo software within the M1 crashes periodically as I still have an internet connection and the m1 sees the cameras connected, but the Arlo shows as offline on the app.  This is a pain as I have to reboot the m1.

So, my question is, how do we get the latest firmware when operating with the Nighthawk M1 as the base station?  Have Arlo/net gear released these firmware updates for the Nighthawk M1?  If so, is this then and over the air update issue – as in does my provider have to include Arlo updates in the over the air firmware updates for the Nighthawk M1?

Thanks in advance!

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SecBust
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And to add to the worries about not having the latest firmware for the cameras when running from the Nighthawk M1 as the base station, I contacted support today.  Apparantly the engineers are aware of the issue and I will recieve a call back in 24 to 48 hours.  Perhaps someone else has reported this issue to supoort also and actually recieved an answer as to why the M1 will not support the latest camera firmware and when we can expect it to be fixed?

TomMac
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sorry can't help...your one of the few running as such.

But if you can, keep posting re the results and issues for others...Tks

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Morse is faster than texting!
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SecBust
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Thanks for the response TomMac.

 

I appreciate that my setup would not be an 'everyday' configuration, but the Nighthawk M1 was sold (in Australia at least) as an all in one solution (4gx router and Arlo base station). As I don't have mains power and no access to an internet connection other than 3g/4g, it is (or was) perfect. I have the battery within the M1 to keep it going until I can charge the battery and the Arlo Pro 2 cameras are hooked up to their solar panels. But, if I had been told that there would be some sort of limitation on the Arlo system then I would not have chosen the current config. I would have looked elsewhere for a solution.

 

I can also see this setup having great application for temporary or travel situations.  It is amazingly flexible.


Just to be clear, I have used this setup since mid 2018 and it is only in recent months that the issues have started to occur. Although the Arlo software within the M1 has always had an intermittent crash issue which requires the Nighthawk M1 to be rebooted periodically.

AncientGeek
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@SecBust 

 

I am also running an MR1100, though I’m using it as a “Travel Arlo” and I have it offloaded to a wired router via Ethernet cable.

 

When I first set it up, I also noticed the cameras would not update.  I tried a few things, but nothing worked.  I had it set up for a week or two at home and never had any problem with rapid battery depletion.  Then I took it on a trip and set it up at my destination.  One camera had a significant problem with better depletion.  The other two did not.  I charged it back up and swapped cameras, so a different camera was in the location that rapidly depleted.  That camera also depleted quickly.  I then looked the position of my MR1100 relative to my wired router and camera.  The MR1100 was about a foot from the wired router and the wired router (and access point) was directly between my MR1100 and the camera location that was depleting rapidly.    I moved the MR1100 up about three feet above the router (to the top of the media center in which it and the router are located) and charged my cameras back up.  Since then, all of the cameras have held charge very well.  I think one more variable was that I found the owner had four wireless access points all on the same channel and I moved three of them to non-overlapping channels.  So that could have been a factor also.  I “moved too many dials” to definitively say which change fixed the problem.  The one thing I do know is the firmware did not change.  All three cameras are on different versions of firmware.

SecBust
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Hi AncientGreek,
Thanks for the info. Yep, your experience is the same as mine as far as the firmware is concerned. But I don't know that my battery drain issue was quite the same. I fixed mine by swapping the battery from a camera which was operating normally. I initially tried pulling the battery out and putting it back in, but that made no difference. It is as though it need at battery with a level of charge that was high to get it over the fast discharge issue.
I have no other wifi signals anywhere near my setup, so I won’t have any overlapping channels. But if I cannot fix it next time, I will try moving the camera with the issue. Hopefully Arlo will fix the update issue before then though. 😕
Can I just add that the ‘travel situation you have sounds great. I have often though about bringing a couple of cameras with me to travel locations. Nothing like an extra set of eyes on your possessions!

 

AncientGeek
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@SecBust wrote:

Hi AncientGreek,
Thanks for the info. Yep, your experience is the same as mine as far as the firmware is concerned. But I don't know that my battery drain issue was quite the same. I fixed mine by swapping the battery from a camera which was operating normally. I initially tried pulling the battery out and putting it back in, but that made no difference. It is as though it need at battery with a level of charge that was high to get it over the fast discharge issue.
I have no other wifi signals anywhere near my setup, so I won’t have any overlapping channels. But if I cannot fix it next time, I will try moving the camera with the issue. Hopefully Arlo will fix the update issue before then though. 😕
Can I just add that the ‘travel situation you have sounds great. I have often though about bringing a couple of cameras with me to travel locations. Nothing like an extra set of eyes on your possessions!

 


Here is my little kit, including a DashCam

 

49322B19-AAAE-4C8C-BB9D-9365CACFFE57.jpeg

SecBust
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Thant looks amazing.  Love the case too.  Is the case one you just found to fit or is it a specific brand/model?

AncientGeek
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@SecBust wrote:

Thant looks amazing.  Love the case too.  Is the case one you just found to fit or is it a specific brand/model?


I bought it last year for general organization for travel, but didn’t use it until this year.  It just happened to be the perfect size.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072R23K8S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

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