Run!!! Run fast away from Arlo!!!

[Intheswamp]

I'm not a long term customer, I'm actually still within the return period for this four-camera Pro-2 system that I have.  I already have a return shipping label to send the system back to the vendor but I thought I would give Arlo a chance at making things right.

I have three cameras working fine but the third one is DEAD.  It will not sync with the base unit.  I have worked with support until I'm blue in the face.  Jumped through all the hoops to try and get it to work.  We're talking over a period of several days! 

Tried syncing with no battery, plugged into AC.  Tried syncing with battery.  Tried syncing offline.  Tried syncing offline.  Tried syncing through the app.  Tried syncing with the buttons.  Had a LONG chat with a previous "support person".  Now, the latest support agent has started me a new case number.  All I want is the camera replaced under warranty.  The entire system was purchased on March 30th so well under the warranty period.  But, I can't get a single support person to talk to me about warranty, just that they will "check on their end" and send me an email.  The only emails are telling me I have a new case number. 

I finally broke down and CALLED Arlo today.  From the time I called and started listening to their music I have already had another support "chat" online.   My telephone shows now that I've currently been on hold for ONE HOUR and TWENTY-ONE MINUTES...listening to some type of rank music. 

With several posts stating some terrible customer support experiences and with my own experience with some of the worst customer service/support that I have ever dealt with I'm going to throw this junk back in the box and let the vendor have it back...and they can send it back to Arlo to toss in *their* dumpster!!!!!  Very sad business model.  Arlo has lost this customer (and anyone I can share this with) business forever.  And all I wanted was for them to stand behind *their product*.

So, if you have an inkling of a problem and are within a return window then by all means return the system!  You're not going to get any help from Arlo.  Send it back!!!  If you're, for some strange reason, reading this forum with the thought of buying an Arlo system run just as fast as you can away from them!!!!  If you do't it's a good chance (a very good chance) that you will be regretting not running!

[Intheswamp]

I decided to give Arlo one last shot at making this right.  I continued on hold for another 20 minutes when I finally got a real live person on the phone.  I gave them my "case number" (one of them, anyhow) and told them I was tired of jumping through the Arlo hoops of "support" and that I wanted the camera repaired or replaced or that it was going back to the seller.  The guy was very courteous and quickly moved to the RMA/replacement mode without so much as trying to get me to "try this" or "try that".👍  Anyhow, I'm supposed to have a replacement camera delivered today via FedEx at no-charge.  I'm hoping this camera syncs easily with the base unit and performs without a hitch.  We will see.  I'm still in the return window of the seller.

I like the cameras but I do wish the resolution was a bit better.  But, we are rural and have a very, very slow Centurystink DSL connection...basically a 3/0.5 connection so I'm not sure a higher rez camera would even be practical for our internet speed.   I will say that, even though I'm looking favorably at the system, Arlo definitely needs to polish up their support department greatly.  Or, maybe the administration needs to put more energy/$$ into the support department...

The jury is out...with a verdict expected by tonight.

[TomMac]

Just a side note... with your low upload speed, I would def recommend you use a Mem backup on your base unit so it goes to the cloud and local backup.

The Pro2 cameras were always recommended with a min of 1MB up.

( you can test with https://www.speedtest.net/  ) 

see;

https://kb.arlo.com/000062043/What-are-the-minimum-requirements-for-installing-and-using-my-Arlo-sys...

[Intheswamp]

Thanks for the feedback, TomMac.  Yeah, the internet crawls at a snails pace around here though I pay for an "Up to 32gb" connection...that's Centurystink for you.  I checked the speed using the link you provided and also Centurystink's own speed test app and I hit .41 and .40 respectively for my upload speeds.<sigh>

My slow speed internet is one of the reasons I went with the Pro2 rather than the Pro3 or higher.  The 7-day free cloud storage is good, too.

I do have a question regarding the local storage.  Do the local recordings first pass through the cloud via the WAN before being recorded locally or is it more or less a straight shot from camera to base unit via my LAN?

[StephenB]

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@Intheswamp wrote:

I do have a question regarding the local storage.  Do the local recordings first pass through the cloud via the WAN before being recorded locally or is it more or less a straight shot from camera to base unit via my LAN?

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Local storage doesn't through the cloud.  The base stores the local recordings as they come in from the cameras.

FWIW, you should consider using a VMB4540 or VMB5000 base - that would make it much easier to use local storage. https://kb.arlo.com/000062337/What-is-Direct-Storage-Access-and-how-do-I-use-it

[ShayneS]

Hi @Intheswamp

Thanks for your feedback, I'm glad you were sent an RMA device. Please let us know how everything goes when you get your new camera and we will bet here to help.

[Intheswamp]

Oh well, we won't know anything today.  Looks like the FedEx driver decided to call it an early day and did not deliver the camera today.  It's been rescheduled to be delivered tomorrow.

[Intheswamp]

FedEx delivered the replacement camera.   The driver hemmed and hawed about why they didn't deliver it yesterday something about it not showing up on his manifest but finding it on his phone later...his boss told him not to worry about it that they'd wait and deliver it today. 😠👎

The battery in the bad camera was blinking orange lights twice so I put it on the charger.  I'll let the battery charge up good before attempting to sync the replacement. 

One thing I've noticed is that a battery runs down quickly in the bad camera.  The other *working* cameras' batteries are still doing fine...showing between 77 and 78 percent charge after a week+.  And, before anybody says something about the battery being bad...I've swapped batteries between the good and bad cameras and whichever battery ends up in the bad camera is quickly discharged within a couple of days. 

I'll probably try syncing the replacement camera this evening.

[Intheswamp · Accepted solution]

I decided to go ahead and see if the replacement camera would sync...

I used the bad camera to charge the battery up before attempting to sync the replacement camera.  After several hours the blue LED would blink occasionally but never burned steadily as I believe it is supposed to do when fully charged.  The bad camera felt slightly warm and the charge time was past two hours so I decided to try the battery in the replacement camera.

Upon attempting to sync with the base unit it took a total of one try to successfully sync.  Checking the battery it showed 100% charge so I'm thinking something goofy was possibly going on with the bad cameras charging system's notification function.  This battery had functioned fine in one of the other cameras before I swapped it out.  Hopefully the bad camera has not harmed it.  I will keep my eye on it's charge status for the next week or so.

For the time being I'm satisfied with the system.  I do wish I had a better internet service but I'll get by with it as it is.  Now I get to go and do a more permanent installation of the cameras.

The support department needs lots of work on it.  Basically, what I was told to do could be written in the instructions that come with the system.  I felt that the people I chatted online with were simply reading from a screen.  I think they may have been communicating with other people at the same time as there were definite delays in between my responses and their responses.   I communicated online with support on, I think, three different occasions.  The solution of a replacement camera was only made when I contacted a support person *ON THE PHONE*.  I do believe that you need to chat online for one session with a support person until basically all possibilities are covered.  *Then* make a phone call to the support center and be prepared to stay on hold for well over an hour...possibly close to two hours.  It is a pain, but it was got my system finally squared away.

I'm not sure how it will be performing in the next five minutes but I can say that it is working fine at this moment.  Even though my video quality isn't that great due to the slow internet speed, the notifications of "movement detected" is good enough that I check what's going on and if I see anything suspicious, for example someone unknown, I can either call the law if I'm away from home or I can investigate it myself.  It will be good for checking UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc., deliveries, too.

Just remember, if you have a problem that you can't iron out do an online chat and do what they say to do.  They're nice enough and just trying to do their job with what they've got to work with...which apparently isn't much.  Once you've jumped through those hoops and still don't have a solution to your problem (hopefully you will, though) then call them on the phone and be prepared to wait.  Best wishes.

[Intheswamp]

Hmmm, not sure if I've got a problem or what.  The replacement camera appears to show a live video and records motion-activated videos.  But, via My Arlo on the computer I can't access any of its information other than the serial number and one other bit of info (can't remember what it is)...I can't access the battery charge info, the LED options, device utilities, etc.,.  But, I can access everything on my cellphone.  Odd.  Anybody got a suggestion?  As much trouble as I've had getting this replacement camera to me I'd hate to mess anything up now!  Ideas?  Thanks!

[Intheswamp]

Ok, not a problem with showing device info for the replacement camera.  It's all showing now.  Must of needed time to populate the fields.  ????  Whatever the case, I think the entire system is working good.  👍

[StephenB]

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@Intheswamp wrote:

 Whatever the case, I think the entire system is working good.  👍

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Glad to hear it's finally resolved.