Issue: Siren volume is embarrassingly low when triggered manually.

[stevennn]

why is the siren so quiet. 

I have just set up the arlo 4 camera system and want to know how do we make it any louder.  As i will have to keep my bedroom door open to hear it at night. 

I have it set at 100% and it still doesnt even scare my dog from 10 feet away. 

Fairly useless siren if this si the maximum.

any tips???

[ShayneS]

Hi @stevennn

  Have you tried contacting customer support regarding this issue? I have attached the link here for you - Arlo Tech Support

[SueHenry]

I am having the same problem. This arrived 4 days ago and took 2 resets to get base station and 2 cameras working. And now cameras are working I’ve tried out the siren and it is very quiet. My neighbour has an arlo system so I know how loud siren should be. Have tried it from iPhone, desktop and android phone

[ShayneS]

@SueHenry

I would suggest contacting customer support regarding this. I have attached the link for you here: Arlo Tech Support

[Retired_Member]

I recently bought Arlo pro 2 with 4 cameras, the main reason i bought this is the siren alarm but it was upsetting that the siren is so low that i can even put the base close to my ears !! the alarm siren is so low and light! 2nd one is the live streaming it is delayed and not really in live motion!! it is a super expensive device PLEASE HELP!!?

[joe33oz]

I have the exact same issue and can't get my alarm to be louder then a mini mouse....

Did you get a fix??

[Greer007]

I have the same issue on my one at work and home.  Sort it out and offer a solution Arlo!

[LeoLyons]

Contacted Arlo as suggested by moderator.
Basically, that's as load as it goes, there is nothing your can do about it.
I have an Original Arlo Pro, and you cannot be in the room if the siren goes off. This is simply ridiculous.
Also.
When the siren does go off there is no option in the app to turn it off.... Unless you are already in the app using it, which is just as ridiculous.
If the siren goes off and you get a notification on your phone, and you click on the notification to open app, there is no option to turn off siren.... Unless you manually ACTIVATE the siren 🤨.
THEN the in app notification switch, which is not there unless you're in the app when the siren goes off, appears to turn it off, says that it's on, even though after manually activating siren turned it off.
I mean really, this is a farce.
All this reported to Arlo support, I do not expect action, as Arlo is no longer owned by Netgear, the reason I purchased it in the first page

[TimBach]

Suggestion: Either use loudest all the time, or add a feature that let's the user set the volume.

[perb]

I have exactly the same issue with mine, bought it about a month ago here in Sweden, but never really tested the siren (until now). It doesn't matter if I turn it on using my android phone or my wife's iPhone, or through a web browser. I wouldn't even call it a "siren" with this kind of sound. Are Arlo looking into this problem? Would be nice to have a working siren!

[LeoLyons]

Was told by tech support this is just how it is.

[nmcace]

In a nutshell, it looks like if you've got the VMB4500, then too bad.

Chat transcript with Arlo support is below for anyone interested.

• Hi, I bought the Arlo Pro 2 cameras, and have just set up the base station and went to test the alarm (via my Samsung S8), and the alarm volume was about the same as my phone alarm

9:01 PM

• I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing such a problem.
• May I know the model number of the base station?

Arlo Support

9:03 PM

• VMB4500

•  

9:04 PM

• Thank you.

9:06 PM

• Please be informed that the loudest siren setting, which is the default loudness option for the siren, is more than 100 decibels.

9:07 PM

• A

Is the loudness of the siren not at 100 decibels?

Arlo Support

• No, it was comfortable to have my ear right up to the base station when testing the alarm

9:08 PM

•  

It was literally about the same volume as my phone alarm that I use to wake up in the morning

9:09 PM

• Oh, sorry. I overlooked the model number you provided. I thought it's VMB4000. VMB4000 is the one that has the default loudness of more than 100 decibels.

9:11 PM

• A

The VMB4500 has only 60-80 decibels.

Arlo Support

•  

I don't think my phone alarm rings at 60-80 decibels

9:12 PM

• I see.

9:14 PM

• The base station is really not that loud.

9:18 PM

•  

Surely the alarm should be audible from outside the house. It's called a siren, and you even said it's meant to be 60-80 decibels

9:19 PM

• A

We have reported this issue to the concerned team. However we are still waiting for an update and response from them.

Arlo Support

•  

So any ETA on a fix or an update?

9:21 PM

• A

There's no ETA provided, However, if there's already a fix, I believe they'll push it right away.

Arlo Support

9:22 PM

•  

There seems to be messages in the Arlo community of similar issues for about a year

9:23 PM

• A

Yes. There were updates being released. However, we are still receiving calls and chats with the same concern.

Arlo Support

9:26 PM

•  

Seems odd to have a home security system with an inaudible siren...

9:26 PM

• A

I understand. The siren of that base station is really not that loud. The VMB4000 has the loudest one.

Arlo Support

9:28 PM

•  

What model is that associated with?

• A

Sorry. What do you mean?

Arlo Support

9:29 PM

•  

I have the Arlo Pro 2 system. Which system does the VMB4000 base station come with?

9:30 PM

• A

The VMB4000 is a PRO/PRO2 Base Station. It will come with either PRO or PRO 2 Cameras.

Arlo Support

9:31 PM

•  

How do I exchange the base station that I have that has a quiet siren for a base station that has a loud siren?

9:32 PM

• A

You may reach out to the store where you bought the system.

[TomMac]

Basic answer is if you have a 4000 base , hold on to it... the volume is adjustable in the MODE.

When at 100% is is very loud.  The newer cameras will work with the older base.

The 4500 model isn't as loud.

[LeoLyons]

I also have original Arlo Pro in my other house, siren is super loud to the point of pain if in the room.
I assume this is the 4000 base.
I have the Pro 2 with the 4500 base, ridiculous quiet, to the point of useless.

[michaelkenward]

You can also use the Arlo Pro 2 4000 base as simply an alarm in a system that has cameras connected to a different base.

No need to connect any cameras to the VMB-4000. They can still, trigger the loud alarm.

[LeoLyons]

Are you suggesting I take the base out off my other house and put 2 in this house???
Do you guys actually think about what you are saying?
How about Arlo just replace the useless faulty based stations with the ones that do what they are supposed to do?

[Reallyconfused]

Stock answer again! Contact customer support. Sure, they will fly over to my country and install a larger amplifier and speaker in my base unit to make it louder.

Moderator [Arlo], why can't you just admit for once that that is just the way it is and to please live with it. Why must you always deflect the issue to customer support? How are they going to improve a physical short coming of the product over the phone.

I think some of the hostile customers you see here, including myself for which I am sorry, would lighten up a bit if Arlo were to take ownership of some of their issues.

When I posted about one of my issues with the system I was referred to customer support as if the issue was something new and unheard of, yet further digging shows the same moderator knew about it for almost two years.

Thank God all businesses don't operate like this.  

[joe33oz]

Hey guys. I gave up on Arlo completely.

TLDR: 

1. Return all your products due to false advertising
2. I sent video evidence that the alarm is less then 40 decibels (not the advertised 70 to 90 depending on your model)
3. Demand a full refund.

The end.

[pgonnelli]

Reason for the lack luster sound is that there are no speaker holes in the back of the base station unlike the VMB4000. My solution since I didn’t want to buy a different base station was to drill my own holes.

Be very careful when drilling holes. I used the smallest bit and inserted

drill bit as far as it would go in drill. Start slow and drill with a firm grip to just 

break through. I had my left hand on top of the base station and the base station was positioned in a normal standing position. I drilled about 16 holes. I tested the base station after completing first round of holes I guess just to make sure my process was working. Once completed use the next size up drill bit to increase size of hole. I did this with 4 successive size drill bits. Don’t use a lot of pressure. If after 2nd or 3rd drill bit size some holes don’t go through all the way, don’t force it. When done shake base with back side facing down to get any plastic particles

out, should not be much inside as drill pulls shavings out as you drill. There is slight risk involved but the results are noticeable. Much more of

a piercing sound. Good Luck!

[michaelkenward]

---

@pgonnelli wrote:

Reason for the lack luster sound is that there are no speaker holes in the back of the base station unlike the VMB4000.

---

Unfortunately, that is only a part of the issue.

Someone posted pictures earlier showing dismantled hubs. These revealed that there is no loudspeaker inside some, if not all, VMB4500 hubs.

Try the siren. If it sounds muffled, holes may help. If it is just quiet, holes will do nothing to make it loud.

[pgonnelli]

It was definitely louder and the sound was sharp. Both my dogs hit the road.

[michaelkenward]

---

@pgonnelli wrote:
It was definitely louder and the sound was sharp. Both my dogs hit the road.

---

Maybe you have sensitive dogs:

Re: VMB4500 vs VMB4000 siren - Arlo Community

But there are at least two variants on the VMB4500, v1 with siren and v2 without.

Re: VMB4500 vs VMB4000 siren - Arlo Community

Read through the whole of that discussion. Someone has done surgery on base stations that tells you which hubs have sirens and which don't.

No point in drilling holes in the wrong one.

[pgonnelli]

If that’s the case then we have no discussion.

[michaelkenward]

---

@pgonnelli wrote:

If that’s the case then we have no discussion.

---

You may think so, but you will get no applause from those who read your message and drilled holes in the "wrong" hub, which is easily done as you don't say which hub you have attacked.

[pgonnelli]

No siren no drill. EOD.