Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras

Yet another camera offline

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Brotham
Apprentice
Apprentice

Wish I'd never 'upgraded' to Pro 2 now.

 

Yet another camera has gone offline after just a few days due to the battery being depleted, despite having 70% charge this morning.

 

This is the third of four cameras to do so.

I expect the remaining one to die at any time.

 

The other issue is the battery is either somehow becoming disconnected from the contacts or it is being ignored as sometimes physically removing and reinsering the battery works.

 

The software/firmware is seriously bugged in these new devices.

184 REPLIES 184
ryeguy8585
Guide
Guide
Not sure if it is releated, but often the camera that goes offline randomly, also refuses to “let go” of live viewing in the Mobile app every once and a while. You start the live stream, and pressing the pause button doesn’t cut the feed., and you can’t exit the feed without quitting the app.
sxr
Aspirant
Aspirant

I'm having exactly the same problem with 1 of 3 Arlo Pro 2 cameras randomly going offline and requiring the battery to be pulled to reset it, after which the battery is significantly depleted (from 100% to 72%, for example). Once I saw the infared LEDs stay on while it was offline, until I pulled the battery.

 

To verify the problem was the camera itself and not some other factor (like location or distance)

I swapped locations with another reliable (so far) Pro 2 camera. The reliable Pro 2 continued working fine in the where the camera going offline had been. The defective camera repeatedly went offline nomatter where it was located, even only 5 feet from the base.

 

Unless support comes up with a fix soon, I may have to return my 4 camera kit to Best Buy before the 14 days are up.

V8
Apprentice
Apprentice

Just had a call from the customer services team at Netgear to follow up on a different issue (probably one of the most helpful people so far I've come across in Netgear), but it was interesting to note in my conversation that when these type of repeat issues are flagged the Community Team (JamesC, Brad et al) have an obligation as employees of Netgear to raise repeat issues or concerns (just as this is) into the engineering team at Netgear.

 

I'm not convinced this happens personally, so the question here is given this same issue has been raised multiple times on the Arlo Pro, and the Pro 2, what is the community manager doing about this (and other issues)

Brotham
Apprentice
Apprentice

Latest response from 'support'.

 

1. Take down the camera.
2. Take out the battery of the camera.
3. Connect the charger directly to the camera and let's observe it for 24 hours and let's see if it would goes offline even if the charger is connected.
 
Johnny45
Apprentice
Apprentice
I have a camera which was going offline regularly and performed the above 2 days ago for my own troubleshooting purposes and it has not gone offline yet since remaining plugged in. It is, however in a different location since plugging it in but so far none of my other 6 Pro 2s have experienced the issue... I did move one of the six to the original location and it too hasn't experienced an issue.
mattsrs
Apprentice
Apprentice

I suspect it has something to do with the way camera firmware reports battery status, somehow at some point it goes to panic mode and goes offline and deplates the battery. Mine went offline while connected to solar panel. Has anybody experienced camera offline while plugged in?

V8
Apprentice
Apprentice

mattsrs wrote:

Has anybody experienced camera offline while plugged in?


Yes, albeit on Arlo Pro (1st Gen)

V8
Apprentice
Apprentice

Brotham wrote:

Latest response from 'support'.

 

1. Take down the camera.
2. Take out the battery of the camera.
3. Connect the charger directly to the camera and let's observe it for 24 hours and let's see if it would goes offline even if the charger is connected.
 

The problem with that is that if it doesn't go offline it doesn't prove a great deal as the problem is inconsistent, you might not get it for days, then it just happens. Doesn't mean to say it's 'gone away' or that it's a fix.

 

If it does then great it shows an apparent battery charging/connectivity/voltage issue or alternative its something different altogether i.e. WiFi adapter.

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

I've escalated the feedback on this topic to the product management team. The engineering team is currently investigating the concerns being discussed here and I will provide an update as soon as I have more information.

 

JamesC

Brotham
Apprentice
Apprentice

Please let us know as soon as you have some answers.

 

I have a few days left to return the cameras, which I will have to if there is no fix.

ryeguy8585
Guide
Guide

@Brotham that's my problem, even if there is a fimeware update in the next day or two there will not be sufficent time to ensure it is indeed fixed. I am going to return this kit this weekend, keep an eye on these forums and maybe purchase it again next month when best buy starts the holiday return policy. That'll give me a few months to really test things out, and see if these issues are fixed.

 

I not getting stuck with an $800 piece of junk.

 

 

Brotham
Apprentice
Apprentice

I may have to do the same.

 

The garden camera has just gone offline again.

Clearly that one is the worst of the four as this is the fourth time.

djdannis
Apprentice
Apprentice

My second camera went offline yesterday afternoon with 99% battery left and by the time I got home from work that evening the battery was completely exhausted to 0%... This is the second time this has happened now with a completely different camera both of which are mounted with good signal to the base station. My Pros were mounted on the same exact mounts for months without issue.

Elmw
Aspirant
Aspirant
I find going into the settings( gear icon ) and turning camera(s) back on, resets the “offline” phenomenon..
87B84CD9-5294-466A-8832-0CB1A0569D69.png
Brotham
Apprentice
Apprentice

None of the controls are available when the camera is offline.

 

 

Elmw
Aspirant
Aspirant
Solar panel connected to Arlo Pro, worked fine until one camera in my setup was added/upgraded (Arlo pro 2), then even solar panel connected camera is going offline.
My remedy doesn’t involve pulling batteries but to merely go into app and turn camera(s) back on, from the setting icon(gear). Hope they fix this!
AB54EB86-95D1-46C8-A852-B1E53A376314.png
mattsrs
Apprentice
Apprentice

Elmw wrote:
Solar panel connected to Arlo Pro, worked fine until one camera in my setup was added/upgraded (Arlo pro 2), then even solar panel connected camera is going offline.
My remedy doesn’t involve pulling batteries but to merely go into app and turn camera(s) back on, from the setting icon(gear). Hope they fix this!

As previous post said, when camera goes offline, you don't see any option in settings to turn camera back on.

V8
Apprentice
Apprentice

Elmw wrote:
Solar panel connected to Arlo Pro, worked fine until one camera in my setup was added/upgraded (Arlo pro 2), then even solar panel connected camera is going offline.
My remedy doesn’t involve pulling batteries but to merely go into app and turn camera(s) back on, from the setting icon(gear). Hope they fix this!

If it goes 'offline' and you are able to turn it on from the settings, then you don't actually have the problem being represented here. Your answer adds no value if I'm honest as most people know how to turn cameras on/off. When they go 'offline' and in a state of non-recovery you cannot bring it back by any other means than to pull power/battery, as has been said.

mattsrs
Apprentice
Apprentice

JamesC wrote:

I've escalated the feedback on this topic to the product management team. The engineering team is currently investigating the concerns being discussed here and I will provide an update as soon as I have more information.

 

JamesC


James, any update from your team on all these bugs? As you know many people are returning their Pro 2s, because endless number of bugs reporter in different threads here.

Bill716
Apprentice
Apprentice

I've had the Pro 2 for 3 days and have experienced the same Issue.  James C please respond as I will be returning my 4 camera system tomorrow if there is no resolution to this.

archon810
Apprentice
Apprentice

Had the same thing happen to me. Camera went from 100 to 8% and died without any warning.

 

I'm working with Arlo PR directly, so they're already aware of my issue, and now I'll bring this thread to their attention.

ryeguy8585
Guide
Guide

Sometimes the only way to get things done is to get noticed by the social media team who tend to report to the higher ups than the support staff do.

 

Im taking this to twitter @ArloSmartHome and @NETGEAR

 

I didn't pay $800 for this to be a companies beta tester.

V8
Apprentice
Apprentice
Thing is, this same issue(and others) has been present in the Arlo Pro for some time now.
MrTonyToca
Apprentice
Apprentice

That might not be as main spread as the Arlo Pro 2 situation, because I had the Arlo Pro 1 for 6 months and never had ANY of these issues that are being posted about with the Arlo Pro 1. These all seem to have just showed up with the Arlo Pro 2.

djdannis
Apprentice
Apprentice

Just had my 3rd different camera go offline today. This is on a different base station as well...