Geofencing doesn’t work while on schedule

[dazednconfuzd]

I have to manually arm and disarm my system when I’m away because geofencing won’t recognize that I’ve left and arm the system. The Arlo app just updated 2 days ago but the geofencing still won’t work while I’m away and the system is on schedule.

[jguerdat]

Have you checked the GF settings for the phones that should be used? 

[dazednconfuzd]

Yes, the two iPhones are correct in GF.

i just made some changes yesterday and have yet to see if they made a difference. I’ll report back ASAP.

[dazednconfuzd]

Nope. Doesn’t work. Both phones left the house today, it did not arm but it went into standby when we came home. I’ll post a picture of my setting in case it will help.

 

[StephenB]

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@dazednconfuzd wrote:

Nope. Doesn’t work. Both phones left the house today, it did not arm but it went into standby when we came home. I’ll post a picture of my setting in case it will help.

 

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I think the enable lists in your automations might not be right.

Can you post screenshots of the four automations?  Maybe mask out part of the geofencing maps.

[dazednconfuzd]

OK here’s a screenshot of my settings.

 The geofence settings won’t fit in a screenshot.

[StephenB]

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@dazednconfuzd wrote:

OK here’s a screenshot of my settings.

 The geofence settings won’t fit in a screenshot.

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We need to see the details of both the schedule and the geofencing.

What I normally recommend is to

• Only use "Arm Away" for geofencing (switching to it in your "leave" automation, and not using it in your schedule
• Schedule "Arm Home" and "Standby" - modifying standby if you need some cameras armed during the day.
• Enable both Schedule automations and the Leave automation in both "Arm Home" and "Standby".  But disable them in "Arm Away"
• Enable the Arrive Automation in all modes (though it is also ok just to enable it in "Arm Away").
• Do not attempt to enable/disable automations in the action list of other automations.

Your's look like the enable lists are wrong.  Normally I recommend having both schedule automations enabled when are home, and both disabled when you are away.  You had only one enabled when you took the screen shot. 

Plus you have "Leave" disabled when you have an active schedule.  The schedule automations should only be active when you are home, and "leave" should also be enabled when you are home.  

Unfortunately, you have to choose whether "arrive" switches to "Arm Home" or "Standby".  If you choose "Standby", then you will need to manually arm the cameras when you return after 6 pm.  Otherwise, they will stay in "Standby" until 6 pm the following evening.  Similarly, if you choose "Arm Home", then you need will need to manually switch to "Standby" if you return between 7 am and 6 pm.  Otherwise the cameras will remain armed until 7 am the following morning.

[dazednconfuzd]

Ok, here’s arrive split into two screenshots:

 

 

and here’s leave split into two screenshots:

 

Thank you for your detailed reply, I will definitely give it a try.

[StephenB]

Your enable lists are certainly wrong.  

You do want to switch the mode to "Arm Away" when you leave, and switch it to "Standby" when you return - no idea why you put the lines through those in your screenshots.

And you are attempting to enable/disable other automations inside of "Arrive" and "Leave".  That doesn't have any effect when you are switching modes in the automation.  The enable list in the mode takes precedence, so the enable/disable actions are just ignored.

[dazednconfuzd]

OK thank you I’ll start over. The lines are from the iPhone screen. You can’t get rid of them.

[StephenB]

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@dazednconfuzd wrote:

The lines are from the iPhone screen. You can’t get rid of them.

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Odd, as I don't see them in my own screen shots (using my iPhone 12 mini).

[dazednconfuzd]

Ok, I have finally had success with the schedules. Now to make the Arrive/Leave work…

 

 

 

 

 

[StephenB]

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@dazednconfuzd wrote:

Ok, I have finally had success with the schedules.

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I don't think so - the enable list for Arm Away is still wrong.  I think you aren't completely understanding how these work.

The overall structure of the automations is that the stuff at the top (the time, arriving, leaving, and the enable list) are things that all have to be true for the automation to run.

In your "arm away" automation, the stuff at the top says to run automation when it

• is 6 am and
• the system is in "Arm Away" mode

When these are both true, then the automation will run and perform the action -  which is switching the system to "Arm Away".  That does nothing, since the automation only runs if the system is in Arm Away mode already.

@dazednconfuzd wrote:

Now to make the Arrive/Leave work…

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If you want Geofencing to work, you need your schedule automation to switch between "Arm Home" and "Standby", and never use a schedule automation to switch the mode to "Arm Away".  Otherwise the schedule will keep running when you are away, and not keep everything armed.

Then "leave" switches to "Arm Away", and "arrive" switches to either "Standby" or "Arm Home".

[dazednconfuzd]

Yes you are right. It doesn’t work. I don’t know why it worked yesterday the couple times I tested it but it sure doesn’t now. Thank you so much for helping me understand this. I’ll try again today.👍

[dazednconfuzd]

Well, the schedules are now working. I hope my settings are correct.

 

[StephenB]

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@dazednconfuzd wrote:

Well, the schedules are now working. I hope my settings are correct.

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These look right.

[dazednconfuzd]

Awesome!👍 It’s slowly sinking in. The geofencing is still hard for me to understand but I will try to get it going today. Thanks!

[StephenB]

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@dazednconfuzd wrote:

Awesome!👍 It’s slowly sinking in. The geofencing is still hard for me to understand but I will try to get it going today. Thanks!

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These should work:

Though Arrive can also switch to Arm Home.  If you mostly arrive home after 6 PM, you will find that more convenient.

"Arrive" can't just "follow the schedule".  If it switches to "Standby", then when you arrive home after 6 pm, it will stay in standby until fhe following evening.  If it switches to "Arm Home", then when you arrive home during the day, it will remain armed until 6 pm that night.

[dazednconfuzd]

BTW, when I click on “Test Automation” and it shows a check mark, does that mean the settings are correct?

[StephenB]

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@dazednconfuzd wrote:

BTW, when I click on “Test Automation” and it shows a check mark, does that mean the settings are correct?

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No.  It just means that the automation ran.  So if you test "Leave" you should see the system change the mode to Arm Away.

[dazednconfuzd]

I just noticed when the system goes into “arm home”, it doesn’t trigger the cameras. So I changed it to “arm away” and it triggers the cameras.

 

 

[StephenB]

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@dazednconfuzd wrote:

I just noticed when the system goes into “arm home”, it doesn’t trigger the cameras. So I changed it to “arm away” and it triggers the cameras.

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Change it back.

Then look at the camera rules in Arm Home, and make sure they arm the cameras that you want armed.

[dazednconfuzd]

Ok, so the problem was that all my cameras were not armed in “arm  home”. I set the rules for them and used your settings and I think it’s working but why does “home arrive” say “disabled”?

 

[dazednconfuzd]

In “home arrive”, I changed it from “arm away” to “always enabled”  and the “test automation” works and it doesn’t say disabled anymore. I’ll have to try it next time we leave and return to the house of course.👍

 

[StephenB]

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@dazednconfuzd wrote:

why does “home arrive” say “disabled”?\

...

In “home arrive”, I changed it from “arm away” to “always enabled”  

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Change it back. Arrive should only be enabled when the mode is Arm Away.  Here is why:

Let's imagine that

• Arrive is enabled in all modes
• You are home
• It is after 7:30 pm
• The system in in Arm Home (which is what you have scheduled).

Now someone else arrives.  The Arrive automation will run (because it is always enabled).  The system will switch to Standby - which is not what you want.

In general, you only want the first person to arrive to trigger the Arrive automation.  The way to accomplish that is to only let the automation run if the system is in "Arm Away" mode.