Local storage access using VPN.

[Mavrrick]

I am just looking for clarity on what is needed from a network perspective for local sotage access across a vpn. This is suggestrd by the app to use instead of using port forwarding to enable external access for better security. I have a unraid server with OpenVPN installed. I can connect to multiple internal network objects. Whenever i try to connect to the local storage though i tap on the hub select in the library and nothing happens.

Initially I thought it might be related to the ip of my device remotely. I updated my VPN config to have me on the same class C network as the hub and still nothing.

[vnorred]

Ripjsh - Thank you for your comment.  That explains a lot of users' frustrations.  Users using iPhones seem to be successful and us Android folks are the ones that have not been able to make this work.  I would like to know if the Arlo support people are responsive at all.  Will they even admit that this is a problem?

[rlpjsh]

I'll post Support's reply when I receive it. New case #41756434.

[jgchong]

Hi,

Let me add one cent.

My router is TP-link and I setup OpenVPN.

My Android phone successfully connected to VPN, but Arlo app cannot access to local storage.

From my understanding, my phone has IP, 10.0.0.x/255.255.255.0 from TP-link VPN setting.  and Arlo hug gets IP, 192.168.1.x/255.255.255.0  

I think Arlo app does not search over subnet.  It means, Alro app only search inside 10.0.0.x ( from 10.0.0.0~10.0.0.255).  Arlo does not search over 192.168.1.x range.

This is Arlo app design issue.

And even there is a bug on port forwarding, so it is useless now (whenever restarts Arlo app, it stops port forwarding).

I doubt Arlo is pushing users to subscribe their cloud.

so disappointed..... they can fix it.... but they do not...... or they don't want to fix....

[Mavrrick]

I think whatever is going on is a bit more then a port forwarding issue. I can't see any recordings cloud or otherwise if i am not connected to my local network. Very strange.

Port forwarding and Arlo services are completely independent. They really shouldn't have a impact on each other unless Arlo is trying to use our local attached storage and present it as cloud storage. If that is the case they should be chastised. I don't think it is though or atleast as of yet. They must have something else going on. 

No matter how you look at it though no not being able to see a single cloud recording when I have one camera on CVR and another with Arlo Smart is not a good thing. 

[rlpjsh]

@JamesC  I have not heard back from Support other than the automated email notifying me that Arlo case #41756434 had been created on June 18. 

Would you please check into this case and reply with a status update? Thanks!

[pjama]

I seem to have made a little progress using android (Samsung S9+) and IPSec VPN on an ASUS router in that I at least get the option menu for which storage source to look at. Mye home network and VPN network are different subnets.

The only things I did were:

1) Changed the reserved IP by one and left out the assigned name. The idea being it would get a new reserved IP and assign its own name.

2) Rebooted the Arlo base station and confirmed it got the new IP

3) Enabled port forwarding although I DON'T have that forwarded on the router.

After that, the storage source menu appeared that had not been there before via VPN. Unfortunately if I select the base station it comes up with "There was an error obtaining your library. Arlo team is working on this issue". I expect the Arlo team will be contacting me real soon now with a fix  😉

I've closed and restarted the app and the source menu is still there, but I still get the error when trying to list files on the hub.

I disable port forwarding again and there is no sign of the source menu even after an app restart. Re-enabled PF, restarted the app and the source menu is back.

I suspect the app looks for a hardcoded host name when connected via vpn but I have no idea why it would need the PF on even though it's not forwarded through the router. Perhaps it's required because of different subnets.

HTH

[rlpjsh]

I recently received a response from Support for the problem with the Android app not able to see local recordings using a VPN reported in June. After a couple of exchanges I was asked to post the problem to the Community board, so no resolution.

I actually had already opened a new thread on the Community board a couple of days earlier.

Many users have already requested local storage capability on an NAS device. That would certainly solve the problem of local recording access.

[vnorred]

Thanks Ripish - What is the name of your new thread?  I would like to see the comments.

[vnorred]

Sorry, I meant Rlpjsh.

[rlpjsh]

[ “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” 🙂]

Here's the new thread about the Android app issue:

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Pro-3/Remote-access-through-VPN-to-local-storage-on-Android-app/m...