Arlo Pro 4 cyclic clicking and static noise

[Wolfpretzel]

I have had the Pro 4’s for three months now and they have functioned reasonably well. However, they recently have started to have a constant static noise in both recordings and live viewing. This is most often accompanied by a cyclic clicking noise at approximately one second intervals. 
I believe they recently had an automatic firmware update that could be to blame but I can’t be sure. 
I also have the Video Doorbell and it’s audio is crystal clear without any hint of static. 

I have tried restarting them, turning them off for a while etc but the noise is persistent. 

To reiterate, they have been fine for three months and have strong wifi reception. Nothing has been added or removed from the house that could interfere with either their internet connection or audio frequencies. 

[ShayneS]

@QuintusPre I am following this closely and I will provide more info soon.

[invalid_credit]

Haha this is your answer Arlo. I set these up tonight and immediately ran into issues with my firewall. Ok no problem worked around it to set them up using my Pc because of the firewall but didn’t get to why the phone didn’t work. 

The cameras are running on 2.4ghz signal which is noisy. If you put 2 devices on the same 2.4ghz to cast and stream, you are also live streaming the noise in your home. It’s why some of mine do it and some don’t. My worst one is outside the garage - most interference of any place in the house. 

Also, I think they know this. They gave a bs disclaimer to not “stream more than 2 devices at the same time”. It’s because you make too much noise and their 2.4ghz system is flawed. 

Probably why they are 55% off for the holiday.

[QuintusPre]

The Pro4 is on sale because they are being replaced by the Pro5s. I can only assume that the Pro5 does not have this issue.

i have to disagree with Invalid Credit here. I have 14 units on the same 2.4ghz wifi and I have no issues with static or noise other than the three Pro 4 models.

This is why I think the only real solution is to swap out the guts of a Pro4 for a Pro5 for those of us who have this issue.

[QuintusPre]

@ShayneS Any further updates? I am so tempted to just buy a Pro5S and switch out the camera's guts just to see if the problem disappears.  This has been going on for far too long without any solution from Arlo.  These cameras were installed in May.  It's been seven months now and I still have no solution.

[dwestenk]

There are multiple threads asking for a solution to this known issue to which Arlo personnel (ShayneS, BrookeN, JamesC, etc.) suggest little more than to contact "support." 

Has ANYONE obtained ANY information regarding a solution to this problem?

[RacerMikeB]

I'll throw this out there, not sure if it's valid. I was following the thread regarding the chirp and noise. I went into my router settings and started playing around with different channel settings. I found some settings were terrible with noise (interference?) and some were pretty good. Might want to see if changing your settings help. It did for me. 

[RacerMikeB]

I also downloaded WiFi Analyzer and it showed multiple neighbors, and the channels they were using, in the event that was the cause of the interference and noise. 

[ejd56]

The only update I've seen is that they're looking at it. The mobile support just dumps you to the support articles. I've already uninstalled it a couple times so it doesn't seem more debugging will fix the problem. Particularly since there are so many people on the internet complaining about the same thing. What bothers me is that I just bought this camera less than 6 months ago, so upgrading to a 5 for this is just a poor solution for a larger problem. If there is a problem, and the answer is to go to a 5, arlo should give us a better upgrade path. I would look to an alternative to Arlo if I upgrade this system, especially since support is basically up to the customer. 

[SarahDaisy]

@ShayneS Same experience as @Michael_AW . The clicking is only on my iPhone when I’m viewing the live feed. It is not on recorded clips on my iPhone and does not happen at all on my iPad. 

[invalid_credit]

I'm not giving a solution - I am stating what the issue is. 

The pro 4 and pro 5 have completely different wifi receivers. The ones in the Pro 4 are completely different and were swapped to a dual band in the new cameras. It was basically the only noticeable hardware upgrade, and was 100% Arlo covering their tracks and not admitting the mistake in the 4s. 

This is why you cannot software patch it. This is why they can't fix it and are selling them on sale. I am not speculating. 

I took my bug finder out to the cameras during the times when I notice the most noise and i get an insane amount of 2.4ghz interference because literally every house in my neighborhood uses the same thing. Well same tests at 2am when no one is asleep - no static noise, and no crazy 2.4ghz interference. It was "quiet". 

The bandwidth has little to nothing to do with the issue - it's old outdated cheap hardware that can't use dual band to filter out the noise. 

I have multiple solves for this problem that I know work - none of them are free, all are a pain. You can get the base station (notice every person here is on wifi...) or you can create a ring fenced network that only the cameras are on. This required I configure it all through my firewall and is not practical so not going into details. 

If you want to get 0 noise on the camera, just to prove this out on your network, make sure most are asleep, reset your camera, activate it manually (you can't rely on the auto trigger as it generates more noise). It should be nice and quiet for you. 

When it is, come back and be irate with Arlo for covering up their issue and burying it with the S5. 

[invalid_credit]

If you don't have a bug finder like me and want to hear the static noise, tune an am radio to like channel 700. It won't be truly representative but as you move around you will hear what I mean. 

[invalid_credit]

Sorry - this just hit me. Did the noise start after the 5s were added? If so, that further proves the point. Sounds like you have a big place to cover - probably no noise before. I'm not saying this to say "oh you were wrong" it's more like.. smh why arlo.. 

[SarahDaisy]

@ShayneS 

Update: 3 hours later the noise is on both the live feed and recorded clips on my iPhone and iPad. 

[SarahDaisy]

@invalid_credit The Pro 5s are only $20 more than the Pro 4s now. If they were selling the Pro 4s cheaply because of these problems, do you think the cheap price of the Pro 5s indicates that they have their own set of problems? I thought I might “upgrade” to the Pro 5s, but the low price concerns me after reading your comment.

[Arlogenus]

Are you kidding me?  Submit a support ticket?  Do you know how long the Arlo 4 cameras have ALL had this issue.  Fix the problem already or replace the cameras with a different model number for everyone.  Paying for the monthly subscriptions AND paid for operable cameras yet Arlo is violating the contract by NOT fixing this VERY WELL KNOWN issue.  Seems like you know it's a camera issue and continue to discount the Pro 4s to get them off the shelves rather than fix this.  Come on Arlo, fix this and stop the unscrupulous excuses and run around or offer replacement models for everyone who is having this issue as it is isolated to everyone's Arlo Pro 4 cameras. 

[Oscarsactt]

It seams that they know they have a problem and dint want to admit to it , this would be the las arlo cameras I would buy from this company. It's annoying that you pay for the best products and this is the response from a big company!!

[anchu]

I have upgraded my system from Arlo pro 2 to Arlo pro 4 bundle last month and was annoyed  by the chirping sound of the video recorded. I went to the camera positioning and find the video bandwidth is strong and occasionally I also hear the chirping sound. Arlo company should fix the defects or upgrade us to Pro 5s with the price difference of $20 per camera if they can"t fix it with updated firmware.

[QuintusPre]

Careful what you wish for. I tried to replace my Pro4s with Pro5s and I found the range to be stronger on the Pro4 to my base station and found the video on the Pro5s to be choppy at times whereby frames would freeze in mid-recording. I went back to my Pro4s and chose to live with the chirping from time to time. Not ideal but better than the Pro5 solution.

i just wish they’d just figure it out and get us a firmware update that resolves this issue. 

[Jude6350]

I hung the Arlo Pro 4 2 weeks ago & also experiencing the same annoying noises.  1 of them also has rainbows colors appear on the recorded picture.  I returned them, just hung the 2 new ones & one also has noises.  Arlo needs to address this problem.  I'm guessing it's coming internally from factory.  It makes me think they're not going to last long.

[Jude6350]

I sent them back, only  2 weeks old.  Told them the problem.  Got 2 new ones, hung them today & one brand new out of the box, has same noises.  Other one does not.   This has got to be an internal issue.  

[C2haru]

omg i should have read this earlier 😫 My family was looking for security cameras and we read that arlo was good, so we literally just got the pro 4 thinking it was ok and not too expensive. We had 3 cameras for 2 days and they already have the clicking noises. Video quality wasn't that great either. I'm considering exchanging them at Best Buy in a few days. 

[QuintusPre]

Yup, known issue. If you like the eco system, I would go with the Pro5s or the Essential line (assuming you’re ok with the non-removal battery). I find the Essential line are my favourite cameras.