Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras

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ArloWatcher
Luminary
Luminary

My Arlo Pro4 cameras are having problems with the latest firmware update. According to Arlo the latest firmware should be 1.080.22.0_31_1442d0e

Arlo Pro 4VMC4050P, VMC4041P1.080.22.0_31_1442d0eJune 3, 2024


Base station info:

Firmware => 1.24.0.1_1528_8938370
Hardware => VMB4540r2


I have 3 Pro4 WiFi Cameras:
#1  has no problems and has the latest firmware. It says "No Updates Available"

Firmware => 1.080.22.0_31_1442d0e
Hardware = > VMC4041PAerH4

#2 Works fine but doesn't have the latest firmware and doesn't ask to update to the latest
Firmware => 1.080.20.1_23_d50a19d
Hardware => VMC4041PAerH4

#3 Has the latest firmware but still wants me to update my firmware (Firmware update is available. 
Update)
Firmware => 1.080.22.0_31_1442d0e (and says "Update is available")
Hardware => VMC4041PAerH4
When I click the Update button it says it's updating wait 5 minutes and when it's done, Camera #3 then says
Firmware = > 1.080.20.1_23_d50a19d (No updates available).
After awhile it will want to update again, and repeat the whole process.
 
So @JamesC ,
Camera #1 is no problem
Camera #2 doesn't want to update or maybe it doesn't know that one is available. Any ideas on what to do?
Camera #3 has the update, then wants to still update, and then goes back to an old firmware version. Any ideas of what to do?

I have tried:
- Restarting Smart Hub and Cameras many times
- Pulled batteries and restarted cameras many times
- Deleting cameras and readding many times
 
What's a poor Arlo Pro4 camera owner to do?
 
1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

The firmware updates may fail if the camera is too far from the base station and has poor signal strength or the battery is low. Try bringing the cameras that are having an issue close to the base station temporarily, fully charge them, and let them sit over to see if they update automatically during the automatic update window.

 

JamesC

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19 REPLIES 19
ArloWatcher
Luminary
Luminary

Is anybody from Arlo out there and would like to help?

@JamesC , can you help or at least get somebody who can?

Thanks so much!

 

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

The firmware updates may fail if the camera is too far from the base station and has poor signal strength or the battery is low. Try bringing the cameras that are having an issue close to the base station temporarily, fully charge them, and let them sit over to see if they update automatically during the automatic update window.

 

JamesC

ArloWatcher
Luminary
Luminary

Thanks @JamesC  for your reply.

All of these cameras get charged about 6 ft from the base station. Cameras #1 and #2 are outside cameras that are a good distance from the base station when in service. Camera #3 is an inside camera that is powered all the time by the supplied wall power supply and cord.

I brought #2 inside and fully charged it, but it still seems to have no interest in doing an update. #3 which is always about 6ft from the base station is fully charged also has no interest in doing the update now. With this additional info, any ideas of why the cameras don't want to update?

 

Thanks!

PS => It might be a good idea for Arlo to add a "Check for Firmware Update" button in the App, so that users can force a camera to check for updates instead of the current way cameras check for an update. Do you know how cameras currently check for updates?

 

Erkangok
Guide
Guide

My Arlo cameras have the latest firmware. I have 3 cameras and the batteries are draining in less than 3 days. All my settings are lowest possible with mic and speaker off. I read there was a problem last year and it was partially solved by rolling back the firmware. Further, the latest firmware is advertised as the last years firmware in the official version thread in this very forum. So there is serious battery life problem and urgent help from the Arlo People would be appreciated.

ArloWatcher
Luminary
Luminary

@JamesC 
Can you confirm what Erkangok is seeing?

ArloWatcher
Luminary
Luminary

 @JamesC ,
Here's my latest update.

Camera #1 => Is no problem
Camera #2 => Doesn't want to update or maybe it doesn't know that one is available. Any ideas on what to do?
Camera #3 => Needed a recharge. Brought it in and charged it. When it was done charging, it wanted to do the firmware update once again. This time i did the update using the app, instead of the website. Looks like it could be happy now with the latest firmware.

 

@JamesC 
Any ideas on why camera #2 has no interest in updating the firmware?

Erkangok
Guide
Guide

Hello,

My cameras all have Firmware no:

1.080.22.0_31_1442d0e

 

The problem is battery life, i have to recharge every 3 or 4 days. All settings are at the minimums and the wifi reception is good.

Thanks for any help.

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

Erkangok,

 

I encourage you to reach out to Arlo support to further investigate, you can find options to contact support and open a ticket within the Arlo app under Settings > Support.

 

ArloWatcher,

 

You could try removing and resyncing the camera to see if that triggers the update (make sure it is fully charged and has good signal strength), otherwise, if the camera is performing as expected, I wouldn't suggest any further troubleshooting.

 

JamesC

Wegentryjr1
Guide
Guide

I was just about to post this same topic. Staring about 1-2 months ago my Pro 4 batteries started draining in about 1-2 weeks with minimal use. I've turned down everything to try to help (even though I never had to do it before), but even that isn't helping.

Quadwife
Initiate
Initiate

Have tried updating latest firmware for weeks. During subscription. After subscription. Next to WiFi router. Plugged in to power, fully charged. Reset devices, disconnected devices, re-added devices, tried at every possible hour of night and day, 1am, 6am, 12pm, 3pm, 11pm etc.  Sat keeping phone screen on In case that made it drop out. Phone on 2.4 WiFi. Every solution I could try online I've tried.

I ready to purchase swann cameras, at least they're reliable and no surcharge for buying American $$$. These are very expensive paperweights. Every firmware is a nightmare to install. All 4 cameras won't update.

Erkangok
Guide
Guide

I have the latest update on my 3 cameras. The  battery life is disaster. I Wonder how they claim six month, I am even ok with a month but I have to recharge every week. All settings are at the minimums, mics an speakers are off. I completely agree that they are nothing but paper weights. Further, their standalone operation capacity is a joke, either you need a subscription or further invest in a hub with extremely low capabilities. I wish I bought some chinese wifi cams instead, anyway the Arlo are also chinese made. As a conclusion i feel like a victim in a money trap.

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

I haven't looked at my devices closely every time but I don't think I've ever seen an Arlo camera made in China. Nor would I use one given the privacy issues that may present (and, no, I'm not a privacy nut).

Erkangok
Guide
Guide

The issue is not the production country of the cams, the issue is the poor battery performance. 

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

You brought up the country thing.

 

I've only recently added a Pro 4 to my setup and battery life has been more or less the same as for the Pro 3 it replaced. I know there have been a number of complaints about the Pro 4 which is why I added one to the mix for testing. Time will tell...

StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@jguerdat wrote:

 I don't think I've ever seen an Arlo camera made in China. 


FWIW, The ones I've examined were all made in Vietnam.

 

@Erkangok wrote:

The issue is not the production country of the cams, the issue is the poor battery performance. 


The six month claim is based on specific (and IMO rather light) use.  In practice I need to recharge my cameras more often than the nominal battery life claim.

 

That said, if you want to improve your battery performance the place to start is by removing any activity zones and then looking at how much streaming the camera is doing per day.  Then see if changing the camera position or reducing the motion sensitivity can help.

 

I've upgraded a couple cameras to use the XL battery.  One also has a solar panel connected.  That particular camera is covering part of the driveway that is shaded by a tree.  Wind results in moving shadows that can create a lot of false triggers, particularly in summer.  The combination of XL+solar helps a lot - but I still do have to charge it sometimes (perhaps once or twice a year).  

Erkangok
Guide
Guide

Got it, thanks, my bad. It was a figure of speech. Origin does not matter.

The issue is the insufficient battery life and I do not think there is a solution after reading so many reviews. I do regret buying them, most probably I will throw them away, 

Best to all,

Wegentryjr1
Guide
Guide

I can't keep doing this. I have 5x Pro 4's and the batteries are lasting about a week before needing to be recharged. I'll have to start looking at a new solution I guess since nothings seems to be able to be done about it.

Erkangok
Guide
Guide

Pleased to hear you have sufficient performance. On the other hand,  my case is getting worse, just a few moment ago I had to start recharging one of the cameras after only a week. Further, there is one off and the battery still drains. I have one solar panel, that does not help too, despite it is well exposed to sun. This is my last reply and comment here and as a conclusion, a very dissatisfied customer here and i do not recommend these cameras to anyone.
Best to all.

Wegentryjr1
Guide
Guide

Yeah, they're all dying now in about a week. They've changed something because I would go months without having to change the batteries and now they ALL are lasting about a week!?? I hope you guys find a fix for this, but I have to take my $$ elsewhere.

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