Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras

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Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant

So my alro pro 4 won’t connect, I have done all the steps they said to do. I can’t contact them because they say I need subscription and when I go to make subscription it says I don’t have cameras connected.???? What??? I’m trying to contact cause cameras won’t connect. And it won’t let me buy subscription.

I’m just started to get worried cause their website looks like it’s from the 90’s.

Is this company a scam???

Also how am I supposed to trust them with security if it’s literally impossible to get a hold of anyone.

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jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

How are you trying to connect the camera - to a base or hub or direct to your WiFi? If WiFi, what sort of router/network do you have? Can you temporarily separate the 2.4 and 5GHz bands to aid the connection process and then recombine them using the same SSID you used for the 2.4GHz band?

Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
I have tried both my base and my direct to Wi-Fi. I have xfinity. I have never had any problems connecting any of my other Arlo systems. Yes I have done all of this.
What i don’t get is why I can’t call someone in this company. When I try to make a subscription it says I need a camera connected in order to subscribe. But I am calling because me camera won’t connect. It literally makes zero sense.
Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
Also it chimes when scanning QR code. Then just scans with for a while and says can’t find device. Blue is flashing the entire time. I’ve reset several times. Literally done everything they say to do on troubleshoot. This is the most unprofessional company I have ever dealt with in my life. It’s embarrassing. I have trying to contact anyone in the company for a while now with no prevail.
StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@Pombi wrote:
I have tried both my base and my direct to Wi-Fi.

You need to add the base first.  Have you tried doing that from a PC browser (my.arlo.com)?

 

 

Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
Yes I have tried that too unfortunately. But they should be able to connect without base. At least they claim.
It’s just astonishing you can’t contact this company. For assistance.
StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@Pombi wrote:
Yes I have tried that too unfortunately. But they should be able to connect without base. 

Yes, though if you want to use the base, it's best to skip connecting the camera to wifi.

 

Have you only tried the app?  If so, try browsing in a PC to my.arlo.com, and then add the base from there.   

 

Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
Hello, sorry i wasn’t clearer when this question was asked before. Yes, I have. I have tried several times.
JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

Pombi,

 

What happens when you try to add the base station? What errors are you seeing/LED behavior?

 

JamesC

Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
It searches then says no devices found.
Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
So it that it? The only branch that is offered?
Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
I don’t understand why I can’t get anyone from this company to just help me. I spent a lot of money. This is by far the worst customer service I’ve ever experienced unfortunately. All my other Arlo products have been great.
StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@Pombi wrote:
So it that it? The only branch that is offered?

You never answered the question about the LED status on the base.

Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
I’m sorry, I thought that I did. It just says no devices found. Led has 3 green lights on. The first 3.
But i would like to be able to connect straight to Wi-Fi network.
Cause it says you can do that, part of the reason I bought it.
StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@Pombi wrote:
I’m sorry, I thought that I did. It just says no devices found. Led has 3 green lights on. The first 3.
But i would like to be able to connect straight to Wi-Fi network.
Cause it says you can do that, part of the reason I bought it.

I'm finding this a bit confusing.  If you wanted to connect straight to wifi, then why did you purchase a base?

 

Some bases have 3 LEDs,  newer bases have only one.  So I'm also a bit confused on "the first 3" bit.  But three green LEDs means that the base thinks it is connected normally.  Are you seeing it in the attached devices list of your router?

 


@Pombi wrote:
But i would like to be able to connect straight to Wi-Fi network.


Yes, you can do that.  Though some users do run into a lot of issues when onboarding (as you have).

 

Sometimes onboarding from a PC (browsing to my.arlo.com) works better, especially if the PC is connected via ethernet and not wifi. 

 

That's because the app can sometimes have trouble finding the camera when the phone is connected on 5 ghz wifi, because the camera is connected to 2.4 ghz.  There's no way to tell the phone to use 2.4 ghz, unless you have a different network name for the two bands set up in your router.  Some routers will let you turn 5 ghz off.  If you can do that with yours, then it is something else you can try.

 

I am wondering if your router is set up for use as a public Xfinity hotspot.  If it is, then I suggest disabling that feature temporarily, and then try to add the camera again.

 

 

Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
So like I have said before I have had several different Arlo systems, when I checked they said my base station was compatible with the pro 4. But maybe that is incorrect.
I do have two different network names. I am connected to 2.4 on both laptop and phone neither have worked. Tried several times.
Like I’ve said before I’ve tried everything Arlo has to offer as far as troubleshooting online. So I have tried these options, unfortunately none have worked.
My router is not on a hotspot. But that is a good tip that no one has mentioned yet. Thank you.

Anything else you can think of?

I am in the process of returning the system. Unfortunately.
I’ll probably be going with another brand, they have been very helpful. Because I liked Arlo’s cameras. But I feel like I shouldn’t be supporting a company like this. I have been talking with sever other people with the same experience. Especially with the newer models.
StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@Pombi wrote:
 when I checked they said my base station was compatible with the pro 4. But maybe that is incorrect.


Compability info is here: https://kb.arlo.com/000062284/Arlo-SmartHub-and-Base-Station-Compatibility

 

The VMB4000, VMB4500, VMB4540, and VMB5000 are compatible with the Pro 4.

Pombi
Aspirant
Aspirant
Yes so that’s the information they have available online. Still nothing is working.
Like I said before I have access to all the troubleshooting info Arlo provides online. Tried everything. I am more so looking for anything that they might not suggest online to try. But it appears there is nothing more to do. Since nobody from the company will contact me and I am not able to contact them it looks like I don’t have any other options.
I really appreciate your help though.
StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

Not sure if you've tried a factory reset or not (fyi, just repeating that you've tried "everything" doesn't really allow other users here to offer much help).  But if you haven't, that is worth a try.  https://kb.arlo.com/000062438/How-do-I-factory-reset-my-Arlo-wire-free-camera

 

Other things to check -

  • The wifi network needs to be set to use wpa2, and secured with a password. 
  • If you have punctuation or spaces in the network name or passphrase, then maybe try simplifying them. 
  • If you use a mesh, you might try turning the extenders off, and just use the main router when onboarding.
  • One person has found that using a different QR code generator ( https://qifi.org/ ) worked when the Arlo QR code didn't.
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