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Lowtech · ‎2023-08-26

Spent $500, ready to trash the whole thing. I have a box with Arlo pro 4 -XL and a hub 4540 and an ethernet cable but the cable plugs are too big to fit my Verizon Orbic router which only has one hole and that is for charging.

I also have a box of 3 Pro 4 regular cameras and a charging station and we can’t figure how to hook those up either. I can’t get beyond page 1 and connecting my hub to my router using the ethernet cable that came with my Arlo. Ready to take everything to the dump. Have spent hours over two weekends. Not worth the hassle.

DannyBearAgain · ‎2023-08-26

The arlo smart hubs require a Ethernet connection to access the local network. The orbic hotspot may not have the Ethernet option depending on the model.

Lowtech · ‎2023-08-26

Thanks for the reply. It sounds like what you are saying is that my Orbic router won’t work with the Arlo ethernet cord and I just wasted $500. What a mess.

DannyBearAgain · ‎2023-08-26

You should have the ability to install the pro4 cameras via the hotspot’s wifi, just need the wifi access password etc.

if you’re needing to use the smart hub you could try using a Ethernet wifi adapter to connect to the orbic hotspot wifi.

StephenB · ‎2023-08-27

@Lowtech wrote:

Thanks for the reply. It sounds like what you are saying is that my Orbic router won’t work with the Arlo ethernet cord and I just wasted $500. What a mess.

If you are still within the return window, you could return the kit you purchased, and just get a Pro 4 XL w/o the smarthub. Or just use the XL camera w/o the smarthub. Either way, it can connect to the Orbic WiFi without the smarthub. Note the camera does need a subscription.

You could also purchase a wifi extender with an ethernet output (there are many options), and then pair that extender to the router wifi. After that, connect the smarthub to the extender's ethernet. But that might require more computer skills than you have, so if you do that you might need to ask a tech-savvy friend for help.

Lowtech · ‎2023-08-27

Thanks for the reply. I am 75, live in the desert, and the average age of residents is 70. “Tech-savy friends”. LOL. If I had any of those I wouldn’t be here on this forum. But I did figure out that I need something called an “Ethernet Switch” so I got the specs for my Orbic router and it said “USB C” so that is what I got on the Henrietta switch. Who knows if it will plug in to my router. THEN I have to worry about if the ARLO ethernet cable will fit into the other end of the switch I ordered. I can’t find any specs on it.

I am mobile and live all over. My router is mobile. In fact, I was mobile before mobile was cool and used to carry a whole box of doodads hooked together including an inverter and a marine battery (30 years ago). ARLO is for people who live in their houses full time and have their house wired for WIFI and have routers with lots of holes to plug in stuff. That was not made clear before I purchased. I am starting to hate ARLO very much and I have run away from home because of it. I will stay in the house I bought the cameras for and do personal surveillance 365/52/7/24/60/60. Now I won’t need ARLO and can take the XL cameras and so-called smart hub to the dump.

StephenB · ‎2023-08-29

@Lowtech wrote:

But I did figure out that I need something called an “Ethernet Switch” so I got the specs for my Orbic router and it said “USB C” so that is what I got on the Henrietta switch. Who knows if it will plug in to my router.

I suspect you purchased the wrong thing. I've never seen a USB-C ethernet switch, though I have seen USB-C adapters/docks for PCs that provide ethernet connections.

Also, even if you can plug it into the Orbic, the Orbic would need the correct drivers. It does support USB tethering to a PC, but that is different from connecting to an ethernet adapter/switch.

@Lowtech wrote:

THEN I have to worry about if the ARLO ethernet cable will fit into the other end of the switch I ordered. I can’t find any specs on it.

Not a problem. Ethernet cables all use the same connector. If it doesn't fit, then you didn't get an ethernet device.

@Lowtech wrote:

Thanks for the reply. I am 75, live in the desert, and the average age of residents is 70. “Tech-savy friends”. LOL.

FWIW, there are several folks who are providing tech assistance in this forum who are in the same age bracket. Older doesn't mean people don't have tech skills.

If you want to continue with Arlo, I suggest not using the hub, and connecting the camera directly to the Orbic wifi. You'd need a subscription for the cameras (but you'll need that even if you use the hub).

Lowtech · ‎2023-08-29

We got the ethernet adapter switch thingie and it doesn’t solve the problem. It doesn’t fit the receptor hole in the Orbic (too thin) so back to square one.

I have pretty much figured out Arlo is not for mobile people. It is for house people. So now I am looking into getting internet for the house just so I can get a router like everybody else so I can get going with my Arlo pro4XL cameras and smarthub.

But can somebody explain to me (like I am 4yo) why I need a smarthub anyway? All we want is 5-6 security cameras looking at our acre lot/house and then we watch the pictures/video on hubby’s iphone 75 miles away. The location is a small town and I am lucky to get a dozen cars driving past the house during most of the year. I want to be able to see my citrus trees getting watered. Want to see if anybody drives into the driveway. I want to see if I get wind damage to the house. Do I need a smarthub to be able to do that? I have 3 plain pro4 cameras... can they be hooked up to the smarthub too? Do I need to? I am so confused about all this.

StephenB · ‎2023-09-02

@Lowtech wrote:

But can somebody explain to me (like I am 4yo) why I need a smarthub anyway?

We already covered this. You don't need it unless you want local recordings.

If you are planning to get a subscription for the camera(s), you can just connect them to your Orbic Wifi. You'll be able to see any motion recordings, because they are stored in the Arlo Cloud.

If you aren't planning to get a subscription, then you won't get any recordings without the smarthub. But you will get motion notifications, and you can view the cameras live at any time.

Lowtech · ‎2023-09-02

“We already covered this.” I am 75 and low-tech as my user name implies. Sorry if I didn’t catch on before. I have translated your answer in terms I can understand. Without a smarthub you can only watch what is going on now (I think the buzzword is “in real time). You need a smarthub so that you can go back to last week and get info on the guy who robbed your house.

The Orbic router is out of the picture. Verizon can never help me. I called my device repair guy and he explained that the Orbic outlet hole is only for charging and no matter how many ethernet adapters I get they will never work because there is no path inside the router for them. BUT he did say that Nighthawk makes a mobile router WITH an ethernet port for ATT. So I went ahead and called ATT (I mean, doesn’t everyone have 2 mobile carriers like me?) and I am getting an ATT mobile router which should solve the ethernet issue. I wish Arlo Community had told me about this option a week ago. So much time and aggravation could have been saved.

StephenB · ‎2023-09-02

@Lowtech wrote:

Without a smarthub you can only watch what is going on now (I think the buzzword is “in real time). You need a smarthub so that you can go back to last week and get info on the guy who robbed your house.

If you get a subscription, then you will see the recordings without needing the hub, whether you are at home or away.

If you don't get a subscription, then you will need the smarthub to get any recordings. You would only be to access them when you are at home (due to limitations in the Verizon internet service).

I suggest getting the subscription, and onboarding the camera directly to the Orbic wifi. The monthly cost for a single camera subscription is $3.99. A trial subscription will start automatically when you install the camera, so need to get the subscription immediately (not sure if your camera's trial is one month or three months).

DannyBearAgain · ‎2023-09-03

You could purchase the more expensive model orbic with the Ethernet port option if you want to keep your mobility.

Lowtech · ‎2023-09-03

Nope. Verizon doesn’t make them. I have talked to Verizon until I am blue in the face. Apparently Verizon struck a deal with Arlo and thus Go 2 was born to get around the ethernet problem.

But I outfoxed them. My device repair guy said ATT has a mobile router with an ethernet port so I got one of those (I have both Verizon and ATT accts). It is called Nighthawk and the Arlo ethernet plug fits great. Unfortunately, we are not smart enough to get the new router to work. Sigh. And I will have to call ATT on Tuesday. Story of my life. Nothing ever works for us.

StephenB · ‎2023-09-04

@Lowtech wrote:

Nothing ever works for us.

Are you meaning to say that you won't get a subscription for the cameras?

Or are you not understanding that you will get the full set of features with a subscription (without needing the smarthub)?

Lowtech · ‎2023-09-04

Well, first of all my new ATT mobile router with the ethernet port started working today so we are one step closer to trying to get the Arlo cameras installed.

Second, we bought TWO sets of cameras off Amazon. One box is (3) Pro 4s and the other box is 3 Pro 4 XLs with the smarthub. We didn’t know there was a differnce when we ordered...we just wanted more than 3 cameras.

And now we have been struggling for 3 weeks trying to get an ethernet port for the cable so we could finally hookup. And we thought somehow all these cameras could combine somehow.

All we want is for hubby to be able to watch the house 75 miles away on his iphone. We started with the smarthub XL cameras first. We fiddled with the other cameras 2 wks ago but didn’t get too far beyond charging them because the old Verizon router was 75 miles away, and now that router is out of the picture anyway. So many tomorrow we can start again.

So no, we probably didn’t understand the subscription thing and the smarthub thing.

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