Geofencing is completely broken in the new APP

[baumbachaflocka]

The old app worked great with geofencing, it would not arm unless every device left the area. Now it always arms if just 1 person leaves. My system is configuration is the following: anyone arrives> standby, everyone leaves> arm away

They are both set to always enabled and I have made sure that both my devices are setup correctly with always allowing precise location, notifications and do not have battery saver on. Its so frustrating because the old app worked great and the new one is so bad and we were forced to switch when we added the new cameras.

More info there is 1 iphone and 1 android phone used for geofencing, I have it set to the largest area and no other automations except for the geofencing ones.

[ShayneS]

Hi,

Can you try utilizing this setup for your schedules with the Arrive/Leave feature and let me know the results?

1. Select Routines > Automations > Select the (+) to create the desired schedules (When created, schedules will be listed under the Schedules section)

2. Create and enable the Arrive automation under > Select Automations > Select the (+) > Add Action > Change Mode > Select Standby > Next > Add an Action > Enable/Disable an Automation > Select the desired schedule > Next > Select Enable > Next
                             
3.  Create and enable the Leave automation under > Select Automations > Select the (+) > Add Action > Change Mode > Select Arm Away > Next > Add an Action > Enable/Disable an Automation > Select the desired schedule > Next > Select Disable > Next  > Save
                     

When completed you should see your options listed under the Arrive/Leave section under Automations

Thank you 

[alex_loo]

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@wenklaw wrote:

BUT if I return after 2359 and before 0500 that’s where the problem is as what will happen is the mode will just change to ‘arm standby’ and will ignore the fact I have a schedule stating the mode should be in ‘arm home’ during those times.  When 2359 comes around again the automations at night will reactivate and work again.

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I don't see this a problem, given the way schedules are designed --- they are supposed to ONLY trigger your "arm home" at 2359 sharp, and "arm standby" at 0500 sharp.  It is NOT supposed to trigger anything, DURING the period from 2359 to 0500.

Therefore, when you are "arm away" but returning home between 2359 and 0500, you would have to manually switch to "arm home" yourself.

Alex

[wenklaw]

The problem with the new method is the way it did work was far superior in every way, I cannot think of a single benefit of this new approach.
In the old app it would switch back to the schedule and custom mode via geofencing on a users return therefore eliminating the need for manual intervention by the user which is the polar opposite of the definition of ‘automations’.

[alex_loo]

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@wenklaw wrote:

The problem with the new method is the way it did work was far superior in every way, I cannot think of a single benefit of this new approach.
In the old app it would switch back to the schedule and custom mode via geofencing on a users return therefore eliminating the need for manual intervention by the user which is the polar opposite of the definition of ‘automations’.

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I heard about the "really good" old app but has never tried it.  When I started with ARLO back a few months ago, I was already with this "new but bad" app.

So with the old app, are you able to set up a single period (say 2359 thru 0500) and associate it to "arm home"?  Note that this is something IMPOSSIBLE with the current (new) app.

So if the old app CAN do this, apparently ARLO has decided for a totally different design (polling and action during a period, vs triggering off mode change at a particular point of time).  Whatever reason, this has proved to be a wrong design change.

Alex

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[StephenB]

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@alex_loo wrote:

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@wenklaw wrote:

BUT if I return after 2359 and before 0500 that’s where the problem is as what will happen is the mode will just change to ‘arm standby’ and will ignore the fact I have a schedule stating the mode should be in ‘arm home’ during those times.  When 2359 comes around again the automations at night will reactivate and work again.

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I don't see this a problem, given the way schedules are designed 

Therefore, when you are "arm away" but returning home between 2359 and 0500, you would have to manually switch to "arm home" yourself.

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Personally I think it is a problem with the design, and that it does need to be corrected.

[alex_loo]

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@wenklaw wrote:

The problem with the new method is the way it did work was far superior in every way, I cannot think of a single benefit of this new approach.
In the old app it would switch back to the schedule and custom mode via geofencing on a users return therefore eliminating the need for manual intervention by the user which is the polar opposite of the definition of ‘automations’.

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just curious.  with the old app, if I have been "ARM AWAY" for days and then returning home in the midnight between 2359 and 0500, I understand that ARLO will still nicely switch to the desired "ARM HOME".

Now, if I manually switch it from "ARM HOME" to "STANDBY" (for some adhoc reason), still during this 2359-0500 period, will it stubbornly jump back to "ARM HOME"?

Alex

[alex_loo]

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@StephenB wrote:

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Personally I think it is a problem with the design, and that it does need to be corrected.

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ok now we are discussing the "better" technical design for ARLO! 😉

I started my ARLO experience only with new app.  And I understand that schedules and automations are all event-driven (by clock time, geofence trigger --- respectively).  It makes its own sense and I see:

PRO:

- simple, only perform actions like switching modes at certain particular INSTANCE (ie when 2359 sharp, or when iPhone GPS crosses the circle line from outside to inside)

CON:

- won't do anything during that period.

- if you do not trigger-start a period from the beginning (say returning home between 2359 and 0500), you will have to manually change to your desired mode

On the other hand, I am hearing the "old app" does not have CON above, but then I am suspecting it has its own CON --- that you can't override that "2359-0500" mode with a different mode, even if there is a strong adhoc reason.

Thoughts?   Apparently I am just making some wild guess about the old app hehe 😅

alex

[StephenB]

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@alex_loo wrote:

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just curious.  with the old app, if I have been "ARM AWAY" for days and then returning home in the midnight between 2359 and 0500, I understand that ARLO will still nicely switch to the desired "ARM HOME".

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The old app interface had an explicit schedule (saying what cameras are armed at any point in time).  With geofencing, you could set the "home" option to "Schedule", and when you arrived home the system would arm the cameras per that schedule.

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@alex_loo wrote:

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Now, if I manually switch it from "ARM HOME" to "STANDBY" (for some adhoc reason), still during this 2359-0500 period, will it stubbornly jump back to "ARM HOME"?

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No, it won't.  Nothing happens until the triggering time at 0500.  This is something easily checked (and I have done that).

While @Jeffi has said that his system appears to be following the schedule in your scenario, that is not something I've been able to check myself, since my app is not yet properly detecting when I arrive and leave.

[wenklaw]

You could override the old app, disarm it permanently, arm it etc but you would then need to change it manually back to geofencing mode BUT 99.999% of the time you could just leave it alone, effectively fully automated.

The only ‘plus’ I see with the new app is if you manually change the mode it will then revert back to the set automations automatically next time they trigger BUT leaving the system disarmed in certain circumstances when you’ve told it you want it in a certain mode between certain times is far from an automation in my book