Arlo Pro 5S - unreliable junk (missing events, taking snapshots). Pro 4 in same location works f

[chicane]

I've had ongoing headaches with my Pro 5S cameras not detecting events or taking snapshots instead.

Today I did a side by side test with a Pro 4 camera in the same location. Both devices are on 2.4GHz and connected to an outdoor Ubiquiti AP (great signal strength for both). I did try the device on 5GHz and found it to be similarly flaky so reverted to a hopefully more stable 2.4GHz connection. Unfortunately not.

Since I have done this side by side test, the Pro 4 is detecting every event (and recording a video). 

The pro 5 recorded video once, completely missed one event and recorded a snapshot instead for the third event. With the video was choppy and audio partially missing at the start, while the Pro4 was smooth and had audio for the full clip.

Both devices are active under my subscription, set identical under the routine (to record video), and smart notifications set the same.

I've had this replaced with a new sealed unit by support for the second time with the same outcome.

Are these devices inherently faulty? anyone else experiencing similar?

[Sid700]

Hey,

Why all of the sudden my Arlo pro sometimes just won't record?

Sometimes at night it detects motion but doesn't record it...

Any Idea?

Wi Fi signal is great and the cam is connected with solar panel.

[jguerdat]

Do you happen to have any sort of subscription or just the free 7 day plan? Have you rebooted the base and maybe reinserted the camera battery?

[Sid700]

I have an active subscription an I use Arlo without the base station.

I didn't remove the battery but I did restart it via App ..

[jguerdat]

The base can be restarted via the app (and web client) but not the camera. Which did you reboot?

[Sid700]

I don't have the base station.

I restarted the camera via the Android App.

It has an option for camera restart/reboot

[jguerdat]

You suggested you have an Arlo Pro camera and are posting in that section. You apparently don't actually have the old Arlo Pro camera which requires a base station but rather have a new model. We need to know which one. You can remove the battery on certain models to find a label with VMCxxxx on it or for other models it may be on a label on the case. Without knowing what model camera you have, solutions may vary.

[Sid700]

Sorry for the confusion.

Arlo Pro 5s

Vmc4060AerH5

[BrookeN]

Can you dm me the email address associated with the Arlo devices so I can look into this further?

[Mail]

Yes. Pretty much the same. Although without confirmation, I don't know if it is missing events. But only one of 3 cameras in different places. I get 5 minutes of video with no visible movement, snapshots instead of video, and useful video of certain events. There is no rhyme or reason that I can make out. Can you try to move the camera nearer to the router, and see if it still occurs. I think some, but apparently not all, of my 5s pros have sporadic connection issues. Sometimes, the problem child goes offline. I would do this test myself, but I'm rather far from the camera.

[chicane]

Hi Mail,

I've given up on the Pro 5S being reliable. The driveway camera I had has LOS from a Ubiquiti Unifi Outdoor AP.

I have a camera close to my router and it does the same thing. Signal strength is ample.

I've burned many hours with support with them blaming my wifi and any other external factors. Something is seriously wrong with these devices given a Pro 4 has zero issues like this.

[chicane]

Hi Mail

I believe a lot of users with Pro 5S are under a false sense of security. If I did not have this in a higher traffic environment I would not be aware of the intermittent reliability of the device. It's only through sheer frustration and reverting to an older pro4 camera that this became evident. I have witnessed this over multiple devices (warranty claim replacement and original purchase) - many months apart, so you'd hope there is no hardware fault over a time period this long). 

Support closed the ticket and I am left once again with expensive and faulty equipment with no resolution available.

[BrookeN]

@chicane I've opened a support ticket detailing the concerns you've posted here. An agent will reach out to you with a status update as soon as possible.

[Mail]

Thanks chicane

[chicane]

Had a phone call today from Arlo Support (escalations team). They are aware of an issue affecting Pro 5S however have not publicly acknowledged it. They said they have been aware of an issue since early Feb and Engineering are looking into it. I said it would be better if they put out a notice advising of a known issue and that it is being looked into.

Their actual reply: 

"As we talked over the phone, we have added your case to the list of affected users.

Our engineering team is looking into this and diligently working on it. As soon as we learn more and have updates for a fix, we will update you as soon as possible. Rest assured that my top priority is to get this taken care of at the soonest possible time."

[Pro5s]

We have the same issues with Pro 5S cameras over multiple locations.

One camera is intermittently providing snapshots with no notifications instead of video and notifications. Connected via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi with 3 out of 3 Wi-Fi bars.

Another camera is intermittently missing detections completely, even vehicles driving towards it. Connected via 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi with 2 out of 3 Wi-Fi bars.

Maybe this is an issue with connecting these cameras directly to Wi-Fi, as previously Pro2 cameras worked very reliably via a hub.

These cameras purchased in 2024, with caa9041 firmware, very frustrating.

[hncamacho]

Bought the Pro 5S three pack at Best Buy about 5 weeks ago.  Using only two of the three cameras.  Noticing the following issues:

1. Taking snapshots instead of videos
2. Missing events

One of the cameras became practically non-functional (stop auto-recording on events).  Replaced it with my third camera which started working well for a week.  Yesterday night I updated the motion sensibility settings and all captured events since are snapshots.

I'm no longer trusting these cameras.  Any guidance or should I proceed to return them?

[BrookeN]

Is it taking the snapshots instead of videos when the camera is in low power mode?

[hncamacho]

As mentioned, the one camera I updated the motion settings yesterday is now always taking snapshots.  I just checked the battery level and is 84%.

The other active camera is currently at 66% and occasionally takes snapshots.

I have confirmed that both active cameras have missed events; i.e., Amazon packages delivered and no record of it.

The third camera (now deactivated) was active for three weeks; behaved very unreliable to the point that stopped recording.

[Pro5s]

I should also mention the camera only giving snapshots was not in low power mode, and had plenty of battery and Wi-Fi signal strength. This reminds me on a seperate day 10 days ago the camera battery drained extremely fast it went from over 60% battery to 0% in a day with only a few motion detections.

This never happened with the Pro2 cameras.

[dcdeforest]

Just wanted to chime in and say I'm experiencing the same. Funny enough I just heard a car drive by, neither of the cameras mounted on the front of my house picked it up.

I've experienced everything from no detection (I have my detection settings up to 100 now as far as sensitivity goes), detection but no recording, and detection but only a snapshot.

Glad to hear it's not just me but highly disappointing that this is happening Arlo! Let's get a firmware or something in the works, things were working fine over a month ago!

[chicane]

thanks @dcdeforest - Arlo are being dodgy not publicising the issue. How many other users are lulled into a false sense of security thinking their cameras are working but they are not? 

[chicane]

Hi @BrookeN 

Could you please follow this up again with the support team? the case that you helped create is going to lapse due lack of response. I feel I have only received lip service so far from the escalation team. 

Can you please also find out why Arlo is not communicating a known issue to the customer base?

Also FWIW, this happens with a fully charged camera and is NOT related to low power mode causing snapshots. 

[BrookeN]

I have this escalated to the engineering team. I will update the community as soon as possible. 

[hncamacho]

My Best Buy 60-day return expires tomorrow so I took my cameras down this morning, replace them with Ring cameras and will be returning them today.  Also, I just cancelled my Arlo Secure subscription.  Long story to state my outmost dissatisfaction with the Pro 5S cameras (definitely the firmware wasn't ready for deployment) and with Arlo for not being upfront to their Pro 5S customer base about ongoing issues and not providing some alternatives (recall, subscription fees waiver, etc.).

I used to be a happy Arlo customer for several years about 10 years ago (sold the house) and you were my first option now when returning to having a camera system.  I wasted time installing it, setting it up, troubleshooting, dealing with the support alternatives, as well as money on the second month subscription.  Again, extremely disappointed!