All Arlo Pro units Off Line - can not reconnect

[OlleBull]

Hello everyone,

I am since a couple of days completely disconnected from my Arlo Pro system, consisting of one Base and five cameras. I bought the system in the middle of July and it has, apart from a few spontaneous disconnections of single cameras, worked as expected. Model of Base is VMB4000, wich is not to be found in the menue, only VMB3000.

THE PROBLEM:

It all began about two o'clock at night on August the 19th. Although it was a calm and clear summer night, the cameras showed something reminding of heavy snow storm. Within minutes after that, the whole system broke down and is impossible to reconnect to. The user interface, i.e. my iPhone app and the webb page, both say the five camera units are off line, as well as the base station. For that reason I can´t check if there are any recordings in the Cloud after the mentioned point of time, however, the connected back up device (a USB-stick), dosen´t have anything recorded after the ”Snow Storm”-recording.

WHAT I HAVE TRIED SO FAR:

I have consulted this eminent forum and, against the backdrop of what I found, taken the following steps.

1. I rebooted the Base two times with a pin, no result.
2. I turned the base off, and on again, no result.
3. I checked the internet connection (optical fibre): Tested other sockets on the router as well as wall sockets, changed the network cable to a new one. No result. I also tested the different sockets and cables with my Mac Book Pro. The connections are all high speed (> 100 MB/s) and stable. Noticed that, regardles of socket or cable, the internet led on the Base (middle one) blinks or flickers every once in a while. Never seen that before. Most of the time it is steady though. All three leds are green.
4. Tested to remove one of the cameras from the system with the button ”Remove Unit” and then add the same camera back again. The ”adding process” seemed to proceed as it should with blinking camera led on the base and fast blinking blue for ten seconds on the camera, however, the camera does not reappear on my user interface, neither app or webb page. Now there are just four cameras there.

For the moment i can´t think of any further steps to take, exept from uppdating firm ware, wich for obvious reasons is not possible. I´m quite tired now and angry with this product.

Please help!

Kind regards

/Olof

[jguerdat]

WHat are the LEDs doing on the base?  You should have 3 green ones - if not, give us details.

If it's a hardware problem (sounds like it is), the store may swap the system for you.  If not, open a case with support using the Contact SUpport link at the bottom here for a possible RMA.

[OlleBull]

Thanks for answer, and cmpleteing question!

As said, all three leds are litt up green, however, the middele one (Internet) sometimes flickers och blinks for a short while - 2-4 seconds. As also already said, I have found that there is nothing wrong with the internet connection it self. It is fast and steady. See video of the "snow storm-recording", the last one before complete system failure.

Cheers,

/Olof

 

[TomMac]

looks like dust or pollen blowing ( have seen similar ) and the IR is reflecting making it appear white.

https://arlostaging.netgear.com/hmsweb/users/library/share/link/3A4504303E94AB0E_201708

[OlleBull]

I wish it was dust or pollen or, as it looks like on your video, dandelion seeds. In my case on the other hand, it looks like something very different and rather creepy. As pointed out in my initial post, the "snow storm" was recorded a clear, nice and calm night in August with no wind, no dust and a minimal amount of seeds or pollen. Right after that recording the complete system collapse occured. 

BTW, here is a short video of my three green lights on the Base that Guru asked about previously. The Internet led is blinking now and then and rather irregularly. 

Cheers, 

/Olof

irregularly. 

/

[JPC]

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OlleBull wrote:

BTW, here is a short video of my three green lights on the Base that Guru asked about previously. The Internet led is blinking now and then and rather irregularly. 

Cheers, 

/Olof

irregularly. 

/

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The internet green blinking is a new updated version. That's normal. But the orange one is definitely not normal. You pretty much did your homework troubleshooting your system. Maybe it's indeed defective. Did you get extra warranty on this system kit? If not, then your only choice is dealing with Arlo Support by contacting down below here. Be ready to do the troubleshooting all over again. Goodluck! 

[OlleBull]

Would like to add my own thoughts about the "Snow storm"- recording, the last one before system collapse: 

The millions of things moving extremely fast in the recording just can´t be insects, pollen, seeds or dust, Not on such a calm and clear night in August and not with IR-sensitivity set to 50 %, to avoid (rains) of cats and dogs - and deers.

My first thought was Jammers, that have been used recently to kill, even sophisticated and expensive, wireless burglar alarams in the neighborhood. But such a device wouldn´t kill the Arlo Pro Base, would it?

My second thougt was Solar storms. I did check that and there has been no solar activity affecting northern Europe the past week that can possibly create such a phenomenon.  

My third thought was hard ware failure (Base station), seems rather likely, doesn´t it?

Looking foreward to hearing more about your ideas and suggestions, before i go back to the store for a swap of base station. 

/Olof  

[JPC]

Here's another thought of troubleshooting if indeed your system is defective. Pack everything up and go to your friends/relatives/family's  house away from your neighboorhod. Test it there if it works. If it does, then there's something in your house or neighbor preventing your connectivity. Goodluck! 

[OlleBull]

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JPC wrote:

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OlleBull wrote:

BTW, here is a short video of my three green lights on the Base that Guru asked about previously. The Internet led is blinking now and then and rather irregularly. 

Cheers, 

/Olof

irregularly. 

/

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The internet green blinking is a new updated version. That's normal. But the orange one is definitely not normal. You pretty much did your homework troubleshooting your system. Maybe it's indeed defective. Did you get extra warranty on this system kit? If not, then your only choice is dealing with Arlo Support by contacting down below here. Be ready to do the troubleshooting all over again. Goodluck! 

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Thanks for good input! It certainly deals with a few of my probems. One is I can´t really see what colours there is on the different LED´s on the Base. On the other hand, there is an opportunity to improve the Arlo Pro Base by changing the LED colours to others than Gren and Amber. Why not Green and Blue, as on my WD NAS, sitting next to the Aelo Base? Such a change woluld include me and the other, some ten % of the worlds male population (20 % of Scandinavian men), who are color blind on red- orange-amber-green.

Again, thanks for important input!

/Olof

[OlleBull]

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JPC wrote:

Here's another thought of troubleshooting if indeed your system is defective. Pack everything up and go to your friends/relatives/family's  house away from your neighboorhod. Test it there if it works. If it does, then there's something in your house or neighbor preventing your connectivity. Goodluck! 

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Thanks for input JPC. Packing everything down, as you suggest, would be just a bit of an overkill, I belive. It´s just too much work, the way the cameras ara installed and mounted. There must be an easier way to define the problem, but thanks anyway.

[Andre3000]

I am having the same trouble as well... Has there been a official response from Netgear?

[OlleBull]

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Andre3000 wrote:
I am having the same trouble as well... Has there been a official response from Netgear?

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Dear Andre3000

The trouble with suddely and spontaneously disconnected Arlo Pro units seems to me as one strategic problem for NetGear officials to adress, if they, as it seems, aim to be Market leaders. My Problem with a complete system collapse, is more unusual, but still an important piece of this marketing Jiggsaw. Not the least as I payed some 1600 US dollars for a set with one Base and four cameras and another 310 US-dollars for an additional camera. I´m just wating for NetGear to wake up and, finally, start to communicate these problems to the public, their customars.You, and me, and probably many thusends of other consumers are waiting for an official, honest response.

No, sorry, there is nothing like an official reaction from Netgear, not yet. 

Cheers,

/Olof

[JamesC]

OlleBull,

The solid amber LED under the camera icon on your base station indicates the base station needs to be claimed. You indicate that you used a pin to reset the system. This releases the base station from the account. After doing this you must also remove the base station from Settings > My Devices and then reclaim the base station using the Add Device button after you log in to your Arlo account. After that, you will then be able to resync cameras.

JamesC

[OlleBull]

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JamesC wrote:

OlleBull,

The solid amber LED under the camera icon on your base station indicates the base station needs to be claimed. You indicate that you used a pin to reset the system. This releases the base station from the account. After doing this you must also remove the base station from Settings > My Devices and then reclaim the base station using the Add Device button after you log in to your Arlo account. After that, you will then be able to resync cameras.

JamesC

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Thanks James, seems to be a reasonable step.

However the accont, empty on every unit after remowe of Base, tells me there is no Base to be found. I tried your proposed procedure twice, with a new reset of Base inbetween with enough time to let the system reboot and all LEDs to light up again. Both times I get the message "Sorry; we could not find the Basestation". 

What would you suggest now?

/Olof

[jguerdat]

Are you using Add Device instead of the new system setup? Once you have an account, Add Device should be used.

[OlleBull]

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jguerdat wrote:

Are you using Add Device instead of the new system setup? Once you have an account, Add Device should be used.

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Thanks for input mate, do appreciate!

Yes, as far as I could understand from recent advice from JamesC, I should:

1. log on to my Arlo account,

2. remove present (offline) base station, wich also apparently removed everything else, i.e. cameras, also showing off line mode, and then

3. add the base station again, within my one Arlo account.

And so I did, with results described above. Means, I suppose, Arlo can´t find the Base even after two "text book"-attempts, although it´s rebooted, LEDs litt up and unit connected to my Wifi thru cable to router. Connection to Internet is, as before, perfectly in order. See Pic in my previous post. 

Anyone else have an idea?

/Olof

[jguerdat]

Might as well try a reset, too.  Hold the reset button until the LEDs flash amber.  Let the base reboot until the power and Internet LEDs are green and try again.  If no help, open a case with support.

[OlleBull]

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jguerdat wrote:

Might as well try a reset, too.  Hold the reset button until the LEDs flash amber.  Let the base reboot until the power and Internet LEDs are green and try again.  If no help, open a case with support.

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Well, I repeat what I answered JamesC: "I tried your proposed procedure twice, with a new reset of Base inbetween with enough time to let the system reboot and all LEDs to light up again. Both times I get the message "Sorry; we could not find the Basestation"."

So, then I suppose it`s either a support case or, wich is probably easier, going back to the store for an new Base. There is at least one year full warrenty. 

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[OlleBull]

For your information: 

I have registered a support case and awaiting response. 

Thanks everyone for your interest, dedicaton and good advise!

Will get back with solution.

Cheers

/Olof 

[jguerdat]

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OlleBull wrote:

Well, I repeat what I answered JamesC: "I tried your proposed procedure twice, with a new reset of Base inbetween with enough time to let the system reboot and all LEDs to light up again. Both times I get the message "Sorry; we could not find the Basestation"."

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Just an FYI, we simply can't go back and read entire threads for each answer.  As much time I/we spend on these forums, it's just not practical.

[OlleBull]

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jguerdat wrote:

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OlleBull wrote:

Well, I repeat what I answered JamesC: "I tried your proposed procedure twice, with a new reset of Base inbetween with enough time to let the system reboot and all LEDs to light up again. Both times I get the message "Sorry; we could not find the Basestation"."

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Just an FYI, we simply can't go back and read entire threads for each answer.  As much time I/we spend on these forums, it's just not practical.

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With all due respect, but as always it is best to know what you are talking about and, above all, in a wide range of contexts. Still grateful for your kind respons!