Arlo Pro Live Feed Lag

[Pkles]

I've unboxed it and installed it yesterday and I am having this exactly same issue with the live feed delay. Very very dissapointed as it is a very expensive security system.

[ShayneS]

Pkles,

What is the issue you are expericing with your system? Can you provide us a few more details?

[Pkles]

It takes about 15 seconds for the live feed to start after clicking on "play" button and the video has about a 10 second delay, so this cannot be considered near-real time. I have a 60Mbps/10Mbps Download/Upload Internet connection and the camera wireless reception is great.

[pc2k17]

This is a cloud based camera system, it's never going to be "real time" there will always be a small lag do to the cameras contacting the arlo base, then the base contacting the servers, then the servers responding, then the base telling the cameras what to do.

However you're delay seems a bit excessive. While on 4G LTE, just tested now, it takes me about 7 seconds for a live feed to start, live video delay is about 1-2 seconds, about 2 seconds for the camera to start recording after detecting motion.

Do you get different / better results when on 4G LTE vs WiFi?

[Pkles]

Over Wifi (with good signal) It takes about 15-20 seconds to start streaming live feed, and the video delay is about 7-10 seconds...

[Pkles]

Same results over 4G...

[pc2k17]

What phone and version of operating system are you using?

What firmware version for the base and firmware version for the cameras?

Try restarting your whole network, then restart the arlo base once internet is back up, then pull batteries on cameras and reinsert so they reset and connect again.

[Pkles]

I'm using a Samsung S7 with the latest Android version. Same results over the web interface using Chrome over Linux.

Camera firmware version is: 1.092.0.19_26228

Base firmware version is: 4R04797BA5DAD

Already restarted de Base station with same results. Will also try restarting the cameras as you said.

[Pkles]

Restarted the camera but still having the same delay: 15 seconds to start the Live Feed, and a lag of 5 seconds in video. What's interesting about this is that when I push to talk over the camera, the audio delay i about just 1,5 seconds.

[pc2k17]

You listed the base station serial number. Firmware should be same format as camera. Just want to make sure your up to date on firmware.

Since you use linux I assume you know how to do a tracert, try one to arlo.netgear.com see if you see anything that could be causing the big delay. (it should trace route to an AWS server in Europe)

[Pkles]

Sorry for that. The Base station firmware version is: 1.12.0.0_27099

arlo.netgear.com seems to be rejecting ICMP packages, so pinging/tracerouting to check latency is not working.

Nonetheless this is the traceroute results:

1 192.168.0.1 2.993ms 3.286ms 3.026ms
2 192.168.1.1 2.794ms 1.891ms 3.146ms
3 200.40.162.197 5.799ms 5.312ms 5.460ms
4 200.40.162.76 6.882ms 6.220ms 5.461ms
5 38.104.95.246 152.533ms 181.410ms 148.811ms
6 * * *
7 129.250.2.202 262.053ms 261.696ms 261.970ms
8 212.73.243.150 258.158ms 257.953ms 257.646ms
9 154.54.24.221 161.436ms 160.804ms 161.351ms
10 213.248.99.214 246.263ms 242.469ms 242.295ms
11 54.239.100.88 260.786ms 264.702ms 275.946ms
12 154.54.60.6 251.032ms 250.692ms 250.079ms
13 54.239.42.109 262.291ms 261.390ms 261.221ms
14 149.14.196.218 245.140ms 244.322ms 244.468ms
15 * * *
16 52.93.101.46 263.362ms 262.945ms 316.126ms
17 * * *
18 52.93.101.44 262.872ms 262.239ms 265.056ms
19 * * *
20 * * *
21 * * *
22 * * *
23 * * *
24 52.93.7.57 251.545ms 250.904ms 251.950ms

Latency seems to be around 250ms. This value isn't optimal for sure (although isn't as bad neither). Remember, audio comunication, which I guess is been processed in the same datacenters, is reponding much faster, with a 1,5 seconds delay.

[pc2k17]

Yes while not optimal, I just did a tracert and got worse results than you, so probably not the issue.

I do notice that the base firmware you posted is not a version I have seen before. I'm in the arlo beta program and my firmware changes from time to time, but I'm pretty sure the latest base station firmware should be 1.11.9.0_26520. That would be for a arlo pro base. Do you have an arlo pro base or a arlo pro 2 base?

[Pkles]

I bought an Arlo pro camera + base station bundle. I also bought an extra arlo pro cam but I haven't yet installed it.

As soon as I was setting up the system for the first time (3 days ago) the system did an automatic firmware update (for base and camera).

[pc2k17]

Interesting. I haven't even seen that firmware number in the beta program and as far as I know, we test all firmware before it gets rolled out. I currently have the production version I mentioned after testing another version and being rolled back to production firmware. Something is not right and maybe the cause of the delay.

What I'd try if I were you......... Send a private message to the forum moderator JamesC. Have him check your account and make sure you're not setup in some test group by accident because that happened to me before with a camera. Let him know what version firmware you have and have him make sure you get the correct production firmware.

[Pkles]

Alright, thanks, so that might be the problem. Wouldn't be better if you contact him?

[pc2k17]

I'm just a normal user like you, even though I'm in the beta, I don't have any pull lol. He will probably want some person account info from you like your account sign in name, base serial number, etc, so he can look up your account.

[Pkles]

Oh, sorry and thanks!! I thought you were part of the staff members! I will try to contact him directly.

[Spyhunter1]

Same problem. Just bought it 2 days ago. Like everything but the live feed and voice. Thought it was a connection issue, but I see everyone having same problem. Fix it or it's going back.

[ShayneS]

@Spyhunter1

What firmware version is you cameras & base running? Does this occur over WIFI or data?

[Justin007]

I wish I had only 10 second delay with live view... My live view is 30+ seconds behind real-time and the longer you view it the further and further it gets behind real-time. So disappointing...

[ShayneS]

Hi @Justin007

Do you happen to be using Google Home/Alexa? Is this issue occurring on the web portal & Arlo Mobile App?

[Justin007]

Hey @ShayneS,

Yep, multiple Google Homes, multiple Chromecasts, and Alexa hangs out in the Ecobee4... Arlo is linked with Google Assistant and SmartThings (not with Alexa)... The lag experience is same in both web UI and mobile app. Got a magic solution?

[ShayneS]

@Justin007

When did this issue first occur, what troubleshooting steps have you previously performed? I do not want to waste your time recommending steps you may have completed.

[Justin007]

@ShayneS 

I've always experienced the long lag when viewing live. The real-time getting further and further behind I first noticed a week ago when I was recharging several cameras and then trying to get them re-placed just right. The only troubleshooting steps I've performed is restarting the base station and tested a camera right next to the base station and confirmed I have the same issue. I opened a support case and all they told me the "signal strengh poor" was a known issue and not actually accurate.

[d2randall]

Same issue with lag time on connecting. Lag times are worse during the day. Happens on my Web portal, Samsung Galazy 9S, Amazon Fire and Amazon Echo (Alexa). I verfied that all my devices and apps are up-to-date with firmware and software. My home internet connectivity is COX with 1.0Gbit down and 30Mbit up. The same lag times are there regardless of WiFi (home or hotspot) or Verizon 4G-LTE connection. 

Sometimes I get a connection in 10-15 seconds and then there are times I get the dreaded Connection Timed Out, Try Again. 

I realize that the Arlo System is not a "real-time" system, but there are too many slow connections making the use of rapid check on noftidation alerts and then 2-way conversation mode useless. 

In my opinion, these symptoms appear to be caused by the Arlo NETGEAR media servers; these servers appear to be over-loaded with data request/transfers and responses leading to excessive Network lag times. As the Arlo System population continues to grow and addition of more cameras by users, this problem will get worse until Arlo NETGEAR significantly upgrades their media servers (i.e. moderization and numbers).