Arlo Pro - unable to get to work after numerous attempts

[RMike]

I really wanted this Arlo Pro camera product to work. However, after numerous attempts, I have learned the following: the Arlo Pro product is terrible.

While Netgear promotes the product as easy to set up, it is a DISASTER. In particular, even though the cameras and base station are sold together in the same packaging, I was unable to get the cameras to sync with the base station.

After purchasing the first product with its five wireless cameras, I was unable to get it to work even with technical help from Netgear. I then RETURNED the product, bought the exact same system from another vendor, and STILL had the same problem.

I am simply unable to believe that the cameras will not sync with the base station. Of all the linkages in the system, the link between the cameras and the base station should be the easiest to make work.

I spent at least 8-10 hours of my time on three different calls with three different Netgear service techs to try to diagnose this problem, all without success. We rebooted the system again and again, tried to sync after removing the batteries and reinstalling them, and reset the base station again and again.

We tried syncing the cameras with the base station disconnected from the router. We tried syncing the cameras with only one of the four wi-fi channels active in my wireless system (1, 6, 9 and 11). We tried syncing the cameras after opening up router ports 80, 123 and 443 for the device. This was all done on my U-verse router, the same one used by many other devices in my home.

The service techs at Netgear were patient and helpful. I really appreciate the efforts of three different techs during my calls with them. However, after numerous attempts to sync, the cameras never could communicate with the base station.

Unfortunately, Netgear does NOT allow for direct returns to the manufacturer, so I had to return the units to the retail outlets where I had purchased them. I am EXTREMELY disappointed with the performance of the Netgear product, and I DO NOT recommend you purchase them.

Again, I really wanted this product to work. Other reviews seemed so positive. However, I was unable to get it to perform.

Even though I had a terrible experience, I would be willing to purchase it again IF I knew that someone there knew how to solve my problem. Can someone please reply and help me with this? Otherwise I will have to go elsewhere.

[enjoychewy]

I suggest you spend your money on Ring Cams. I'll tell you my story.

I've owned Arlo Pro, 3 cam system for just around 6 months now. The main advantages of Arlo as advertised were Geofencing, custom modes and Android app support. Netgear must have paid some good money for favourable reviews online. The app has been buggy for both iOS and Android users (evidenced by threads on this forum and at least the Google Play store reviews).

My problems with the app over 6 months of updates have been absolutely atrocious. Geofencing doesn't arm or disarm reliably. Notifications suddenly stopped and then was randomly fixed again, but then is now patchy. Sessions expired without any explaination which meant geofencing stops working and notifications don't appear. Partner accounts are buggy. Sometimes notifications show up, sometimes not. Sometimes geofencing would arm the system, even while I or my spouse are CLEARLY at home as seen on the app itself. This sets off the alarm. Heck, the app is down right unusable right now because geofencing is not working and the modes button to control the system disappeared without any provokation or reason. I've been hounding Netgear on their facebook page (publiclly commenting on things they post), PMing them on FB, emailing their "tech support", being vocal here and to say I'm throughly dissatisfied is an gross understatement. This company is seemingly run by muppets. I'm done being polite and patient. It's been since the start of MARCH 2018 since I started contacting them. It's now MAY 2018. I have been absolutely polite and a "model" customer in all this. But not anymore! Their L3 tech support person, Salomon E. was kind enough to contact me after I consistantly hounded their person who just copied and pasted scripted answers to put me in touch with someone who's willing to help. But after 2 or 3 emails of me asking what's happening and I'm willing to try things out to help them solve the problem, he dissapeared, never to respond to an email any longer. Since then the app has still been unusable. So unusable that I've had to use 3rd party apps like IFTTT to USE my Arlo system. So unusable that members of this Arlo community have even suggested getting an older version's apk from apkmirror just so they can use Arlo.

SO! Just get your money back, go buy Ring Cams. Or wait for EverCam EUFY. I wish I had waited.

Now, to be fair. I personally have not had issues with the hardware itself. Battery life has been good, abeit it's only on it's first charge discharge cycle. I've only had to charge my cameras once. In fact, I still haven't charged one of my cameras although it's one of the most active ones in my set up. But, as a system without a keypad or any other interface other than a "hush" button, the app is a pretty integral part of the system. I might as well cut off my arms and say I never needed them. Yes, you can get by and some amazing people do. But to say they're not important is just garbage.

[JamesC]

RMike,

What behavior were you experiencing when attempting to sync a camera to your base? What was the LED behavior on the base and cameras when attempting to sync?

JamesC

[RMike]

James:

Thanks for your reply. The behavior was as specified on page 12 in the manual (file name arlo_pro_um.pdf): I placed the camera right next to the base station. I pressed the sync button on the base station for two seconds then released; the status LED then began to blink green. I then pressed the sync button on one of the cameras for two seconds and then released; it then started to blink slowly.

After a loooooong two minutes of the two units blinking slowly at each other, the camera gave up and gave me a fast blinking amber light for 10 seconds; as indicated on page 10 of the manual (file name arlo_pro_um.pdf), this indicated that “the camera failed to sync with the base station.”

I attempted this process numerous times on my own, all with the same result. I tried all the cameras. I tried pulling the batteries out of the units, replacing them, then doing the attempt again.

Then I started calling tech support. We then did this same process over and over and over again, each with a different iteration such as rebooting the system, setting up a new Arlo account, etc. etc. The people at tech support were able to see the Arlo account I had set up, so they were able to see my base station on their system. Unfortunately, none of the tech support people were able to get the cameras to sync to the base station either. And supposedly they would know how!

Between my own efforts, plus the three tech support calls (each of which lasted at least two hours), we attempted to sync the camera to the base at least 100-150 times. Each of these ended with the same result: after two minutes of blinking at each other, the camera gives up and rapidly blinks amber for 10 seconds. I was never able to see any images out of any of the cameras, as they were unable to recognize the base station.

Are you suggesting some other option?

Thanks,

Mike

[JamesC]

RMike,

I apologize for the poor experience. Syncing cameras is typically a very simple process. It doesn't sound like anything was done incorrectly on your part. It sounds like something very specific with network/ISP or environment may be causing an issue. I will review your support case notes and see if anything stands out and let you know what I find.

JamesC

[RMike]

James: Thanks for looking into this. I hope you can see the notes from my conversations with Jackson, Manoj and Marlin during my three calls. They were all very helpful, but at the end of each call I wasn’t any further along than when I started.

Thanks,

Mike

[JoeCymru]

Just a two cents throw away, but my first thought was overwhelming interference. Base station and cameras need to be at least two feet away from your router when setting up (though close to each other of course). If there is a very strong 2.4GHz signal next to the cameras, the cameras could be getting lots of interference and not correctly reading the base.

[RMike]

Joe - that's a pretty interesting suggestion. Of course, they ask you to connect the base station to the router before starting up; as I recall it's a short cord of maybe 6 feet or so. I am pretty sure I was more than two feet from the router, so I'm not sure that was it. Wonder if others hit that roadblock, tried a longer cord between router and base station, then had it work?

[JamesC]

RMike,

It is possible that nearby wireless devices were causing an issue with the cameras syncing. If you still have the system, try moving it as far away from any other wireless devices that could be causing interference and try the sync process again.

JamesC

[RMike]

James:

Thanks for that suggestion, I will try that. 

Question: is it possible for the cameras to sync with the base station WITHOUT the base being connected to the router? For example, one way to make what you suggest happen is to take the system, drive it far from my house, then plug the base station in (powering it up) and attempting the syncs then. It wouldn't involve my router at all. 

Once that happened, I could then bring it all back to my house and set it up from there, knowing the syncs have already happened. 

Any reason that wouldn't work?

Thanks,

Mike

[jguerdat]

The sync requires network connectivity. The system doesn't work without it.