Base VMB4000r3 looses internet connection

[skw10acres]

I have two identical base stations. Sometime in June one keeps loosing connection. Shortely, like a couple weeks later, my other space station started losing connection after just a few hours. Power cycled reconnects for a few hours. Performing a hard reset solves the problem for a few hours. Was there a firmware update in June to both of my systems? They're both broken now. Now I can't even get them to connect at all. Anybody have problems with their Arlo Pro VMB 4000 base station that sounds like this.

[Dannybear]

What do the Base station LEDs show when disconnected?

Have you tried power cycling the router modem unit?

Last base update:
‎11-06-2022
Arlo Pro Base Station - VMB4000 1.19.0.3_4074_68a8e53

[skw10acres]

Numerous power cycling scenarios: base only, base and router, router only, patiently allowing for about two minutes of no power (completely unplugging the transformer).

When I could get it to connect all three lights are green. Then a few hours later... poof, no middle light to incubate network connection. App shows device is offline.

Same scenario on both base stations.

One base uses Starlink internet and is in a remote location. The other uses Xfinity and is in an urban environment.

I have tried swapping these two bases, doing a factory reset. Adding just one camera. When I do get it to connect, before long it goes offline and the network led is out, not illuminated.

Is it just coincidence that both bases, about the same age, are failing the same way, about the same time, which correlates with a firmware update in June?

[skw10acres]

Numerous power cycling scenarios: base only, base and router, router only, patiently allowing for about two minutes of no power (completely unplugging the transformer).

When I could get it to connect all three lights are green. Then a few hours later... poof, no middle light to incubate network connection. App shows device is offline.

Same scenario on both base stations.

One base uses Starlink internet and is in a remote location. The other uses Xfinity and is in an urban environment.

I have tried swapping these two bases, doing a factory reset. Adding just one camera. When I do get it to connect, before long it goes offline and the network led is out, not illuminated.

Is it just coincidence that both bases, about the same age, are failing the same way, about the same time, which correlates with a firmware update in June?

This is reminding me of cheap light bulbs that are designed to fail so that you have to buy the newest and greatest.

[Dannybear]

If the middle (internet) LED goes out on the VMB4xxx Base station it suggests that the base is loosing connection to the router. If it was going amber then it would be a loss of internet connection only.

Could be a faulty Ethernet cable or a faulty port on the router.
Try a different cable and port on the router if available. Some routers have a multi purpose port that is internally configured for other purpose.

[skw10acres]

So...
I understand what you're saying. How do I procure a new VMB4000 base? I believe my failing base that fails on two different routers, with different cables, to be the problem.

[skw10acres]

Dear Dannybear,
Can I revert to a previous firmware revision? Is there a way for an end user to backpedal the firmware updates?

[StephenB]

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@skw10acres wrote:
Can I revert to a previous firmware revision? Is there a way for an end user to backpedal the firmware updates?

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No, there is no way to do that.

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@skw10acres wrote:
How do I procure a new VMB4000 base?

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New is a challenge.  There are used ones available on Amazon and Ebay (among other places).

VMB4540 smarthubs are currently available on Arlo.com ( https://www.arlo.com/en-us/accessories/VMB4540-100NAS.html ).  They don't have a siren, but they do support direct access to local storage from the app. 

FWIW, starlink might be part of the puzzle here.  People here have had trouble with satellite internet before,  including Hughesnet.

[Dannybear]

Does the base station have a USB backup storage attached, if so remove and again monitor.

[skw10acres]

FWIW,
I moved away from Viasat, was Exceed before Viasat acquired them. Is Starlink a problem? If so, why would that be? No problems with my Arlo with either of the previous, s l o w... satellite internet providers.

I did get this base back online in an urban environment, Xfinity cable, all the same network cables (different routers, obviously). I'll post again when it goes offline, and it will.

Thanks for the info about the smart hub. I have 9 Arlo pro cameras that I need two reliable Arlo bases for.

[StephenB]

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@skw10acres wrote:
Is Starlink a problem? If so, why would that be? 

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Some folks have posted that they were unable to get their systems to work with starlink.

For example, 

• https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Pro-2/Arlo-2-Base-Station-and-StarLink/m-p/1849951

[skw10acres]

Thanks for the link. I'm going to try bypass mode on the Starlink router and use my own router.

[Dannybear]

Have you had any success with using your own router?

[skw10acres]

The remote location is hot, temperatures in the 100s. I'll go next week even if just for a day. Will let the group know how it goes. 

[skw10acres]

Hello Danny,

Success!

I had to jump through some hoops to use my own router with Starlink and run the Starlink router in bypass mode.

I took the VMB4000 base to another network location, reset it, added it back into my Arlo account, took it back to the Starlink location, connected to my own router, added the cameras back in.

Shazam! Been working for a week, now. I think it's 👍.

My Arlo base VMB4000 doesn't work with Starlink's router! I have to run Starlink in bypass mode and use my own router. Bit of a nose-bleed. Static route required, gateway to Starlink's modem, etc.

Maybe a network hardware engineer somewhere with intimate knowledge of Arlo base station can explain why Starlink's router fails to work for Arlo base stations.

Cheers!

Bill