Delay between camera activation and notification. PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

[Coolers]

Was an excited purchaser and happy user originally. Recommended to several neighbors who are now Arlo owners. However, I (actually all 3 of us) have noticed a significant downgrade in performance. There is now a large enough delay between event trigger and actual camera recording, that these are almost useless for security purposes. Where I would frequent see vehicle turning around in front of my house, I now only hear the sound of the vehicle off camera - driving away. Instead of seeing someone walking up my sidewalk/porch, I’m seeing the top of their head as they are already at the door. My estimation is all my cameras now operate with a 4 to 5 second record delay. Additionally, notification alert time has slowed down by 20 - 25 seconds. We sadly laugh now, because we are in our garage and door closed before either of our phones alert of our activation. Total time is closer to 45 seconds between trigger and notification. Originally it was 5 - 10 seconds!!! I no longer recommend your product and if it isn’t fixed soon, will be seeking a different product - to the loss of over $850 invested. I’ve tried all the fixes. Rebooting & updating system/routers/reconnect cameras/ensure clean, etc. No other parameters have changed in my home and network. Just a degrading of the performance of your cameras and App. I loved the simplicity and battery life. Please fix the functionality!!

[Mobis]

Has anyone checked their wifi lately, I thought arlo would have been invisible ???

[Chess01]

I was hoping that was the cause because my router was having some reliability issues. I bought a new one about a month ago.  No change. The new app sometimes connects very fast, other times not so much.
The same camera has had the 3 second delay, while other times nothing. Kind of annoying.

[StephenB]

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@Mobis wrote:

I thought arlo would have been invisible ???

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No, they have never hidden the SSID.  Personally I'm fine with that, it makes it a bit simpler to confirm that the base station is broadcasting.

[Mobis]

The SSID, it asks for a password, if someone was wanting to access the cams, is it possible?

[mamarcac]

Years ago when I started tinkering with DD-WRT and Tomato, I researched this and like most people, I thought hiding SSIDs added security, but it actually exposes a vulnerability instead. It's an old article by Microsoft, but it still has merits (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/tn-archive/bb726942(v=technet.10)?redirectedfrom=...)

Bottom line, hiding the network actually can hurt, and definitely does not help. Proper encryption and authentication is how a network is secured.

[Mobis]

Ok.... There has been a couple updates to the Arlo app, I had reduced the sensitivity to 70, and today.... It's working like when I first bought it.
Has the speed up improved for anyone else. It's picking up quick again, videos contain something that moves again. Yippeeeee, well, I better touch wood and hope it stays this way.
Early days.

[Mobis]

Well it didn't last long, still slow to pick up. I came home from work this morning and I could have done a dance in front of the camera and made coffee before it recorded me walking in... Yesterday was brilliant, today, s**t again.

[Chess01]

It would be nice if it were consistent. At times it works great, other times it's sketchy at best. I can't use the microphone to talk, but my wife can. The sound delay is not something I like (both directions when both work) but I can understand the lag as it goes through various steps so I can accept that. Kind of like most video calls really.  But the delay to begin recording has none of the lag inducing steps. 

[shoustonnz]

Mine now shows what triggered the record. But does not record that part. Ie car shown left of screen in thumbnail. But record starts as car is leaving right of the screen.

[Mobis]

Is your mobile media sound all the way up? (i'm assuming you are using your mobile and have given arlo access to your microphone)

[Mobis]

I have set the sensitivity at 1% under the mode in the base station option and it's still picking up crap empty no motion videos, there is something wrong with the firmware last update, either the base station option isn't telling the camera what I want or visa versa.

[mamarcac]

This thread - your experiences @Mobis - is a perfect summary of Arlo. Erratic, Unpredictable, Unreliable.

I've had my system for almost 2 years now, this is "Life With Arlo".

[Mobis]

Doesn't matter what i've tried, reset the system, take off the silicone covers, re-position them, change sensitivities, all slow as fark to react, vids with nothing on them, I think Arlo, for me is dying.

[Mobis]

The latest app update , wow, umm , I think it's gone sideways lol. If I choose a device to look at the recordings, I swipe to the next one and it shows the next cameras recording and so on, getting silly now, Arlo, have you checked the app over before releasing it?

[shoustonnz]

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Videos-are-missing-from-the-cloud-but-on-USB-Drive/m-p/174348...

It is now with support. Case Number: 41324651.

Working through it. But no changes. They have proof that local USB records are as expected. But shorter when uploaded to the cloud. Generally by 2 seconds, but up to 4 seconds. And always record is taken away from the start of the record, missing the trigger point. 

[Mobis]

shoustonnz, are the techs looking into why the cams are so slow at taking video, half the time there is useless video clogging up valuable cloud storage for you guys, not to mention eating up my data on the phone checking recordings of nothing.

The cams are not catching people walking into the yard in time to get a decent video of them, I have great internet speed and good wireless connection, if they run in, well these cams would be useless and might as well get cams that record 24/7, I don't want to but for security wise I might have to.

Are the Arlo pro stations going to get the ability to check over the videos recorded on usb?

[shoustonnz]

Admin.......This is one for you to answer.

[TR15]

My Arlo cameras are doing the same thing. UPS pulls up to deliver a package and all the video shows is him walking away!!! What is the point of having a security system if you just get the back of someone? I just got this for Christmas and am considering returning it for another brand.

[Mobis]

Yup, looking into hikvision system, might as well go corded and record 24/7

[SMLBound]

Don’t hold your breath. I’ve wondered at times if Arlo even knows this forum exists...

[mamame]

Me too, very disappointed. Virtually a waste of money. You wouldn't expect that dropping Netgear would make this much difference.

[lenayres]

I am having the same issues, too. I am shocked that Arlo is unable to correct this issue. I am even more shocked that they are so bad at communicating to our community about this issue and their intentions and plans to correct it.

[mamarcac]

They don't care. Arlo just wants to sell more Subscriptions so their stocks go up, as evidenced by the constant pop-ups if you log in on web portal (and sometimes the app).

The reality is that the app and general Arlo system is laggy, slow, unreliable. They've had literal years to fix it (bought my Arlo Pros in 2018) and just have no interest. If one of the "Gurus" on here tries to tell you otherwise, ask them to post a video of them opening the app and starting a live feed and see how well that goes.

[Coolers]

After much frustration since my original post, and a realization that the Arlo cameras no longer provided the security that I had originally enjoyed... I finally found a solution!!   I broke down and bought NEST cameras and doorbell.  Yes, I’m also now paying a monthly fee, and yes, maybe enrolling in Arlo’s pay to play program MIGHT have helped... but I refused to give any more money to this company. When I first purchased these, one primary selling point was cloud storage at no cost. Ironically, I made a comment to my wife - wondering aloud if after purchase at some point they’d force everyone into a subscription program. The old “bait and switch” scam.  Well they did, and I voted for another system. I’ll be adding my negative reviews to Amazon, Costco, and other locations as a warning to others. Cheers

[yellowsubmarine]

The Nest is better? What ways?