Getting VMB4000 back online

[DerekL]

Hi - I have an Arlo VMB4000 hub with two VMC4030 cameras. These have worked perfectly for many years, until now.  I use the setup to monitor the condition of my sailboat and its weather protection as it stands on land during the harsh Norwegian winter. It's perfect for the job.  I just check in every now and then to see that the wind hasn't displaced the tarpaulin and so on.

Anyway, this means that everything is turned off for the rest of the time - when the boat is on the water where it should be :-).

> When I came to enable the system just now I could not establish contact.

> The App and Web portal showed the hub as offline

> I thought a full reconfiguring would do the trick, so did so from scratch.

> De-registered the hub from my account

> applied both 10-second (hard?) and 30-second (factory?) resets

> added the hub again in the portal, with a new name - registration is successful

> I can change the name on my phone App and the name change is reflected on the web portal

> Power LED = green, Internet LED = green

> I can force the cameras to pair locally with the hub (slow blue flash then rapid blue flash) and the camera LED then shows green

> I've successfully changed the global state to in both phone App and web portal dashboards

> NONE of this brings the hub back to an online status in the portal or in the App - I cannot see any feed

> I have the basic FREE subscription that came along with the purchase of this setup at the time.  This is still honoured by Arlo

Hardware and connectivity all seem fine.  All LEDs are solid green. I feel like I've tried everything.  Any suggestions for further things I might try would be gratefully received!

Regards //Derek

[jguerdat]

Since you reset everything, check your modes for appropriate rules for each camera. Removing the cameras will also remove all rules. Arm Away should have rules for the cameras automatically but the others need to be checked.

[DerekL]

Hi jguerdat - thanks for taking the time to help out - MUCH appreciated.

I've followed your recommendation but the hub remains offline and I cannot add any cameras to it via the portal.  I don't wish to overload you, but this is a step-by-step description of what happens... any more suggestions would be appreciated.  Maybe the issue is with my legacy "Free 7-day Cloud Storage" subscription and I'm now being forced to migrate to a paid subscription?  A Google search tells me however that Arlo still honours that original Free 7-day subscription...

Anyway - here are the details...

(-2) Automations "Arm at Sunset" and "Disarm at Sunrise" are enabled for ALL modes in the dashboard
(-1) My Arlo subscription is the original Free 7-Day Cloud Storage plan that came with the hub and cameras. I have not upgraded as this subscription has worked just fine for me.
(0) Arlo VMB4000 hub and PC I'm using both connected to same router by cable
(1) Logged into Web Portal
(2) Clicked on "Devices"
- no devices listed as the bub was removed during the previous session
- no cameras, nothing to test automations on
(3) Clicked on "Add a Device" link
- Page headed "Select a device to add to your Home" is displayed
(4) Scrolled down to and clicked on "Base Station / Hub" option
- Page headed "Plug an Ethernet cable into your Base Station or SmartHub" is displayed
(5) Plugged ethernet cable from router into Arlo VMB4000 hub
(6) Clicked "Continue"
- Page headed "Power your Base Station or SmartHub" is displayed
(7) Inserted power cable into Arlo VMB4000 hub
(8) Pressed the power button
- Power LED = solid GREEN
- Internet LED = solid then flashing GREEN
- Camera LED - solid Amber
(9) Clicked "Continue"
- Page displaying "looking for..." displays briefly
- Followed immediately by page headed "Name Your Device"
- The hub has obviously now been discovered
- Entered a unique name that I have never used before
(10) Clicked "Continue"
- Popup "Please wait" appears briefly
- Followed immediately by page headed "Checking for updates"
- Followed shortly thereafter by page headed "Your base is up to date"
- Followed shortly thereafter by page headed "Your Arlo Base Station is now active!"
- Two alterntive ways forward: (1) "Finish" (2) Start Adding Cameras"
(11) Clicked "Start Adding Cameras"
- Page headed "Select the Arlo Model" is displayed
(12) Clicked on the "Arlo" option (5th of 5 options)
- Page headed "Select a Base Station or SmartHub" is displayed
- Panel containing the name and picture of the newly added/named VMB4000 is shown
(13) Clicked on the Panel containing the name and picture of the newly added/named VMB4000
- Popup headed "Your Base Station or SmartHub is offline" is displayed
- "Please make sure if your Base Station or SmartHub is connected... " also displayed
- Power LED = solid GREEN
- Internet LED = solid then flashing GREEN
- Camera LED - OFF
- Two options available are "Cancel" and "OK"
(14) Clicked "OK"
- Taken back to page headed "Select a Base Station or SmartHub"
- Panel containing the name and picture of the newly added/named VMB4000 is shown
(15) Now I can only loop back to (13), (14) and (15) (this)
- Every click on the newly added/named VMB4000 results in the "OFFLINE" popup

This is where I'm now stuck... and am unable to add any cameras

(16) Clicked on "Back" twice - come back to Home page
(17) Clicked on "Devices
- Panel containing the name and picture of the newly added/named VMB4000 is shown
- Status is shown as "Offline"

(18) Since I'm unable to add cameras to the hub in the portal I followed the procedure for adding them locally using the "Synch" buttons on the VMB4000 hub and the VMC4030 cameras
- Camera LED = solid GREEN
- Hub remains offline in portal

(19) Clicked on "Dashboard" in portal
- "Arm Away" is active
(20) Clicked on "Arm Home" in order to see if this has any effect
- Message appears in my feed in portal and on iPhone
- "Get a plan to view 30 days of video recordings."
- "See a 30-day feed of recorded videos, mode changes, and other events with a plan."
(21) As stated at (-1) My Arlo subscription is the original Free 7-Day Cloud Storage plan that came with the hub and cameras. I have not upgraded as this subscription has worked just fine for me.

Thanks again for your help so far!

//D

[jguerdat]

With the base being offline, there isn't much you can do. However, the reason for being shown as offline, even though you have green power and Internet LEDs, is the problem. What happens if you use only cell service on your phone (disable WiFi)?

[DerekL]

I've tried various network scenarios without success. 

I'm in a bit of a Catch-22 situation - the solution to the problem requires the problem to be solved first.  The original "Free 7-Day Cloud Storage" subscription that I have has worked great for the past 10 years or so, completely problem-free!  No need for any support at all.  It doesn't include any support coverage however - only the chatbot which isn't very helpful.  So even though I have a valid subscription, I can't fix the problem until after the problem is fixed... for example for paying for an upgraded subscription which I don't need given the reason I use the cameras.

[jguerdat]

@JamesC , @ShayneS , @BrookeN thoughts/suggestions?

[DerekL]

Hi again...

... so... I'm on the verge of giving up and scrapping the Arlo kit. 

It has been useful for the purpose, but it now looks to me like the company has decided to renege on their commitment to the original Free 7-Day Cloud Storage plan that came with the hub and cameras. I've lost faith in Arlo and it's difficult for me to think of them for a replacement solution.

It's been very frustrating not to be able to contact them to ask them to somehow repair my subscription.

Ah, well.  Thanks for your engagement and willingness to help.  Much appreciated.

//Derek

[BrookeN]

@DerekL Did you receive my DM asking for your phone numebr as well as a good time to call? I have not received a response as of yet. 

[DerekL · Accepted solution]

Thanks to @BrookeN for helping me come into contact with Arlo support and find a solution to my problem. It turns out that Arlo have encountered issues with some VMB4000 devices recently, and simply replaced my device. I am blown away by that - fantastic support!

I now have everything up and running again, and am as happy as I always have been with the quality of the Arlo kit.

Thanks again Arlo and BrookeN for your excellent help!

//Derek

[BrookeN]

@DerekL I am glad that you received the replacement and everything is working as expected. I hope you have a great weekend. 

[DerekL]

thx for your help @jguerdat! It resulted in a solution 🙂 //Derek