Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
× Arlo End of Life Policy Notice
To view Arlo’s new End of Life Policy, click here.

Reply
Discussion stats
  • 7 Replies
  • 9611 Views
  • 2 Likes
  • 3 In Conversation
buttonpushervic
Aspirant
Aspirant

Hi everyone

 

I've ventured into the world of Arlo Pro cameras and I'm getting a bit frustrated if I'm being honest...

 

In a bid to solve a what I think could be a range problem (camera going offline and draining a battery only a day after it being fully charged) I've now bought a second base station thinking it would just integrate straight into the existing system and just create a stronger signal for the out of range camera.  Having just installed it I now realise it has just created a separate 'arlo system' which requires arming/disarming separately to the main system and doesn't seem to allow me to create modes where cameras connected to the other base station will trigger it.  Is this correct or have I just set it up wrong?

7 REPLIES 7
jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Unfortunately, that's correct. It shows up separately with only the cameras synced to it so integrating those cameras with those on the other base isn't possible. Ideas like that (same thinng happens with Q cameras) have suggestions in the Idea Exchange area here where you can add kudos and/or your own thread with a suggestion to try to get that resolved. It's been an issue since forever.

 

One way to minimize the problem is to logically group cameras together (remove them from one base and sync them on the other) so modes and schedule make sense. You'll still have two sets of modes and schedules but overall it may be more useful.

buttonpushervic
Aspirant
Aspirant
Thanks for the clarification.

The deeper I get into this the more I think Arlo just can’t do what I want it to and it’s not actually that complicated!

I want it to have an custom mode when any of my family are at home - geofencing doesn’t work it seems!

... a second custom mode for when we are all out...

... and in those modes I want a particular entry point camera to trigger the whole back garden coverage to record in anticipation of activity - but the entry point cam will be on a different base station to the back garden cams so that now can’t happen!

Seriously considering sending it all back for a refund!

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Could the entry cam reasonably work on the second base?

pc2k17
Hero
Hero

If you get Samsung SmartThings, you should be able to do what you want. In smarthtings you'd add both of your alro bases which also adds all your cameras as "things". You can then setup smart home monitor in the app to trigger recording. You can do this several different ways. You could have motion on front camera trigger the back cameras, doesn't matter if they are on different bases because smartthings just sees them as separate cameras, or you could use an arrival sensor to trigger recording, or use an open close sensor to trigger recording, or a motion sensor to trigger recording, or use geofencing in the smartthings app.

 

The range on a smartthings base is 50-130feet, but if you add zigbee and zwave devices (lights, sensor, etc) it creates a mesh network and the range is better and densor.

 

I don't do recording in the smartthings app I just use it to turn the cameras on when away and off when home, so I haven't tried recording , but it should work fine.

 

Only thing I'm not sure about is Samsung came out wiht a new app that new smartthings users would use. I'm still on the smartthings classic app, so not sure if the new app has the same features and functionality. Thought I give you some info and you could research it and see if it meets your needs. Good luck.

buttonpushervic
Aspirant
Aspirant
Thanks for that detailed response it’s very useful. I’d already explored IFTTT and Stringify but not having any Smartthings I wasn’t sure what options it means that gve me.
Thanks again.
buttonpushervic
Aspirant
Aspirant
I’m trialling this currently and it does seem to be happy so far....
buttonpushervic
Aspirant
Aspirant
Sorry my responses haven’t quoted as I thought they would.!

Im currently trialling running entry cam off second base station !