Activity Zone suddenly disappeared and new one doesn't do anything

[redsoxfan44]

I've been happily using my Arlo-Q for over a year.  Suddently today my phone is loaded with notifications of cars going down the road.  I looked at my Activity Zone (for the porch only) and there is none.  I recreated it the zone but it is till being ignored.  

I logged out and logged in.  I restarted phone.   What could it be?

[JJLondon]

I had exactly the same problem this morning. Added the activity zone again and it continued to trigger in all areas of the shot. Re-set the camera multiple times today, using various devices to re-install it and can’t get it to log onto my WiFi. So it’s now effectively useless. 

[redsoxfan44]

You may have a pairing problem now.   I forget initial setup steps.  

I even updated the app, but it didn't help.

[nixter3d]

The latest firmware update has probably bricked your camera.

Until Arlo provides a firmware/software solution, your camera is essentially dead.

[JJLondon]

Sounds like a reasonable explanation. What I don’t understand is how you update firmware or software with no WiFi connection. I will wait and see! Thanks! 

[nixter3d]

Yes, that is my worry too. With other vendors you would have the option to upload firmware via a USB stick, but since it happens here via the app I don't know how it is supposed to work.

Otherwise I eagerly await our fellow Americans to initiate a class-action suit against Arlo for mass-bricking all Arlo Q cameras in the world. 😁

Talk about planned obsolescence.

[Simishine]

This past week the system has started alerting me on all motion instead of motion in the activity zone only. I went in and deleted and recreated it multiple times with no change. The last time this happened it was an issue on Arlo's side. Does anyone know if they are having issues again?

[therealtwodogs]

Same problem.

There was a recent firmware update: 11/24/2020 Arlo Q / Q+ VMC3040 - 1.10.1.0_154_d1c2e38

I believe that somehow this update prevents Arlo from recognizing that the Q is on AC power even though it is on AC power.  So, on the myarlo.com dashboard you will find at --- settings ->my devices->[your device name]->video settings ---  it gives the:

"To enable Activity Zones, please connect your device to AC power. You can still edit, add or remove at any time."

Without recognized AC power, the Q is prevented from using activity zones so those of us who use Q activity zones no longer have that functionality.

Interestingly (frustrating, actually) the iOS app recognizes AC power at the Q but that seems to not matter.  Still no functional activity zones.

[wogawt]

I have the same problem, my Arlo q did a firmeware update after restart, maybe it will help...

[nixter3d]

Probably related to this weeks firmware update which bricked a lot of Arlo Q cameras.

[redsoxfan44]

That firmware # is interesting.  It's later than mine.  Mine is 1.9.0.3_278.   There is no date attached to it.  On the Device Info page it shows "Hardware" as 6.   Whatever that means....

The past 2 days I had to mute notifications.  Every car drive by alert was driving me crazy.    However, all the video clips were still present.  I could even find a package delivery mixed in.    So I wouldn't call the Q a "brick". 

But today, I have a whole new experience.   Feels much more bricklike.   I unmuted earlier today, but no need.  I have ZERO video clips.  ZERO alerts.     I adjusted the Activity Zone to include the road just to see what happens, but still nothing.    Did my whole street leave town while I was muted?   🙂    I'll watch Live for awhile and see what happens.

Duh... I suppose I could go walk in the driveway.

[therealtwodogs]

Your firmware is from July.  See: https://community.arlo.com/t5/Firmware-Release-Notes/Arlo-Q-Q-VMC3040-1-9-0-3-278-24th-July-2020/m-p...

But, if you're having the problem with that older firmware, my "recent update caused the problem" theory is out the window.

[nixter3d]

Sounds to me like we have several issues even with the older firmwares.
However, only the latest firmware appears to brick the cameras.

[redsoxfan44]

So I guess that points to something going on at the server side because I had older firmware and older software app (Android 9) when my problems started.   Or perhaps actual hardware, but that seems remote and too coincidental for several of us to be having simultaneous activity zone problems.

While I was fooling around today with my new Activity Zone (called Zone 1 by default), another zone momentarily popped in called "walkway".   That must have been the name I gave it when I initially set it up.    While I was trying to determine how to delete the new "zone 1" in favor of my prior walkway zone, walkway disappeared.    Is its name and attributes stored on the server?  or in the app/phone?   

Also I restarted my phone to try to troubleshoot today's issues.  No help and no difference.

I just unplugged my Q and reconnected.  Reconnection seemed to not go well because I didn't hear the chime on the QR code per the directions, but I continued and now I am back to getting alerts on car drive-bys so I guess I'm back to yesterday's behavior.    Which is awful, but not a brick.

[redsoxfan44]

Just in case tech support is monitoring this, I will update.

Yesterday's ending experience of getting all the drive-bys again was probably because I still had the activity zone set to include the road when I was experimenting with behavior.   I put the zone back to normal (porch) and it seems to be okay now.

But because I'm a glutton for punishment (and a former QA software engineer), I expanded the activity zone today to see if it picks up drive-bys.  It doesn't.  It's as if changes made on the phone app are not picked up by next thing up the chain.  No one's listening.     I'm going to assume server side problems and be patient.    Perhaps unplugging and reconnecting would have an affect (which it may have yesterday) but I have no interest in doing that much free testing for them!!   

[ShayneS]

Hi @redsoxfan44 & @therealtwodogs

Are you still experiencing issues with you camera and activity zones?

[therealtwodogs]

Mine seems to have returned to the pre-trouble state.  

Please tell us what happened and what fixed it.

Thanks

[redsoxfan44]

Still problematic as described in my reply 15. 

It is detecting on my activity zone of the porch *after* I went through hoops (see earlier post).    However, if I expand the activity zone to include the road, I am not getting road drivebys.   Perhaps unplugging and re-initializing would resolve that, but why would I bother to do that?

[ShayneS · Accepted solution]

This issue should now be resolved. If you are still experiencing this issue  Please contact Customer Support. You will find several options for contacting support in the provided link. Arlo Tech Support