Arlo Q 1080p HD Connection Issues

[littlecaesar]

Bought two Arlo Q's in August, connected and worked perfectly with my Spectrum WiFi. Switched to Google Fiber this weekend, all my Arlo Pro cameras and base station synced right up to my new WiFi but not the Q's. Plug in the Q, steady amber starts blinking, hit sync button for blinking blue, scan QR code, quick chime, and then "searching for camera" never finds it.

I removed the Q's and reinstalled from both the Android app and desktop site.

Reset both cameras.

Tried connecting the Q's right next to the Base Station.

I removed and reinstalled the base station, basically set the entire system up again.

Tried everything with both cameras in case the issue was with one only.

Checked and doublechecked the SSID and password, easy names and numbers, no special characters or symbols.

Everything else on the network works perfectly including 4 other Arlo Pro cameras.

Saw many other users having the same issue, only resolution (besides simplifying the password or SSID name) was swapping the Q's for a newer model with updated firmware (Gen 6, I believe) or the VMC2040 that apparently replaced the Q's since the Q's aren't listed on the Arlo site anymore. I bought these in August so they should not be obsolete already, but they DO NOT FUNCTION and I need a solution.

[jguerdat]

Q cameras do NOT connect to a base or hub - they are WiFi only.

When you reset, did you hold the button until the camera clicked and the LED flashed amber?

[littlecaesar]

That is correct, back when they worked both cameras were listed separately on the app as Wi-Fi only. Regarding the reset, I held the button in with a paperclip for at least 10 seconds but didn't hear any clicks. I deleted and re-added them multiple times, so I doubt that's the answer, but will try it again later tonight.

[littlecaesar]

Held reset until the click, went through the steps, blinking amber, Wi-Fi password, blinking blue, chime, endless searching for camera, both units. Reset at multiple points in the process. Cameras do not function.

[jguerdat]

Just a quick comment of switching WiFi networks - it's much easier to change the WiFi network SSID and password to the old one so no effort has to be made to get all the devices connected.

What router are you using - mesh or regular? Does it use a single SSID or separate for each band?

[littlecaesar]

I kept the password but renamed my SSID. It really shouldn't matter after I reset and deleted/reinstalled the cameras so many times. My fridge, watch, Alexa, and about 15 other devices connected seamlessly.

Here's the specs for the google router and wifi point. I have one SSID, though I even tried creating a guest wifi to see if that helped.

https://store.google.com/us/product/nest_wifi_specs?hl=en-US

[JessicaP]

Hi littlecaesar,

Try following these troubleshooting steps if you're having trouble adding your Arlo Q back to your account: What do I do when Arlo does not discover my device during setup?

[littlecaesar]

Only the first item in the referenced article is a possibility. I exhaustively ruled out the others. From Google regarding my new router:

"Your Google Wifi or Nest Wifi network uses the same name for both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands."

"Devices that support only the 2.4 GHz band (an older phone, for example), will automatically connect to the 2.4 GHz band. Most dual band devices that support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz will automatically pick a band based on different factors like signal strength and guidance from the mesh Wi-Fi system."

So I am running a 2.4 network. If the $100 camera I bought 6 months ago fails to recognize it then Arlo's planned obsolescence is to blame, not me. I need replacement cameras that do what I bought them to do.

[StephenB]

@littlecaesar:  Have you tried on-boarding the camera from a PC browser? 

[littlecaesar]

Sure did. Same process except the browser version asks you to type in the name of the SSID as well as the password. Same result as well: cameras don't function.

This community has dozens of complaints just like mine: previously functioning Qs fail to connect to Google Fiber, a modern super-fast service which has become widely available throughout the tech-heavy Raleigh-Durham area. Rather than admit the cameras they were still building last year are obsolete, Arlo deflects responsibility and keeps advising people to "keep hitting reset", "simplify your SSID name", and "stand closer to the router". Must be why they require a pay subscription to receive any form of actual customer service, a giant red flag for me if I'd have known last year when I started buying their products.

They need to replace my cameras, period.

[littlecaesar]

Hi JessicaP, as you can see from this posting thread I still have no resolution to my connection issue and my two $100 cameras I bought 6 months ago are nothing but paperweights now. 

There is no other customer service available for these cameras unless I subscribe to monitoring, which I don't need and doesn't seem very fair. What do I do here?

[jguerdat]

You can temporarily subscribe for the purpose of access to support and then unsubscribe when done.

[littlecaesar]

*Arlo Q Cameras cannot connect to Google Fiber Router which uses the same name for both its 2.4 and 5ghz WiFi bands*

Case # 42945918

After months of trying to resolve this issue, here's my latest response to “Mahalakshmi S” at Team Arlo’s proposed solutions:

Let me address your proposed solutions:

1. Please forget the network and re add. I’ve forgot and re-added all the cameras and the hub itself numerous times.
2. Please connect the camera with different wall power outlet and then try to add. I’ve tried the outlets in the kitchen and bedroom where the cameras need to work as well as both outlets in my IT closet.
3. Try to add the camera with different phone. I’ve tried the app on two phones and my tablet as well the website app.

If you had read my prior emails, chat transcripts, and Community posts you would know I have wasted hours trying all these solutions, and even more time explaining this over and over to your customer “service”. I even wasted money on a subscription service because this is the only way Arlo allows its customers any support at all.

I believe that Arlo support is acting deliberately obtuse and trying to frustrate me to the point where I simply give up rather than admitting the Q Cameras run on obsolete firmware which don’t allow them to connect to a Google Fiber router with one name for both its 2.4 and 5ghz WiFi.

Any other company would apologize, refund the money I wasted to access customer support, and email me a shipping label to replace my 6-month-old, non-functioning Q cameras with the newer Essential Indoor Security Camera which apparently works with Google’s modern routers. I cannot remember a worse customer service experience or being made to feel that a company blatantly couldn’t care less about the people who buy its products.

My only remaining recourse is to post this message on Twitter, IG, FB, Yelp, Google reviews, the BBB, and any other platform I can think of so no one else makes the same mistake I did in buying your products.

[JamesC]

littlecaesar,

Your support ticket has been escalated and is currently being reviewed. Please refer to your open support ticket for any new status updates.

JamesC

[littlecaesar]

Arlo's incredibly shoddy customer service strikes again:

Good day!

Thank you for reaching us back and I apologize for the delayed response. I'm sorry to hear that the problem persists with your camera. I understand how this must be inconvenient on your end. Rest assured we will assist you with this until we get the problem sorted out. Your case was consulted with the appropriate department for your request of replacing the Arlo Q with the Arlo Essential Indoor camera. The said request was declined because we can only replace the unit with the same model. However, as a one-time courtesy, we offer you a 30% discount using this code OW-xxxxxxxxxxxx-NPR to purchase the Arlo Essential Indoor on our online store at shop.arlo.com.

We are hoping for your continued patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Jane

Arlo Support Expert

Completely unacceptable solution and exactly what I've come to expect from Arlo after months of wasting my time in one of the most miserable customer service experiences of my life. You expect me to just throw away the cameras I bought last year since their obsolete firmware makes them unusable and then reward your company's blatant indifference by buying more of your products with a paltry discount code that Prime Day or Black Friday sales would easily match? At the very least Arlo should issue a shipping label so I can send back these poorly designed cameras and refund the $142 I wasted on them along with the $10 I spent simply to have my case heard, since Arlo makes customers pay for the privilege.

I am posting this your insulting "solution" to every online platform I can think of, starting with the Community pages.

[KremmenUK]

Just for info .....

My daughter has an ArloQ connected to a UK Plusnet Router that has a single SSID for both 2.4 and 5Ghz and is working perfectly.

[littlecaesar]

I'm happy for her. I spent hours troubleshooting my cameras with every suggestion Arlo provided. At least a dozen other devices including Nest cams synced right up to my new router, and there's about a dozen other posts circulating here describing the exact same problem with the Qs.

[littlecaesar]

Latest offer of resolution from Arlo CCA Yel Siton regarding my faulty Q Cameras, followed by my response:

"To avoid further escalation, I will approve to process a replacement for Arlo Q to Arlo Essential Indoor camera since the cx's device is still within the warranty and threatened to post negative feedback all throughout the social media."

To Cel Siton:

I think using the word "threatened" is completely inappropriate and further proves there's a serious problem with your entire customer service philosophy.

I spent months being brushed off and ignored by your customer service (for which I needed to buy a subscription to access), wasted hours responding to the same generic and ineffective troubleshooting I received over and over again, and only received a real offer of resolution when I shared my customer service experience on this Community board.

If you require a so-called "threat" to actually treat your customers' issues with respect and attention then the fault is yours, not mine.

[littlecaesar]

This customer service nightmare gets worse and worse. Here's what customer service rep Yel Siton confirmed on March 29:

"To avoid further escalation, I will approve to process a replacement for Arlo Q to Arlo Essential Indoor camera since the cx's device is still within the warranty and threatened to post negative feedback all throughout the social media."

The language itself is insulting, implying that documenting my lousy customer service experience is somehow threatening, but guess what was in today's package instead of the 2 Arlo Essential Indoor cameras I was promised? Two Arlo Q cameras, the same junk running on obsolete firmware that I spent $15 shipping back to them last week. 

Arlo, the only thing "threatening" you at this point is your own inept and incompetent customer service. Send me what was promised at once so I can put an end this.