Geofencing with 2 devices

[ncbeau]

Is geofencing still in "beta" not working properly?

System will consistently not recognize that one of the phones has left (remains saying "in zone") or will not disarm when one of the phones comes home.

Hope this gets sorted soon... like before I have to return the camera.

[NoiZe]

Seems to work fine with me. Two iPhones. Only when both phones have left the zone, Arlo Q arms itself and if one phone enters the zone again Arlo Q disarms. Did you give the Arlo app access to your location? Not sure how this works on Android phones (if you have Android). On iPhone you must give the app access to your location (set to Always).

[ncbeau]

Hmmmmmm. Yea we're both using iPhones (iOS 10.3) and both have the settings location settings set to always

[JamesC]

Geofencing is designed to operate on a "first in, last out basis". This means that if any device is in the Geofencing radius the "Home" mode will enable, and the "Away" mode should only enable when the last device has left the radius. 

How does the first in, last out principal work with geofencing mode for my Arlo cameras?

For this to work be sure the app stays logged in, is running and location is enabled on your devices. If the app is logged off/not running Geofencing will not work.

When using multiple devices, the secondary devices should be logged into the app via shared account through the "Grant Access" feature so that both devices are logged in using the mobile app. Take a look at this article for more information: How do I add and manage multiple mobile devices for geofencing?

If you are having trouble with this, consider refreshing your enabled devices within Geofencing settings. Disable all listed devices, save and then enable the devices again.

Log in to your Arlo Account (the primary) and navigate to Mode > select your Arlo system > edit Geofencing > click "Enabled devices". Toggle all of the listed devices off and save. After you have finished saving, navigate back to "Enabled devices" and toggle all desired devices back on and save.

JamesC

[ncbeau]

Hi James thanks for replying.

We are doing all of those things:  my wife was granted access through my account;  We have refreshed the app;  we have deleted and reinstalled the appl;  we've rebotted the camera; we've deleted and resinstalled the camera, and still the camera will not recognize when my wife comes home alone and will not automatically disaarm the system.

[turbosix]

in my experience the more you F with it the more it confuses geofencing. 

make sure GPS and fine location is turned on on both phones.

just set it up inside the app, reboot both phones, stop messing with it and see if they fall into line.

geofencing works just fine with my wife and my nexus 6p. the only time it ever messes up is if i am home and she isnt, then i close all apps on the phone. sometimes the arlo app getting force closed will trick it into thinking i'm not at home and set away. usually it sets back to home in a minute or two. 

[k4nk3i]

Geofencing is designed to operate on a "first in, last out basis"...

Well, it just doesn't work. That makes the Arlo Pro product unreliable and useless for a familly. Too bad. It looks like a good product but in these conditions I prefer to send it back to the shop.

[JamesC]

k4nk3i,

What behavior are you seeing that indicates it isn't working? Can you give us more details on your setup?

JamesC

[k4nk3i]

1) The 2 devices (iPhone 7) were  registered and recognised.

2) The sync was only working with my device; when I was out, the system recognised 1 device out of the zone and one still in the zone.

3) Yet the alarm was triggered.

I tried logging in/out, reinstalling, looking for solutions on the forum, but couldn't find a way to have the "last out, first in" behaviour working properly. The Arlo pro is a good product, but expensive. As this functionality did not work, I brought it back too the shop.

[ncbeau]

Exactly the same thing thats happening to me (and many other people). Very frustrating. Will be trying out nest cam next.

I also would routinely (every other day or so) get an alert on my phone saying "arlo needs and internet connection. Connecty to the internet when you can". Except my phone has always had an internet connection.... so there's something weird going on with the Arlo app/software.

[Lisey]

this is still not working

[ncbeau]

UPDATE -

Have now been using Nest Cam and using their "home/away Assist" setting for 3 days. It has worked flawlessly, and having two phones attached has not confused the software.

Something for Arlo to aspire to.

[Arlequin71]

Hello, I have the same issue described. Using 2 phones (IOS 11) only fist one registered as administrator works with geofencing feature the other phone doesn’t work.

[Lisey]

two phones in the family. 

it should work if ANY device is inside the geofence, it needs to be in that mode

the last in first out or first in last out is not practial. 

if i go to the shops then my geofence goes to away, even when my family is home (with one of the phones authorised in arlo) so when they move around i get tons of notifications (and drains arlo batteries which have only lasted a couple of months >(  

i find that i need to amend my mode before i leave the house to avoid this - whch is fiddly and not how it should work

[turbosix]

Not an Arlo programmer
I don't work for apple
I don't work for Google

Our geofencing works flawlessly. Two Nexus 6p phones.

We go to work at different times. It never turns on "all cameras" until we are both gone. It turns it off when one of us gets home.

Maybe Arlo engineers could implement home wifi connections as another indication someone is home if location services are unreliable.

[Matchpoint]

I am Geofencing with four devices and everything works just fine. I have 1 iphone, 2 Galaxy Notes 4 and 1 Galaxy S6. I setup my Geofencing with Home mode and Away mode, it knows exactly when someone is at home and the setting kicks-in accordingly. Well every once in a while it is delayed in knowing when someone is in the zone (or out) but I don't attribute that to arlo, it could just be your phone service.

[Lisey]

We have reinstalled and regranted access and it does exactly as arlo say it does first in, last out: so the concept is the problem here.
Bottom line: if ANY of the phones are within the Home geofence then it should remain in Home mode.

[turbosix]

I think it depends on how you're interpreting that statement.

Geofencing disarms the cameras when at least one phone is within the zone. First phone in disarms the cameras.

Geofencing arms the cameras when the last phone leaves the zone. Last phone out arms the cameras.

This is exactly how it should work for any normal setup. Is anyone home? Nope? Then arm the system. Did someone come home? Yeah? Disarm it so it doesn't set off notifications non stop.

How could you want it to work any other way?

[Lisey]

That’s exactly what I want it to do; but it doesn’t work like that.
I’m first in and often first out and so it arms when the other phone is Home. When it shouldn’t cos someone is home.
I don’t understand why this doesn’t work for us: have checked all location services, redone the second phone etc. It’s a nuisance

[turbosix]

weird, i saw your comment on mobile and i swear i didn't see the "bottom line" part. 

it works just fine for us.