Arlo Secure - cannot subscribe website and support giving me the run around....

[Gorvea]

Had my Arlo Ultra 2 (4 x cameras) Arlo doorbell for a week now and cannot get any sort of recordings, I have tried buying a subscription but either get errors or a website runaround asking me to log in, then buy then page not found. Tech support was not sympathetic and fobbed me off so I raised a complaint, Chap was helpful but unable to resolve issues. 

IF I just know where the problem lay, I have tried a VPN to alter my IP but all to no avail. I even got my account deleted and started from scratch.... Starting to lose patience - next visit is Trading Standards and a flamed review on Amazon and facebook - this isn't the product or the company I wanted to buy into - my second Alro (starting with the Pro) and my last!

[dcfox1]

They came with a 3 month trial for cloud storage. Have you set up your rules under mode tab for each camera to record? Also check if they are active in the trial under subscription settings. 

About Arlo Modes and Rules

[Gorvea]

yes - settings in the Mode are to record on motion detected... (Mode, Armed, If motion on xxxx, record video...) 

[dcfox1]

And are your cameras active in the trial in subscription settings since the are only a week old? 

[Gorvea]

seemingly not... the subscription option just shows that there are 'no subscriptions'... going to the menu option to "Buy add-ons and accessories" directs to a 403 - forbidden: Access is denied

You do not have permission to view this directory or page using the credentials that you supplied.

[dcfox1]

What do you see when you go to settings then Subscription then Manage cameras at my.arlo.com. 

[Gorvea]

Either I have missed something or... there is no manage cameras option! 

https://my.arlo.com/#/settings/subscription/

[StephenB]

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@Gorvea wrote:

Either I have missed something or... there is no manage cameras option! 

https://my.arlo.com/#/settings/subscription/

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Are you in a country where Arlo offers a subscription?  The list is here: https://kb.arlo.com/88/What-are-the-available-Arlo-subscription-plans-and-how-much-cloud-recording-i...

[Gorvea]

did you mean "MY Devices" "Settings" "Device x" if so all looks normal - I have tried setting the base station to record locally and have yet to review the data on the card. But as yet non of the options result in a cloud file being created!

[Gorvea]

I set up the devices as UK via a VPN as I'm in Jersey Channel Islands and considered as UK... but as the country is optional in the profile I don't understand where the location is set? Is it IP Addr? Profile? 

[Gorvea]

I set up the devices as UK via a VPN as I'm in Jersey Channel Islands and considered as UK... but as the country is optional in the profile I don't understand where the location is set? Is it IP Addr? Profile? 

[StephenB]

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@Gorvea wrote:

I set up the devices as UK via a VPN as I'm in Jersey Channel Islands and considered as UK

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@JamesC - this sounds similar to the problem some folks from Finland had a couple weeks ago.  Is this something you can check on?

[Gorvea]

I have seen this post - the suggestion was that a patch fixed it for them - but seemingly not for me! This is frustrating as this is my second set of Arlo cameras (Originally Pro's) and it looks like I have £1500 worth of useless! as I have 4 x Ultra and a video doorbell all brand new!

[StephenB]

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@Gorvea wrote:

I have seen this post - the suggestion was that a patch fixed it for them - but seemingly not for me! 

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I think it was a back-end (arlo cloud) fix that was needed - and that the problem was that the back-end didn't recognize their location as being a place where Arlo offered a subscription.

I am guessing that might also be happening to you.  

Is your VPN connection being made in your router?  Or is the VPN software running on a PC or mobile device?

[Gorvea]

I cant add a VPN to the Router (its a Google Nest Mesh system - very simplistic) I can only add the VPN to the clients PC, Android etc. from your comment I'm guessing that the Secure feature is directly linked to the IP addresses for the Router rather than the Client requesting the service or the Users profile!

In a previous post the Aland islands - Finish- issue was suggested (@StephenB) and passed to @JamesC to check on..... 

Because of the Internet speeds here (1GB bi-directionally) I had to remove my Netgate as it was resetting Fibre ccts, so limiting my ability to apply a VPN given the choice of Google Nest Mesh!

[StephenB]

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@Gorvea wrote:

I cant add a VPN to the Router (its a Google Nest Mesh system - very simplistic) I can only add the VPN to the clients PC, Android etc. from your comment I'm guessing that the Secure feature is directly linked to the IP addresses for the Router rather than the Client requesting the service or the Users profile!

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I don't know for sure how Arlo determines location.  

At the end of the day, you shouldn't need a VPN to get a subscription, since the UK is on the country list.  IMO, talking about the VPN with support creates a big red herring for them, esp. since most people using a VPN with Arlo are trying to get around the lack of subscriptions in their country. 

Anyway, let's see if @JamesC or another mod can help.  If you have a case number with support, it would useful to post it here.

[Gorvea]

For information a case #42751870 was opened on the 6th October 2021 for the "issue" as described above.

thanks to all who have commented on this thread and offered advice... I hope that there is a resolution soon as the ultra's are just acting as a deterrent atm, and not as a detective control.... most worrying!!

[JamesC]

Gorvea,

I will request a status update for your support ticket.

JamesC

[Gorvea]

Huge Thank You - Its fantastic to see some constructive responses. I was resigned to losing my money with this one!

[Gorvea]

I have not seen any updates to this issue since I bought these cameras, I have advised the local retailers of this issue in the hope that other buyers don't get into this mess - it is clearly no6t an issue for Arlo, and I feel very aggrieved that having purchased in good faith this issue has been left to fester.

[Wadewiz]

I’m in the exact same spot. I opened two tickets. The first one said it was a known problem and they did nothing. The second said to use a PC. That you can’t buy a subscription with a phone. Tried a PC and that didn’t work either. This company is complete trash and the website is full of glitches.

[Gorvea]

It seems as though Arlo is applying the country restriction too aggressively. Worst of all they are not being open, or at least upfront about the country restrictions until a purchase is made. 

These factors are damaging Arlo's reputation - I have seen numerous posts where people have complained about seemingly petty restrictions on the interpretation of country boundaries due to (IMHO) ignorance - or perhaps arrogance, in that they won't listen.  It seems to be an American attitude as Arlo arent alone in this! I often buy from the US and face export restrictions as 'Jersey' either isn't recognised or seen as 'not in the UK or Europe' - whilst technically correct this is at best a technicality at worst (well modesty forbids a response adequate enough)

[jguerdat]

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@Gorvea wrote:

It seems as though Arlo is applying the country restriction too aggressively. Worst of all they are not being open, or at least upfront about the country restrictions until a purchase is made.

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Really? There's no "Arlo restriction" on country support for subscriptions. It's been the same for years. I don't know why the list is like it is but it's likely due to a laundry list of issues starting with local restrictions (privacy?), credit card issues, etc. that we have no knowledge of. 

Maybe it's not an Arlo problem, it's something about the countries themselves.

[StephenB]

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@jguerdat wrote:

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Maybe it's not an Arlo problem, it's something about the countries themselves.

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I suspect that in @Gorvea's case, the problem was that Arlo didn't correctly determine the country he was in (e.g. Jersey technically isn't part of the UK, and Jersey itself isn't on the country list).

[Gorvea]

I can vouch for the restrictions list, and its rather weird rules - Jersey has no restrictions or sanctions imposed and adheres to UK / EU rules on Import-Export, has no unusual restrictions on Privacy (we have a modern GDPR adequate law) a highly efficient banking business (we are a major financial centre) our laws are either derived from or closely matched to UK / English law. Both Jersey and its sister island Guernsey were members of the EU prior to Brexit, and still follow the principles of EU compliance in so far as these are possible. Our policing and Government follow European practices but are based on an older feudal design, but are deemed modern in principle and practice. We have a highly developed IT industry and one of the fastest Internet services in the world (1GB bi-directional Fiber to all subscribers min). Our Finance industry is on a par with most European cities inc London, and more highly regulated than any. And finally to answer your issues with Credit cards etc. we have representation from most major European and US banks and financial institutions - Credit / Banking is offered by UK Highstreet names from Barclays to HSBC / Coutts to Natwest, RBC to RBoS and all in between....  please go review the list! it's discriminatory without cause - if the service offered by Arlo was a financial package then it would fall foul of European laws in that its  "small print" prevents the buyer from using certain features which, had the buyer been aware of, would have caused the buyer to consider an alternate offering. - or similar wording!