Outrageous non-subscription so called storage

[alex_loo]

Now that my trial subscription has expired, it is outrageous to find that although the cameras can now save videos to my SmartHub,

1. Only the primary login user (ie myself) can access these stored videos.  Any shared users (say my WIFE!) cannot.

How misleading this that as a product --- pretending that "subscription is not a must" but in reality, so-called "local storage" is only on offer under a super limited scenario they never told you on the product package.

Alex

[StephenB]

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@alex_loo wrote:

Only the primary login user (ie myself) can access these stored videos.  Any shared users (say my WIFE!) cannot.

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Arlo has recently changed their login policy, so now multiple phones can log into the same account simultaneously.

So one option is to drop the friend account, and have your wife use your login on her phone as well.

[alex_loo]

@StephenB , ok so it's true that now my wife can forget her own login, and use mine instead to login to her iPhone app.

BUT!

While she is now able to view local storage, it was only fine via WIFI.  When she is not on the same WIFI as the arlo HUB (eg. on mobile 4G), she CANNOT see the local storage still.

This was quite different from my experience, when I was able to use my id to login to my android app, and view the local storage EITHER on home wifi or on mobile 4G.  Yes, I have configured port-forwarding, both on app and router.

Is there some specific issue with the iPhone app here?

[StephenB]

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@alex_loo wrote:

Is there some specific issue with the iPhone app here?

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Yes, port forwarding has been broken with the iOS app for a couple of months now.  Arlo knows about it, but hasn't said anything about when they will fix it.

The VPN method will work, but of course is harder to set up if your router doesn't have a built-in VPN server.

[alex_loo]

How do you set up for VPN access?  Wasn't mentioned there.

[jguerdat]

That depends on your router. Not all routers support VPN access so check your model's manual. You can also tell us the manufacturer and model here.

[alex_loo]

@jguerdat it's an ASUS RT-AX3000 here, but I don't think I want to set up a VPN server from home and let my mobile connect to it all the time.  And I won't like the "solution" of having to connect to home VPN, every time I want to view local storage at home after getting alert message.

Alex

[StephenB]

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@alex_loo wrote:

 but I don't think I want to set up a VPN server from home and let my mobile connect to it all the time.  And I won't like the "solution" of having to connect to home VPN, every time I want to view local storage at home after getting alert message.

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I use the VPN anyway, since  I am often accessing content stored on my home NAS.  I get that others would prefer port forwarding.

That said, at the moment the calculus here is pretty simple.  If you want remote access to work on your iPhone, you have to set up the VPN.  You can then go back to port forwarding when Arlo gets around to fixing the bug.

[TheHighlander]

I had the issue where the port forwarding stopped working with my iPhone for no reason. I can verify that it was an issue with the Arlo Secure app on the iPhone. Not sure if they have fixed something but uninstall and reinstall the iPhone app (updating the app did not work).

For me it was resolved by fully removing the Arlo Secure iOS app and all the info for it from iCloud (excluding account username/password login), then reinstalling the app. I think an iOS update which requires an app to allow various access on the phone, when the app is installed, doesn't work for apps already installed, they don't ask for permission again. Fully removing all the app and details and reinstalling forces the iOS to re-ask for the permissions, once allowed it worked again for me. I found this out by installing the app on a fresh iPhone and the port forwarding and watching local videos when remotely connected outside of my home network, this worked straight away. I then realised the app on my phone was the issue.

[alex_loo]

I am now stable with VPN and to be honest won't bother about port forwarding.

ARLO sets up this community here and never communicates with users on latest status of outstanding issues.  Instead they just keep posting "Introducing xxxx product" messages here, and let experienced users here "leak" their updates, more on an unofficial/casual way.

I will just try best to warn people around me NOT to invest in this brand any more.

Alex