Arlo Smart Notification Issues

[Pdcm]

I am subscribed to Alro Smart Premier and have set alerts to notify me only when a person is detected. . It had been working well for a few months but for the last few days I've been recieving alert notifcations due to all motion detected. Now my phone is being filled with alerts that I had filtered off. Arlo smart notications are not working properly.

[Nsapatka]

Everything started magically working tonight. I did have to go through and "re-purchase" my subscription for a year. (Less the cost of the unused weeks) cost me $9.86 to renew for a year. So I'm good to go till 01/16/2020. Hopefully everything continues to work as it should.

[agentthumb]

Thanks for letting us know @Nsapatka.

Can I ask what country you reside in?

[Australien]

@Nsapatka Good to hear it’s working for you. What country are you from? I don’t know one person in Australia where the motion detection in the smart plan works like advertised. I’m done with upgrading from basic and going back and forwards until I have proof from someone in Australia that it works properly .

[Nsapatka]

I am from the usa. Sorry I didnt mention that earlier

[agentthumb]

@Nsapatka thanks man, all good. Glad it's working for you now 🙂

Anyone in Australia able to retest? If not, I'll give it a go when I get home tonight.

[Australien]

Thanks. Let us please know how you go. I tried it last time yesterday before some people experienced that it works. I have to say none is from Australia.

[Glix]

Still no luck here. Not happy!!!!

[Australien]

It’s not surprising me. I don’t know anyone in Australia where it works. They should fix everything properly cause like this Australians will cancel their pay plans soon if they haven’t done it yet...

[Formergr]

I'm in the US and it's still not working for me. Have spoken with both levels of tech support; never heard back after hour long call with Level 2 that included them remoting in to my desktop so I could prove the issue exists. 

I don't receive notifications properly, and I'm also not able to do anything with the activity zones I create. 

[Australien]

I cannot understand that Arlo can’t isolate and figure out what the problem is. I stay on the Base Plan Now until I have prove that it’s working with smart notifications.

[agentthumb]

Tested tonight, still doesn't work in Australia. 

[Glix]

Mine now kind of does work. Let me explain. People detection now works, BUT it is still only classes recordings as ‘motion’, NOT people detection.

The sting in the tail is that I still receive no notifications, but the recording appears in the library.

The Arlo system status page alone is bulls@it as there are issues, but Arlo prefers not to disclose them.

[Australien]

Wow there’s a new update and I’m just downloading it. Any experiences with everyone else about that yet? I might think signing up again if it works. Thanks

[Australien]

Same issues again after the new version 2.7.1. still same issue and. No change. I’m done Arlo and will stay on basic now. Just cancelling the rib off smart plan. Don’t sign up!!!

[Glix]

Same here. No change. Just lipstick on the pig.

This is disappointing on so many levels. I don’t think it has anything to do with the app on your tablet/phone. This is a backend code issue.

Arlo should license technology used by Nest or Netatmo. And refund people who pay for a service they can’t get

[Australien]

Fully agree! We pay hard cash for this crap and are the beta Tester for them who even pay with money and valuable lifetime for it! Someone in the US should sue them... ah well for the people in US it works mostly.... wonder why...

[Cyphon]

This is one option to make Arlo pay attention and address the issue., but it would take some effort on our part:

https://www.accc.gov.au/contact-us/other-helpful-agencies/consumer-protection-agencies#international...

[Australien]

Thanks that’s a good idea!

[agentthumb]

I opened an official support ticket and asked for it to be escalated to Level 2. Now we wait...

Full transcript in the spoiler below for those interested:

Spoiler

Angelie A

Hi . Thank you for choosing Arlo.

10:24:44 AM

My name is Angelie with Expert ID: 46513. How may I assist you today?

10:24:51 AM

Me

Hello

10:24:59 AM

I would like to confirm with you if Arlo Smart is meant to be working in Australia

10:25:12 AM

Angelie A

I will be glad to assist you today, ####

10:25:35 AM

As i understand, you would like to know if Arlo Smart is now working in Austalia.

10:25:56 AM

Is that correct?

10:26:00 AM

Me

correct

10:26:03 AM

Angelie A

I see. Currently Arlo Smart is now available and work in Australia.

10:26:40 AM

Me

Ok, so it should work in Australia.

10:26:52 AM

I have been trying on and off since it was originally released in Australia back in December, and I have had no success getting Vehicle, Animal or People detection to work

10:27:17 AM

I have subscribed, unsubscribed about 4 time since then to retest, and still no luck. I have reset my cameras, base station, removed camera, readded cameras, tested with them plugged in to power, or run on battery, still no luck.

10:27:56 AM

Angelie A

I see. Have you tried to check the Manage Arlo Smart Settings?

10:28:01 AM

Me

yes, I have tried many combination of settings as well.

10:28:25 AM

Angelie A

Have you tried to disable and enable the Alerts of the Arlo Smart?

10:28:42 AM

Me

Yes, I have done that too

10:28:49 AM

I get Motion alerts, they come a minute later, but I do get them

10:28:59 AM

I can't get any other alert type to work tho

10:29:06 AM

So with Vehicle, People and Animal enabled, and Motion disabled, I don't get alerts. But the cameras are recording when it detects motion, and records it as a "Motion" type event

10:29:40 AM

Angelie A

During the time that you have downgrade the Plan, have you received notifications from motion detection?

10:30:28 AM

Me

The system works flawlessly when I'm on the basic plan

10:30:50 AM

So notification is not an issue.

10:31:04 AM

The issue appears to be specific to the settings for "People, Vehicle, Animal"

10:31:17 AM

This issue appears to be widespread in Australia, as discussed in your support forum: https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Smart/Arlo-Smart-Notification-Issues/td-p/1649915/page/8

10:31:27 AM

Angelie A

Please give me a moment to check on this further.

10:33:09 AM

Me

thank you

10:33:46 AM

Angelie A

By the way, may I know if you have selected the öthers" on the motion detection?

10:34:31 AM

Me

I have tested with that on and Off

10:35:27 AM

So when I say "Animal, People and Vehicle" detection doesn't work, I've tested with just those three settings on, and "All other motions" off

10:35:57 AM

When I have all 4 on, I get notifications for all motions, but they just get categorised as "Motions"

10:36:20 AM

not once has the app actually detected "Animal, People or Vehicle"

10:36:32 AM

With "Other motion" ON or OFF

10:36:46 AM

Angelie A

I see.

10:38:20 AM

May I know if you already tried to restart your Base station using your phone?

10:38:43 AM

Me

I should say I've tried with Activity Zones set and unset as well

10:38:53 AM

Angelie A

Have you already tried to uninstall and reinstall the Arlo App on your Phone?

10:40:46 AM

Me

Yes

10:41:20 AM

I have also tried on a iPad, another iPhone

10:41:30 AM

and on the web client

10:41:33 AM

The base station, cameras and apps were all running on the latest version

10:41:59 AM

Angelie A

May I know when have you purchased the Arlo Smart?

10:43:20 AM

Me

I purchased Smart on multicle occasions and unsubscribed when I discovered they dont work. Let me get the dates

10:43:45 AM

Angelie A

Have you tried to create new Mode for your cameras?

10:44:21 AM

Me

I subscribed first in December when I received an email letting me know it's available. I tried it for 2 weeks, it didn't work. So I unsubscribed.

10:44:42 AM

I then resubscribed on the 2nd of January to retest, again unsubscribed.

10:44:54 AM

I tested again on the 10th of Jan, unsubscribed.

10:45:20 AM

Angelie A

I see. How about this, try to Create a Customize mode of your cameras after restarting your base station.

10:46:12 AM

Go to Settings My Devices > Base station > Restart.

10:46:27 AM

Me

My most recent test was on the 19th January, still no go

10:46:29 AM

I have a custome mode

10:46:39 AM

Angelie A

After it is restarted, please follow the steps on this link: https://kb.arlo.com/1019331/How-do-I-create-a-mode-with-different-rules-for-each-Arlo-Wire-Free-or-A...

10:47:10 AM

Me

I have also tried restarting the base station. It's the first thing I do when I subscribe to the plans to test if they are working

10:47:10 AM

And as mentioned, I have custom mode on my camera

10:47:32 AM

They too only record and pick things up as "Motion", never categorises anything as Animal, People or Vehicle

10:47:53 AM

While I would really appreciate if we can fix the issue right now, I suspect this is really an issue in the backend system. So far, the support community have not had an acknowledgement from Arlo confirming there is an issue. I would like to use this conversation as a segway to get someone in level 2 or even level 3 support to have a proper look at this, and either let us know that it's really working for Australians, in which case, my system is defective and I shall ask for an exchange, or actually fix a problem that has been around since mid December.

10:49:25 AM

Angelie A

Alright. Please provide us the following:
• Phone Used (Model and Os)

10:50:58 AM

• OS Version

10:51:13 AM

Me

iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPad Mini

10:52:03 AM

MacOS Mojave running 10.14.2 and latest Safari with Flash

10:52:25 AM

Angelie A

• Make and Model of the Router
  • Upload and download Speed (check on Speedtest.net)
  • Arlo App Version
  • ISP

10:52:26 AM

Me

All iOS were running 12.1.2

10:52:52 AM

I have Apple Airport Extreme

10:53:05 AM

Download is 50 Mbps, upload is 20 Mbps

10:53:22 AM

Arlo App version: 2.7.1

10:53:47 AM

ISP: IINET

10:53:51 AM

Angelie A

Alright. I will endorse the case to our Next Level of Support. They does not have Chat Support so, they will send you an email or will contact you VIA Phone. If you preferred to be contacted VIA phone, please provide us your Phone number, Time Zone and preferred callback time.

10:55:01 AM

Me

The Arlo base station is connected directly to the Airport Extreme Router via ethernet. The Routher is connected directed to the Fibre line via ethernet too

10:55:10 AM

Angelie A

Thank you for the additional Information.

10:55:30 AM

Me

Email is fine for me 🙂

10:55:38 AM

10:55:42 AM

Angelie A

Ok. I will save the transcript on thiss Case ID: 40681495.

10:56:31 AM

Me

Thank you, I appreciate your help today

10:56:51 AM

Will I receive an email with the transcript from today?

10:56:58 AM

Angelie A

You're very welcome, #### and I do apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. I will send you the transcript after this session. Would there be anything else I can assist you with?

10:57:34 AM

Me

Thank you. And that'll be all. Appreciate your help again 🙂

10:57:51 AM

Send

[Australien]

Thanks I’m stuck same like you. It’s not true that it works for Australians and I don’t know one Australian with a working Arlo Smart System...

[Glix]

Australian User.
State - QLD

Internet connection - Cable 115/5 U/D

It started working for us finally early this morning between 7:30 and 8:30am local (AEST).

There is a huge level of relief, but still I have lost ~1 months worth of coverage on the smart plan.

[agentthumb]

@Glix,

Confirming People, Vehicle and Animal detection are working for you? 

Footages are actually being categorised as those things? Not just "Motions"?

[Glix]

People = Yes

Animal = Unsure. I have chickens and they haven't been 'detected' yet.

Package = It was not sure about the fake package I placed at the gate (faux door) yesterday. After things started to work it have a question about it to confirm if it was people, other or something else, but ironically not package.

Vehicle = Nothing yet. I live in a quiet inner city street, but may expand the motion zones in a couple of days. I am too scared to change anything incase it goes t*ts up.

[agentthumb]

Good to know. Thanks for taking the time to let us know man. 

I'll try again tonight... Why is it so hard to give people my money!?

[Glix]

All good.

I did cancel my Amazon (US) order for 2 Ultras and 2 outdoor ultra cables several times over the past few weeks. Now when I go to re-order it, I can no longer order the outdoor power leads as the leads now do not ship to Oz. Pretty annoying 😞

Anyway I will see how it goes for a few weeks, wait for homekit firmware updates before committing to expanding my current fleet of 6 cameras. And with the conversion rates from AUD:US it may be cheaper to buy them locally in Oz with JB Hifi discounted gift cards.