Arlo Ultra - Smart Plan

[Fireblade69]

I have purchased an Arlo Ultra (4 camera) package from the UK and installed it in Dubai. The package comes with 1 year free subscription but no recording, unless I put a microSD into the base unit. I'm looking at upgrading to the smart plan premier but it says it is not available in my region. Not sure what the restrictions are, i.e. where the unit was physically bought from or where the installed location. Can some one please advise. Thanks

[jguerdat]

It's where the system is set up. The systems are all the same except for the various power adapters.

[Fireblade69]

Thanks for the response.

If I flatten the base station by doing a factory reset and set it up again over a VPN account (using VPN router) will this work? 

If so what happens when I reconnect to the local network, will it still work? 

[jguerdat · Accepted solution]

The issue with a VPN is that both the phone (or computer) and the base has to be connected through that connection so they can see each other for setup. If you can do that, I would think this would work.  Once set up, the VPN shouldn't be needed.

[K_alshamsi]

I have same issue
Any luck?

[JamesC]

K_alshamsi,

Where did you get the system and where are you trying to activate it? The free 1 year plan is only claimable in the country in which the system was purchased.

JamesC

[eduardo90mx]

I purchsed through amazon and then activated  at mexico, is there any possible way to have them at an US account?

[JamesC]

eduardo90mx,

Subscription plans are not available in Mexico. For more information on plan availability, take a look here: What are the available Arlo subscription plans and how much cloud recording is available?

JamesC

[K_alshamsi]

I got mine in Newark USA
I would like to activate it in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

[JamesC]

K_alshamsi,

Subscription plans are not available in Dubai. For more information on plan availability, take a look here: What are the available Arlo subscription plans and how much cloud recording is available?

JamesC

[K_alshamsi]

Is there anyway of making it works?
Or should replace it for Arlo Pro 2?

[Fireblade69]

I managed to get my subscription working with the help of Arlo.

It’s important to understand that the subscription is based upon where the system was first set up. This is not necessarily the same as where the system is ultimately used.

So either set up the system in a country where the subscription is active or set it up again though a VPN router with the location set at the country offering the subscription.

[Fireblade69]

There shouldn't be any issue with setting up through VPN router because both the unit and the users phone will be connected to the VPN routers wireless signal. You just need to ensure that the VPN router is set to a location that offers subscription when the system is set up.

And no, the VPN router is not required to be connected to the system after the system has been set up.

I know this because this is how my system is set up. I am in a location that offers no subscription and I set it up using the VPN method and all is working fine and I have active subscription.

[michaelkenward]

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@Fireblade69 wrote:

It’s important to understand that the subscription is based upon where the system was first set up. This is not necessarily the same as where the system is ultimately used.

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Didn't work here in the UK.

My camera came from the USA. It was first set up in the UK. It has proved impossible to set up an account here.

[Fireblade69]

Sorry but I do not agree.

I purchased my camera's from the UK but live in the UAE. I did not set up an account before I brought them from the UK and set up my unit from UAE which doesn't have the subscription service. Consequently I did not receive the 1 year package.

After discussing the issue with Arlo tech support, who were extremely helpful, I reset my account and started over again. The new account was set up with my phone and Arlo system connected to a VPN router which had a UK IP address. This was successful and I now have the full subscription.

The key is to flatten the original account and set it up as new.

[Fireblade69]

You need a VPN router to do the initial set up. Without it, it simply will not work

[Fireblade69]

During my discussions with the Arlo tech support I was advised that all systems are the same and they are not regionalised.

It's all about how the account is set up and where it is (or where it believes) it is set up.

[michaelkenward]

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@Fireblade69 wrote:

The key is to flatten the original account and set it up as new.

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Been there. Done that. No good.

[michaelkenward]

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@Fireblade69 wrote:

During my discussions with the Arlo tech support I was advised that all systems are the same and they are not regionalised.

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I have had different answers from different tech people.

[Fireblade69]

Do you have a VPN router and is this connected to a country offering subscription.

If so, call your local Arlo technical office and they will walk you through the process.

They did with me and were fantastic.

[dmakhkamov]

So the unit should come with 1 year free smart premiere plan. But there is no such plan offered in the UAE. As the matter of fact, the only country the 1 year free is available is in the country for which this unit is produced for (figured this out after 4 hours of total calls, and few hours of community forum reads). Mine was Australian unit. (look at the sticker at the bottom of the box, last 3 letters - AUS).
I registered the unit in UAE, and it was the dumbest camera ever, since smart plan is not available, and unit is on basic plan. just a camera that triggers an alert for any movement. Activity zones dont work on basic plan. Nothing really works. so you can only record footage locally, but to view it, you have to pull out the microSD.

HOW TO GET 1 Year free subscription on smart premiere.
1. DO NOT REGISTER UNIT.
2. Figure out the unit country (mine was Australia)
3. Set up the VPN to that country on your router (if your router supports it)
My routers (i have 3) did not support the VPN they way I wanted. So I decided to use my Raspberry pi.
what you need is:
a. main router with internet
b. raspberry pi, which has OpenVPN installed.
c. Some VPN server (I purchased ExpressVPN)
d. Another router.
so the connection I set up was the following:
Router1 with internet » WiFi » RaspPi + VPN + DHCP » Ethernet » Router2 » Phone on Wifi + Hub on Ethernet.

So I connected my Pi to VPN, and NATed the WIFI to ETH0 so that anything connected via Ethernet can get internet from the WIFI connection. At this point every device connected after Pi will be in VPN, including the Pi Eth0 etc.
So we connect the pi eth to Router2. Then connect your phone to Router2 via WIFI and Hub with Ethernet.

4. Set up the device
5. 1 year free plan should automatically be applied.

[javierrp]

Hello my friend,
Which vpn service you used to do this?? And what type of vpn, will L2TP be enough?? De Arlo base goes connected vi ethernet, so I assumed that the router needed to have VPN because there is no way to is tall vpn to Arlo base is that correct??
Did you do a factory restar on cameras or just base station?

Regards

[capitanpano]

Why do you sell cameras in México if one wont be able to use the plan or pay for one?