Smart subscription using VPN outside of USA

[Tibortj]

I’m living in Saudi Arabia and I recently replaced my old Arlo hub with the new smart hub and add a 4K camera. I am using an express VPN router set to a USA location. However I still cannot subscribe to any of the plans and the free plan is not even offered.

The representative on the chat support suggested I need to take the system back to the US and set it up there first and make the subscription.

This doesn’t seem to make any sense because the VPN router should spoofing a USA location and should work I think. Appreciate any advice

[Moobin]

This is exactly the same problem I have. Exept that I am based in Thailand. Any chance to get a could storage working ?

[jguerdat]

I'm certainly no expert in this field but how did you set the system up while using the VPN or without? That may be the basis of your issue - the location where the system was set up in the first place.

[Tibortj]

Hi, @jguerdat I was not running through the VPN during initial set up. I never had to use the VPN before on the old base station so didn’t even think of it.

When I called support, they said smart hub plans weren’t supported in Saudi Arabia and then I needed try to set them up again in the USA under a different email. That seemed ridiculous because my VPN will spoof the USA IP so I uninstalled and tried to set everything back up through the VPN but it did not work.

One thing I didn’t try was to create a new email and Arlo account and then try to add the devices to that through the VPN.

I also think I heard some thing that The devices are permanently locked to the country they are initially set up in, and you can’t change those settings. I guess If this is true, and I’ll need to return everything to Amazon and have them replace with a new set.

[jguerdat]

I don't believe that it's the system that's locked to a country but perhaps your account. Thus, removing all devices from Settings, My Devices and using a second account/email while your VPN is active should work. Note that the VPN would have to be between your router and the server and not on your phone or computer since those devices have to be on the same network as the system you're setting up.

[Dax1948]

I reside in Puerto Rico and had the same problem. I complained to Arlo about it and after much complaining I was told the the work around would be to purchase the system in the US, then have a friend or relative set up the system in the US. Have them send you the cameras along with their US credentials. My brother here in P.R. recently did that and it worked. originally support said that because there was no vendor in P.R. I could not subscribe to a smart plan

[PonceVacay]

If Arlo said that it is BS because Costco, Best Buy and the PX sell ALL Arlo equipment in Puerto Rico. 

[KarlLaxdal]

Hi.  Is it enough to be behind a VPN connection while setting up the system (creating an account and setting up the hub) or do you permanently have to be behind VPN to be able to use subscription service in unsupported country?

[MJBTCI]

Incredible poor customer experience with ARLO. 

I'm running into the same problem identified in these comments (trying to connect outside the US, in Turks and Caicos).  The support representative told me something slightly different ... she told me the subscription service would not work in Turks and Caicos and did not suggest that I bring it back to the US and set it up there.

I'm certainly willing to try and bring them back to the US to try the setup.  It just seems like a "POOR" undocumented issue ... leads to false advertising in my book.  I just search the ARLO website and I can't find anything that indicates this glaring limitation (maybe I'm missing it but I can't find it).

I'd like to know if anyone has successfully purchased an ARLO camera in the US and set it up outside the US with a Smart Plan?

Thanks

[Tibortj]

You need to run the set up through a VPN with US Server, including when you’re setting up the arlo account. That’s the way I got around all this stuff. You don’t have to take anything back to the US. Just make sure that everything you do for the set up is through VPN with a US server. If you already tried to set it up outside of the US you’ll have to reset everything including the email you used for the account and use a different email/account.