Arlo Ultra 2 (four months old) cameras intermittently stop recording to cloud

[Mike_2021]

Our Arlo Ultra 2 (four months old) cameras regularly disconnect from recording. We are paying $15/month, but some days we notice ... "hey, no recordings from camera 2 (or other times, another camera)." The ONLY solution we've found is to disconnect and reconnect the camera to the base station (the "Windows" solution, sadly). This video recording disconnect problem happens to cameras that are very close (10 feet) to the Arlo router as well as to other cameras not as close. All the cameras are powered so they're at 100% charge. All firmware ... up to date also.

The question is why these disconnects keep happening?

I have a friend who has the same exact problem with recently-purchased Arlo 3 cameras so I know we're not alone.

These disconnects are very annoying since we lose some critical recordings we're expecting to get. Furthermore, we don't have the peace of mind these products promote since they require constant vigilance to stay on top of what appears to be less than stellar Arlo reliability. When we don't get a recording overnight, is it because of another recording disconnect? So, we have to walk in front of the camera to test it. Really?

Could someone please tell me how to fix this problem, or, since it clearly happens to more than just me, what is Arlo doing about it? This problem needs to be fixed.

Thanks,

[annieMcg]

Same problem here.  I installed four Arlo Pro 3 cameras at my mom's house.  We have a subscription to save the videos.  But regularly, the cameras stop recording, for no apparent reason.  We have to remove and re-add each camera to get it recording again.  I just had to re-add two of them today!  One of those was just installed three weeks ago!

These cameras help me monitor what's going on in my mom's house.  She's alone with a caregiver, she cannot live independently, but wants to stay in her home.  The cameras help us with this goal.  BUT if they continue to stop recording for no reason, we'll have to replace the system with something that actually WORKS.  This system was just installed a few months ago, so this behavior is unexpected and unacceptable.

Is there a fix, and if not, when is this problem going to be fixed?  This is happening every couple of weeks now.

[jguerdat]

Are you sure the cameras should be recording? When they seem to be missing recordings, have you actually tested operation by trying to trigger motion? Have you checked your active mode and maybe increased motion sensitivity settings? There's lots of reasons this could be happening and not all are nefarious.

[Mike_2021]

I was never implying a "nefarious" cause.  (???)

One of the cameras - every few weeks or so -- just stops recording. They were recording the day before. And, yes, going outside and trying to trigger them lets us know they're no longer recording.  The only recourse is to remove-and-re-add them.

Hence my posting here.

Thanks.

[StephenB]

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@Mike_2021 wrote:

One of the cameras - every few weeks or so -- just stops recording.

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Does the app think the camera is off-line?  Does live streaming still work when the problem occurs?

[annieMcg]

No, the app sees the camera, and we can use it in live mode only.  The camera is "working" but not recording.

[StephenB]

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@annieMcg wrote:

No, the app sees the camera, and we can use it in live mode only.  The camera is "working" but not recording.

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And you have a paid subscription. 

Have you tried removing/reinserting the battery instead of removing the camera and re-adding it?

It might be useful to add storage to the base, and see if there are recordings there when the problem happens.

Though it'd be good to also hear from @Mike_2021 - his problem might be caused by something different from yours.

[Mike_2021]

Yes, we've tried that also. We have to regularly charge the Arlo2 Ultra battery (a charge lasts at most a month). Thanks.

[StephenB]

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@Mike_2021 wrote:

Yes, we've tried that also. We have to regularly charge the Arlo2 Ultra battery (a charge lasts at most a month). Thanks.

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I was wondering if rebooting the camera would resolve it (and removing/reinserting the battery will do that).

If it doesn't, then it suggests the problem is in the base or the arlo cloud itself.  Adding local storage would let you see if local recordings are still being made when the problem occurs (and is a good thing to do anyway).  Since you have a smarthub, you can check the local recordings from the app (not the web ui). 

@annieMcg doesn't have a smarthub - in that case you have to eject the storage, and connect it to a PC.

[annieMcg]

There is a base station for the Arlo Pro 3 cameras.  I can view the recordings from a tablet, phone or PC.

My point, and Mike_2021's point, is that in just a few months time, we are now having to remove and re-add cameras every couple of weeks in order to continue to record videos.  Does the base station need to be restarted occasionally?  Obviously, there's nothing we can do about a problem with the Arlo Cloud, but that would make sense, if that's the issue.

[StephenB]

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@annieMcg wrote:

My point, and Mike_2021's point, is that in just a few months time, we are now having to remove and re-add cameras every couple of weeks in order to continue to record videos.  

 I'm just trying to help troubleshoot, as you obviously shouldn't need to do that.

You might want to contact support (using the link in the upper right of the forum page).

[Crosive]

mine has been doing this the whole time (1 camera ultra system), with a non-full sd-card.  it will stop recording both to the cloud, to the sd card, and to the cvr stream, for hours at a time.  I've had this issue ever since I've gotten the system and the only option they seem to give me is a discount for another camera.

I've had it with arlo.  I've tried making their system work ever since december of '19 and something is always not working, or working consistently.

I now see it's not just me, like they keep trying to blame.

[Crosive]

you have to have some semblance of tech support at all to have better tech support.

when you call and complain that your ultra system isn't recording 4k to your sd card anymore, and the only thing they want to check is an actual video that it recorded because they don't believe you, then that's not tech support, VISHNU

[DAC8]

Really wish I would have researched this company better before buying into this system.  My Arlo Pro cameras seemed to be fine, and still do.  But as soon as I added the Ultra 2 and the CVR plan, I got to really see how bad this system is.  Just like others, constant, long periods without any recording.  Notifications fire sporadically, more often than not missing activity.  Sometimes it records to local storage, but not the cloud, and doesn't send any activity alerts.  Calling this security is false advertising.

[Captainturk]

I'm seeing similar issues with Ultra 2 cameras not recording to cloud but only recording to local storage. It's hit and miss with seeing both recordings in cloud "AND" local storage. Just got the Ultra 2 camera July 1st, so I'm still within my return period. Is there a solution? I'm current on all updates.

[StephenB]

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@Captainturk wrote:
I'm seeing similar issues with Ultra 2 cameras not recording to cloud but only recording to local storage. 

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Are you saying that you never get cloud recordings?  Or that you sometimes don't get cloud recordings?

Are you using activity zones?

[TomasR]

Cameras will show a picture live if you go to "video settings" but will not show live stream or alert to motion. Tried all the rebooting all the removing and adding even changed the wifi channel on my internet router. Support will not replace because it was purchased on ebay. Brand new in sealed box, should not matter where it is purchased from. The system worked good for the first month now practically useless. 

[DAC8]

I've found no solution.  And it's too bad - when things work it's a really great system.  But things work as they should very rarely with the Ultra 2.

[KirkyG]

I have exactly the same problem.  I have 3 cameras, 2 have been working since I installed then but the 3rd has stopped saving recordings to the cloud.  I have been able to view live content via Video settings only, no recordings are saved but I know that the camera is working as lights come on at night and the camera detects movement.   I have restarted hub, removed and readded the camera and removed the battery but nothing works.  I have logged a support ticket so will update here when I get a response

[StephenB]

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@KirkyG wrote:

I have 3 cameras, 2 have been working since I installed then but the 3rd has stopped saving recordings to the cloud. 

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Are these Ultras?

Are all three covered by a subscription?

[Mike_2021]

We have to routinely (about every few weeks) disconnect the cameras and re-connect them. We had an issue this last week where we had to disconnect and re-connect the battery and reboot the Arlo hub.

Since these are fairly low-end cameras, I don't expect too much, but I expect more reliability than we have gotten.

We have two Arlo systems at two locations. One's an Arlo3 Pro, the other Ultra2. They all have the same issues where for no apparent reason, the cameras just stop recording.

I no longer expect a solution to this problem as many have posted but nobody has solved anything.

[annieMcg]

Same here.  We have two systems, one is the Smarthub and Pro 3 cameras, the other is a Smarthub and Ultra cameras and a floodlight.  The older system with the Pro 3 cameras is a real pain in the butt, I have to remove and re-add the cameras every few weeks.  I just had to reboot the entire system last week.  The newer system doesn't require re-adding as often, but it does require it!  And I agree with you completely, these are definitely low end!

[annieMcg]

One of the systems is Ultras, the other is Pro 3 cameras.  Yes, they are all covered by subscriptions.

[KirkyG]

Yes and Yes