VMB5000 Flashing Red all of the sudden. No IP. Did this thing just die again?

[arlo-gore]

Sounds like I need to buy a third router? Does anyone know how to get into the management interface on this? console port? anything other than the stupid app that says the device is working? I can’t find any information on what to do when the router is blinking red. It was working fine the other day with no network changes.

[DannyBearAgain]

https://kb.arlo.com/000039100/What-do-the-LEDs-on-my-Arlo-SmartHub-or-Base-Station-mean 

[jguerdat]

You can't access an Arlo hub/base even though it's basically a stripped down router. If you could, so could anyone else and that doesn't bode well for security. 

The amber flashing LED generally means a connection problem, either to the servers (which doesn't seem to be the issue since the app indicates it's working) or to a camera (loss of signal). You might want to reboot the hub but also reinsert camera batteries to see if any of that helps. It may also clue you into a dead battery or a location that doesn't have a good signal. Use of an Android phone or WiFi computer with a WiFi app to determine signal strength at each camera location may help figure out the issue.

Here's an FAQ about hub LED meanings:

https://kb.arlo.com/000039100/What-do-the-LEDs-on-my-Arlo-SmartHub-or-Base-Station-mean

[StephenB]

I'd start by looking in the router's attached device list, and see if the VMB5000 shows up there.

If it isn't listed, then restart the router, and after it gives you internet service again, restart the base.

If it still doesn't show up, then possibilities are

• a loose ethernet cable
• a failed base station
• failed LAN port(s) on the router.

If you have a PC that can accept internet, you can test both the cable and the LAN port on the router with the PC.

[arlo-gore]

My pfSense+ router didn’t give the VMB5000 a DHCP address, so I gave it a static mapping. I’ve tried multiple  ethernet cables and ports on my switch. The link activity light flashes showing that the physical layer connection is up. Other devices on the network are online without issue. The VMB5000 shows up in the app and I can connect to it via the app on WLAN. The best I can tell, this device bricked itself.

I’ll try connecting it directly to another port in the router (I have 2 more available) which will give it its own network. I’m doubtful this will resolve anything. I think this device died just like all the other Arlo devices I’ve owned. Very disappointed in Arlo

[StephenB]

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@arlo-gore wrote:

My pfSense+ router didn’t give the VMB5000 a DHCP address, 

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Odd.

How many DNS entries are in your config?  Arlo kit misbehaves if you have more than three.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

> You can't access an Arlo >hub/base even though it's >basically a stripped down >router. If you could, so could >anyone else and that >doesn't bode well for >security. 

How's that? You can access the config of any other 'router' and it's not a security issue.

[StephenB]

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@Edinburgh_lad1 wrote:

How's that? You can access the config of any other 'router' and it's not a security issue.

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Arlo completely locks down the hubs.  The only settings you can change are the ones i the app.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Obviously. 

But you said the reason for locking everything down in Arlo is because of a security issue. Please explain what you meant by that.

[StephenB]

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@Edinburgh_lad1 wrote:

But you said the reason for locking everything down in Arlo is because of a security issue. Please explain what you meant by that.

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Actually @jguerdat said that.  Though I think it's about reducing the attack surface.   A web management interface for the hub creates a pathway to hack into the hub (using brute-force password attacks).

That said, there are certainly some things that would be nice to configure.  WiFi channel use being one obvious one.  Getting logs is one I'd like to see.  Hiding the SSID would be another capability that several people have asked for (though I think that might require some camera firmware changes).