Cameras connect but show offline one base station, fine on other

[JimiW]

Spoiler

so three seperate cameras connect fine to one base station (ultra 5000) and the positioning screen comes straight up but when connected to a VMB4540 they say they connect but the positioning screen never shows and when I go past that they say offline. This has been a progressing issue with the cameras first taking time to load on live view but doing it eventually then now they just show offline, this setup has been in place 6 months. I've moved the base station to another room with a different ethernet line, reset everything, cameras, base station, been on live chat and done it all also.....anyone have any brilliant answers for this other than the base station being faulty? Arlo says they can see it online.

Case number 43022293 

[ShayneS]

Just to be clear, you have/are onboarding between two different Base Station/Smart Hubs?

[JimiW]

Hi Shayne,

thanks for your quick reply. The case is #43022293

the issue is the base station is obviously failing. the cameras used to connect ok to it but now time out or just don't connect, now when resetting everything and re pairing, they connect, then immediately show offline. Arlo can see the base station online. there are no firmware updates available. They camera connection has got increasingly worse with no changes to my network or the signal on the cameras. they connect fine to a different base station that is actually located further away and are currently connected to that in their original position now, with not great signal but at least they are working.

Arlo support seems stuck on my internet connection and blaming anything else than a failing base station. I have significant networking knowledge and have had these cameras and arlo several years, I know what I am doing. 3 different cameras connecting to one base station fine but not the other, with different locations and scenarios and cable swap outs etc clearly points to the base station being the point of failure. all base stations are connected through hard CAT5e directly to the main router via a 1000bmps switch. there is zero issues with any other wireless device and my satellite routers are placed far away from the base stations, I even turned some off to test this and no difference. I have spent 3-4 hours troubleshooting and Arlo support seems intent on wasting my time with basic steps that I have already told them I have completed several times and sending them pictures of my internet connection. they are wasting my time, there is no other answer than the proven weak link in the chain - the base station, whether this is hardware, firmware or app software, I have no way of knowing. please stop Arlo support wasting my time and get them to actually just send me a new base station, preferably not that same model as it seems to be inferior to the other one I have.

thanks

James

[ShayneS]

Thanks for the update, I have escalated your case & someone from support will be reaching out to you as soon as possible. I have provided your escalations number here: 43025248

[JimiW]

Hi Shayne,

ok, thank you, I really just needed them to send me a new base station before I go away....im tired of running through basic troubleshooting steps that ive done 3+ times already.....I know they are doing their due diligence but it seems it takes coming on here to get any result they don't seem to listen otherwise.

thanks again

[ShayneS]

I understand you're frustration, we are here on community to assist as best we can. Hopefully I got the issue resolved for you. 

[JimiW]

hi 

nope, no resolution at all as yet

[JimiW]

@ShayneS oh this is getting ridiculous, now they are trying to schedule a call, I swear if this turns into ANOTHER fault finding exercise im going to contact the ACCC (consumer affairs Australia) and request a complete refund of the $3000-$4000 I have spent on my arlo system PLUS compensation. I have done far more fault finding than even your own phone "technicians" are capable of and you are now wasting my time, I should be sending an invoice as well.

I just need a new base station.....why is this so hard....repeatedly, every time I have an Arlo issue it is a nightmare and takes WEEKS to resolve if it ever gets resolved. seriously the worst customer service in existence. It's like you try to make it hard to just get people to give up.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

I'm sorry but what gives you the right to demand a new base station without support testing if it is indeed faulty. I really don't understand that. 

And on top of everything, you demand that they send you the newest model. Hello?! Are you ok? Is this some kind of charitable do that I missed the details of?

If you need a completely new base station ASAP, you should go to a shop and get it. But, I think it's appropriate that support go through the testing first rather than respond to your childish demands.  

It's also appropriate that if they find no issue with the older model of your base station that they refuse to replace it.

If you want our (community's) help, no problem. For starters, you should swap base stations round and report back your findings. Screenshots would be helpful, too (main screens, base stations' connection status etc.).  

PS I don't work for Arlo 

[JimiW]

uhhh did you read my post? I did all the testing myself as well as with them. I did far more than they asked me to and reported the results of that to them as well. Before you insult me, get your facts right.

The issue was them asking inane questions that don't actually relate anything to do with it (my internet speed as an example, um, one base station works fine, ive shown you my speed, ive clearly stated that swapping base stations out replicates the issue, but hey here have it anyway because my internet speed 100% is going to affect a local wifi connection to a video stream......like seriously) which I answered and then again asking me to test the same things I had done with them already.

Oh and they've now closed the case saying I didn't reply despite me replying. 

One of the Arlo community managers has replied on here, again if you had read you would know that.

[JimiW]

Hey @ShayneS please help me with this....they have now closed the case saying I didn't reply when I did......I just can't deal with this anymore and im still stuck with a broken base station....if I open a new case am I going to have to go through this whole nightmare again? It's been a month and still zero has been done, ive done everything they asked and the last few messages were just 'please be assured we are going to help you' with no actual help.....if I wasn't laughing id be crying right now

[JimiW]

I reopened the case but here's where it gets interesting - I have a "spare" camera that Is turned off, it was this and the other two that consistently would not connect to the one base station but would the other fine. when I reopened the case to check the serial number for them even though they have it, I then tried to turn on the third spare as I left it connected to the base station (they stay active but won't connect) and now it works....but, I unpaired one of the other two that doesn't connect but have been barely connected to the other base station at the other end of the house and only actually work sometimes because of this and reconnected it and same thing with that one.....

Now I am really confused as all tested showed there was an issue with the base station shown over 3 seperate cameras but now after being turned off for 2 weeks, that one connects ok? Nothing has changed, the camera hasn't been touched and one of the other two has the same problem, yet to try the other one but I will later.....this actually makes even less sense now but almost worries me even more as there is zero consistency to this after I reliably replicated the issue multiple times and now it just suddenly works on one of the three despite no updates or the camera even being on..... I will be scared if the "solution" is to leave a camera off for 2 weeks and then it will work because then who knows when it won't? seems to be some dark magic required to make the Arlo system actually work and no one actually knows when they will and when they won't, its entertaining in a morbid way but also absolutely terrible for an expensive system.

[JimiW]

Oh it was faulty for sure mate and they replaced it. 20 years of a networking and electronics professional career enable me to diagnose that it was faulty. A small base station is a very easy diagnosis compared to the $40,000+ pieces of equipment I used to tear down to PCB and component level, diagnose, repair and rebuild. Pretty sure that is a level or two above an online chat tech support outsourced to someone most likely reading from a script. So keep your unbiased opinions to yourself, I ask for help in case I have missed something obvious, outlay the steps I took and you abuse me for it. Read my messages properly before you comment please and take them in, I'm sick of keyboard warriors like you, if you don't have something constructive to say, just don't say anything. Please refrain from commenting on any of my posts in the future, you are not helpful.

It just got even better @ShayneS , they are replacing a dead camera under warranty I have now as in no power with any battery or power source, multiple tried (when will it end) RMA 7224191 and now 2 months after I returned the base station, they have told me today they aren't sending a replacement camera because I never returned the base station and asked me for the tracking number that they provided? After they confirmed 2 months ago they received it? I really don't understand what is going on with Arlo.

[JimiW]

I only make contact on here because otherwise I get the constant run around from Arlo support, apologies for that but im really left with no other option for these repeated problems....its getting beyond belief.