New software bricked VMB5000

[jscunningham]

There appears to have been a firmware update within the last 18ish hours that has once again taken my system offline. This is the third time in recent months that this has happened to me and it seems the only fix is a factory reset on both of my base stations and all 18 cameras. This is beyond annoying and I’m ready to toss the whole thing in the trash. I’m tired of going up and down ladders to each and every camera to do a reset because of some complete incompetence on the part of the arlo developers. Stop forcing updates that break systems. You’re obviously not checking to see if they work before pushing them out.  You’ve already replaced a couple cameras because you bricked them with bad updates but they’re all getting close to being out of warranty and I’m guessing you won’t replace faulty products even though it’s because of issues you are causing with these updates. 

[tc81]

Hi James, tried the steps you’ve suggested as the solution and unfortunately this hasn’t worked. The smart hub is still offline in my app. Looks like I need to do a successful factory reset for the 4th time after close to a hundred attempts in the last month and a half.

James - arlo has to do better by their users. This is not OK. Al lot of us use these cameras to protect our homes and any downtime let alone days without a running system is not acceptable. There’s got to be a better way.

Really fed up and feel I’m spending too many hours on getting this right

[BFlyer]

Dear James,

I have removed my SmartHub via the app. Did a factory reset(not actually doing factory reset when pressing pin in for more than 10 sec). Essentially now have a device that is in a continuous loop. The app will not rediscover the smartHub. I have tried your suggestions repeatedly with regard to firmware update but to no avail. I am experiencing the same issue as all the other community members. Note that my other hub is working fine with the latest update confirmed.

I can only assume that the latest firmware update has totally corrupted my SmartHub that is now stuck in a loop.

Have spent about 8 hours so far on trouble shooting, which for a premium product and price is totally unacceptable

[Jankovichs]

@BFlyer totally unacceptable .... dude arlo have heard this **bleep** million times i bet some of them loughs over this

[BFlyer]

Agree, especially not for the price you pay for system. Finally got my base station working again after approx 10 attempted factory resets and endless reboots including the steps mentioned by James. Now redoing all my cameras. Should really be sending a bill to Arlo for time that I will never get back.

What would make sense would be to send a notification through the app, letting people know that a firmware update is coming/has occurred. A bit of communication will go a long way 

[Sheppeyboy]

All my Ultra cameras went to default as viewed on the App, the cameras went to zoom so were completely useless and wouldn't let me use local recording, had to change settings on all cameras from App, my one Arlo Pro camera connected to the VMB5000 now just shows grey, appalling update without any notice

[JimiW]

Arlo ultra hasn’t worked since the May 19th update, it’s been bricked basically.
Have factory reset, everything, changed locations where plugged in etc.

It’s been stuck on a reboot loop, Amber LED where my network switch lights work then amber/blue flash then blue but NO network activity on switch. Switch is a managed switch so I can tell there’s zero traffic when blue light is on. Just now I reset again and it’s just stuck on orange. I opened a case last night via chat and no one has gotten back to me a day later.

Anyone have a solution to this or do I just need a replacement sent to me?

[StephenB]

Try removing it from the account, then reset the base via the pinhole and add it back.

If that fails, contact support: https://www.arlo.com/en-us/support/contact.aspx

[n1976jmk]

Please try also removing the SD card.

[JimiW]

Hi,

Yes forgot to put in that I have removed the SD card…

[JimiW]

Hi Stephen,

Yes it has been removed from my account and hard reset via pinhole and removed SD card. This is all after that

[JimiW]

Case is 41691559 if anyone here can help, I’m not getting a response and have had no cameras for a week

[Awatts]

I am having the same problem.
Hard reset the hub, removed the cameras and re-added everything. Keep having to unplug and plug it to get live feed but no recording at all.

[NatureF]

@JamesC 

I encounter the same problem as well, but I never see there's any firmware update available.  Current version for my VMB5000 is 1.16.1.3_510_1a608c1.  

My location is in Hong Kong, could you please follow up ASAP as it is really annoying and frustrating to perform the factory reset day by day, time by time, again and again. 

[JimiW]

I can't even add the basestation again!!

Now it is just stuck on the Amber light no matter what I do, it is well and truly bricked from this latest update.

[JimiW]

what are their live chat hours? as it says connecting to agent but never does. I know their phone centre is 6am to 6pm Pacific time.....now 8pm there and I've had no reply from Arlo in almost 48 hours...

[JimiW]

So after waiting 40 minutes for chat to connect then jumping through every hoop over an hour and a half with a clueless support person they then disconnected me when I had to go away for 5 minutes? I have done EVERY step 4-5 times arlo how rediculous does it have to get before you just send me a replacement VMB5000? CLEARLY your May 19th update has bricked my system it has worked for a year before your update!

[JamesC]

If you're still experiencing an issue after following the steps posted in the solution here, please contact the Arlo Support Team to further investigate. You will find several options for contacting support in the provided link.

JamesC

[n1976jmk]

Hi @JamesC  @ShayneS 

I unfortunately have to report that this exact issue is happening again.  It started yesterday again, the hub will go offline and the steady blue light will stay on the hub though and it won’t record any motion events during the offline time.  I have no choice but to pull the power cord for the hub to hard boot it.  Since while it’s offline the app can’t restart the hub.

can you please escalate and notify on your end please?

thank you!

jonathan

[JimiW]

Well after about 30 tries of the same thing I got it paired and it’s worked for over a week but that’s super scary that a security system is so flimsy that you have to repeat the same steps to get it to work, how are you to know the whole system won’t fail at the wrong time? Before this it always seemed just when I need it it was crashing even to the point where I wondered in the back of my mind if someone was messing with it as it was uncanny.
Now just the issue with no local 4K with a premier plan!! See my other thread

[Mad_cow]

Does everyone with this issue need to log a case?! I have trouble just getting support to get back to me.

I currently have 2 issues. One is this one where nothing records and another where the battery doesn't charge past a couple of %

41710651 and 41710597  Nobody has contacted me about either.

[Johnny290]

Typical Arlo tech support which sucks by the way