Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

I get the above error message when I try to view recording at home. I did a reset of base and reformatted sd card etc. but I can’t get it to work. I can view cloud recording and attached to camera etc. everything else seams to work.

 

Any other ideas?

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JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

Update 11/12/20

 

    I called tech support, and they called back (I didn't have to wait on the phone, last time I didn't get a call back). Tech support women had me click on the learn more button (after I got error) on the popup error you get and she was shocked that it would take you to a "smart cloud plan" to sell you/me a new plan. She had me reinstall after I sent her the screen shot (because there isn't else to do, I guess you reinstall Arlo App when you get a error, that's how you fix it) upon the reinstall of Arlo App and I decided (tech support didn't suggest it) that against my better judgement I would let the install popup "look at my network". Afterwards everything worked for the time being. I don't believe there is any documentation that states you need to do that. Also upon read the local storage requires, you need to be on your network to get local storage. The other two options are VPN which some require fees and port forward which is a security risk and you need to ask your IPS for permission etc, which could include other requirements. I guess Arlo App can't get at local storage for some reason, even though you can login.

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jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Any chance you are using a VPN while at home? Have you rebooted the phone and reinstalled the app?

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

Thanks for the reapply!

 

No I am not using VPN. But, I should be haven't got around to it. Still re-cabling house. 4 more ethernet lines to run (cat 8).

I haven't tried but will reinstall app on my iPad. However I have tried it on a iPad and iPhone and get same results.

I don't no how the hub storage works. My guess is hub read SD card and sends data to Web. The app has a button to learn more which is useless because it try's to sell you a new plan. Great!

 

I also started to see problem when I switch to a 16 port switch that is tied to one of my bridges. Hasn't worked since. Everything else works. I needed more ports for the 4 ethernet connects I will be running soon.

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

I rebooted twice and reinstalled app on a iPad same results. Nothing. Says check your connection? What connection? App works with cloud and cameras. This app is by far the worst app I have. It’s terrible. Error pop up has a learn more button but then it try’s to sell you a data plan. Why would I need a new plan it app doesn’t work?

 

I really don’t know when you get images copied/moved to hub.

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Something is going on in your network. It's not the app - works fine here on multiple hubs with local recording. 

 

When a camera starts recording, it gets sent to the hub which writes to the local recording device as well as the cloud simultaneously. You don't need a plan to take advantage of local recording - in fact, that's exactly how you can use the cameras without a plan. Since you've mentioned different issues with different switches, the issue is somehow in your network - that's where to start.

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

I  believe all or 100% of devices work on my network. I upgrade my network AND it works great. I had no issues and do not have any issues with my network. I just upgrade it. Even Arlo hub works! I get records on cloud so how could the local storage not work . I can view camera etc. but I get a pop up for a error trying to get local recording. Pop up has a button to learn more. I would guess it would give information about what happen. But no! When I click it guess what? It try’s to sell you a data plan. That’s a big part of how bad APP is no feed back. Also another example is when I reinstall app, it would timeout login in. Why? I wasn’t doing anything but typing in user name and password. APP is terrible is a big part of problem, because of no error reporting. Zero! Why not tell you an error?

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

My current guess is that the micro card might be bad. Will try to test it later.

 

When I reformat the SD card, the App displays a yellow band at the top of App and it goes away before anybody could read it. Another great feature of the Arlo App... display a message but delete before anybody can read it! I say App is bad and doesn't really work well at all, because it not user friendly at all. Error handling and report is big part of any App, without feed back how are going to use it without complete frustration and a lot of guessing work. Remember the error I get is "CONNECTION error" even though I am on the App and connected just fine! Also I can do all functions using it, hence it is connected! So, what is the connect error? Why try to sell you a data plan when you don't need it because of local storage? If you have connect error why get a data plan? Just terrible!!!

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

Update - 11/6/2020 

 

I reformatted my SD card again on a windows 10 box. Had to do exFAT because the format Arlo uses is obsolete and has data size limitations. Windows 10 has moved on from this old format. I did a complete reformat to exFAT and then deleted the volume using disk manager. Hence it should be like a new drive. Windows stated drive was healthy before I deleted volume. I did a reformat using Arlo App (card in VMB5000) and Arlo App reports back SD is ready and good condition. After reformatting on Arlo VMB5000, Arlo App reports the same error trying to look at local recording. I also let it run over night and then recheck it in the morning same error even though I got more cloud  recording. The popup error is the following:

 

"Video's stored on this "hub" (I have a different name) are not available. Please check your connection setting" Arlo App gives you two choice "cancel" or "learn more" on this popup, no other error messages are displayed. I am on Arlo App at this point and can display video's on cloud view ALL of my four camera etc. Click on "learn more", Arlo App takes you to a marketing web page selling you a data plan. Great App! I really don't know what that has to do with error I am getting. It is completely illogical because it is a local storage error or "connection setting" error. Also you would think it would tell you to try this or that or give a list of reasons for the error at a minimum. Better yet tell what connection settings to check, wouldn't that be logical? But no, terrible App. I then put the SD card back into my Windows 10 box Windows reports it's a FAT32 formatted drive and health. I also ran a speed test on my network (I usually do daily anyways), and at the time of the error I was getting 357Mbps down, 12Mbps up.

 

Any ideas on what "connect setting" I should check? Or how to fix? Could buy a new card... My SD card is 64G cost around ~$12!

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

Update 11/6/2020 continue

 

I forgot to say that there is no data on the SD card. The hub isn't write records to the hub. It could be that the

hub drive isn't working but I haven't tried to test it. Not sure if can either, but it does look like it formats the drive correctly. When you format the SD drive, (I stated this before) you get a orange color bar (rectangle) flashes at the top of Arlo App but it goes away before you can read it etc. I believe it has text in it. Great App... I can list a number of other issues (bugs) but I am more concerned about getting my hub working. It's ~9 months old and was working up until about a week ago from I can recall, and I believe it still under warranty…

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

11/6/2020 Additional thoughts

 

I few other thoughts.  My cloud camera recording are fine. Which means data is going from camera's to my hub then to the Arlo web site over the internet (hub is WiFi). This would mean that I should be able to get data back through same connections. I can also control the Hub from Arlo Web site (format SD card example). Hence internet connections are more than likely fine. I have not changed any "connection setting" or any setting using Arlo App. I only swapped out an unmanaged switch. Hub is working with new switch if there were an issue I wouldn't have cloud recording or be able to control hub. All other devices work fine using new switch. I know I am missing something but I haven't be able to put my finger on it. More error feed back would be very helpful. Arlo App is bad the worst App I have. I am thinking about reinstalling Arlo App again because I am out of other options.

 

Any thoughts?

 

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

Update 11/7/2020

 

Just reinstall Arlo App still doesn't work (I have never had to do this with any other App that I have and I have many). I saw other Arlo people that this seems to sometimes solves problems with similar issues. The question is why would you need to do it? Nobody has responded recently because nobody know what the error message means or how to fix it. It's the worst software/hardware I have been involved with, just terrible. Error report is nonexistence or not logical and you are constantly guessing and trying to understand how to use the App because it doesn't work a lot of the time or doesn't work the way you would think it should. If you have a problem you are leave guessing, just terrible. Documentation is terrible or nonexistence. Support is also terrible you are put one hold for hours and it says you are 16 or ? person in the queue over and over and you get sick of it.

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

Update 11/9/2020

 

Still no recording on SD drive. I turned off/on local records and reboot hub but and nothing. I also decided to check to see what IP address were assigned to my device  or Arlo Hub. Arlo hub IP is on the same network as the my routers (I have three routers two are bridges, and Arlo is really the forth). Decided to check if anything is being written to SD drive so I put in one of my Windows boxes. There was a folder called "Arlo" and two subfolders. At least one of the sub\subfolders has about 12 files .meta I believe they were each about 1k each. That means data is being written to SD drive. I also dragged a file when I was on Windows box to the SD drive and it was wrote to SD drive fine. Some of the dates were today of the .meta files. I still don't understand why camera records go from the camera's to the Arlo hub and then to the Web, but not to the local SD drive. The recording should go to the SD drive when the are also going to the Web, a fork. I believe they are point to point meaning Camera to Local storage then to you browser which is on the your network.

 

Any Ideas?

JessicaP
Arlo Employee Retired

Hi JimmyDe,

 

If you're still experiencing issues, please contact the Support Team so they can further investigate this issue. You will find several options for contacting support in the provided link.

JimmyDe
Guide
Guide

Update 11/12/20

 

    I called tech support, and they called back (I didn't have to wait on the phone, last time I didn't get a call back). Tech support women had me click on the learn more button (after I got error) on the popup error you get and she was shocked that it would take you to a "smart cloud plan" to sell you/me a new plan. She had me reinstall after I sent her the screen shot (because there isn't else to do, I guess you reinstall Arlo App when you get a error, that's how you fix it) upon the reinstall of Arlo App and I decided (tech support didn't suggest it) that against my better judgement I would let the install popup "look at my network". Afterwards everything worked for the time being. I don't believe there is any documentation that states you need to do that. Also upon read the local storage requires, you need to be on your network to get local storage. The other two options are VPN which some require fees and port forward which is a security risk and you need to ask your IPS for permission etc, which could include other requirements. I guess Arlo App can't get at local storage for some reason, even though you can login.

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