Phone won’t connect when using mobile data

[Sleepyhead1978]

Hi guys,
Apologies if this has been asked multiple times already.!
I’ve recently bought an Arlo Essential wire free doorbell. Everything with it works fine. It’s connected to our WiFi and when I’m in the house and my phone is on my home WiFi network it rings and connects fine.
However, when I’m out and about, even if I’m in my back garden and my phone isn’t on my home WiFi, the doorbell won’t connect when I answer it on my phone? It rings, then just hangs for about 15 seconds looking like it’s trying to connect then just ends. As soon as I come back in the house and my connects to WiFi it works fine again.
Is there something I’m doing wrong / haven’t switched on? I have looked through settings on both the app and the iPhone settings app and it all looks like it should work.
Thanks in advance,
Phil

[ShayneS]

Which phone are you using? Do you have the latest version of the Arlo app installed? Does this occur on any other devices without wifi? 

[Sleepyhead1978]

Hi there,
I’m using an iPhone 12 mini. My wife also has the app on her iPhone SE (3rd gen) and whether she is on WiFi or mobile data it works exactly as you’d expect it to ie. She can answer the doorbell from anywhere.
As far as I know I have the latest version of the app installed yes, but will double check.

[StephenB]

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@Sleepyhead1978 wrote:
I’m using an iPhone 12 mini. 

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I do also, and I can access the cameras when away from home.

Double-check that the app is allowed to use mobile data. (You'll find this by opening the iphone settings, and scrolling down to Arlo Secure).  While there, make sure background refresh is also enabled.

Also, if the phone is set up to use a VPN, then try disabling the VPN and see if that helps.

[Sleepyhead1978]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.  I did already check all those things already. In the individual Arlo app setting both mobile data and background app refresh are enabled. Also in the mobile data part of the settings app, Arlo Secure has it enabled. There's no VPN in use either.

Cheers though.

[StephenB]

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@Sleepyhead1978 wrote:

In the individual Arlo app setting both mobile data and background app refresh are enabled. Also in the mobile data part of the settings app, Arlo Secure has it enabled. There's no VPN in use either.

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Can you access the cameras and library when using mobile data?

Are you using the primary account, or a friend account?

[Sleepyhead1978]

UPDATE - For some reson, it has now started working. I can answer the doorbell when I'm using mobile data. So that's good.

But the bad news is, my wife's phone is now having the exact same issue I was having. She was able to answer using mobile data, but now can't. It's like it's switched over or something.

I'm guessing this is something to do with the number of people using the app or something?

It's all a bit confusing and annoying.

[Sleepyhead1978]

So, now I can answer the doorbell, access the library of footage and access the doorbell's live view, all on mobile data! Solved!  Except, my wife now can't....

So it's something to do with the account / app and who is signed in? I'll be honest I don't undertsand it at all.

[ShayneS]

Let me look in to this for you and I will see what I can find out. I'll provide an update as soon as possible. 

[Sleepyhead1978]

Hi Shayne,

No worries.  Randomly I think it's sorted now.  Been fiddling with some settings in the account section of the app and it appears to be working now.  I don't think the camera or mobile data settings were actually anything to do with it ironically, I think it was to do with the admin / friend user section of the Arlo app that was blocking it from working.

Cheers though,

Phil

[ShayneS]

Got it, thanks for the update. Let me know if you experience this issue again. 

[doncarajo]

Just to add my 2 cents, I just noticed this tonight. I get a gray screen when answering when on mobile data but it works when on WiFi at home. Also works when I connect back to my home using a full tunnel VPN. This makes me think that it has to do with my mobile network's IPv6 only mobile network. The network is Telstra in Australia. When I use the full tunnel VPN, my phone is essentially back on an IPv4 network.