Unable to connect wireless doorbell to vmb5000

[grugly]

I have set up using all the instructions, however the app is not detecting the vmb5000 when I try to connect the doorbell. Currently it is running seperate to the rest of the cameras on the main wifi but I would prefer to have this connected to the Smart hub. I have removed the device and re synched but each time it is only asking me to connect it to wifi and not with the option to connect to the base station.

[JamesC]

grugly,

Base Station/SmartHub support is not available at this time. I will provide an update once we have more information on this topic.

JamesC

[grugly]

What about the three month subscription? Currently this is running at the same time as my current 12 month plan?

[dougblair]

JamesC,

I think I have much the same problem, and have just run across this thread.  KB article 62379 states that when your Arlo Video Doorbell is not connected to a base station or smart hub you cannot store Arlo recordings on a local device, and also that when not connected to a base station or smart hub the video doorbell can only trigger an Arlo chime melody on a motion trigger but not when someone presses the doorbell button. Surely ringing the chime is the primary function of a door bell, is it not?

Can you check to see if ability to connect the Arlo Video Doorbell Wire Free to an existing Arlo Base Station and/or Smart Hub is on the technical roadmap some time soon? This would match almost all of the other Arlo devices (sorry - I no longer have babies in the house so I'm not sure about those, but I do have 21 cameras and a wired video doorbell....)

Thanks!

[grugly]

Also, this is for the AVD2001 and not the 1001 as listed on the thread as it wasn't an option to select.

[JamesC]

I don't have an ETA for when this compatibility will be available. Once I have more information to share, I will provide the community with an update.

JamesC

[Zacctastic]

I tried to pair the avd2001 Doorbell with my vmb5000 hub with no success. The doorbell will pair with the local wifi network but not the hub. I thought this doorbell was HomeKit compatible? Without being able to go through the Arlo hub it will not show up in the Apple Home app. I can see it in the Arlo app itself and serve enough, it doesn't show as a hub connected device. Am I correct in this or have I missed something? I'm not very happy about this experience. 

[jguerdat]

The wireless doorbell will only connect to your WiFi for the moment. I suppose a future firmware update may allow pairing to a base or hub.

[Aus-Gav]

Hi James,

also keen to find out when the ability to link the wire free door bell with the smart hub is released.

I just setup a new ultra 2 kit and also purchased the wire free video doorbell.

I did expect both of these to work together.

I just rechecked the sales details on the retailer site and your own product site.

It is fairly buried down in the details on support kb pages that they are not compatible.

I would be keen to see this integration being very high on the firmware development roadmap for this new video door bell.

[halatacus01]

Hi James,

Can this doorbell use cvr if hardwired?

[JamesC]

halatacus01,

No. Arlo Video Doorbells are not compatible with CVR.

JamesC

[joe_k]

Any update on this....? Very frustrating to have this on a separate network and not able to record to the hub....

[9toecontracting]

I spoke with Arlo and it seems there is no update as of yet for this smarthub, (VMB4000r3 with firmware 1.16.5.6_3792_3913242) to connect with wireless doorbell. Of course they want to sell you a paid subscription to fix this problem. I wish I knew this before I spent the $150 on the doorbell but I am told it was in the fine print somewhere. Really disappointed with this product line as I am still having problems with the Arlo 2 system being triggered by the sun after the last firmware update. I see I'm not alone with this problem and Arlo offers no fix. I've tried everything they recommended. At this point I would actually consider starting over with a different manufacturer if anyone has recommendations.

[krytron]

Any update on this? It's been a while since this wire free model was out and we don't have smarthub integration yet 😞

[camm2017]

JamesC,

It has been 6 months since your last update.

Can you please hunt down an ETA from the product team and let all of us know when we can expect to connect our extremely expensive Arlo doorbells to our existing hubs ?

[JamesC]

camm2017,

Unfortunately at this time, I do not have an ETA available. While this integration is still planned to take place, we're not ready to announce an availability date. Once I have more information, i'll share an update here on the community.

JamesC

[ThanhN]

Just bought the wiref-ree video doorbell during Amazon Prime event, and based on the product description on Amazon website :"Secure local storage option stores your videos directly to your Arlo SmartHub or Base Station (sold separately) allowing you to view them anytime, anywhere", I thought it can be connected to the base station.  It turned out that Arlo still does not allow the video doorbell to be connected to the basestation. As I do not intend to subscribe to the Arlo Smart plan, I will have to return the product.

[dougblair]

ThanhN,

Before you return the product to Amazon, make sure to re-read the description, and post a comment over there. Many readers of this thread on Arlo Communities have been upset by the fact that the wirefree video doorbell doesn't work with our base stations and cannot record local video, and despite the good efforts of moderator JamesC no update from Arlo with this functionality has appeared in the past 7 months. Amazon is particularly sensitive to misleading advertising claims on products they sell. The few hundred readers of Arlo Communities might not be able to exert much pressure on Arlo to issue this fix, but Amazon must sell hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Arlo cameras, doorbells and accessories.

Just a thought from an old rabble-rouser 🙂

[ThanhN]

Good point. I will also post my comment on Amazon to help other potential buyers avoid the same hassle and disappointment. Hopefully Arlo will provide a fix soon.

[Norrisk66]

Any updates,

I just came across this and am having the same concerns. When I purchased this, the doorbell said it was compatible with the VMB4000R3 Base station on Amazon. Had I known this would have required a subscription, I would not have purchased it. This was my whole reasoning for purchasing the Arlo system.

Very frustrating and deceptive.

[dougblair]

Just another little thought for Arlo to consider: I really don't mind paying a subscription fee for the advanced features like Animal or Person detection , or the package notifications. Image recognition is a complex task and is Arlo provides that service e in their cloud. Fine. Extra service, extra cost, reasonable approach.

From a security standpoint any system really needs to have a way to record what happens when someone does something wrong or when some unexpected event happens. Lets assume that the intruder cuts the wires in the back yard before approaching the house (this is a rational bad guy, right?)  If the doorbell camera cannot connect to a base station,. which means it cannot record on a local USB stick or similar device, there's no way law enforcement for a home owner will know what happened.

Yes, it is absurd to think that a thief would actually ring an obvious video doorbell when attempting a break in, but equally logical that a bad actor would approach the door to look through the window without ringing the bell. The security system should be able to record that activity. 

The AVD2001 has been out since November 2020. The software to connect the base station is built into (I think) every other Arlo camera. Not rocket science. Not even anything new. C'mon, Arlo, step up!

[MDLZ]

Hello James, 

Today is my first day with Arlo, ultras seems okay but only this integration issue with the doorbell to the hub, do you believe it can be integrated anytime soon? 

TIA

[alexluch9]

Dear Arlo Representative, Description on your website states that VMB4500 Base Station works with the Arlo wireless door bell, however I still cannot connect it to the base and this thread seems to confirm that Arlo does not have an ETA to enable it. Please provide an ETA on when this feature will be available. Thank you

[PutskyD]

Having just bought the wireless video doorbell, I am similarly disappointed with the inability of this device to pair with the smart hub base station. The primary reason why I chose Arlo for the doorbell is because I already have an existing Arlo system and connecting it with the smart hub like my cameras would make the most sense as I store all my recordings locally. Had I known this doorbell has this “handicap” it might have swayed me to consider another vendor for the doorbell. Seriously, Arlo should have explicitly stated in the product specs that this model does NOT connect to the smart hub and only uses wifi. Having said that I do hope that Arlo releases the firmware update soon to allow the use of a base station.

[MDLZ]

Dear Arlo team,
Please give us at least some feedback if this integration between the wire free bell and the hub 4540 or any other hub will happen anytime soon??
Thank you