Essential Wired Video Doorbell notifications

[bbuttolph]

We recently installed the Essential Wired Video Doorbell. What is "Always Listening" in "All Arlo Secure notifications"? A search in the pdf file turns up nothing. There's also a "Notifications" option. What is this for? The other two are "Background processing" and "Geofencing is enabled". Are any of these options documented anywhere? I have an Android phone.

Thanks.

[StephenB]

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@bbuttolph wrote:

We recently installed the Essential Wired Video Doorbell. What is "Always Listening" in "All Arlo Secure notifications"? A search in the pdf file turns up nothing. There's also a "Notifications" option. What is this for? The other two are "Background processing" and "Geofencing is enabled". Are any of these options documented anywhere? I have an Android phone.

Thanks.

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Are you using Android or iOS? If so what, version? I'm not seeing "always listening" on my iPhone (iOS 15.7 at the moment), so I am wondering if you are using Android.

Geofencing is a feature that can automatically change the camera mode when you leave home or return home.

• https://kb.arlo.com/1085093/How-does-Arlo-Geofencing-work-and-how-do-I-set-it-up

Background processing is more of an OS setting (the iPhone has background refresh).  It allows the app to keep running even if the screen isn't visible.  You do want that one set.

[bbuttolph]

I have a Google Pixel 3a XL. The Android version is 12.

I know what Geofencing is. What is the notification option for?

So the notification option 'allows the app to keep running even if the screen isn't visible'?  I need this notification option enabled for that to occur?

[StephenB]

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@bbuttolph wrote:

I have a Google Pixel 3a XL. The Android version is 12.

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I use an iPhone, and some of the OS-specific settings aren't the same.

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@bbuttolph wrote:

I know what Geofencing is. What is the notification option for?

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I believe it sends you a notification when it detects you are leaving home (and returning).  That gives you some idea of the radius (and also would let you know if something is wrong).

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@bbuttolph wrote:

So the notification option 'allows the app to keep running even if the screen isn't visible'?  I need this notification option enabled for that to occur?

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Not sure why it's in the notification section.  But geofencing won't work if the app isn't running in the background, and in general notifications can be delayed or lost if the app isn't running.

[bbuttolph]

Thanks @StephenB for the GeoFencing explanation.

Any Android users out there that could help explain what "Always Listening", "Notifications", and "Background processing" is?

[ShayneS]

Do you have a screenshot of the notifications?

[bbuttolph]

[ShayneS]

Hey @bbuttolph

This setting is for the Arlo products that are capable of utilizing the aways listening feature. As of right now the only product to utilize this option Is the Arlo baby camera. 

[bbuttolph]

Thanks @ShayneS, that would appear to explain "Always Listening".  Are "Notifications" and "Background processing" also for the Arlo baby camera or for something else?

I should mention that the Essential Wired Video Doorbell is the only Arlo product we own.

[ShayneS]

You can turn the setting off as it's a just native setting for Android because a product is available by Arlo that can utilize such feature. 

[bbuttolph]

Sorry @ShayneS, I don't understand. I don't want to turn off a setting without knowing what it does. So far I understand Geofencing and that Always Listening is for the Arlo baby camera. So again, are "Notifications" and "Background processing" there to support the Arlo baby camera or are they for something else?

[ShayneS]

As mentioned, the always listening mode is a feature on the Arlo baby camera, having this toggled on will allow you to use the feature seamlessly. The only setting in this screenshot dedicated for a camera is the "always listening" the other settings are for processes required by Arlo and the app. "Notifications" and "Background processing" are requirements by Arlo to receive notifications and utilize the Geofencing mode.

[bbuttolph]

As I mentioned, the Essential Wired Video Doorbell is the only Arlo product we own. So we don't need Always Listening. We do need Geofencing.

So if I understand correctly, if you want Geofencing notifications to appear on your Android device, you must have the sibling Notifications setting enabled; it isn't enough for Geofencing to be an Android Notification. And if you want Geofencing to function properly, you must have Background processing enabled. Are both these assumptions correct?

[ShayneS]

You can turn always listening off if you like. 

[bbuttolph]

I did that, thanks.

Is there anyone else here that can address my questions? It would be much appreciated.

[StephenB]

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@bbuttolph wrote:

Is there anyone else here that can address my questions? It would be much appreciated.

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I already did, but that answer didn't seem to satisfy you.

You need to leave the other two settings on, since the app needs to run in the background for geofencing to work, and you want to get notifications to work.  Both @ShayneS and I have said that more than once.

[bbuttolph]

If the "Geofencing is enabled" notification option is turned off, the option text "Geofencing is enabled" does not change. It does not change to "Geofencing is disabled". It would appear that the only thing this option does is enable or disable Geofencing notifications. However, I have not tested the Geofencing feature itself. Is Geofencing disabled when this option is turned off (even though it says it is enabled)?

Why would someone want to disable "Background processing"? For example, they're not using Geofencing and want to save battery life? Something else?

[StephenB]

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@bbuttolph wrote:

 It would appear that the only thing this option does is enable or disable Geofencing notifications.

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Correct - it doesn't enable or disable geofencing itself.

Then the option is enabled, you will get a notification when the system transistions from home->away or from away->home.  If it is disabled, the system will still transition, but you won't get notified.

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@bbuttolph wrote:

Why would someone want to disable "Background processing"? For example, they're not using Geofencing and want to save battery life? Something else?

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Background processing isn't just about geofencing.  Processing inbound notifications (alerts and two factor verification) require the app to respond even if the UI isn't open.

Normally it should be left on, though I guess if the phone is running out of battery then you might be willing to turn it off so keep the phone running longer.