Batteries changed now camera will not sync

[longedge]

I have a single camera setup. I got an email to say the camera batteries were going flat so I have bought more and put some new ones in. The camera now absolutely refuses to re-sync. I have 1. powered down the router. 2. Reset the router by pressing the reset button. 3. Logged in to my account and from there re-booted the router. It is detected and connected. My account shows it with all the correct settings e.g. time-zone. I'm happy that is working as it should.

When I try to sync my camera I first press the sync button on the router. The camera light on the router flashes and I then press the sync button on the camera and the blue light on the camera flashes.

What happens now varies. Sometimes the camera light flashes orange. Sometimes the camera light flashes and stays blue but then goes out. The end result is that the camera is not detected and in my account it shows as "Your device is not connected."

I don't know what to try now???

[JamesC]

longedge,

Consider removing the camera from your account (Settings > My Devices > click the affected camera > Remove Device). After removing the device, power cycle the camera by opening and closing the battery compartment door and attempt the sync again.

Please let me know if you continue experiencing this issue!

JamesC

[longedge]

Hi and thanks for the reply. I've tried both suggestions several times to no avail. I've raised a support ticket now so hopefully I'll get the problems resolved one way or the other.

I have to say that while I've been trying to re-sync the camera, I've been surprised by how many people have the same or similar issues to mine. It's tarnished my view of the camera rather. I was thinking about buying another 1 or possibly 2 cameras but I can do without the potential hassle every few months. This is my first set of new batteries. I suppose there must be lots of people out there who haven't had a problem but it's left an impression on me that I'll find hard to shake off.

p.s. Just by way of explanation, I currently have no cameras showing on my account. Having power cycled the camera, when trying to sync I sometimes get a slow flashing blue light that eventually stops, I have had a slow flashing blue light that flashed rapidly then stopped but the camera didn't appear on my account which still said no device attached and sometimes I get a flashing amber light (I've just about run out of hair to pull out )

[JamesC]

longedge,

Please continue working with the support team on this issue. Please let us know the results of your ticket once a resolution has been reached!

Thank you,

JamesC

[longedge]

Yes sure. I spent an hour on live chat today basically repeating everything I'd already done, but to no avail. It's now been escalated and I'm waiting for a reply to that.

[longedge]

The conclusion is that the camera has been returned under RMA for replacement. Left me wondering whether I have just been unlucky or whether I'm going to have more problems in future. As I said before, I was going to add another camera or two but I'm looking at a hard wired solution now.

[jguerdat]

I've had a camera replaced but all the others are fine.  Unlucky?  Perhaps.  Stuff happens.  These, along with virtually everything else manufactured today in most industries, are complex and fail.  I had Hondas that were very reliable with few mintenance issues but newer ones with more bells and whistles haven't proven as maintenance free.  Who knows what's gonna fail next?  A wired system can fail, too...

[longedge]

That's very true and I'd say exactly the same thing myself thinking logically but the experience has just made it's mark on me. There must be 1000's of perfectly happy users - wish I was one of them .

[Schorschi]

Yeah, the repeated problems being reported by the users has me baffled.

I've had my system since mid-December and the only problems I've had since then was that notification outage one night in mid-February, a couple of “fabric“ error messages, videos not showing in the library under Android because of a one-to-many rules definition (which has since been fixed with the latest app update) and perhaps one or two delayed or missed notification emails. But other than that the system has been working flawlessly for me.

So, except for that one night in February, I've not suffered any severe outages.

Of course, as a user it's impossible to gauge what failure rate Arlo has as a whole, ie. how many devices have legitimately failed (whether by hardware or software, the latter due to inept programming leading to a system overload).

Some of the issues reported are due to operator failure, incompatible devices (Arlo base station with router), weak signals, but again, impossible to gauge as an end user.

So, whether Netgear is doing a poor job as some users have complained or expressed, I cannot judge.

To me the system has been quite impressive, ridiculously easy to install, highly reliable, a little clunky in the UI in some areas (but workable), certainly improveable; overall I'm quite the happy customer.

I look forward to finding out what features Arlo will offer in the future, which user suggestions Netgear will pick up and implement and what new hardware might be released (external sensors, anyone?).

[longedge]

I was just 'dipping my toe in' really to see whether it's a useable system for my limited requirements. A single camera that failed on me first time I changed the batteries. I'm certain mine isn't the typical user experience though. I've only scratched the surface re setting up of rules etc. but I have to say I did find it a bit clunky. Think I'll reserve judgement until I have to change the batteries in my replacement camera.

[longedge]

This has just about reduced me to a gibbering idiot!!

The replacement camera arrived and I set about trying to sync it but all I could get was flashing amber light on the camera. I re-booted my whole system again, modem, router, base station and still no luck. So I removed my base station from my account and then couldn't get it to detect. I did a factory reset on the base station and then it was added back into my account straightaway.

Now I've just tried syncing the camera again and again all I am getting is flashing amber light. What have I done to deserve this!!!

I'm on the verge of giving up unless someone can suggest something elese to try. I have tried syncing the camera further away (3-5 feet) from the base station than the manual says.

[jguerdat]

Do you have a second camera to try? That may give you a clue. Open and close the battery door to reset the camera. It's possible the camera has bad firmware caused by an incomplete upload but that's caused by opening the battery door while updating. Search for the procedure to reset the camera via USB - that may help as a last gasp.

[Schorschi]

Factory resetting a wireless camera is described in the following posting:

• Camera off line

HTH.

[longedge]

I'll give it a try - nothing to lose.

I said in my last post that all I could get was an amber flashing light. That was not quite correct. What I get consistently is -

1. Single blue light when powering up.

2. Slow flashing blue light when I press the sync button

3. Finally faster flashing amber light.

What surprises me is that this is with the replacement camera right out of the box. Might be a re-furb with an existing defect I suppose.

From what I've read the flashing amber light is indicative of the camera being too far away but I tried it both with the base station and camera a foot apart and also with them about 4 feet apart. I've even tried the base station in an ethernet port at the other side of the house in case local interference was the cause. Anyway I'll update this in due course.

[longedge]

That has not worked.

I connected to the USB port as described and the camera light flashed blue once and then started flashing a little quicker and alternate amber and blue. This for about 1 minute and then the light went out. I then tried a sync. Pressed the base station button briefly and got flashing green light. Then pressed camera sync and got flasshing blue light for 15-20 seconds and then faster flashing amber light.

The base station is showing in my browser when I connect to my account and just to make sure that it's working, I have done a restart of the base station by clicking in the browser. It triggered a restart which went normally.

The only other thing I can think of is battery condition. Although they are brand new, batteries that I put in, I have opened another pack and put another new set in but to no avail. My son-in-law is coming round later and he's got a multi meter. I'll double check what the batteries are putting out.

[jguerdat]

Maybe it's a bad base station.  Very odd. It sounds like you purchased this recently - are you still within the store's exchange period?  Maybe you can get them to swap the whole system.

[longedge]

Not purchased recently - October 14th last year. All was fine until I had to change the batteries. Obviously guaranteed for a year but i don't have any original packaging. I think I'll try updating my support ticket and see what the outcome is.

[longedge]

The problem is not the batteries. They are all putting 3.2 volts out.

[longedge]

Does anybody know how long support usually take to respond to a support ticket? The last entry was that I did not need to do anything further and that it was being escalated.

[jguerdat]

I think it varies.  You might want to try a chat or a phone call to push it along.

[longedge]

Just to draw a line under this thread, I have given up and have returned the system to my supplier against a full refund.

[baiao]

I bought the 4 camera system,VMS3430, one camera lost device connection , tried for 2 hours to re-sync the camera with all the wonderful support on this forum,but I  will take this back to BEST BUY for refund.This is NUTZ!

Not even one month old??

[jguerdat]

I understand your frustration but you do have some choices besides returning it for refund.  The store may allow you to swap with a new system (or even just a camera if you're really persuasive) as well as a trouble ticket for an RMA.  One dead camera is frustrating but there are ways to deal with it.

[longedge]

Before finallyt throwing in the towel I received a replacement camera under RMA. To give due, the RMA procedure was swift and faultless - unfortunately the new camera was worse than the original . The first one did flash blue sometimes but the replacement showed nothing but amber!!

[baiao]

Thank you for the reply, I was hoping for one more miracle before I returned the $499 system. I got another set of fresh batteries

Blue flashing light stopped and the camera was able to sync with base.

All is back to normal!