Camera(s) Sync but will NOT connect

[Arlyansor]

Hi All,

Just got my "10 minute install" Arlo security system, and so far I have spent over five hours just trying to get the camera(s) to work.

I have managed to get two of the three cameras to sync, but I cannot get any images from them.  When I look at the cameras either via my phone and app or via browser (Firefox) the cameras all show a green box with the following text:

"Your device is not connected. Make sure it's connected to your router and has a working Internet connection."

Now, I KNOW for a fact that my router has a working internet connection (or else I'm not really typing this... 😉 ) so what else is going wrong?

Arlyansor

[Schorschi]

Try a different browser. Chrome, for instance.

[Arlyansor]

Yeah, no.

Same thing - not connected...

I've checked that port 80 is being allowed by my firewall (it is) as well as all the other regular ports in use today.

If arlo uses something else, then I haven't found it.

One other thing, I have the camera screen open and occasionally one of the cameras will suddenly go live, but when I click on them to have a loock, nothing happens, and then I am advised that the request has timed out.

I must say that so far I am very, very disappointed in this product.  Other than the size of the cameras, not one claim has been correct in my experience thus far.

[jguerdat]

This sounds like it's a connection issue between the cameras and base station.  That could be either a weak signal or interference.  Bring the cameras close to the base and verify that they are connected and work properly.  If they don't, it may be a bad base.  If they do, you may want to consider repositioning the base to a higher location that's centrally located relative to the cameras.  You may need to use a long cable or a WiFi extender to pull this off although some folks have had luck simply rotating the base or moving it slightly.

Do you have any other wirelss devices (doesn't have to be WiFi, just using 2.4GHz) near the base?  Interference from those devices could be causing signal issues between the cameras and base.

Edit:  BTW, you need ports 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS) and 123 (ntp) open to netgear.com.  I don't think that's your issue since you at least occasionally get a connection.

[Arlyansor]

I don't know about a weak signal - even when the cameras were only 30cm away from the base the error still occurred.

As to intereference, the only other device within 2m of the base is my router - the one supplying the wireless signal for the base in the first instance.

I'll try positioning it higher to see if that improves things.

[jguerdat]

Being that close should solve virtually any problem. I think you got a bum unit.  You should be within the store's return policy - have them swap the system.  If you're out of that time period, create a trouble ticket for possible RMA.

[longedge]

I'm in the middle of trying to sort my own broken system out but on the subject of camera to base station distance when syncing, whereas the manual says 1-3 feet, I was asked by support to ensure that the distance was 3-5 feet. It seems that being too close can also be a bad thing.

[CaptainDork]

Your router has an Internet connection, obviously, but does the Base Station have a good connection to the router that's connected directly to the Internet?

Appreciate that the Base Station has got to be able to get directly to the Internet via an RJ45 (wide telephone) network cable.

Try plugging the Base Station network cable directly into open ports on your main router. Try different ports. Some ports can go bad, while others are OK.

Try changing out the Base Station network wire.

The cameras and the Base Station communicate via their own, isolated, wireless channel ... independent of any other wireless you are using.

If the network connection from the Base Station to the Internet is goofy, then you would experience the symptoms you describe.

[longedge]

"but does the Base Station have a good connection to the router that's connected directly to the Internet?"

I don't know if it's the best way of answering this question but fwiw my way of checking is to re-start the base station from within my web browser. Mine always responds as it should and my assumption is that everything must be working as it should.

[jguerdat]

A check of the LEDs on the base, especially the Internet one, would be useful when issues arise. Of course, that doesn't eliminate a flaky base station.

[Henry2057]

I have 4 cameras and we replaced the batteries in one of them and now we can't get the picture to show up on our app. We deleted the camera and tried to re add it. It flashes blue real fast and shows like it is synching but it doesn't show on any of our apps. Please help. Thank you

[jguerdat]

The usual next step is power cycling the base to see if that helps. Also, log out and back into the app/web interface.

[AK62]

I synced all four cameras and they were working. One has since shown offline. I tried charging it with no luck. I removed it on the app and then tried resyncing it. The blue lights blink like it synchs but it still doesn't show up in the app

[jguerdat]

Try power cycling the base.

[countrycorner]

What is power cycling?

[jguerdat]

Off/on.

[spinnin4s]

I have same probelm and error message "Your device is not connected...."  Turned off and on Router, turned off all extenders, Camera blue light blinks rapidly confirming sync-still not picture and same erroe message...any suggestions?

[spinnin4s]

Fixed problem-needed to reboot the base station.