Cameras have lost sync

[someToast]

I set up a new three-camera Arlo system last night and it was working fine (except for one camera that won’t initiate a sync, which Netgear is replacing).

This morning, the Arlo app shows the last captured image at 7:00 am. Around 9:00 I moved the cameras to a different room and reopened the app. The cameras didn’t update and eventually read “Offline.” I tried moving a camera right next to the base station (whose camera LED was off) with no change. I tried resyncing a camera and got the rapid flashing amber failure light.

Based on another thread with a similar problem, I did a factory reset on the base station. The cameras still won't sync and the Arlo app has lost contact with the base station (Settings > Base Station Settings is stuck on “Getting Info”).

So now I’m stuck. An inauspicious beginning.

[someToast]

Of course, the solution comes after writing up the issue. 

After deactiving the base station from the app, one more power cycle, and reactivating, I was able to resync the cameras. Hopefully having to strip everything down to square one won’t have to be a daily thing.

[Hula_Rock]

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someToast wrote:

Of course, the solution comes after writing up the issue. 

After deactiving the base station from the app, one more power cycle, and reactivating, I was able to resync the cameras. Hopefully having to strip everything down to square one won’t have to be a daily thing.

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there in nothing like mounting your cameras with a ladder, teathering the cameras to protect it from gravity only having to undo what you just did to resync you cameras.  I did it 6 times in three days, its a learning curver for sure.

[TomMac]

 didnt know u were into Quadrature Phase Shift Keying

[someToast]

Now my wife can no longer connect to the system.

She is set up as the primary and I’m down as a “friend” with administrative privileges. When I reset the system this morning, it was from my account. She sees the old 7:00 am stills from the cameras and Settings > Subscription > Base Stations show 1 supported and 0 connected. Tapping “Add a Base Station” gives the message about not finding a base station.

I’m worried now that I’ve crossed the streams by doing the reset this morning from a “friend” account, but I really don’t want to have to go through the entire set up procedure a third time in less than a day.

[someToast]

I reset the system. Again. This time from my wife’s primary account.

Interestingly, after re-pairing the cameras, they came back up with their old names and the old 7:00 am stills. We also regained access to yesterday evening’s recordings. (What happens to the recordings from today? They’re lost to the ether.)

There’s a definite flaw in the way multiple accounts are handled. Why have the option to allow admin access for a friend account when actually doing admin-level tasks with that account causes a weird access split? (Oooh… idea for getting around the 1GB storage limit: Reset the base station once a week and fork off a new admin friend account. )

So here’s where we’re left: My “friend” account can view the cameras, though settings show no connected base stations and no connected cameras (bonus: this has the side-effect of removing the “BUY CAMERAS!” ad from the home screen). My wife’s primary account, after working for about 20 minutes, now shows both cameras as offline.

I’m starting to be glad I didn’t throw away the original packaging.

[Hula_Rock]

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TomMac wrote:

 didnt know u were into Quadrature Phase Shift Keying

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Not many people know what that is unless you are in the industry.  GOOD CATCH !!!!

MTSO Switch Engineer CCSP, Advanced Technical Support,  Layer 2-3 switching, .

[Hula_Rock]

"I’m starting to be glad I didn’t throw away the original packaging"

YOU and me both,.....................

[trevick]

I wish I kept my original packaging.  It's too late to return this.  This is one of the worst purchases I have ever made.

My base station keeps losing sync with my cameras and they are in the same room.

A power cycle will occasionally allow them to sync, such that I can see them on the web portal and see that the batteries are full, etc., but it always loses sync after a day or so and the web portal starts reporting that the cameras are offline again.

This is simply ridiculous.

[Hula_Rock]

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trevick wrote:

I wish I kept my original packaging.  It's too late to return this.  This is one of the worst purchases I have ever made.

My base station keeps losing sync with my cameras and they are in the same room.

A power cycle will occasionally allow them to sync, such that I can see them on the web portal and see that the batteries are full, etc., but it always loses sync after a day or so and the web portal starts reporting that the cameras are offline again.

This is simply ridiculous.

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I CANNOT BELEIVE I AM DOING THIS......... believe me, I still have serious reservations about the system.

Here is one thing you can do to see if you can improve you sync problem:

ONE thing that Netgear does very well is Wireless Connectivity (It blows my mind that they have connectivity issues with this Arlo system)

Unless you have a $50,000 spectrum analyzer, Netgear makes a free app called "Wifi Analytics"  This app takes a sample of the Wifi channels currently in use in your area, so it picks up your house, your neighbors house, basically anything in range.  The good thing about this app is that it will suggest the best channel to use.  Once you find the best channel, log into your personal Wifi system and change it to that channel.  

A bit of a side note,  You will also see your Alro system when the app scans the area, interesting enough it uses the same channel as your personnal Wifi channel and a WLAN channel to talk to the cameras (e.g. 157)

Once you change the channel, POWER CYCLE your Arlo system, it may need a "kick" to re-aquire the new Wifi Channel.  GOOD LUCK.

[TomMac]

If you have a Kindle... free app WIFI analyzer does the same thing...

nice visual of channels. Plus other options.

Pick a channel and see signal strength as you move around for best placement.

What is usu found is most will hit on 1-6-11 as used channels ( most defaults ) but signal can overlap the 2 outer adjacent channels too due to bandwidth.

Dropping you router into a empty channel space as best fit with low side interference allows for max range.

[trevick]

Well, thanks for that. I hope your suggestion works for someone. But in my case, I'm too far away from my neighbors to pick up their networks, and my cameras are in the same room as the router and Arlo base station, with 100% signal. 

[silverballlz200]

Thanks for your comments, It's a relief to know someone is having the same trouble with these cameras. But,all in all,I think they are pretty good,I have 40 % operational.

I took a leaf from your book and avoided the ladder scenario.

cheers,

Silver.