:Connection Fail Error on Web Portal

[markvorlando]

Whenever I run the web portal and click the play icon on one of the cameras it gives me a :connection failed error. Works fine in the Phone app. I have tried both Chrome and IE11. Any ideas?

[jguerdat]

When using the problematic browsers, have you tried logging out and back in or even just refreshing the page?

[guidodg]

I also cannot access the live view from any of my browsers or Macs...only works from the iPhone app...any ideas?

[jguerdat]

While it's possible that the web site was having problems, it seems more likely that something about the computer(s) and/or network is the issue. WHen using the app, was it on cell service or WiFi? If WiFi, the same network as the computers? Is the network from home or work (work networks frequently cause issues)? Did you try restarting your router and computer?

[ukoda]

So by "problematic browsers" you mean Firefox, Chome and that Microsoft one?  Which browsers are not problematic, lynx?

As for reseting routers, I don't have any.  My fibre connection terminates at my server and my workstation connects to that.  The server is rock solid, never needs rebooted and I am not about to do that for one broken website when there are hundred of other websites working just fine.

This community forum is hosted by Net Gear, does any of their staff actually read it?  It is about 2 years past due to stop blaming users and their hardware/software and accept the fact that there is a real bug with the Net Gear web based live feed software and fix it.

[jguerdat]

For the problematic browsers, I simply meant the ones that aren't working. Most browsers will work well, including FF, Chrome "and that Microsoft one."

You sound like you have things well-customized beyond what the typical home user has. Given that, it would seem that you have something configured that's blocking access to the Arlo servers. BitDefender has been a problem in the past but pretty much anything that's customized beyond typical settings could cause this. Specifically, arlo.netgear.com needs ports 80, 123 and 443 to be open for the web access to work.

You didn't answer all my questions above so any response is limited due to incomplete information.

[ukoda]

I don't have any Anti-virus software on any of my machines.  I do use UBlock to protect my browser, Firefox 56.0 64bit, but already disabled it for the Arlo website.  My home network does not block any outgoing connections.  Is the website needing incoming ports opened?  If so what ports are they and what methods does it use to open a hole in the firewall?  Like most Linux PCs it used IPTables, if you have a rule I sould add to it let me know.

Currently I am travelling but I have the same problem.  I could phone reception but I doubt the Hilton are going to reboot their systems just for me.  I would have thought frequent travellers would be prime target customers, you advice is little help to them.

It does beg the question how can the router or network be a fault if the same devices are working fine with Andriod devices.  Is the web software using different ports from the Android app?

I see you still passing the buck to me for not "answer all my questions above".  There is now 80 posts above, please tell me exactly what question you need answered in order for the issue to be addressed without buck passing?

[jguerdat]

---

ukoda wrote:

I don't have any Anti-virus software on any of my machines.  I do use UBlock to protect my browser, Firefox 56.0 64bit, but already disabled it for the Arlo website.  My home network does not block any outgoing connections.  Is the website needing incoming ports opened?  If so what ports are they and what methods does it use to open a hole in the firewall?  Like most Linux PCs it used IPTables, if you have a rule I sould add to it let me know.

---

It's outgoing ports that need to be open - the base is contacting the servers.

---

---

Currently I am travelling but I have the same problem.  I could phone reception but I doubt the Hilton are going to reboot their systems just for me.  I would have thought frequent travellers would be prime target customers, you advice is little help to them.

It's not clear what you're saying here - "I could phone reception". It's also not clear whether you're using a computer or a phone and, if a phone, whether you're on cell service or hotel network. The need for clear details is important for anyone's advice to be useful.

---

It does beg the question how can the router or network be a fault if the same devices are working fine with Andriod devices.  Is the web software using different ports from the Android app?

Same ports.

---

---

I see you still passing the buck to me for not "answer all my questions above".  There is now 80 posts above, please tell me exactly what question you need answered in order for the issue to be addressed without buck passing?

The ones about 4 or 5 posts up. It turns out that it was to a different user than you (sorry about that) but remain the same. No buck passing needed, just full information.

[nanreid]

 I;m having the same issue with playing live video on webportal, 100% fail on all cameras while android phone app works fine. Must be netgear's server /app issue. 

[Justin_F]

Do you have a VPN enabled?

[nanreid]

VPN was disabled when failed. Just tried it again with VPN enabled, now it works! althrough the wait time is quite long - like a minute or 2. Not convinced that enable VPN has anything to do with the issue. The success could be just because it's different time and server load has lightened. 

[Justin_F]

I'm not sure if it is the VPN or not; I receive the timeout when my VPN is enabled. The definitely need to fix it. At work, the VPN keeps my cameras from displaying and that is when I need them the most. Hopefully you have a viable workaround for now. 

[nanreid]

It worked at my workplace when I tried this morning, not using VPN since was on company network.

[ukoda]

VPN or no VPN, home, company or hotel network is all irrelevant. TCP/IP is TCP/IP. The single most important fact being ignored here is phones on the same network work and web browsers do not. That means it is not the network, full stop end of discussion.

People are reporting the problem with multiple browsers on multiple Oses which means it is not the browsers, full stop end of discussion.

The problem is with Net Gear’s servers/back end. They need to step up, accept responsibility and fix it. This is not rocket science, the process is simple:

- Reproduce the problem, that should not be hard given the large number of complains.

- Investigate the failure to determine the cause.

- Fix the cause.

- Test.

- Release.

Now I have told Net Gear the basics why can they simply stop making lame excuses and get on with fixing it, seriously guys this situation sucks!

[jguerdat]

When you start messing around with the network (including VPNs), you take responsibility for figuring out how to fix it. If it works on any one network but not on yours, it's your problem, not Netgear's.

[ukoda]

With all due respect you are wrong.  I never 'mucked around' with the network at the office or or hotels.  Are you saying it is ok that while not home, when I want Arlo working the most, that I should hassle the network provider at my location to 'fix' their network when every other Internet service is working fine?

[Justin_F]

I don't work for ARLO. My comments are merely speculation. It's definitely something wrong on ARLO's end, I just offered you a workaround because they don't seem to be fixing the problem. They are using AES128 encryption on each video stream. I'm not sure if they have safeguards in place to combat man-in-the-middle attacks which would explain why my VPN can't be used. I have 15 cameras on my account, so it's a lot of data and processing, but I can usually get the feed through my mobile device with no problem.

[ukoda]

Sorry if my comments seemed personal or agresive. The recurring theme here is phones work fine and browsers don’t. With 90+ posts in this thread, many from experinced network users, and no constructive feedback from Net Gear some of us are venting our fustrations at apparently being ignored.

[jguerdat]

---

ukoda wrote:

With all due respect you are wrong.  I never 'mucked around' with the network at the office or or hotels.  Are you saying it is ok that while not home, when I want Arlo working the most, that I should hassle the network provider at my location to 'fix' their network when every other Internet service is working fine?

---

No, I'm saying that if it works anywhere but not in other places it's not a Netgear issue. Use of a VPN can certainly cause issues as can a myriad of other issues.  Folks with ISP-owned routers have had to get the ISP to open ports - that can happen at other locations, too. A hotel likely has no idea what's needed to properly connect to Arlo's servers and we can't make them change things.

If something isn't working in any particular location, users need to be creative as to how to work around it.

Edit: just saw this post as an example:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo/Still-unable-to-connect-to-internet/m-p/1457247#M46111

[ukoda]

It is 2017, not 1990.  It is not a user's job to 'get creative' and open ports to access a web base service, that is a clear sign of a defective design.  Now I might agree with you if it was a case of blocked port but there is two problems with that.

1. After 90+ posts no one from from Net Gear has said a specific port needs to be open.
2. I have have no blocked ports on my my Internet service.

I would still argue that my phone works and since it is on the same network IT CAN NOT BE MY NETWORK!

[RobotPsykolog]

I feel it is extremely ignorant of NetGear not being more involved in this thread than they have been.

I also totally agree with ukoda that there is a problem on the web access from computer when it is no problem from the phone app!

I bought my system for three days ago and right away, I had problems on my home network to connect to cameras. Phone worked fine. Now Im at work network and phone works fine with mobile data off and only company network. Computer is not able to connect to cameras ": connection failed". As already mentioned, it is extremely low information.

It should really be taken care of from Netgears side, those cameras is really expensive and they should really work harder to fix this issue!

I cant understand why Netgear employeed not showing in here and aswer to the questions but let users ask from own knowledge! This is a real problem!

As everybody else that has this issue, I have tried a lot of web browsers and the same error. Also reinstalled flash and made changes to flash with the fiew tips in here. No result.

Netgear, fix it!

[RobotPsykolog]

I opened a service case with Netgear.

I got this list of what to look at:

https://kb.arlo.com/000039099/Why-can-t-I-see-Arlo-video-streams-from-a-web-browser

Maybe this will help someone, but didnt help me. I dont understand why Netgear themself hasnt presented those tips in here before.

But because it works from phone, I think those tips is not very useful.

[jguerdat]

Virtually every suggestion in that KB article has been posted in the forum multiple times by myself. And then there's all the other folks who have done the same. It may require multiple searches or lots of reading to see them so the FAQs/KB articles are an excellent place to start. Unfortunately, an awful lot of people who post here never use any resources presented here - they will post just below a solution has been presented.

Thanks for bringing this up and pointing to the KB. Maybe others will see this thread and find solutions on their own, too.

[RobotPsykolog]

Hi jguerdat.

I have read the whole thread and havnt found a real solution for this problem and I really cant see any solution in this pasting either. But I put it there because it got from Netgear.

[ukoda]

That link is not useful.  Most of the points suggested, such camera battery levels and signal stength would affect phone users so clearly are not relevant.  The only relevant item was ports 80 and 443 be open.  The direction is not specified but outgoing is assumed by me.  If those two ports are not open the browsing of many sites would be affected.  The only exception would be people using http/https proxies which would not be average users but rather users in China or on locked down business networks.

In the case of my browser it is a single hop thru my server to access the unfilter Internet and I know the firewall on that server well as set up the iptables rules myself.

Please never provide that link again to users who report their phones work and web browsers don't, it is wasting their time.

Can we please please please have someone from Netgear actually investigate the issue?  It is real and it is annoying several users.