Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras

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iSage
Luminary
Luminary

- Been having problems with my ARLO Wireless cameras (VMC3030), the ARLO app and even when pulling up the cameras on my computer browser,  for several hours now.
- I have 3 original ARLO Wireless cameras and 1 ARLO Q.
- The original wireless cams did send me Push Alerts earlier this morning (I'm on the east coast of the US) when I left my home, yet the emails notifications as well as the videos in my Library were all delayed (though the count for how many videos there should be was correct, even though it took quite some time for those videos to finally show up!)
- For the last hour or so, the only camera I can go live with is my indoor ARLO Q - my 3 wireless cameras keep showing GETTING STATUS, no matter how long I wait. This is happening not only with my ARLO app on both my iPhone as well as my iPad, but even when using my PC desktop computer browser.
- On the rare occasion I actually get the LIVE buttons for each of the 3 wireless cameras, clicking any one of those 3 LIVE buttons automatically (like within a split second!) produces an error message, such as "Your device failed to connect to the media server".
- Additionally, there are NO icons for any of my wireless cameras (wireless icon, battey icon, or motion icon).
- I have a neighbor 4 houses down from me who is reporting the same exact problems.

- I have restarted my base station, and also signed out of the app (on both my devices)then signed back in,  as well as signed out on the computer browser and signed back in, all to no avail. 

- And as of the past 30 minuters or so, none of the 3 cameras are detecting and reporting any motion at all 😞
--Since I'm not the only one and it doesn't appear to be coming from my end, is there a problem with the ARLO servers today whicjh is causing this??

Thanks for any info and help.
~Susan

34 REPLIES 34
JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

iSage,

 

I am not able to replicate the issues you're describing. Are you able to produce manual recordings?

 

Are you still seeing this behavior?

 

JamesC

iSage
Luminary
Luminary

JamesC wrote:

iSage,

 

I am not able to replicate the issues you're describing. Are you able to produce manual recordings?

 

Are you still seeing this behavior?

 

JamesC


 

   As of late last night, the problem with the constant "Getting Status" and not detecting motion on ANY of my 3 ARLO wireless cameras, seemed to have resolved itself - to a point.

   Strange that my ARLO Q camera had no problems with status or detecting motion at all, even though all 4 of my cameras are on the same wireless connections.

   And as I also explained, my neighbor several doors down from me also had the *SAME* *EXACT* problems with his wireless cams, even though he uses a different cable company than I, different type of modem and wi-fi router than I, and even has a different cell phone provider than I do (we were both getting the "Getting Status" message on our wireless cameras when we tried connecting the ARLO app via our different wireless connections as well as our different cell phone connections, as well as using a web browser, as well as the cameras not detecting motion for several hours yesterday.)

   When it finally started working for me, I would get the Push notification right away on both my iPad and iPhone, and the number count would increase in my Library, BUT - the email notifications were up to 5 HOURS late, and so were the video clips in the Library, even though as I mentioned previously, the COUNT in the Library as well as the count for each camera were correct!  This is behavior I have not encountered before.

    So, clearly something was going on because my cameras were acting "wonky" in various ways for the majority of yesterday. Clearly the same problem was experienced by a neighbor as I explained, though his "Getting Status" problems didn't clear up until early this morning for him, while mine resolved last night.

   With all due respect James, more often than not, whenever I have posted here over the past 18 months, I seem to usually get the same reply, such as "..can't be duplicated on our end". 

 

   Maybe you nor any other mod can duplicate the same problem, but that doesn't mean the problem doesn't exist to me - the customer, or any other customer. Could be the part of the country (US, east coast) I'm in, the Netgear server I'm tied into, etc., etc.

    The fact that my neighbor had the SAME EXACT problems as I did yesterday (5/16/17), with the same ARLO original wireless cameras, even though he has a different cable provider than me, as well as a different cell phone provider than me, etc., etc., tells me the problem was at Netgear's end, not mine, and not my neighbor's.

   Adding to the fact that my ARLO Q camera had NO problems whatsoever, one would have to naturally assume that the problem is NOT on the customers' end, even though you yourself couldn't duplicate the problem.

manfredz
Hero
Hero

am puzzled that both your and your nighbour's system suggests more than at your end but that same wasn't reported by many others is then puzzling.  Only thing that comes to mind as a possible explanation is a partial internet hickup somewhere along a common pipeline that both carriers use (a total outage you would have noticed).

Maybe someone has a more likely explanation?

iSage
Luminary
Luminary

manfredz wrote:

am puzzled that both your and your nighbour's system suggests more than at your end but that same wasn't reported by many others is then puzzling.  Only thing that comes to mind as a possible explanation is a partial internet hickup somewhere along a common pipeline that both carriers use (a total outage you would have noticed).

Maybe someone has a more likely explanation?



   Hi manfredz,

       If what you suggested ("partial internet hickup") was the case, then I would assume my ARLO Q camera wouldn't have worked at all either, yet it did, all day, with no problems at all. Got all Push Notifications, emails notifications, and video clips in the Library on time for the ARLO Q, and no error messages whatsoever.  The ARLO Q has it's own power and doesn't run on batteries, but is on the same internet/wi-fi/cell phone connection as my 3 wireless cameras that didn't work. 

    I've had so many troubles and variable problems (starting at week 2!), with the wireless cameras ever since I bought them 18 months ago, that nothing surprises me any more. 

manfredz
Hero
Hero

you're right.  that leaves only your wifi hickupped, but because it happed to a second person at same time, rules that explanation out.  maybe someone else has an idea of what could be cause.

iSage
Luminary
Luminary

manfredz wrote:

you're right.  that leaves only your wifi hickupped, but because it happed to a second person at same time, rules that explanation out.  maybe someone else has an idea of what could be cause.


 

     Not only happened to a 2nd person (my neighbor, on a different cable company wi-fi as well as cell phone company), but as I mentioned, my ARLO Q camera worked perfectly all day. My ARLO Q is also connected to the same base station as my 3 wireless cameras, on the same wi-fi network, yet it was the only camera that produced no errors, sent push and email notifications as well as video clips on time, and its Status and LIVE buttons were always available whether I brought it up on my iPhone app, iPad app (either via wi-fi or cell phone connection), as well as on my dekstop computer's web browsers. 

    In case anyone thinks it might be the batteries, that's definitely not it either - two of my wireless cameras had fresh batteries installed last week (one camera is at 98% and the other at 96%), and my third camera is at 82%.  My neighbor told me yesterday he replaced all his batteries thinking that might be the problem with his cameras, but to no avail for him.

 

iSage
Luminary
Luminary

Still wonky.
Just received a Push alert for one of my wireless cameras - yet, still NO email alert, and the video is not in the library
And about 25 minutes ago (at 6:10pm ET), I received the email alert as well as the video clip for motion that was detected at 4:25pm ET - close to 2 HOURS later!
I guess it beats one from yesterday morning that came over 5 hours later!

"Security" cams?? I think not.
And PLEASE James - don't tell me that you can't reproduce the problem on YOUR end. Thanks

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

iSage,

 

I understand the issue you're experiencing is frustrating, I didn't intend for my comment to point any blame on you as the customer by suggesting that I am not able to produce the same results. I tested many hours after your post was made so I had no way of knowing if you were still experiencing the issue or not.

 

That being said, I am not aware of any server issues at the moment but will escalate this topic and post an update if I am able to gather an explanation.

 

Is this happening for all of your detection events/alerts or are some behaving normally with others being delayed? Again, i'm simply trying to understand this issue better as I am not experiencing it.

 

JamesC

iSage
Luminary
Luminary

JamesC wrote:

iSage,

 

...Is this happening for all of your detection events/alerts or are some behaving normally with others being delayed? Again, i'm simply trying to understand this issue better as I am not experiencing it.

 

JamesC


    STILL happening! It is now 7:20pm ET, and the last email notification as well as the last video clip on my Library are time-stamped at almost 3 hours ago at 4:25pm ET.

   And there has been two times that motion has been detected since then, as I got the Push notifications for each one when I passed the camera on my Front door and the one on my Garage door (both over an hour ago). Got the Push, but no email and no video clips.

   I just give up at this point. Going to most likely follow my neighbor's lead and buy a whole complete different security system, because I see even after 18 months of frustration and reports, and messages, etc., etc., there are still the same inherent problems with these wireless cameras.  I just wish Netgear would address all these problems instead of constantly pushing out new cameras. <sigh>

terrier412
Guide
Guide
I'm having the same problem. Started about 3:45pm ET. Push notifications, but no clips in my library since then. So SICK of this system.
terrier412
Guide
Guide

Can someone from Arlo/Netgear please address this? I am having the same problem as the other poster in this thread. There is at least one other post about this. My cameras are not recording, myarlo says "getting status" for each camera, but I am getting push notifications. What is the problem?

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

terrier412,

 

I have escalated this issue as described above. Do you eventually receive the recordings (the user above receives them but they are very delayed) or do they never appear?

 

JamesC

iSage
Luminary
Luminary

James,

 

   If the cameras are "stuck" on GETTING STATUS, then they are totally useless - they will NOT detect motion, therefore there will be NO Push alerts, NO Email alerts and NO Video clips in the library - period! You also cannot view LIVE, nor can you take a manual photo.

  So far today, again, I am getting not only the email notifications and video clips VERY LATE, but now even the PUSH notifications are quite late as well (several hours!)

  I am SO HAPPY to see others posting the SAME EXACT problems, ONLY because then it doesn't appear to you or anyone else at Netgear that I am making this stuff up, even when you cannot replicate the same problem on your end - wherever that may be.

   As I pointed out previously, I'm on the east coast of the US, in the state of Pennsylvania. I'd be curious to know if those reports that are now trickling in, are from people from the same area of the country as me, because it sounds like a server problem. Assuming Netgear has more than one server for the enitre US, it might just be a problem with the server I'm on as well as the others who have so far reported in this thread as well. <shrug>

  

terrier412
Guide
Guide
James, they never appear.
AlexaSJC
Initiate
Initiate
I am having the exact same problem.
terrier412
Guide
Guide
Is this problem EVER going to be addressed? My Arlo cameras have not worked (no video) for more than 48 hours. Will someone from Netgear do something about this, or do I have to start registering complaints with my state attorney general's office and the consumer reporters at my local news stations. Because I have spend a lot of money for a security system that DOES NOT WORK, and this REEKS of scam to me.
JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

terrier412,

 

I have escalated this topic to engineering for further investigation. If you are never receiving library content I encourage you to contact the Arlo Support Team to open a case and further investigate this issue. You will find several options for contacting support in the provided link. If you have any additional questions/concerns feel free to private message me. I would be happy to help.

 

JamesC

Mbjwestie
Aspirant
Aspirant
I just bought my Arlo system. I am having some of the same issues as above. This system received high marks. Very concerned about delayed notifications, non working camera and error messages. "This arlo device is offline
I did attempt to contact support for several hours and each time received a message that no one was available.
I have 3 cameras and can only get 2 to work. I have only had the system 4 days. Keeps saying I have read all the messages and need help from a live person.
ScottJackson
Aspirant
Aspirant
Same problem as OP here. I'm in the UK.
iSage
Luminary
Luminary

JamesC wrote:

 

 "..I have escalated this topic to engineering for further investigation. .."


 

   And, what has happened since??

  Nothing, I'm guessing, because here it is once again, days later, new reports are still trickling in, and I'm STILL getting email notifications as well as the accompanying video clips HOURS later!  Just got a slew from between 3:45pm ET and 3:56pm ET at 6:15pm ET. I received the Push alert from SOME of them, and some of them are still missing.  Still also getting error messages or that dreaded "Getting Status" message that I originally reported about when I started this topic/thread days ago.

  Someone could have come and literally walked off with my entire house and all its contents, and I wouldn't have known until HOURS and HOURS later... if at all!     @ @

  No need to reply James - think of this as a rhetorical question at this point. <sigh>

DanniS
Aspirant
Aspirant

I'm having the same problem in Kansas, it's been going on since 6/16. I get push notifications  but I can't access any video on any device.  Any ideas?


iSage wrote:

- Been having problems with my ARLO Wireless cameras (VMC3030), the ARLO app and even when pulling up the cameras on my computer browser,  for several hours now.
- I have 3 original ARLO Wireless cameras and 1 ARLO Q.
- The original wireless cams did send me Push Alerts earlier this morning (I'm on the east coast of the US) when I left my home, yet the emails notifications as well as the videos in my Library were all delayed (though the count for how many videos there should be was correct, even though it took quite some time for those videos to finally show up!)
- For the last hour or so, the only camera I can go live with is my indoor ARLO Q - my 3 wireless cameras keep showing GETTING STATUS, no matter how long I wait. This is happening not only with my ARLO app on both my iPhone as well as my iPad, but even when using my PC desktop computer browser.
- On the rare occasion I actually get the LIVE buttons for each of the 3 wireless cameras, clicking any one of those 3 LIVE buttons automatically (like within a split second!) produces an error message, such as "Your device failed to connect to the media server".
- Additionally, there are NO icons for any of my wireless cameras (wireless icon, battey icon, or motion icon).
- I have a neighbor 4 houses down from me who is reporting the same exact problems.

- I have restarted my base station, and also signed out of the app (on both my devices)then signed back in,  as well as signed out on the computer browser and signed back in, all to no avail. 

- And as of the past 30 minuters or so, none of the 3 cameras are detecting and reporting any motion at all 😞
--Since I'm not the only one and it doesn't appear to be coming from my end, is there a problem with the ARLO servers today whicjh is causing this??

Thanks for any info and help.
~Susan


 

iSage
Luminary
Luminary

DanniS wrote:

I'm having the same problem in Kansas, it's been going on since 6/16. I get push notifications  but I can't access any video on any device.  Any ideas?



Hi Danni,

    It's been over one month since I originally posted and started this topic thread back on 5/16/17, and things have actually gotten WORSE, and not better at all.
    It's now a 50/50 crap-shoot as to whether I get timely Push Alerts on any of my devices (iPhone and 2 different iPads), as well as the Email notifications and Video clips in the Library.
   I most often get the Push Alerts in the MIDDLE of THE NIGHT now, for motion that was detected HOURS and HOURS earlier (some were up to 12 HOURS late!) - motion that happened during daylight hours, with alerts now waking up me up from out of a sound sleep. 
   Strange how SOME alerts will come through immediately, then some don't (those are the ones that come hours later), followed by others that are on time. With NO Push alerts, and NO Emails, and NO video clips showing exactly what set a camera off, it's truly like not having any security cameras/system at all. 
  Wish I could tell you something positive, but I've given up on this, and apparently so has NETGEAR, because all the talk of  "...escalating this topic to engineering for further investigation. ..." seems to be just that - all talk, because NOTHING has been resolved, and has actually gotten so much worse, while NETGEAR pushes out new products and sends me emails about those new products, but still haven't resolved the problems with these ARLO cameras and the notifications/video clips.

manfredz
Hero
Hero

If my assumption is correct, its hard to pinpoint because it isn't happening to many/much.  I've had the occasional time when I've had it happen besides when there were server issues, butt 99% of my notifications come through in a minute or three.  Assume that's also what most experience

iSage
Luminary
Luminary

manfredz wrote:

If my assumption is correct, its hard to pinpoint because it isn't happening to many/much.  I've had the occasional time when I've had it happen besides when there were server issues, butt 99% of my notifications come through in a minute or three.  Assume that's also what most experience


  Mine USED to work like that, but not for several weeks now 😞

  And a neighbor on the same block as me, with the same exact cameras, but a different cable/wi-fi provider and a different wireless/cell phone provider, is having the same problems.

  Thinking it might be a regional thing (I'm in northeast Pennsylvania), I asked my son who lives in central New Jersey and my daughter who lives in southern New York, and they are also experiencing the same.

   But out of the 4 of us that I just mentioned above (myself, my neighbor, my son and my daughter), I'm the only one on these boards reporting it.   Telling them there is so-called strength in numbers, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, etc., makes no difference - they apparently aren't as bothered as I am about these problems, and like my neighbor said - he can't be bothered posting on message boards, though he did try to report it by phone, and for him turned out no-so-well with the phone rep, so he gave up.

   I wonder how many others are out there who are having problems and not reporting them either.