Says my cameras are off-line no Internet connection

[Leemo]

My cameras, all four of them, have just decided to go off-line. when I try to reconnect them. It says it appears you are not connected to the Internet, but my Internet Internet is working.. 

i've tried rebooting my router my hub pressing reset deactivating my cameras, and tried to add them on all over again. Nothing is working. I am beside myself.

Has anybody had this problem and works to fix it? SO FRUSTRATING. 

[Mac187]

Same happened to me 

[JamesC]

Are you still seeing this behavior? Are you able to provide a screenshot of the error you're seeing?

JamesC

[Aileeno0602]

Mine are doing to same thing. 

[Aileeno0602]

I corrected it just now by unplugging the base and plugging it back in. Have had the system for years, not sure why all of a sudden it did this

[trandanengineer]

After 6 months without a solution, almost gave up, I just found out my defective Craftsman garage opener has been interfering with the camera.  After removing the garage opener battery, no more issue with my Arlo camera.  The new updated software that I had been concerning is perfectly fine.

[Mac187]

I will try again when I get home, I had gave up on them.

[trandanengineer]

Craftsman garage opener was Sear’s product.  Sear closed.  Chamberlain now owns this line of product that I just purchased it’s keypad from my local Home Depot.  My ~20 years old garage opener is operating at 315MHz for keypad opener.  Perhaps Arlo used this operating frequency after Sear had sold Craftsman line of product to Chamberlain, which has been causing interference.  Chamberlain names it as a universal garage keypad opener.  When I come home and open my garage door, both the opener keypad and nearby Arlo camera transmitter at the same time, simultaneous transmissions at the same frequency interferes with each other.  After using the Crattsman keypad for about 10 years, the keypad recently acting weard, perhaps it has been transmitting to synchronize with my garage opener to interfere with my Arlo 24/7 for the last 6 months.  Hoping this sharing post can help out all the Arlo users with the same offline issue.  I enjoyed using Arlo for 10 years, only extremely disappointed from these 6 months without a solution.  Arlo is a great product, if no wireless RF interference with Craftsman garage opener security pad.

[trandanengineer]

Perhaps, new Arlo software recently pushed our cameras to use 315MHz, garage opener wireless operating frequency, because I never experienced this RF interference from the last 10 years using Arlo cameras.

[StephenB]

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@trandanengineer wrote:

 My ~20 years old garage opener is operating at 315MHz for keypad opener.  Perhaps Arlo used this operating frequency after Sear had sold Craftsman line of product to Chamberlain,

No. The camera communicates using normal WiFi (2.4 ghz) - not 315 mHz..

More likely the keypad isn't properly shielded (or some component is failing), and is transmitting RF noise.

[trandanengineer]

The keypad cannot be shielded because it needs to communicate with the garage opener.  If it has front end RLC band pass filter, it’s 20% at 3dB bandwidth would be 283.5MHz - 346.5MHz given that the center frequency is 315MHz, any spurious RF noise near 2.4GHz shouldn’t leak.  Noise could leak if no front end RF filter has been implemented.  Most electronic device operating at 2.4GHz also has its monitoring signal at either 315MHz or 433MHz controlling the status of the device.  Not certain whether Arlo actively utilizing this side band frequency of 315MHz to control and monitor its camera status and providing status notifications as improvements proceeding with the recent firmware release that could mess up all of our camera with RF interference.  I am not certain with the root cause of the interference unless being tested, but both of my Arlo pro and Arlo pro4 are working perfectly fine now for a day after replacing my Craftsman garage opener keypad.

[trandanengineer]

After replacing the keypad, the new keypad still interferes with my nearby Arlo because it still communicates with my Craftsman garage opener, however only when I use it to open my garage at the same time that my Arlo is recording my motion at my garage door, not as bad as the damaged keypad interfering with my Arlo 24/7.  To have a total wireless interference free at 315MHz, I just replace my garage opener with the Chamberlain one, costs me $180 from Home Depot.  Chamberlain garage opener uses Security 2.0, I don’t know what wireless frequency but it is not interfering with my nearby Arlo watching my cars at my driveway.  Unless Arlo reprograms their firmware to update their software defined radio (SDR) with the monitor and control frequency from 315MHz to something else, if we wish to continue using Arlo as our security cameras we have to replace our Craftsman (315MHz and 390MHz) garage opener to Chamberlain (Security 2.0).

[trandanengineer]

Doesn’t help. Security 2.0 selectively switches its frequency between (310MHz, 315MHz, 390MHz) with the strongest signal. Just after replacement my Arlo was working fine for a while in the afternoon, offline again in the evening perhaps when the garage opener switched its frequency to 315MHz. It is an issue when it detects the strongest transmit 315MHz from the Arlo and locks onto it. Have to return the new garage opener.

Research Informations:

https://support.chamberlaingroup.com/s/article/How-to-get-my-old-garage-door-opener-on-the-same-freq...

https://support.chamberlaingroup.com/s/article/Determine-the-Color-of-the-Learn-Button-on-Your-Garag...

[trandanengineer]

Arlo has to fix this issue ASAP.  It becomes our security issues because the thieves would jam our Arlo security cameras with their radio gun tuned to 315MHz to set all of our Arlo cameras to offline before they steal our properties and/or entering our homes.

[StephenB]

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@trandanengineer wrote:

Arlo has to fix this issue ASAP.  It becomes our security issues because the thieves would jam our Arlo security cameras with their radio gun tuned to 315MHz to set all of our Arlo cameras to offline before they steal our properties and/or entering our homes.

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Once again, Arlo isn't using 315 Mhz.  You can check this for yourself by finding your cameras in their FCC reports:

• https://fcc.report/company/Arlo-Technologies-Inc

I believe the Pro 4 is this one:

• https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/2APLE18300402/

The Pro was tested back when Arlo was part of Netgear.  I believe this is its test report:

• https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/PY316200352/

Both camera radios have a frequency range of  2412.0-2462.0 (WiFi channels 1-11).

Of course that doesn't mean that the garage door isn't interfering.  Clearly it is.  My best guess is that the interference is actually coming from the motor that operates the door.  Both AC and DC motors can generate a lot of wide-spectrum EMI, and both are common sources of wifi interference.  

If I am correct, there's nothing Arlo can do to fix it.  You could try enclosing the motor's housing with a conductive material ( copper mesh might work, and wouldn't block airflow around the motor).

You could also try moving the cameras farther away from the motor.

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@trandanengineer wrote:

 thieves would jam our Arlo security cameras with their radio gun tuned to 315MHz to set all of our Arlo cameras to offline before they steal our properties and/or entering our homes.

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That won't work.  But some thieves are using wifi jammers to block wireless security cameras.  They are illegal of course, but so is the theft. The only way to mitigate that threat is to get a PoE camera.  

@trandanengineer wrote:

 I just replace my garage opener with the Chamberlain one, costs me $180 from Home Depot.  

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I think I'm seeing the one you purchased.  Some more expensive Chamberlain openers support wifi and bluetooth.  The motors in those have to be well shielded, so if you can still exchange the door opener that might be better than trying to shield the one you purchased.

[trandanengineer]

I have an Arlo pro inside my garage, mount on the inner wall about 5ft from the motor looking outward at both garage doors, and this Arlo never experience any interference with the motor.  Another Arlo pro outside of my garage door watching at both garage doors from outside.  Another Arlo pro4 mount outside and on top between both garage doors watching my driveway.  Both outside Arlo pro and Arlo pro4 cameras next to the 315MHz garage keypad have been interfered.  Another keypad opening another Craftsman garage opener operating at 390MHz doesn’t interfere with any of my Arlo cameras.  This was the reason why I narrowed the root inference was from the 315MHz keypad.  My question is, both keypad and motor operate at 315MHz, why the keypad interferes with both outside Arlo cameras but the motor doesn’t interfere with the  inside Arlo camera?  Never had this issue before Arlo updating their firmware for improvement.  Something with their improvement messed up their product and perhaps it is the end of it.

[trandanengineer]

Arlo FCC certifications were back in 2018 when I was enjoying my Arlo cameras without any RF interference.  After Arlo firmware being updated from the last several months and we have been experiencing Arlo offline issues, FCC has to retest and certify all Arlo cameras again with their latest firmwares to ensure no RF interference as they were certified back in 2018.  Firmware update can modify the Arlo software defined radio (SDR) RF characteristics.  RF interference is illegal because it impairs our home security measure.

[trandanengineer]

From the past 10 years using Arlo, I experienced several times when there was visitor at my property and I needed to view the activities, my Arlo camera switched  to offline when I needed it most.  I was wondering whether Arlo intentionally didn’t want their liability to record robbery incident, which deterred its own purpose to serve for our security.  I recently asked Arlo support whether Arlo latest firmware disabled my Arlo camera when the server detected high traffic at my driveway, perhaps it is Arlo’s fault tolerance improvement implementation to reduce their server communication bandwidth and cloud storage, the representative said that they wouldn’t do that but I am doubt because too much offline issues.

[StephenB]

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@trandanengineer wrote:

Firmware update can modify the Arlo software defined radio (SDR) RF characteristics.  

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Maybe.  It depends on the SoCs they are using in the cameras.  And of course the antennas. 

But you have no evidence that Arlo has actually done that.  All you know is that you are actually getting interference (and weren't before).  You are guessing as to why, and I think confirmation bias is locking you into your theory.

There is no absolutely no reason why Arlo would shift to spectrum that has much less bandwidth than the wifi they have to use anyway for folks with no base station.  And 315 mhz in particular isn't public spectrum outside the US.

[trandanengineer]

As a consumer, there is no way that we can confirm anything.  We only can narrow down to the root cause area with trials and errors from our usage experiences.  FCC has to place both Arlo camera and router, and then the Craftsman keypad into an RF Anechoic chamber for a life communication RF test to confirm.  We consumer don’t have this ability because test equipment alone could cost up to a quarter million dollars and need to rent the RF chamber.  Most WiFi video cameras use 2.40GHz-2.48GHz with 20% or huge 490MHz bandwidth for video communication, and additional small bandwidth status channel at very low frequency for in case when the 2.4GHz video channel fails.  My concern is that perhaps Arlo uses 315MHz channel as its Arlo status channel, and we cannot confirm this without FCC support.

[trandanengineer]

Root cause history:

• Garage door Arlo pro and pro4 offline for 3-6 months 24/7.
• 315MHz garage keypad recently acting intermittently.
• Replace 315MHz intermittent working keypad to mitigate it as damaged keypad root cause.
• Only interfering when I use my new 315MHz keypad and not 24/7 after replacement, so potential damage was the root cause for 24/7 offline.
• 315MHz keypad on left garage interferes with my Arlo but not the 390MHz keypad on the right garage, so the new 315MHz keypad is a concern.
• I replaced the motor from Craftsman to Chamberlain to mitigate old motor as the root cause, still the same interference after motor replacement, and the motor doesn’t interfere with my Arlo pro inside my garage.
• Therefore, my damaged 315MHz indeed causing both of my Arlo cameras to be offline 24/7 from the last 3-6 months after firmware upgrade.  The new keypad operating at 315MHz still interferes when being used.  My 390MHz keypad doesn’t interfere it when used.  Replacing motor doesn’t help.  As all the readers can see that the root cause must be narrow down to my 315MHz Craftsman keypad.  If indeed Arlo camera doesn’t operate at 315MHz, how could my 315MHz Craftsman garage keypad set my Arlo cameras to offline every time I use my garage opener keypad?  Does it make logical sense to everyone?

[StephenB]

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@trandanengineer wrote:

•  If indeed Arlo camera doesn’t operate at 315MHz, how could my 315MHz Craftsman garage keypad set my Arlo cameras to offline every time I use my garage opener keypad?  Does it make logical sense to everyone?

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First, you don't know what RF emissions are coming from the keypad and motor.

Second, it is possible that the garage door emissions are interfering with the camera operation even if the camera radio is not using that frequency.

Arlo silently switching to 315 Mhz is what makes no logical sense. 

1. That frequency band can't be used in many countries where Arlo does business (Europe)
2. A 315 mhz antenna needs to be quite a bit larger than a 2.4 ghz antenna to give the same performance.
3. Making such a change without going through FCC emissions testing again would be illegal, and would be a huge risk for the company to take.
4. Your Pro camera(s) went end-of-life in July of 2023.  Why would Arlo make such a silent change on a camera they no longer support?
5. While still supported, your Pro 4 cameras aren't sold by Arlo any more - they were replaced in the Arlo product lineup by the Pro 5s back in Nov 2023.  Your Pro 4 cameras don't need a base station, and in most cases are connected directly to the customer's home wifi.  So Arlo needs to use wifi for all communications to the camera in most situations.  Why would they bother to add a second frequency that they often couldn't use in a camera they no longer sell?
6. If they actually could add additional frequencies (for argument's sake), wouldn't they be more likely to add 5 ghz and 6 ghz wifi?  That would be far more valuable to customers.

[trandanengineer]

It is the natural physic of an electronic RLC filter, the minimum bandwidth that FCC can allocate to people is 20% of the center carrier frequency (CF).  Operating bandwidth is very expensive to afford.  For video communication it requires a lot of bandwidth.  For status monitoring, command and control, all it needs is perhaps 100kHz to 200kHz bandwidth.  Arlo cannot afford another huge bandwidth up in the 5GHz and 6GHz range for its Arlo.  That is the reason why most WiFi video cameras utilize the free VHF (300MHz) and UHF(400MHz) for status monitoring of their 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz Video WiFi RF.  The reason is about cost to use the spectrum allocated by FCC.  Could cost Arlo up to a million dollars a year to subscribe to those 5GHz and 6GHz bands from FCC.

Passive antenna at 315MHz could be very long.  Active antenna could be very small embedded in the keypad, Arlo camera, or our Mobil phone.

[StephenB]

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@trandanengineer wrote:

That is the reason why most WiFi video cameras utilize the free VHF (300MHz) and UHF(400MHz) for status monitoring

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You've really jumped deep into this rabbit hole.

FWIW, I don't know of ANY wifi cameras that use those bands for status monitoring.  Some might, but I think "most" is very overstated.  Such cameras would need a control unit or remote control of some kind to receive that status.  But Arlo doesn't have any equipment like that.  The hubs also don't include those bands, and as I said above your Pro 4 cameras don't need to be connected to an Arlo hub.

Arlo's video+audio bandwidth for your cameras is 1-2 mbps - and it is only sent when the cameras are capturing and streaming video.  Status/control is inconsequential in comparison, so there is no real need to offload it to a separate channel.  If the wifi channel can carry the video, then it can also carry the video+status+control, and it can certainly carry status+control when the cameras are not actively streaming.

Have you tried moving one of your Pro 4 cameras to your home wifi (removing it from your account, and then re-adding it)?  Then see if the garage door still interferes with it.

[trandanengineer]

Just connected both of my front door Pro4 and driveway Pro4 to my home WiFi.  They both connected to my WiFi in my living room.  Video quality became worse.  After mount them back, the front door Pro4 is working fine, but the driveway Pro4 is Offline.

I have a question.  Arlo recently implemented AI, it recognizes objects and knows what to ignore.  Does the Arlo recognize my car and/or it’s license plate and disables my camera?  Only this camera at this driveway spot is offline, it didn’t help when I interchanged Pro2 in the past with the Pro4 in this spot now.