Geofencing with 2 devices

[Shaggy79]

My idea for updateing the Geofencing:

If you have 2 phones setup on Arlo with Geofencing then the system should only arm when both phones have left the area, then it should disarm will only one phone has returned to the area.

Right now that is not how it works, if one phone leaves and the other stays then the system arms, which is not good.

Example:

My wife gets up early and goes to work but I stay home, as soon as she leaves the system arms with me still home.  Then I walk around setting off the alarms. LOL!

Please update Geofencing to correct this, I see several other people have this same issue.

[JamesC]

Geofencing is designed to operate on a "first in, last out basis". This means that if any device is in the Geofencing radius the "Home" mode will enable, and the "Away" mode should only enable when the last device has left the radius. 

How does the first in, last out principal work with geofencing mode for my Arlo cameras?

For this to work be sure the app stays logged in, is running and location is enabled on your devices. If the app is logged off/not running Geofencing will not work.

When using multiple devices, the secondary devices should be logged into the app via shared account through the "Grant Access" feature so that both devices are logged in using the mobile app. Take a look at this article for more information: How do I add and manage multiple mobile devices for geofencing?

If you are having trouble with this, consider refreshing your enabled devices within Geofencing settings. Disable all listed devices, save and then enable the devices again.

JamesC

[y3llo]

I am also having issues with the 2 phone geofencing. When you say "For this to work be sure the app stays logged in, is running and location is enabled on your devices. If the app is logged off/not running Geofencing will not work."

How do I ensure the app stays logged in? Often I find I have to relog into the app... I am not sure how to stay logged in and keep it running. Location is always enabled, though sometimes geofencing will trigger away even when I am at home. (separate issuse). 

In my brief experience, last in/last out has not worked. Any other suggestions? Both andrioid phones on 7.0 or above.

[FJTJAT]

I am also having this problem.  I set up the camera and geofencing works based on the location of my iPhone only.  This is Ok 75% of the time as I am usually at home more, but if I go out and leave my husband at home the app doesn't recognize that his phone is still in the apartment and the system is arms auotmatically and then he sets off the alarms.  Very frustrating, but at least we've thorougly tested the camera!!

[Wellington19]

I am having the same issue. The solution should not be to have to stay logged in constantly; I can't believe a large tech company like netgear would think that is a solution honestly especially when you are constantly forced to log back in to the app as it auto logs you out. Please fix this issue and figure out how to stop me from being auto logged out and figure out how to have geofencing work when the app isn't open like many other apps are capable of doing.

[rodelco]

I too am having trouble getting geo-fencing to work with our new Arlo-Q camera and two iPhones (both iOS 10.x).  I am the main account holder and my wife was "invited" by me to share the one camera device that we have.  She can use the live view and watch videos in the Library with no problems. 

If I leave our home, but she stays home, the system is still arming.  So when the instructions say that her phone must be "logged in" to the  Arlo app, does that mean it must be left running in the background (so that we can see it on the screen when we double-click on the iPhone button to bring up the "running" apps)?  If we do that, when we open the "running" Arlo app, it asks for her password again as though she had been logged out, so was she really still "logged in"?

My phone does not have to be logged in to the Arlo app for it to notify me that the system has "armed" when I leave the geofenced area.  It also notifies me of detected motion without being "logged in" at the time.

I am confused about the EXACT instructions on how to make this geo-fencing work as advertised.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  This to me is the only major flaw that I have found with this camera.

Thanks.

[MW010545]

Exactly. Please provide more specific instructions. Define "logged in".

[rodelco]

 It seems to me that Netgear has done the difficult work in the coding for the GeoFence feature, but has just given up on completing it.  My system recognizes that there are two "Enabled Devices" for our system (my wife's and my iPhones).  The system knows when either or both of these phones are "In Zone" or "Out of Zone".  It should be a relatively simple matter of applying the correct logic algrorithm to these inputs to correctly ARM the system with BOTH phones are "Out of Zone", and to DISARM the system when either one of them is "In Zone".  This is exactly the way I have seen moderators on this forum describe its design ("First In / Last Out"), assuming that it means "First In" DISARMS the system, and "Last Out" ARMS the system.

In my case, it seems like my phone has some kind of priority.  If both phones are "enabled for geo-fencing", when I leave the "zone", the system ARMS even when my wife's phone is still "In Zone"  (yes, she is "logged in" to Arlo, and the Push Notifications have been enabled on both of these phones0.  If she leaves the "zone", but I am still "In Zone", the system does NOT ARM (as you would want).  However, if my phone is NOT ENABLED for geo-fencing, then the system will ARM when she leaves the Zone (again, as you would want).

So, it seems somehow, that since I am the creator of the account (and just invited my wife to share access with her), that my phone (when enabled for geo-fencing), is causing the status of her phone to be ignored.

Does this make sense to anyone at Netgear?  I would sing the praises of this camera to all of my friends if this problem could be corrected.  As it is, it is kind of a nuisance getting alerts and saving motion videos when ever my wife moves about the house when I am gone.

PLEASE, would someone acknowledge that they are working on this.  If not, I may as well return this camera and find something better.

Thank you.

[kifke]

Bought the Arlo Pro yesterday and configured everything. Geofencing is one of the main reasons I bought this product.

When I only have my device (iPhone with the latest iOS) geofencing works fine. But when I add another device it still works like it is only my device that matters. I can clearly see that my wifes iPhone is in range in the app in both of our phones.

[Spudlo]

Same situation for me - 2 iPhones (6S and 7 on latest iOS version), I am the primary account holder and my wife is invited in.  Both phones show accurate "in zone" and "out of zone" status.  Whenever I am out of zone the system arms regardless of my wife's location - otherwise the system works fine.  However, this is a constant source of frustration as I get many alerts based on her normal movements about the house.  This is one of the reasons that I bought this system (I have +$1,000 invested at this juncture) since we are not the best at remembering to arm security systems.  Please work a solution-

[rodelco]

 Obviously, several users are having the same problem with GeoFencing.  Apparently no one at Netgear/Arlo is listening or now that they have our money, they just don't care.  It really cannot be that difficult of a problem to solve, if they would just apply some resources to it.

Perhaps its time for us to use YouTube and social media to get the word out that these cameras do NOT live up to the manufacturer's claims, to prevent other people from wasting their money on these!  I'm retired, so I have lots of time to flood the internet with BAD reviews.

[rodelco]

Just an update on my GeoFencing.  I followed the advice of some other users on this forum and disabled both of the devices that were enabled for GeoFencing (mine and my wife's iPhones).  I don't know if this is necessary or not, but I re-booted both of our phones.  Then I wen't back in on my phone (which is the primary device for our camera), and re-enabled both devices.

Knock on wood, but since I did that, the GeoFencing seems to be working properly (when only one or the other of use is "out of zone", the system remains Disarmed, but as soon as both of us are "out of zone", the system goes into "Away" mode and Arms; and as soon as either one of use returns to "In Zone", the system changes to "Home" mode, and Disarms").

So, right now, I am a happy camper!

[Urbanmike]

I am just setting up my arlo now and am hoping two devices can be configured for geofencing. The rule I am after is when both devices are outside geofence then activate.

The rule when 1 device is outside geofence activate would not be helpful to most households with more than 1 member.

[who7]

I also had the multiuser Geofencing feature not working for me.  After adding a second phone/user, I had one phone at home (in zone) and another out of zone, and to my dismay, ARLO will still "armed".  Btw, this was not what I expected, I was expecting ARLO to still be "disarmed" given that one of the phones was still in the "zone" (aka home).

In looking at responses from other users, I tried the "Disable/Enable devices and Save" method, and to my surprise it worked.  Now please note, it took me a while to figure out what "disable/enable" meant, because I originally thought it meant disabling and reenabling the cameras.  I was thinking...  "Sure, I can do that.  But what's this Save setting step they're talking about?".  After seaching web and reading the manual, I came up with zilch... aka nada.  Looking a little closer, I saw they meant enabling/disabling the devices (e.g. iphone, ipad, etc.) not the camera or hub.

Here's what I did...

After follow the adding another  "guest"  instruction per the manual, I had to do the following to make it work.

- Bring up the ARLO app on your phone (iPhone for me)

- Click "Mode"

- Click your Hub

- Click the pencil icon next to "Geofencing"

   Make sure the Geofencing display is now active.

- Under "DETAILS", select "Enable Devices".  (Yes... this is what the instructions really meant)

  In the "Enabled Devices" display, unselect (aka uncheck) the already checked devices (iPhone, iPad, Kindle, etc) that are displayed.

- Click "Done" at the top right corner of the display.

   The display will now go back to the Geofencing page.

- Click "Save".   Now you've saved  your  "unchecked"  selection.

- Now go back to the Geofencing display again

- Click the pencil icon next to "Geofencing"

   Make sure the Geofencing display is now active.

- Under "DETAILS", select "Enable Devices"... again.

  In the "Enabled Devices" display, this time "check" your  devices (iPhone, iPad, Kindle, etc)  again.  (Green box with check mark)

- Click "Done" at the top right corner of the display.

The display will now go back to the Geofencing page.

- Click "Save".     Now your new selections should saved.

From there, multi-user Geofencing started working for me.

Hope this helps.  

[dfloth]

Geofencing doesn’t work with 2 phones.. I’ve tried all the suggestions and called support. They said a fix was forthcoming. When will it be fixed?

[Arlover]

Q: If you use geofencing with two (or more) mobile devices, can you set it up so the additional geofencing users' mobile devices (GPS) are used, BUT that the users are still BLOCKED from viewing the actual Arlo monitor / videos (so that privacy is still assured even though you're using their devices for geofencing "on/off"?

[Arlover]

ALSO, NEW FEATURE SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED:

In additon to making sure that the geofencing GPS feature works *properly* when TWO or more mobile phone devices are registered (e.g., first in, last out rule needs to work properly), my idea for an Important related feature is:

FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO USE GEOFENCING SOLELY TO HAVE THEIR ARLO "DISARM" IF A KNOWN BABYSITTER/NANNY COMES OVER TO THE HOME -- BUT WHERE WE DO *NOT* WANT TO GIVE SUCH SECONDARY GEOFENCING USER (BABYSITTER/NANNY) *ACCESS* TO THE ABILITY TO *VIEW* THE ARLO MONITOR FEED OR WATCH VIDEO ETC., THE GEOFENCING FEATURE SHOULD HAVE AN OPTION WHERE *ONLY* THE "GEOFENCING" FEATURE ITSELF (*FOR THE SECONDARY USER*) IS IMPLEMENTED BUT WHERE SUCH SECONDARY USER DOES *NOT* HAVE THE OPTION OF USING THEIR ARLO APP TO "VIEW" ANY ARLO VIDEO MONITORING ITSELF.

[Makinjellow]

We have done all of these things multiple times. Doesn't work.

[Makinjellow]

I used the Chat feature yesterday and attempted their instructions. It worked today! Go into app, disable both devices in geofencing, restart both devices/phones, go into app, enable both devices. When we did this, every time I went into the geofencing settings it sent a message to my husband that he had to accept the changes on his device, which is the device that I granted access to. After he accepted all of the updates, it worked correctly. His location services are on and Arlo is allowed, same with my device. Try these steps and if you ever go into the geofencing pencil/edit area, even if u make no changes, make sure the other device accepts it.

[tjucla98]

Thanks for the tip! When you say “go into the app and disable / enable device” are you referring to changing the setting from geo fencing to disarm in the mode settings? Thanks for the info!

[Makinjellow]

It looks like they have changed their UI a little bit, but if you sign in, go to Mode, click on the pencil next to Geofencing, it should go into Setup Summary (it may go into the schedule or something else, just back out and go back in), under the Details section there should be a row that says Enable Devices, click on that, and then it should be a list of your enable phones/devices.  Uncheck the box next to them to disable them.

[tjucla98]

Yes, I actually chatted the support desk and they had me delete & reinstall the app and change the settings so that I un-selected all devices and saved, then re-selected all the devices and save again.  That seemed to do the trick!

[lbml]

Having geofencing issues.  I have it on two iphones. The geofencing option does not show up on the other iphone.  Whats the problem??

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[oddoneout]

Hi there

Sorry - just read your post, and have just made a post of my own on similar matter

Geofencing still doesn't work for two devices - Arlo have said that it doesn't and their 'Engineers' are looking in to it (since the beginning of 2017 at least with no progress!):

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo/Geofencing-DOES-NOT-WORK-FOR-MULTIPLE-PEOPLE-DEVICES/m-p/1638735#...