Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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Draygen
Tutor
Tutor

So I've had my system for a few months now, and up until now the motion sensitivity has been mostly consistent (about 95% of the time it captures), and the distance it captures hasnt changed.  The issue I'm having now is two of the cameras seem to have lost or changed their sensitivity. Both were detecting people walking 15 - 20 feet away no problem. Now they're only catching people about 30% of the time. I've tried the detection settings, signal is 3 bars and the other max, I've reset both the base and the cameras, and both have full batteries. I havent changed location or adjusted them other than that and this seems to have just started recently (maybe the past week or so). Has there been a new update or anything that i've missed or is it an issue with the cameras? Thanks!

112 REPLIES 112
Hula_Rock
Prodigy Prodigy
Prodigy

They have our Money and do not care about the issues that we are having.  It is my mission to expose this brick of a system until it is fixed.

TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru

Hula_Rock wrote:

They have our Money and do not care about the issues that we are having.  It is my mission to expose this brick of a system until it is fixed.


Sorry , but I disagree.... Netgear has been responsive to many complaints that are valid and the system has been working fine for 8 months on this end... minor problem yes, major oproblems , NOT AT ALL !

 

It's a great system IMO, the major complaints I see is when people use the system out side of the designed format and then complain when it doesn't work.

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Morse is faster than texting!
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Draygen
Tutor
Tutor
Honestly up till now netgears been great. Minor vs major issues is subjective really. Since I've owned the system I had a camera go red, two with false low batteries, my base replaced because it wasn't saving my settings and now I'm having these camera issues. It's frustrating regardless how good the support has been. Luckily I had the good sense to buy the extended warranty !!! Might be time to use it.
Hula_Rock
Prodigy Prodigy
Prodigy

TomMac wrote:

Hula_Rock wrote:

They have our Money and do not care about the issues that we are having.  It is my mission to expose this brick of a system until it is fixed.


Sorry , but I disagree.... Netgear has been responsive to many complaints that are valid and the system has been working fine for 8 months on this end... minor problem yes, major oproblems , NOT AT ALL !

 

It's a great system IMO, the major complaints I see is when people use the system out side of the designed format and then complain when it doesn't work.


Since you were part of the "BETA" did you pay for your system?

 

Are you saying that I am using it outside of its designed format?  how so?  it is pointed at my driveway, basestation is less than 30 feet from the camera....

 

Now explain this:  After installing my system, and having a package STOLEN worth 300.00 from my doorstep. Why did Arlo FAIL to record ANYTHING ?

 

Netgear responisive?  are you kidding me?  are you reading all of the complaints on this board?  The only thing they did right was creating this community to take some weight off there tech support overseas.  Dont thake this wrong, but, its the blind leading the blind.

 

You are going to find a very interesting story done on Arlo real soon.  An alarm installer with 30 years in the business, that installs UL certified alarm systems, got to play with my system.  His reply "this thing is garbage, I WOULD NOT TRUST IT TO PROTECT ANYTHING"......  more to come.

4vrnvr
Apprentice
Apprentice

Hula_Rock wrote:

Since you were part of the "BETA" did you pay for your system?

 

Are you saying that I am using it outside of its designed format?  how so?  it is pointed at my driveway, basestation is less than 30 feet from the camera....

Now explain this:  After installing my system, and having a package STOLEN worth 300.00 from my doorstep. Why did Arlo FAIL to record ANYTHING ?

Netgear responisive?  are you kidding me?  are you reading all of the complaints on this board?  The only thing they did right was creating this community to take some weight off there tech support overseas.  Dont thake this wrong, but, its the blind leading the blind.

 

You are going to find a very interesting story done on Arlo real soon.  An alarm installer with 30 years in the business, that installs UL certified alarm systems, got to play with my system.  His reply "this thing is garbage, I WOULD NOT TRUST IT TO PROTECT ANYTHING"......  more to come.


I have not nor am not part of the BETA team and I agree with Tom completely. I have been running ARLO since it was first released and currently have 5 cameras and am extremely happy. I tried several systems before ARLO, including Dropcam and the Samsung SmartCam HD and I sent both of them back.

Also, Netgears support to the ARLO customers has been fantastic, to include adding additional benefits to the no cost basic service.

 

I am wondering if your alarm installer of 30 years doesn't like ARLO because there isn't anything for him to install.

 

As for the complaints on this board, most seem to come from a small handful of individuals. Fairly typical of the Internet as you tend not to hear much from those happy with the system.

 

Honestly though, your constant spamming of negative comments in every thread is getting old. If the system doesn't work for you that's fine, but don't try to paint your experience as the normal.

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Hula_Rock wrote:

Netgear responisive?  are you kidding me?  are you reading all of the complaints on this board?


You do understand the issue of needing to create trouble tickets, right?  As a retired IT team leader and manager of as many as 30 systems administrators, I had to change the reporting mechanism from "drive-bys" where a user would grab the nearest sys admin to fix a problem to using trouble tickets via a help desk.  Lo and behold, we had tracking, problem solving FAQs, and sys admins that weren't worn out from jumping from fire to fire.

 

My point is simple - the forum is a potentially useful way to get help but nothing beats trouble tickets, as many as needed to resolve the issue. I think you've used a few tickets but I don't recall specifics.  Perhaps your specific situation is somehow out of spec (building construction, 2.4GHz interference, etc.) or maybe not. If nothing else, one size doesn't fit all.  We're just fighting individual fires here without a real strategy for problem resolution.  If it works for someone, great!  If it doesn't, use the official channels.  And if that doesn't fix things, move on.

Hula_Rock
Prodigy Prodigy
Prodigy

4vrnvr wrote:

Hula_Rock wrote:

Since you were part of the "BETA" did you pay for your system?

 

Are you saying that I am using it outside of its designed format?  how so?  it is pointed at my driveway, basestation is less than 30 feet from the camera....

Now explain this:  After installing my system, and having a package STOLEN worth 300.00 from my doorstep. Why did Arlo FAIL to record ANYTHING ?

Netgear responisive?  are you kidding me?  are you reading all of the complaints on this board?  The only thing they did right was creating this community to take some weight off there tech support overseas.  Dont thake this wrong, but, its the blind leading the blind.

 

You are going to find a very interesting story done on Arlo real soon.  An alarm installer with 30 years in the business, that installs UL certified alarm systems, got to play with my system.  His reply "this thing is garbage, I WOULD NOT TRUST IT TO PROTECT ANYTHING"......  more to come.


I have not nor am not part of the BETA team and I agree with Tom completely. I have been running ARLO since it was first released and currently have 5 cameras and am extremely happy. I tried several systems before ARLO, including Dropcam and the Samsung SmartCam HD and I sent both of them back.

Also, Netgears support to the ARLO customers has been fantastic, to include adding additional benefits to the no cost basic service.

 

I am wondering if your alarm installer of 30 years doesn't like ARLO because there isn't anything for him to install.

 

As for the complaints on this board, most seem to come from a small handful of individuals. Fairly typical of the Internet as you tend not to hear much from those happy with the system.

 

Honestly though, your constant spamming of negative comments in every thread is getting old. If the system doesn't work for you that's fine, but don't try to paint your experience as the normal.

***************************************************************************************************************************************

I LOVE IT !!!!!

 

Drinking the coolaid huh....

 

Actually this installer is installing a security system for a new bank headquarters not to far away from my house.  M

 

My constant Spamming and negative comments are MY EXPERIENCES !  I paid for this system with my hard earned cash, Not yours, MINE.  I DO NOT SUGAR COAT anything.  You dont like what I have to say, dont read it, change the cahnnel, etc.

 

Netgear created this community and actually suggest users to visit this board to find solutions to MANY problems this system has. 

Hula_Rock
Prodigy Prodigy
Prodigy

jguerdat wrote:

Hula_Rock wrote:

Netgear responisive?  are you kidding me?  are you reading all of the complaints on this board?


You do understand the issue of needing to create trouble tickets, right?  As a retired IT team leader and manager of as many as 30 systems administrators, I had to change the reporting mechanism from "drive-bys" where a user would grab the nearest sys admin to fix a problem to using trouble tickets via a help desk.  Lo and behold, we had tracking, problem solving FAQs, and sys admins that weren't worn out from jumping from fire to fire.

 

My point is simple - the forum is a potentially useful way to get help but nothing beats trouble tickets, as many as needed to resolve the issue. I think you've used a few tickets but I don't recall specifics.  Perhaps your specific situation is somehow out of spec (building construction, 2.4GHz interference, etc.) or maybe not. If nothing else, one size doesn't fit all.  We're just fighting individual fires here without a real strategy for problem resolution.  If it works for someone, great!  If it doesn't, use the official channels.  And if that doesn't fix things, move on.


I do understand "the issue" of needing to creat trouble tickets. Created several, created a RMA, even talked to Christine.  A lecture on systems administration has ZERO merit with me. I hold some advanced certifications,  CCNA,  CCSP,  etc. I currently manage a Mobility network that would make your head spin.  Netgear should have plenty of samples from Arlo and the previous iteration to come up with a gold standard by now.

 

Out of Spec?  tell me what is wrong with this camera placement?  the base station is lest than 30 feet away !!!!

 

Driveway.png

 

Move On.   heres the thing, I invested 349.00 to protect my family and my property.  I will move one when this product performs as advertised or my Money is refunded 100%.

TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru

Hula_Rock wrote:snip 
Are you saying that I am using it outside of its designed format?  how so?  it is pointed at my driveway, basestation is less than 30 feet from the camera....
Now explain this:  After installing my system, and having a package STOLEN worth 300.00 from my doorstep. Why did Arlo FAIL to record ANYTHING ?

 snipped


 

Hula... I was not saying your setup was out side of the design spec'd use...

 

what I said was in a general statement;  "It's a great system IMO, the major complaints I see is when people use the system out side of the designed format and then complain when it doesn't work."  I see many complaint ranging from why can't I stream 24/7, lack of range, to low battery life...

These are what I was refering to... Spec use as listed by Alro as ( I believe ) 4 min per day on optimized video setting, with range a max of 300ft ( subject to normal wifi interference )... thats what I made that statement about; majority of the many minor complaints.

 

As to why your system didn't work, I can't answer that... any thing from interference to defective units in the system chain.

 

But I can tell you that Alro is a great support package added to any security system.  Would I use it by itself, No...and I don't.

I have 4 wired/waterproof watecs out side and wire alarm system... Arlo is a good gap filler

Also Arlo for me ( and vuezone where i had 5 cameras ) has allowed me to keep track of an elderly parent and sick cat over the years... I have been well serve by them.

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Morse is faster than texting!
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Rudy
Apprentice
Apprentice

Tom, the fact is there are issues which occurred during last months changes that still haven't been resolved. This remains a problem for many of us.

 

I have 9 cameras on single base station the furthest camera is 220 feet, all access points on channel 6 and no other nearby neighbor wireless networks. How is that using the product the outside of its design parameters? The camera that is 220 feet away drops connection intermittently in the same manner that a camera that is 25 feet away.

 

My system was working fine, prior to last months updates. I think when folks representing NetGear suggest that we are doing something wrong its an insult as many of us have been meticulous about our configuration and setup.

 

It seems the issue still remains with camera connectivity, be it a server, the firmware, the cloud provider the application or even the media player software on the back end. There are allot of pieces to the puzzle.

 

So customers want to better understand the SLA, customers want to be able to roll back the update or firmware if they have issues. Customers like periodic updates as to the status. The forum is a great place to start troubleshooting, I have read through most of it (some parts I dislike, I now see NetGear sending solution's privately to folks via email, which kind of defeats the purpose of the forum)

 

Customers aren't getting any answers on the above from NetGear, therefore there is continued frustration.

 

Hula_Rock
Prodigy Prodigy
Prodigy

Tom,

 

Thanks for the reply.  I have tested for outside interference with a $50,000 dollar spectrum analyzer for work.  See alot of 700Mhz, 800Mhz, 1.9Ghz (Cellular band), cordless phone bands and some 2.4Ghz bands probably from dual band routers, the power level is not enough to interfere with the Arlo system.  I also checked for rougue side bands, none.  I too bought this system to compliment my wired alarm system and to save some $$$.  $349.00 to add 2 cameras was a no brainer at the time.  I should have listened to my wife and bought the wired security camera that was offered when the alarm system was installed....

TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru

@ Rudy

<My system was working fine, prior to last months updates. I think when folks representing NetGear suggest that we are doing something wrong its an insult as many of us have been meticulous about our configuration and setup.>

 

I would assume you have in a trouble ticket?   I keep track of the updates and if you did maybe you could get Netgear to backdate your s/w to an older version.

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Morse is faster than texting!
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Draygen
Tutor
Tutor
And how does that help the rest of us? Sure there's only a handful of people saying they have this issue, but on the other side there's only a handful saying it's amazing as well. Is there an issue? yes. Does it impact you? Maybe not, but that doesn't means it doesn't exist or it's a problem with my installation. It was working great for months, now it's not, my equipment hasn't moved. I've had three other trouble tickets and they all ended in getting new equipment. There is blatant product consistency issues if that's how they resolve their problems.
JPC
Prodigy
Prodigy

Have you guys experienced this before these two firmware updates?

 

Base = 1.4.2627
Camera = 1.2.2545

Rudy
Apprentice
Apprentice

i honestly don't remember the version numbers anymore, but whatever was the standard firmware prior to May 10th worked fine for me

TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru

Rudy wrote:

i honestly don't remember the version numbers anymore, but whatever was the standard firmware prior to May 10th worked fine for me


if my notes are right... that may have been cam-1.2.2412 / base-1.3.2261

 

hard to really tell as my dates are different, currently running here cam-1.2.2688/base-1.4.2695

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Morse is faster than texting!
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Draygen
Tutor
Tutor
So I did some trouble shooting earlier and found some interesting things out. I Moved the base, changed router settings, did resets on equipment and so on. Most of that didn't help but I noticed a couple weird things. I switched around some cameras and only two of them are having issues. I moved the one up front (where I was having issues) and it worked fine. The other thing I ran into was all the cameras were showing full batteries before I started messing with them. Now one is showing completely empty. It's not one of the ones that was having issues. Is it related? No clue. Not sure if this helps but just whatbi've found on my own.
Sam
Aspirant
Aspirant
Mine too having problems lately. When I set sensitivity to 70% it captured a lot of videos with no body in it. When I set sensitivity to 30% it doesn't capture any video at all. I am loosing my faith.
Draygen
Tutor
Tutor
So I retract my earlier comment, now that the cameras have been idle for awhile they're back to their old antics. Same issue different camera now. They seem to still pick up 5-6 seconds after motion if at all. Oh well....
Rudy
Apprentice
Apprentice

I am seeing the delay this morning as well, videos are almost emtpy, and the object is long gone. Even more so than usual, going to try and swap out the base station.

 

 

Rudy
Apprentice
Apprentice

For me  get one of three scenarios:

 

Sometimes it doesn't triggger at all- there is just a connection time out.

 

Sometimes it triggers but for whatever reason there is a delay- and the subject in the video is gone.

 

Sometimes it triggers kind of normal- about 80% normal compared to how the system worked prior to the changes on 5-15-2015

Rudy
Apprentice
Apprentice

I think that's what is making this problem so difficult to define.

 

70% of the time the system works as mention in scenario three (where it functions as 80% of the system it used to be, so the degradation is subtle), some folks are blaming this on interference.

 

10% of the time the connection just times out and you get no video at all, you may not even know you missed a recording.

 

20% of the time you get video but the subject is gone or almost gone

 

 

Like the camera is in a deep sleep and can't wake up or finally does wake up, but with varying delays.

Rudy
Apprentice
Apprentice

The other night I had a video of deer walking slowly across the camera. It was difficult to tell it was a deer, all I saw was it's rear end and one hind leg. And the deer was just walking slowly.

 

That's the kind of delay that's happening.

Hula_Rock
Prodigy Prodigy
Prodigy

and to think some of the Senior memebers on this board thought I was complaining too much, "My Comments are getting old"  Shame on you!

 

Still some serious issues with mine.  I opened my garage, walked approx. 25 feet down my driveway to where my morning paper sits, did not see it there, walked back up the driveway to my front door.  (all this time I am looking to see if the IR pops on)  Not unitl I walked within 5 or so feet of the camera, It turns on.  The camera must have been in a DEEEEEEEEEEEEEP coma sleep....

 

Video here:

 

ARLO IN DEEP COMA SLEEP !!!!!!!!

 

NETGEAR CHRISTINE:

 

The attached video tests the temperature differential theory between the the concrete driveway, grass in my front yard, and the bick on my house.  Here is the current weather readings in South Texas:

 

Temp: 73

Pressure 29.94 in
Visibility 10.0 miles
Clouds Few 2800 ft
Mostly Cloudy 5000 ft
Mostly Cloudy 25000 ft
Dew Point 72 °F
Humidity 97%
Rainfall 0.00 in

 

Camera setting:

 

85% sensitivity, recording at 35 seconds......

 

Draygen
Tutor
Tutor
Well Netgear is replying everywhere in the forum but here so either they don't think it's important or they don't have a solution....