Arlo Not working consistently with Amazon Show

[eric-m]

Hi,

I’m using regular Arlo Cameras and basestation, and an Amazon Echo Show.

I recently setup my cameras, and they work great with the arlo app. However, they are extremely inconsistent when I use them on my echo show. When I say “Alexa, show me the back yard”, she replies “okay” and the “waiting for Netgear...” shows up. After about 3 seconds, it returns to my home screen. No error messages at all (most of the videos I’ve seen while trying to troubleshoot display some sort of error message).

To let you know what steps I’ve done so far:
- Restarted Arlo base station
- Restarted Echo Show
- Restarted cameras
- Uninstall / reinstall Arlo Skill on Echo Show
- Devices have been synced (each camera has worked exactly once with the Echo Show).
- The first camera showed the live feed after the second attempt
- The second camera showed the live feed after about 20 attempts
- Each camera has now failed to show the live feed after ~30 attempts, but works fine in the arlo app

What at am I missing? Any help is appreciated.

Eric

[dafryxell]

For what it's worth, my Show is working now (except for camera in very weak wifi out by the pool). So try again if you haven't in awhile--something may have been done to fix this. Still no luck with FireTV stick, which just says this isn't supported; I think this may have been a matter of erroneous marketing back when.

[ddalder]

Nope. Not for me.  My Echo Show now says "Okay.", immediately followed by "Sorry, the device or group {camera name} is not responding.".  There's not even a delay any more before saying 'okay' and telling me I'm out of luck.  Typical!

[ddalder]

I thought I'd try disabling the Alexa skill, deleting all the devices from the Smart Home devices list, re-enabling the skill and re-discovering the cameras.  It found them all, but now it just sits endlessly with the message "Waiting for Arlo".  I am aggressively searching for another solution so I can dump these things.

[darrenb543]

Really,  this issue has been reported almost since the integration was announced.  Either fix the integration or withdraw the skill.  At the same time remove the Alexa compatability from the device.  I smell class action and a big one.

Somone needs to reply wiht the current progress on this issue.  

My latest attempt 7/7/18 at 9am EDT

[ddalder]

The marginal benefit for me to have these integrated with Amazon Echo devices does not outweigh constant battery changes, cameras dropping off unexpectedly because of battery problems (despite using Tenergy "Arlo" certified rechargeable batteries), intermittent system outages, flaky motion detection and what I consider to be overall poor system performance (speed to be able to link to cameras via app, etc.).  I've ordered a complete new system by Reolink with 5MP cameras.  Sure, they are hardwired (although they do have wireless products as well) and will take more effort to install.  At least I (should) have a system that works the way a video monitoring system is supposed to work.  In about another week this Arlo junk will be gone!  I feel this team dropped the ball in a hurry to get a product to market that just wasn't ready.  With the exception of some basic products, I’m becoming more and more disillusioned with Netgear in general.

[dnpstevenson]

Any update? Bought the Show just for this skill.

[Hankr225]

I have not been able to either have Alexa recognize the new camera, nor have any of the cameras work with the Alexa Show now.  When I ask Alexa to show ____ camera, it says “ok” flashes to Net gear, and instantly goes back to the Show home screen.  Was placed on hold at NETGEAR for over one hour, and then disconnected.  Going to try and contact them again this weekend.  Also got the cameras, so I could watch my property on my TV via Fire TV.  Worked at first, now nothing.  Feel I wasted my money...

[Famstelz]

I am thinking the same thing. I'm already feeling as though the product is misrepresented by saying Alexa compatible when it works ~30% of the time. This isn't acceptable to advertise functionality when the up-time is less than 90%. I'm a frustrated customer and because of this, and Netgear's lack of involvement in this thread, I am considering legal action.

[JamesC]

The engineering team is currently working on a fix that should help resolve the issues reported in this discussion. We hope to have this fix available very soon. I will post an update as soon as I have more information.

JamesC

[Bill716]

Good news!  Thanks

[transcendid]

i'm having the same issue.  used to work fine but has not worked in weeks.  are there any updates to if/when this will be fixed?

[Bill716]

JamesC - So I'm not sure what you mean by "fix available very soon".  It's been over a month since you sent this and I'm still having the same issues.  It seemed to be working somewhat better about a week ago but it's now back to where it was.  Is there any update on the progress?

[transcendid]

 My cameras also still do not work from my echo show.  She first says OK but then says the device or group is not responding  Surprisingly, they do seem to work from my fire TV stick.   Would be really great if netgear could deliver on the functionality they advertise their devices as having. 

[Hankr225]

I restarted everything and got my four camera to work on my Amazon Show.  It does take a couple of try’s once in a while,  but at least it is working after several months of nothing.   Works fine on. Fire stick, but after 5-10 minutes it shuts down, and I have to request the camera again..  Wish I could have a split screen on my TV so. I could watch all four at once, while in my office.

[transcendid]

I deregistered my echo show and set everything up from the beginning. Seems to be working again!

[Rich330]

Like everyone here I am having the same issue with Arlo rarely connecting to the Echo Show. I first contacted  Amazon support and we went through a whole series of tests then factory resets without any success. Amazon support decided to replace the Echo Show and Arlo Camera & Base Station a week ago in the hope this would be a fix.

Sadly this has not worked, both are great devices as stand alone but they just don't connect. Why can't Netgear and Amazon get together and sort this out.

[Karensis]

I too had a problem with my arlo pro cameras connecting with my echo show after it worked perfectly for days.  I finally thought about the one thing I did when the cameras stopped connecting.  I had put my echo show in brief mode so that alexa would not answer so much and the screen would be asleep most of the time.  As soon as I turned off brief mode VOILA!  Cameras work all the time now.

[Showguy]

The problem has been all the way back to day 1 in 2014.  The cameras take way to long to respond to a live feed command.  I often have to hit the feed 3-4 tiimes to get it to stream on my phone or pc.  Arlo will give you all the BS about wifi inteferance and camera distance from the base. I have heard it all and its all BS. The Alexa units time out and don't have the ability to automatically try again.  It is typical that I have to ask Alexa at least twice to view my cameras.  

[Karensis]

You have been doing this since 2014?  ?..

[AprilFooling]

I just ordered a set of four from HSN and am so glad I read this thread.  I'm having the same issues as everyone else with integration with my Show.  I also just ordered three of the new Gen. 8 Fire HD tablets from Amazon and was really expecting to use them as full time screen monitors for the Arlo system.  If the performance of my Echo so far (20% effective, mostly getting "Hmmmm...can't connect to Camera 1" responses from Echo) is any indicator, I'll definitely be returning the cameras.  I wanted the freedom of wireless, but this is unacceptable.  Although the Arlo app works fine, there are delays opening it on my iPhone from the point I hear the notification, so that eliminates the benefit of monitoring your property.  That's why I wanted the Echo Show to work much better than it does.

[Bill716]

Ok, so my echo show finally works with my 5 pro 2 cameras (with an added step).  I noticed recently that when I ask alexa to show, for example, "show front door", it works fine.  In the upper left hand corner of the echo show there is a "<" sympbol.  If you touch this symbol it will take you back to the home page.  I believe also it turns off the active camera (in my case the front door).  When I give the alexa show to look at another camera, it does.  I have yet to have this fail (I have only done this for one day).  The added step is to touch the symbol in the upper left on the echo show.  This works for me and I hope this works fro everybody else.

[Retired_Member]

Ok, guys. Topic is over 1 year already. Issue is still there. We need to admit - there will be no fix.

So Arlo is NOT fully supported by Alexa

[Ruskin]

I hear your frustration...but after months of mine not working...all is good. Things are functioning. Very little time to connect. Seen to be working.  But what a pain in the butt getting to this point. 

[Retired_Member]

any hints how you made it work? 

[Ruskin]

Well I was granted the ability to create ONE miracle...and one only.so while I thought about turning water into wine so I could drown my frustrations about this damn camera, I ended up deciding I’d go with something more difficult...near impossible actually...like getting the Arlo camera to work with my Echo Show. And PRESTO...UP AND RUNNUNG

In in all seriousness though, I really have no idea (maybe it WAS a miracle???)...I did just read someone on here write about his starting to work when he put Alexa into “brief” mode. In hindsight, I did do that with mine and I think it may have been around the time it started working. Whether or not that was the fix have no idea. Good luck with yours. It drove me crazy for ages until it just seemed to start working out of the blue. 

On a positive note...the issue went on so long that it gave me so many opportunity to post messages after message on this forum (always unanswered by Arlo support). So many  messages in fact that I was able to earn a number of submitter “badges.” Imagine if they’d fixed the issue right away or had someone from support reach out to help me? My camera would have worked a year ago and I’d never have earned this great honour.