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HomeKit setup button missing for Ultra Base Station?

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CyborgParts
Aspirant
Aspirant

Hi, I'm trying to setup HomeKit on my Arlo Ultra 2-camera system, and I'm struggling.

 

I'm following this guide: https://kb.arlo.com/000062279/How-do-I-connect-my-Arlo-camera-to-Apple-HomeKit

 

Since I don't see a HomeKit setup code on the base station or the setup guide, I'm using the "To setup an Arlo camera without a setup code:" section.

 

1.) I see that I'm running the proper firmware on my VMB5000: 1.14.0.9_137_8e45094

2.) I'm connected to my router's local WiFi.  I can ping the base station from my iPhone.

3.) I've already setup the Home app and I have a few lights configured that work fine.

4.) When I open the Arlo app and go to the base station settings, there's no "HomeKit" button.

 

I found this video on YouTube about setting up previous gen Arlo cameras on HomeKit, and it shows the mentioned "HomeKit" button under the base station settings.  I don't see this same button on my end.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoM-YNSYBCo

 

Am I missing something?- Is there an update to the Arlo app that hasn't made it through approval yet?  Is there a HomeKit code somewhere in the packaging that I misplaced?

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
rbminor
Initiate
Initiate

Had this issue with no HomeKit button, this worked to get the HomeKit button showing and everything working in HomeKit.

 

Short version - added the hub and camera to the app, no HomeKit button, removed the hub, while doing that got a weird message about needing access to my home (that I never saw during set up) and clicked ok, and when I re-added the hub,  the HomeKit button was now there and was able to set everything up in Homekit / see the cameras with live video et. al. in the Apple Home app and everything.

 

Longer version:

I had the same issue mentioned above where I set up everything: added base station and camera in Arlo App on my iPhone, updated firmware on my base station  (to 1.14.0.9_137_8e45094) and updated firmware on my cameras BUT NEVER SAW THE HOMEKIT BUTTON in SETTINGS.  After doing other stuff for a couple hours, came back and still no HomeKit button so decided to try some haphazard troubleshooting.  First thing I did was, in the Arlo app on my iPhone (with 'Devices' tab selected in the bottom nav bar), clicked on the "SmartHub / Base Station / Bridge" button, which took me to the hub's 'Device Settings' page, scrolled to the bottom where there was a Restart button and Remove Device button, clicked Remove Device.  When I did that, got an unexpected message saying something like "Your hub needs access to your Home..." or something like that (unfortunately didn't take a screen shot and just clicked 'ok' - don't think there was even another option besides ok.)  But, it then removed the hub and the camera I had added previously.  Then, I re-added the hub, and when I did, there was a 'HomeKit' button on the hub settings page and was able to set everything up in HomeKit including seeing the cameras with live video et. al. in the Apple Home app.

 

ArloHomeKitFix.png

 

 

 

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6 REPLIES 6
CyborgParts
Aspirant
Aspirant
My Arlo iPhone app updated to 2.10 today, which specifically mentions HomeKit support for Ultra cameras. I still have no HomeKit setup button. I also tried Arlo 2.10 from my iPad plugged in via an Ethernet adapter to the same router as the VMB5000. No HomeKit setup button there either. I removed and reinstalled the app from my iPhone and iPad. I rebooted my iPhone, iPad, and VMB5000. Still no luck. I really want this to work. What can I do?
TNArlo
Tutor
Tutor

I'm having the exact same issue. I've even talked to Arlo support and we went through all the steps with no help. Last thing he wanted was to upload screen shots of the page but that disconnected us from chat and I haven't got back to them. 

 

The Homekit button is just not there and without a Homekit code nothing I can do. 

 

I'm on iPhone 11 Pro iOS 13.1.3

 

Hopefully they come up with a fix soon. 

d3esaly
Aspirant
Aspirant

I have the same issue. Everything updated to latest version. No HomeKit button on my iPad Pro and on my iPhone 11 Pro...

rbminor
Initiate
Initiate

Had this issue with no HomeKit button, this worked to get the HomeKit button showing and everything working in HomeKit.

 

Short version - added the hub and camera to the app, no HomeKit button, removed the hub, while doing that got a weird message about needing access to my home (that I never saw during set up) and clicked ok, and when I re-added the hub,  the HomeKit button was now there and was able to set everything up in Homekit / see the cameras with live video et. al. in the Apple Home app and everything.

 

Longer version:

I had the same issue mentioned above where I set up everything: added base station and camera in Arlo App on my iPhone, updated firmware on my base station  (to 1.14.0.9_137_8e45094) and updated firmware on my cameras BUT NEVER SAW THE HOMEKIT BUTTON in SETTINGS.  After doing other stuff for a couple hours, came back and still no HomeKit button so decided to try some haphazard troubleshooting.  First thing I did was, in the Arlo app on my iPhone (with 'Devices' tab selected in the bottom nav bar), clicked on the "SmartHub / Base Station / Bridge" button, which took me to the hub's 'Device Settings' page, scrolled to the bottom where there was a Restart button and Remove Device button, clicked Remove Device.  When I did that, got an unexpected message saying something like "Your hub needs access to your Home..." or something like that (unfortunately didn't take a screen shot and just clicked 'ok' - don't think there was even another option besides ok.)  But, it then removed the hub and the camera I had added previously.  Then, I re-added the hub, and when I did, there was a 'HomeKit' button on the hub settings page and was able to set everything up in HomeKit including seeing the cameras with live video et. al. in the Apple Home app.

 

ArloHomeKitFix.png

 

 

 

d3esaly
Aspirant
Aspirant

Your solution worked for me. Thank you.

CyborgParts
Aspirant
Aspirant
Re-adding the base station worked for me. The allow HomeKit message popped up the moment I removed the base station, just as you experienced. Reconfiguring was quite a production. I had to climb up on a ladder to re-sync each camera. My PVR subscription seemingly disappeared from both cameras, but I “repurchased” PVR for $38 for the year. My card was only charged $0.66 so far, so I’m assuming it added a few days to my current subscription.

Thanks for going through the trouble of figuring this out for us. I really hope Arlo releases an update that resolves this bug. That was not a fun fix!