Broken Features in Arlo 4

[ScotCamera]

I’d like to share how my Arlo 4 cameras (2) currently behave and want to know is this the correct behavior or are these known issues and what is being done to correct it.

I use the Arlo app on my iPhone 8 and the web portal on my iMac using Chrome. All systems are using the latest software and updates.

When I turn off the Arlo 4 camera through my iPhone, the camera doesn’t indicate that it is off in the web portal. In the device settings through the web portal, it shows the camera is still on. The expected behavior should show the camera off, this is not the case. I assume this is not the expected behavior and want to know is it being looked into? What happened for this to break?

How is the Local 2K Live Steaming option in the Arlo app supposed to work? When I enable this feature through the Arlo app (not available through the web portal??),  I’m not able to live stream any video from that camera. Nothing happens when I click the circle with the triangle inside of it, though it does record on motion. The name of the feature “Local 2K Live Streaming” seems to indicate that you should be able to stream it live in 2K from the Arlo app (up to 2 cameras). This is not the behavior that I’m experiencing. Is this something that Arlo is aware of and actively working on? What happened for this to break?

About a month ago I was able to live stream 2K from the app but not manually record – now nothing.

The problems mentioned above use to work decently but now have become a big issue with my Arlo setup. These and other past issues seem to be always popping up. In software development, things just don’t break or stop working for no reason. Doesn’t anyone test the software when a change or update has been made? It would seem to be NO.

For the past 5+ years I’ve been patient with Arlo but I may be coming to the end soon unless someone can explain why these things work for a while and then suddenly stopping working.

Thanks for hearing me out.

[ScotCamera]

I read in a previous post that Arlo app version v3.5.2 fixed this problem... Now we are on v3.6.8 and the problem has returned, hmmm. Doesn't sound like a very smart upgrade to me, obviously the Arlo team doesn't verify or test any app updates.  

[JamesC]

ScotCamera,

For the first issue, if you clear you log out, clear your browser cache, and log back in. Do you still experience the same issue? Which browser are you using?

Local 2K live stream should be available when your mobile device is connected to the same network as the camera. Are you on mobile data or your home WiFi when you experience this behavior? If you're on mobile data (not connected to your home WiFi), will the camera successfully stream?

JamesC

[ScotCamera]

Q - For the first issue, if you clear you log out, clear your browser cache, and log back in. Do you still experience the same issue? Which browser are you using?

A - I’m using the latest version of Chrome on my iMac. Before I make any type of post to report a bug, I always make sure I log off and clear my browser cache. With that said, the camera still shows it is on but the Arlo app on my iPhone says its off. I believe the iPhone because that’s how I turned the camera off.

Q - Local 2K live stream should be available when your mobile device is connected to the same network as the camera. Are you on mobile data or your home WiFi when you experience this behavior? If you're on mobile data (not connected to your home WiFi), will the camera successfully stream?

A - Yes, I’m connected to my home network. When I connect using 5GHz, I’m not able to stream anything. When I connect using 2.4GHz, I’m able to stream but I don’t see the 2K icon. This tells me it’s not streaming at 2K as the camera specs advertise.

When not connected to my home network and connected to my Version data plan, I’m able to stream but not in 2K (I believe this is expected).

I’ve even tried restart my Arlo router but that doesn’t seem to change anything.

Arlo Router firmware 1.19.0.3_4074_68a8e53

Hardware VMB4000r3

[JamesC]

ScotCamera,

Issue 1: After toggling the device off in the app, if you tap the play button on the web client. Does it give you a device is off message or does it allow the stream?

JamesC

[ScotCamera]

If I turn the camera off through my iPhone and try to stream the camera through my Chrome web client, the message I get is "The privacy settings do not allow streaming."  Before I try to stream via the web client, the camera shows that it is ON. If I toggle that camera to off and then back on ( via web client) it seems to work. 

On my iPhone it works with a 2.4GHz but not showing 2K and doesn't stream at all using 5GHz.

[JamesC]

Thanks for the detailed info. The development team is currently reviewing these issues. I will provide an update once I know more.

JamesC

[ScotCamera]

For what it's worth... the battery levels from the Arlo App iPhone 8 do not match what the battery levels indicate in the web portal using Chrome. I remember this was a problem a while ago and seem to have been fixed, but now appears to be broken again.