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I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the network

Robhol
Aspirant

I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the network

I've tried about 10 times to connect the Arlo cameras to the new WiFi network but my research tells me that both my Phone and the Arlo cameras need to be on a 2.4 GHz network to be set up. The Arlo cameras worked perfectly with our old router but the new Orbi router seems to be a mesh, 5GHz network. All the Arlo instructions and help I've found online tell me that the iPhone and the camera must be on a 2.4 GHz network (at least until connected). There doesn't seem to be a way to create a 2.4 GHz network with the Orbital RBR350. Can anyone offer any advice please? The cameras model is: VMC2030. I use an Apple iPhone 12 Pro.

Message 1 of 11
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

Interesting because Arlo was originally a Netgear product. (one would think that compatibility with Netgear Orbi would be sort of obvious.)

 

Can you provide a link to the specific setup instructions you are following?

At what point of the setup does the Arlo app on the iPhone fail?

Message 2 of 11
Robhol
Aspirant

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

Hi and thanks for your in terse in this problem. Here's the situation:

 

• We have been using 2 Arlo cameras for the past 3 years without issue.

• We recently changed broadband provider (cheaper rate) and they issued us with the Orbi RBR350.

• The Arlo app was working fine.

• Since setting up the new Orbi router, I can't connect the 2 cameras.

• All other devices are connecting without an issue.

• As the app and the cameras are already installed, I followed the in-app instructions to connect the camera to the new network (Screen shots attached):

 

1. Open the Arlo app.

 

2. Tap the cog icon on one of the cameras.

 

3. The next screen says 'Your Arlo device appears to be off-line. I tap the word 'Disconnected'.

 

4. I tap the word 'Disconnected' on the next screen as well.

 

5. The next screen says 'Connect to a 2.4 GHz network' – and here (I think) is the issue. It tells me to connect my phone to a 2.4 GHZ network and then tap continue. My limited understanding is that the Orbi RBR350 is a mesh router and I can't pick and choose between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

 

6. My iPhone is connected to the WiFi, so I tap 'Continue'.

 

7. The next screens asks me to input the WiFi network name and password (easy). I tap continue

 

8. The next screen shows and image of the Arlo camera and asks me to press and hold the Sync button until the LED flashes blue (easy). I tap continue.

 

9. The next screen generates a QR code. I point the camera at the code and I get a 'chime' sound.

 

10. Then, with the iPhone, camera and router about 20cm apart, there is a search animation on the phone screen for about 1 min 30 sec, then fail.

 

I can only assume that it's because my iPhone is on the 5GHz network and, from my research, I see that both the phone and camera must be on a 2.4 GHz network, at least until the setup is complete.

 

If I login to my Orbi admin account online, I can see check boxes for 'Enable 2.4G' and 'Enable 5G'. Some help articles I've read suggest that I could temporarily un-check the 5G box, go to my phone, forget the network and re-connect, etc, etc, but I don't know if that's a realistic solution. Others suggest changing the channel number or strength. I don't want to tinker too much, as I'm a novice with this level of tech.

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

Message 3 of 11
Robhol
Aspirant

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

I thought it might be useful to attach a screen shot of my Orbi Admin 'Wireless Settings' page, just in case there's a solution via this.

Cheers.

Message 4 of 11
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

Can you use an app to decode what is in that QR code?  (I have Android and there are at least a dozen apps which will look at a QR code and display the contents.

 

That information might be really useful in diagnosing what is going on.

Message 5 of 11
Robhol
Aspirant

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

Hi there, attached is the decoded QR code from my Arlo app – this is generated part way through the connection process – I point the phone with this QR on the screen, at the Arlo camera and I get a chime sound, which all sounds good. Until the connection process fails.

 

For the sake of security, I've blacked out the WiFi network name and the password on the attached screen shot.

 

Cheers.

Message 6 of 11
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

Thanks for decoding the QR code.  "What everybody wants to know" is do the values in the QR code exactly match the WiFi name (SSID) and password of the Orbi system?

 

If the QR code is saying, "Look for a WiFi system with this name and connect to it using this password", then that is what the camera should do.

If the  Arlo camera has only a 2.4G radio, then it will detect only the Orbi 2.4 signal.

 

 

Message 7 of 11
Robhol
Aspirant

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

Hello again

The WiFi Name (SSID) and password match exactly – both are correct in the decoded QR code.

 

Cheers

Message 8 of 11
CrimpOn
Guru

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

Really strange. The QR code is saying, "look for a WiFi with this name". The Orbi system is broadcasting a WiFi network with that name.

 

I did notice that 0x20 hexadecimal is the space character.  Would there by chance be a space at the start of the WiFi SSID?

Message 9 of 11
Robhol
Aspirant

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

By sheer fluke (or magic fingers) I've managed to connect both cameras to the network tonight!

 

The only thing I did differently was to remove both cameras from the list on my Arlo app and I re-added them as new devices.

 

The process from there was exactly the same as I've been trying for the past week. Even then, it took about 8 goes for the app search to detect the cameras.

 

Anyway, long story short, both are hooked up to the new WiFi.

 

All I have to work out now is why the cameras appear under a 2 month trial on my app, instead of part of my paid Arlo plan.

 

Thanks for all your suggestions and time.

 

Cheers! 

 

 

 

Message 10 of 11
FURRYe38
Guru

Re: I have recently bought an Orbi RBR350 router and I can't connect our 2 Arlo cameras to the netwo

Something to post here about for Arlo cameras.

https://www.arlo.com/en-us/support/


Good Luck.

Message 11 of 11
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