Your Arlo cameras stopped sending alerts. In the app, the hub shows offline, and the light on top is amber instead of blue.
An Arlo base station offline problem has a short official checklist. Arlo starts with the Internet light. Then it checks the Ethernet cable, the power adapter and a power cycle. The Ethernet cable must be plugged in before the power returns. Work through the steps in order, then check extenders, VPN and your router’s firewall.
This guide puts Arlo’s steps in order. It also covers a firewall workaround that only one user has reported, and what Arlo’s page leaves out.
What an Arlo Base Station Offline Message Means
Arlo’s troubleshooting article covers both the SmartHub and the older base station. It is labeled “Last updated: 08.01.2025.” That date format is unclear. It could mean August 1 or January 8, 2025. So treat the page as roughly a year old.
The page doesn’t explain why a hub goes offline. It simply lists checks, from the easiest to a factory reset. So the steps below follow the same order.
Step 1: Read the Internet Light
Arlo says a solid or blinking amber Internet light means a connection problem. Blue or green means the device is online. If no lights show, check the power first.
Step 2: Check the Ethernet Cable
The cable between the hub and your router is the first suspect. Arlo’s checks are simple.
How to fix:
- Inspect the whole cable for damage, then try a different cable
- Reseat both ends, at the hub and at the router
- Confirm the router’s lights are on
If the router’s lights are off, Arlo says to skip ahead to the power cycle step.
Step 3: Check the Power Adapter
Next, look at how the hub gets its power. Arlo lists these checks:
- Inspect the cord for damage
- Make sure it is firm at both ends
- Avoid outlets controlled by a switch, and try a different outlet
- Skip surge protectors and power strips, and plug straight into a wall outlet
A blue or green Internet light means you are back online. If it stays amber or off, keep going.
Step 4: Power Cycle in the Right Order
Order matters when an Arlo base station offline problem follows a power cut. Arlo’s note says: “The Ethernet cable must be plugged in before the power adapter is reconnected.”
How to fix:
- Make sure the Ethernet and power cables are secure
- Unplug the power adapter and wait 30 seconds
- Leave the Ethernet cable plugged in
- Plug the power adapter back in
- Wait about two minutes
Blue or green means the hub is restored. If the light is amber, move on to the next step.
Arlo’s page doesn’t tell you to restart the router in this step. Restarting the router first is general networking advice, not an Arlo instruction. It can still help if the router was down when the hub restarted.
Step 5: Connect Directly, Not Through an Extender or Mesh Node
Arlo doesn’t recommend Wi-Fi extenders or mesh nodes. It says direct connections are more stable. So for an Arlo base station offline problem, plug the hub straight into your Wi-Fi router.
The page doesn’t say whether a wired mesh node counts as a router. So test by plugging the hub into the main router or gateway. Does your mesh sit behind an ISP box? Then our eero double NAT guide explains the trouble two routers can cause. Arlo’s page doesn’t mention double NAT, so that link is general networking, not an Arlo statement.
Step 6: Check That the Router Isn’t Running a VPN
Arlo says to make sure your Wi-Fi router isn’t running a VPN. The page gives no reason and no steps. So check your router’s VPN or tunnel setting, and turn it off as a test.
Step 7: Test the Connection With a Computer
This step tells you who is at fault. Connect a laptop or desktop to the router with an Ethernet cable. Then try browsing.
- If browsing works, the router’s internet is fine. Keep troubleshooting the hub.
- If browsing fails, the router’s connection is the problem. Arlo says to contact your internet provider or the router’s maker.
Step 8: Factory Reset Last
Arlo puts the reset last for a reason. Its warning says: “A factory reset removes all cameras connected to your Arlo SmartHub/Base Station from your Arlo account.”
So you must add every camera again afterward. Use this only after the earlier steps fail. If the hub is still offline after a reset, Arlo says to contact its support.
Router and Firewall Causes: What One User Found (Unconfirmed)
Arlo’s page says nothing about firewalls, DHCP or ports. So I looked at its community boards for an Arlo base station offline fix. The evidence below comes from users, not Arlo staff.
In one community thread, a user with a VMB3010 base station saw it in the router’s client list. It still stayed offline. Their router was a firewall with IDS/IPS, which is intrusion detection and prevention. They tried several changes:
- They fixed the DHCP range for the hub to a single address
- They set up a port forward to allow NTP from anywhere on TCP and UDP
- They placed the hub on a fixed IP in a separate subnet and VLAN with minimal security
- They added that IP to the IDS/IPS whitelist
The VLAN and fixed IP reply was marked as the solution. The poster wrote: “Its clear Arlo requires some specifics that are not published.”
Treat this as a test, not a rule. It is one home network, the firewall model isn’t named, and the page shows no dates. No Arlo staff replied on the page I read. Most home routers don’t run IDS/IPS, so this likely won’t apply to you.
The same thread mentions ports. The poster said an older thread reported port 123 (NTP) as needed, along with 443 and 80. A later reply from another user said those ports are needed. It also said business networks can trip up the hub because it uses a secure connection over port 80. Arlo’s page lists no ports, so I can’t confirm any of this.
A second thread is a reminder that causes aren’t always clear. There, a base station showed a blinking Internet light after a power loss. It then came back online on its own, and the thread found no cause.
If you change a firewall or VLAN setting, change one at a time. Also note the old setting so you can undo it. Our best router settings for smart home devices guide compares what other vendors recommend.
What Arlo’s Page Doesn’t Say
- It doesn’t mention DHCP, firewall rules, ports, DNS or firmware.
- It doesn’t say why an extender or a VPN causes trouble.
- Its date format is ambiguous.
- It doesn’t say whether a wired mesh node counts as a router.
- I found no community fix confirmed by Arlo staff.
Did other devices drop after a router change? Our Wyze camera offline after wifi change guide follows another vendor’s rules. And if a console can’t see your network, read our Nintendo Switch can’t find wifi guide. It covers the security and name checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Arlo base station offline? Arlo’s page lists several checks. They cover the cable, the power source, extenders, a router VPN and the router’s internet. Start with the Internet light and work in order.
What does an amber Internet light mean on an Arlo hub? Arlo says amber means a connection problem. Blue or green means the device is online.
How do I power cycle an Arlo hub? Unplug the power adapter and wait 30 seconds. Keep the Ethernet cable plugged in, reconnect the power, then wait about two minutes.
Does Arlo work with a mesh system or extender? Arlo doesn’t recommend either. It says a direct connection to the Wi-Fi router is more stable.
Which ports does an Arlo hub need? Arlo’s page doesn’t list any. Community users reported 443, 80 and 123, but that is unconfirmed.
The Bottom Line
An Arlo base station offline problem should be fixed in Arlo’s order. Check the Internet light, then the cable and power. Next, power cycle with the Ethernet cable plugged in first. Remove extenders and any router VPN, and test the router with a computer. Reset the hub last, because it removes your cameras from your account. Arlo’s page is about a year old and skips firewalls and ports. So the VLAN workaround is only one user’s report. Change one setting at a time, and note your old settings so you can undo them.