How to Connect Smart Plug to Wi-Fi?

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How to Connect Smart Plug to Wi-Fi? – Before You Start

When you acquire a new smart plug, the first step to making it operational is connecting it to your home Wi-Fi network. This process may vary slightly among different smart plug brands, but generally, it follows a similar set of basic steps.

Upon receiving the smart plug, it comes ready to connect to your home Wi-Fi network. However, it won’t establish a connection until you provide access to your network name and password.

The smart plug broadcasts a Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing your smartphone to connect to the plug and share the necessary Wi-Fi details.

This review focuses on standalone smart plugs that connect directly to Wi-Fi networks. If your smart plug includes a bridge or hub, you’ll apply the same setup steps to the hub instead of the plug itself.

The Setup Process

Download the Kasa app on your Android or iOS smartphone. This is the official companion app for TP-Link’s smart home devices.
Launch the app after installation and select ‘Create Account.’

How to Connect Smart Plug to Wi-Fi

Enter your email address, create a passcode, and then select ‘Create Account.’
Verify your email address by clicking on the link sent to your inbox. After verification, return to the Kasa app and tap ‘Continue.’

Optionally, allow the app to access your location. This enables the app to set plug schedules based on sunrise and sunset times. You can skip granting location access if you don’t need to set such schedules.
On the app’s main screen, tap the plus (+) icon in the upper-right corner to set up the smart plug.

Select the device type you wish to set up from the list provided.
Plug the smart plug into a power outlet and wait for it to boot up. Once the Wi-Fi icon lights up and flashes orange and green, tap ‘Next’ twice in the app.

Access your phone’s Wi-Fi settings and connect to the network broadcasted by the smart plug.
After connecting, return to the Kasa app, name your smart plug, and tap ‘Next.’

Select an icon for your smart plug. While this step is optional, it adds a personalized touch. You can even use a photo from your camera roll. Choose your icon and press ‘Next.’
Connect the smart plug to your Wi-Fi network by entering the password and tapping ‘Next.’ If you prefer a different network, select ‘I’d like to use a different network.’

The smart plug will check for firmware updates. Tap ‘Update’ to install the latest version from TP-Link.
Allow a few minutes for the update to download and install. During this process, you might notice the smart plug turning on and off.

Once the update completes, tap ‘Done.’
Tap ‘Done’ again to finish the setup.

The smart plug will now appear on the app’s main screen, allowing you to control it with the on/off button.
For more details about the smart plug’s usage, tap its icon.
‘Total Runtime’ provides information on the plug’s usage, including 7-day and 30-day totals and averages.
While the Kasa Smart Plug provides basic runtime information similar to other smart plugs, it might lack detailed data compared to some competitors. Nonetheless, the app remains user-friendly.

How to Connect Smart Plug to Wi-Fi

Note: You might encounter connection issues when linking your smart plug to Wi-Fi. To troubleshoot, ensure your Wi-Fi network is operational, place your smart plug close to your router during setup, and check if your Wi-Fi network is overcrowded with devices.

Final Thought

In conclusion, connecting a smart plug to Wi-Fi is straightforward if you follow the outlined steps. However, remember that most smart plugs are compatible with the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band. Therefore, connecting them to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi band will likely result in connectivity issues.