How to Connect Smart Switch to Wifi – Getting Started
If you are reading this, you are probably tired of fumbling in the dark for those old light switches.
A smart switch is a light switch that automates your lighting system using its radio wave capabilities to connect it to nearby wireless networks.
Smart switches are a bit costly to install, so you want to reconsider upgrading all the switches in your house.
But, having a few smart switches that you most frequently use around your home is a welcome upgrade for any homeowner.
This article gives you a step-by-step guide on how to connect a smart switch to Wifi. It will also give you a few tips on fixing a smart switch that won’t connect to the internet.
Steps to Connecting Smart Switch to Wifi
Step 1. Once the switch has been installed, turn on the power and see whether there is a blinking light on the switch. If there are no blinking lights, long-press the switches for twenty seconds until they start blinking.
Step 2. Go to the app store and download the Smart Life app. Once the app downloads, sign up add a device.
App
Step 3. The app will prompt you to choose the device you would like to set up. Click on the Wifi switch option.
Step 4. Select the smart switch brand that you want to connect with.
Step 5: Wait for it to connect with your phone. This process takes about 45 minutes.
Step 6: Select your internet network, rename and add a password.
Step 7: Put your phone or tablet close to the switch and wait for the app to scan it.
Step 8: Once the switch is added successfully, try switching it on and off to ensure you have successfully connected it.
If you can turn your lights on and off with a voice command, you have successfully connected your smart switch to your WiFi.
Reasons Why You Smart Switch Won’t Connect to Wifi
There are different types of smart switches in the market. Some are very easy to connect to Wifi while others don’t connect very easily. Most switches that fail to connect to Wifi do so for several reasons.
Using the Wrong Bandwidth
The most predominant reason is that most smart switches do not connect to routers with 5 GHz bands.
So, when connecting a smart switch to Wifi you need to use the 2.4 GHz band of your router rather than the 5 GHz band for the connection to work.
This specification is not laid out in most switch brands, but some are. So, if your router has a dual-band that runs both 2.4 and 5 GHz, you need to disable the 5 GHz band until the installation is complete.
How to disable the 5 GHz band in your router.
- Go to your router’s settings and click on troubleshooting.
- On the troubleshooting page, select ‘device won’t connect.’
- The device will give you the option to pause 5 GHz temporarily.
- Selecting this option will provide you with a 10 minutes window period that will allow your smart switch to connect to your Wifi.
Using the Wrong Password
Sometimes smart switches fail to connect to Wifi when the wrong password is imputed. So if you are using the correct bandwidth and your switch won’t connect;
- Log out of the router, and try and connect it manually on your phone.
- Enter the network name and password.
- Once the password appears on the screen, write it down.
- Then try connecting the switch to your Wifi with the correct password.
That often resolves the issue. This solution may sound obvious until you try it out and it works. So, by all means, try it out.
The Router Network is Too Old
If you have an old router, for example, acquired in the 2000s, you may experience challenges connecting it to modern switches.
Most early routers did not have well-developed protocols at the time, so you might probably face a great deal of slow internet speed.
So the best thing to do in this case is to upgrade your router network as well.
The Router Network is Too Far
Sometimes a smart switch fails to connect to Wifi because your Wifi’s signal coverage is too weak.
This could happen if the light switch is located in a basement or if it is separated from the router by a great thick wall.
To find out whether your Wifi has a wide range, place your phone where your router is and then place it in the location where the switch is.
If the Wifi doesn’t have enough range, it is recommended that you upgrade your wifi connection system to a mesh system.
Extending your connection range would also work, but getting a wifi mesh system like google would be a more excellent solution.
Bottom Line
I hope you will successfully install your new smart switch without a hitch after reading this guide. In case it does not work the first time, try out the tips I shared on how to fix a smart switch that won’t work. It will work!