In most instances, Keep Connect seamlessly connects to and functions with home routers. However, there are scenarios where Keep Connect may encounter difficulties or fail to connect to your Wi-Fi network. Several factors can contribute to this, such as the Wi-Fi frequency used by your router, the type of security protocols implemented on the router, firewall settings, and more. But rest assured, we have a variety of solutions to tackle these challenges!
Keep Connect has been serving households for years now, and during this time, it has encountered and overcome such obstacles on many occasions.
Here are the individual troubleshooting steps we need to tackle:
Router/Modem Information:
Before troubleshooting, it’s essential to gather information about your router/modem. What’s the make and model of the device you’re trying to connect your Keep Connect to? Are there any noteworthy details about your network, such as mesh configurations, advanced security monitoring equipment, or specific firewall settings?
Check Your WiFi Bands:
Keep Connect exclusively supports the 2.4GHz WiFi band. Ensure that this band is enabled on your router/modem.
Smart Connect Feature:
If your router/modem has a Smart Connect feature, consider turning it off, as it might interfere with the connection process.
Separate Band Names:
In most cases, Keep Connect seamlessly connects to WiFi networks that broadcast both 2.4GHz and 5GHz signals simultaneously. However, if you encounter connectivity issues with Keep Connect, it’s advisable to establish a dedicated 2.4GHz band with a unique SSID, separate from the 5GHz network. This separation can often resolve any compatibility issues and ensure a smoother connection process.
Password Accuracy:
Double-check the accuracy of your password. Surprisingly, autofill features can sometimes enter passwords incorrectly.
Special Characters:
Examine any special characters in your router/modem’s network name (SSID) and password. While most special characters work well, a few may not be compatible. One example we encountered are ‘spaces’.
Authentication Mode:
Ensure that your router/modem’s authentication mode is not set to WPA2 Enterprise or WPA3, as these are less common. You can typically find this information in your router’s settings.
Adjust WiFi Mode:
In Keep Connect settings, explore the option to change the WiFi mode from “b/g/n” to “b/g,” or possibly just “b.” You can locate this in the Advanced Settings section of Keep Connect.
Guest Network:
As a last resort, consider setting up a guest network and attempting to connect Keep Connect to it. Sometimes, features on a router/modem can inadvertently block Keep Connect on the main network.
Consider Adding a Secondary Router:
In situations where a guest network isn’t viable, and especially if your primary router has stringent security settings, an alternative approach is to introduce a secondary router into your network configuration. This secondary router would be positioned upstream from your primary router, serving as the initial point of contact with your ISP’s internet connection. Keep Connect can then connect to this secondary router and perform reboots as necessary to detect internet outages that covers the rest of the wifi devices
Let’s proceed through these steps systematically to get your unit online and connected. With thousands of units successfully in service, we’ve encountered and resolved these issues before!
