One of my IotaWatt boards disconnected from my network recently while I was on a trip. I wasn’t particularly concerned because it happens occasionally. Whenever it happens, I power cycle the board and it always comes back online.
But this time it didn’t. Instead I get RED-GREEN-GREEN and follow the instructions to connect. I know the password (the name I gave the board when I installed it six months ago), so no problem connecting to the IotaWatt AP. But when I get to 192.168.4.1, the connection never happens even after waiting a few minutes. I’ve tried the connection sequence 15-20 times, but no joy. After awhile, the board reverts to dull red, as described in the documentation.
I’m using a UniFi router (UDM Pro) with APs and one mesh extender — my signal strength in the area is pretty good (RSSI in the 60s); other devices in the same proximity connect to WiFi without a problem.
I’ve read the documentation and asked AI for help but nothing I’ve tried works. Any ideas?
Not clear on what is happening. Are you saying that after you connect to tha AP you don’t get the captive portal even if you enter the IP address? Or are you saying that you get the captive portal, select your WiFi network, enter your network password and then nothing happens?
It appears the connection with your WiFi was not made. That is clear because you report that the LED goes to dull red, meaning the unit is running and sampling but not connected to WiFi. If it had connected, the LED would be dull green.
Did you select your SSID from the list in the captive portal? If so, then possibly you are providing the wrong password.
If your network SSID was not listed in the captive portal, and you entered it manually, then the IoTaWatt did not see the network in its scan and so it would be no surprise that it did not connect.
Is it possible that your new network is 5 GHz only? IoTaWatt requires 2.4GHz.
I’m also suspicious of the mesh extender that you mention. Would that be the AP that you are trying to connect through? If so, relocating closer to a UniFi AP to see if that works.
Yeah all solid advice that I appreciate. And I tried to troubleshoot against all of them I think. I don’t think (?) it could be a password issue because when I first select the IotaWatt AP, and it asks for my password, it accepts the password and I get a checkmark next to the iotxxxxx WiFi network showing it’s connected (although you may be referring to my WiFi password). I doubt it could be that either as I typed it in so many times and know my WiFi credentials intimately
I tried both the scan and no-scan versions on 192.168.4.1 at least a dozen times each, using both my combo 2.4g/5g network (where all my other awesome-performing IotaWatts are located, as well as my IOT network which is 2.4g only. No joy on either
I tried with both the extender nearby (so I could ensure a very strong signal). That didn’t work, so I tried with the extender completely off (to remove that from the equation). When I did the latter scenario, I still had moderately strong WiFi signals where the problematic board is located. When I did a scan from 192.168.4.1, it showed my main network and IOT network both at 82%. And that doesn’t work either.
in all cases, I type the password into the 4.1 page, wait a few minutes and the IotaWatt AP still shows up on my phone under WiFi
Any other theories I can try? I’m stumped.
EDIT: And P.S., if I try to physically move the IotaWatt board closer to an AP to test, would I be safe in disconnecting all the CTs and testing it with only the voltage monitor and the 5V DC power? Thought I read having mains power running through the circuits that the CTs are monitoring without the IotaWatt connected and powered was dangerous, but perhaps I’m misremembering.
Well, I finally solved it and, while I know what I did, I confess I have no idea why it worked.
Here’s the apparent contradiction: (A) I have a number of other wifi devices that are essentially co-located with the problematic IotaWatt board and they perform just fine; (B) I also have 3 other IotaWatt boards in different locations that also perform just fine; and finally (C) This board has performed fine in its same location for six months, ever since I installed it. How could all three of these things be true? I’m sure there’s a good answer, but I just don’t get it.
So, figuring the problem was wifi, I started disabling one Unifi AP at a time. And sure enough, right when I disabled one of my U6 LRs, the IotaWatt instantly connected. After it was connected, I locked the IotaWatt board to the AP it picked (signal is fine), and then re-enabled the U6 LR, and everything remains fine.
I recognize this is not a wifi forum, but also this problem didn’t manifest for any other device besides the IotaWatt. I’m totally confused why this worked, and would really value and appreciate any insight from anyone. Heck I’ll take half-baked theories at this point.
I’ve been having trouble with my unit and read this reply as confirming the green-red-red was a Wi-Fi issue (should have read the troubleshooting document) and just spent three hours chasing a network connection issue that wasn’t there. It was a failed SD card
