Sense needs a strong Wi-Fi connection to overcome any potential interference as it monitors your home's electricity use.
Here are some simple tips to try if you're having difficulty with the Wi-Fi connection once the app has been installed and operational.
First, run a Network Connection Test in the app. The system may have done this automatically, in which case you can work with its results. The network connection test performs automatic diagnostics on your network, details any points of failure, and offers troubleshooting tips. Find this test at:
Settings > System
Once concluded, the Network Connection Test will identify a possible cause and offer troubleshooting assistance. The Sense Help Center offers an article for each issue and offers advice on how to troubleshoot the apparent cause.
Next, you can look into issues that arise in two possible areas: signal strength and network connection:
- Signal strength: If you are still unable to connect your Wi-Fi network, there could be an issue with your network’s signal strength. It can be too weak or, surprisingly, it can occasionally be too strong. We recommend you position your Sense system at least five (5) feet from the Wi-Fi router but no farther than 20 feet away. You may need either to move the router or to add a Wi-Fi access point to ensure that proximity.
- Tip: You can check signal strength using a variety of mobile apps. Just search "Wi-Fi signal strength" in your app store or reach out to Sense Support for a recommendation. The Sense Home app reports up to -75dB as “good,” but from house to house there are many variables that impact this measurement. If your range is between -65dB and -75dB and signal strength seems to be an issue, move the router closer.
- Network connection: If you have multiple routers or access points, make sure the one that is closest to your Sense system has a unique network name (SSID) from the others, so that Sense doesn't accidentally try to connect to one of the farther access points. If you search the list of available Wi-Fi networks but don’t see the one you want, select “Other Network” and enter its details.
If you try both these options and there is still no connection, please contact Sense Support. Let us know what you've tried and what results you got.
For more information, please consider reading:
This article: Connecting Sense: How can I improve my signal strength?
This blog: Keeping Connected: How to Improve Your Home's Wi-Fi