Having issues connecting your Z Grills Australia Wireless controller to your WIFI network? Checkout this guide to find potential solutions.
For basic connection instructions on how to connect your Z Grills controller to your WIFI network click here. Read on if you have having issues connecting, or maintaining a reliable connection.
Connect to 2.4GHz not 5GHz
- Connect your phone/ipad/tablet to the local 2.4GHz WIFI (20MHz or 40MHz) network. It must be the 2.4GHz network, not 5GHz. 5GHz is faster than 2.4GHz, but not good at penetrating walls which is why most outside connected devices use 2.4GHz.
- The 5GHz network will normally have “5G” at the end of the network name (aka SSID). For example:
• MY-WIFI (this is the one to select)
• MY-WIFI-5G - Some networks will have a single network that combines both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. This may be referred to as “band steering” or “combined network”. Newer routers will automatically assign the correct one to devices in which case the grill should be able to connect easily.
- If the grill cannot connect to the combined network you will need to log into the router and turn off the “combined” or “band steering” setting or move far enough away from the router than the phone automatically switches to 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz.
- If the router has a “width” setting, choose 20MHz or 40MHz not 80MHz.
Use a guest 2.4GHz network
The best option for any outside connected device like your Z Grills controller, security cameras etc is to have a dedicated Guest Network set to 2.4GHz for them to connect to. Why? 2.4GHz signals can pass through walls much better than 5GHz which is why 2.4GHz is the preferred (or only) network used by outside devices.
Most routers have a Guest Network option which can be set to just 2.4GHz and have a different password to you main WIFI network.
Speed Test
While you may have a connection out near you grill it may be very slow or unreliable. Connect to the network on your phone and do a speedtest while standing next to the grill, screenshot the results and compare to when in the house.
Check Network Signal Strength (RSSI)
RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) measures how well a device can receive the WIFI signal.
A value of -30dBm is excellent and anything above -70dBm is poor and may result in unreliable connections.
The following simple apps can be used to check RSSI value out near the grill.
- iOS: Download Wi-Fi Info Shortcut
- Android: Download WiFi Analyzer
If the signal is poor on the mobile device, then the grill will not be able to maintain a reliable connection. An upgrade to the WIFI network maybe required, see recommended units below.
How to change router settings?
Check on the bottom or your router for an IP address (192.168.1.1) or web address and login details. Use this in your phone or computer web browser to access the settings on the router.
Search the router model online to find a pdf version of the manual if you don’t have one!
Other router settings to check
Turn OFF WPS, normally in the Wireless Settings page.
Try with another phone
If using an Android phone sometimes it can be worth trying another phone (different mode,) or even better, an iPhone or iPad to try the connection process. The Z Grills Android App is tested on many Android devices, but as there are literally hundreds of varieties all with slightly different software installed, issues can occur.
Turn off Printer WIFI
If you have a printer with Direct WIFI turned on it can interfere with you local network. This is NOT the same as having your printer connected to your WIFI, instead it is the printers own WIFI network that you can connect to directly if you don’t have home WIFI. Check your printer manual for instructions.
Check Network Name
It may not be possible to connect to the network if the name is too long. Keep the name to within 20 characters.
Choose the correct WIFI channel
Watch the videos below for good explanation on how WIFI channels work and why it can impact your connection reliability and speed if using the same channel as your neighbours.
Still having issues?
If you are still having connection issues, please contact us.