iDevices products require adequate Wi-Fi strength in the home that covers the product installation area and can should also be able to support a number of connected products and devices.
A stable and capable Wi-Fi network is important when thinking about building a smart home. All routers have a client limit, meaning how many products or devices are connected to the router. Some client limits are very high and therefore are a good choice for your smart home. Many routers supplied by your Internet Service Providers (ISP), and often older routers are not designed to support multiple smart home products. This may result in a difficult setup experience, or even products dropping network connections randomly.
If you have an existing network:
Confirm that your existing network meets the requirements for supporting a smart home, that you have a 2.4GHz band available, and that the Wi-Fi signal is strong in the areas of your home where you plan to install your connected products.
If a network does not yet exist:
When necessary, the physical product installation can be completed before a Wi-Fi network is in place.
Determine if you require a standard consumer network or a larger, professional network setup as noted below. If you have a larger home, you may need to consider multiple access points (APs) throughout the home to ensure the signal is strong and broad. Also consider including additional access points (APs) for buildings with concrete walls and ceilings, as those will also block the Wi-Fi signal. If you have questions about the compatibility of your current router or are looking for router recommendations, please contact the iDevices Customer Experience Team at Support@iDevicesinc.com
Standard Consumer Network Recommendations
Consumer network hardware works well in typical-sized homes with less than 50 connected products. We recommend a mesh network such as Google Wi-Fi or Eero to ensure proper coverage.
Professional Network Recommendations
For larger or more complex structures with more than 50 or so connected products, a more professional hardware setup may be appropriate. These typically include running Cat 5 or 6 throughout the home along with setting up multiple gateways and access points.
Router Setup Tips:
- Set products up on a 2.4 GHz network band, 802.11 b/g/n by having your phone connected to the 2.4GHz network before app pairing.
- Set router network security to None, WPA or WPA2 with AES encryption.
- Guest networks are not supported.
- Be sure Airtime/Wireline Fairness is disabled on the router, when applicable. This feature should be turned off prior to product setup.
- Access points should be set up no more than 20’-30’ apart and share the same network name.