Why does my GW keep asking me to connect to my wi-fi?

[jboy210]

Hi,

In the last few weeks, my app has been asking once every day to so to "Connect your Powerwall to wi-fi", even when it has a solid connection (max bars) to the 2.4Ghz wifi network. At first, I thought it was related to the loss of the 3G network, but this has gone on far too long. The Access Point is 4-5 feet from the GW1 box, but on the outside of the house. The GW1 is also connecting to Ethernet.

 

[arnolddeleon]

Ditto for my GW1 which has a hardwired Ethernet and I can see it on the network. I thought I had configured to connect to the WiFi network as well. Well I look at the app it doesn't show my networks as being available to connect.

I'm ignoring it for now since everything seems to work. I'm assuming it's just a bug.

 

[BIC1]

Even though I was hooked with Ethernet, I & many others got the Wi-Fi message recently. I went & connected to Wi-Fi (it will still use Ethernet first, Wi-Fi as a backup) and the app message went away---for a couple of days, then returned. I waited for a few days to disappear. Stuck around, so I connected to Wi-Fi again, and now message seems to be staying away.

 

[jjrandorin]

I had the same experience as @BIC1 . Ethernet setup already, GW1 (1A actually, the one with the reset switch in it). Setup wifi when we all got "the message". couple days later it wanted me to setup wifi again, and I was like "wtf". It also did not have my wifi network in the box for some reason, so I manually re entered the SSID and password (after grumbling to myself).

The "connect to wifi" banner has stayed "gone" this time as well.

 

[charlesj]

New question about wi-fi connection.
Does or can the Gateway remember the wi-fi password or the right wi-fi to use in the first place.
While somedays it has no problem reconnecting to it as mine are off for 8 hours each night, some days, like today
it didn't. I am worried that when the cell goes away, I will have to check every morning to make sure.

 

[jboy210]

New question about wi-fi connection.
Does or can the Gateway remember the wi-fi password or the right wi-fi to use in the first place.
While somedays it has no problem reconnecting to it as mine are off for 8 hours each night, some days, like today
it didn't. I am worried that when the cell goes away, I will have to check every morning to make sure.

What is off every night? Your wifi access point/router?

 

[charlesj]

What is off every night? Your wifi access point/router?

Both, modem and wi-fi. Eight hours times 365 days at about 60 watts=175kWh.

 

[Flick75]

Both, modem and wi-fi. Eight hours times 365 days at about 60 watts=175kWh.

That's unbelievably extreme IMO, but, to each his own.

 

[Fruitcake]

I keep getting this every few days. I select an SSID, I enter the password, the dialog goes away, all is well for a few days or maybe a week, and it returns like a zombie.

The first few times I ignored the inconvenience, now I am in the mildly annoyed phase. If it happens again I'm going to call their customer "service" and give them an earful.

 

[BGbreeder]

I keep getting this every few days. I select an SSID, I enter the password, the dialog goes away, all is well for a few days or maybe a week, and it returns like a zombie.

The first few times I ignored the inconvenience, now I am in the mildly annoyed phase. If it happens again I'm going to call their customer "service" and give them an earful.

Dumb question, but have you check the WiFi signal strength at the Gateway? If it is weak, it could be dropping off, and then deciding that it needs a new SSID. I agree with you that it shouldn't "forget" your credentials.

I had fluctuations in WiFi strength at one location that I ended tracing to radar signals from low flying aircraft. I suspect that the signal was close to "in-band" for the WiFi and just overloaded the preamps.

All the best,

BG

 

[Fruitcake]

Dumb question, but have you check the WiFi signal strength at the Gateway? If it is weak, it could be dropping off, and then deciding that it needs a new SSID. I agree with you that it shouldn't "forget" your credentials.

I had fluctuations in WiFi strength at one location that I ended tracing to radar signals from low flying aircraft. I suspect that the signal was close to "in-band" for the WiFi and just overloaded the preamps.

All the best,

BG

I've got solid RF signal. The Powerwalls are literally 10 feet away from my access point (admittedly, through a concrete wall, which is a heinous source of attenuation for Wi-Fi (20-30dB) but given the short distance it isn't a major factor).

 

[jboy210]

I keep getting this every few days. I select an SSID, I enter the password, the dialog goes away, all is well for a few days or maybe a week, and it returns like a zombie.

The first few times I ignored the inconvenience, now I am in the mildly annoyed phase. If it happens again I'm going to call their customer "service" and give them an earful.

Mine occasionally does that, but if I wait a minute the prompt goes away. There was definitely something funny with it. But so far in the last week to 10 days it has not had an issue. Maybe Telsa fixed it?

 

[charlesj]

Mine occasionally does that, but if I wait a minute the prompt goes away. There was definitely something funny with it. But so far in the last week to 10 days it has not had an issue. Maybe Telsa fixed it?

I think they sent out an update to the iPhone app as mine now shows in the wi-fi section to scan the QR code on the Gateway that mine doesn't have or manually the last 3 digits of a code I have not seen before then password for either the wi-fi router or the Gateway, forgot.
I tried 3 or 4 times, "cannot access" response. Gave up, then a bit later I checked and is signed into my router. Also, there was a box "do you want to save password." Boy I been wondering why there wasn't such a prompt before.
This must be the transition point off of G3 cell.
Will see how it works tomorrow, Sunday.

 

[BIC1]

I keep getting this every few days. I select an SSID, I enter the password, the dialog goes away, all is well for a few days or maybe a week, and it returns like a zombie.

The first few times I ignored the inconvenience, now I am in the mildly annoyed phase. If it happens again I'm going to call their customer "service" and give them an earful.

Same here. Android user. Shouldn't be an issue of it dropping off due to weak signal: 1. Gateway right next to Router; 2. It's always been primarily connected via Ethernet.

 

[jjrandorin]

On this topic, something I find interesting is that I have both a fairly current iPhone (iPhone 11, work phone) and a brand new Android phone (pixel 6 pro).

I use my work iPhone for "most things", but have the tesla app installed on both devices. Right now, when I look at my iPhone, which is the one I did the "pair, re pair, re re pair" dance with, when they first pushed this out, it does not indicate any issues with my wifi connection to my gateway.

However, If I pick up my android phone, and open the tesla app, logged into the same account, on the same wifi network, sitting in the exact same location in my house, the android phone has "network setup" showing as if it wants to walk me through setting up wifi on my gateway.

So, this means to me that there is some sort of tracking cookie or something that they are using to say this is setup, not actual connectivity, because otherwise both devices would report the exact same state / status for the wifi connection to my gateway.

They both correctly show PV generation (with the same numbers as I am watching) so its not a lag time thing.

 

[bob_p]

With the impending shutdown of the 3G networks, Tesla is forcing everyone to turn on the WiFi on their gateways.

Though when they implemented this in the apps, they didn't take into account systems that already had WiFi enabled.

Our gateway is hardwired to our network (which actually creates a security issue because we now have an ethernet cable on the outside of the house) and connected to WiFi - in addition to the disappearing 3G connection.

This nag popped up several times and then stopped - possibly because Tesla pushed out a fix in the app to stop nagging once WiFi was running...

Now - the more serious question should be - will Tesla provide an LTE upgrade for our gateways? Evidently they believed having a cellular connection was important....

 

[zƬesla]

Now - the more serious question should be - will Tesla provide an LTE upgrade for our gateways? Evidently they believed having a cellular connection was important....

Better... satellite link. Probably a requirement with GW3.

 

[charlesj]

Better... satellite link. Probably a requirement with GW3.

That will be expensive proposition for Tesla. I don't think sat links are cheap.

 

[zƬesla]

That will be expensive proposition for Tesla. I don't think sat links are cheap.

They own it though ... Starlink

 

[BIC1]

Was repeatedly getting message to re-connect to wi-fi every few days after setting up wi-fi (my primary connection is Ethernet). Finally, noticed at bottom of app, can select "I don't have wi-fi. That seems to make the message disappear.