An iRobot Roomba robot vacuum cleaner is a pleasant extra. It can vacuum independently, get to work when you're away from home and be controlled by voice commands. But, then it must of course work well: a connection to the WiFi network is a requirement to fully enjoy the functions of a Roomba.
However, a Roomba may not be able to connect to the WiFi network. How is this possible and how can you solve this? I'm going to help you! Note: It's worth pointing out that there are also old Roombas that simply don't work over WiFi. In this article, I'm not going to consider these non-WiFi-connected Roombas.
Why can't my Roomba connect to WiFi?
There can be several reasons why a Roomba robot vacuum cannot connect to the WiFi connection in the home. And no: this is not always due to a bad internet connection.
I list the most common reasons:
- Wrong internet frequency
- Base station too far away from router
- No Internet connection
- Already connected to another network
Why is a connection to WiFi so important?
A working and stable WiFi connection is necessary to fully enjoy the functions of a Roomba. Without WiFi, you cannot enjoy the following options:
- Pairing the robot vacuum with other smart home devices
- No control possible via voice commands
- Cannot be controlled via the Roomba app on your smartphone
- No ability to control Roomba outdoors
So: let's quickly see how we can (re)connect the Roomba with your WiFi network.
How to successfully connect Roomba to WiFi
As I mentioned earlier, there can be several reasons why a Roomba cannot make a WiFi connection. I have listed a number of solutions.
Check if the router works: Although it is obvious, in some cases the problem is still a not working router. Even with a working internet connection, adding new devices, including a robotic vacuum cleaner, can still be a problem. A reset of the router can sometimes be the solution.
Check the WiFi frequency: Routers can – often – communicate over two types of frequencies: 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHZ1The difference between 2.4 GHz and 5.0GHz WiFi, Centurylink.com. Frequency 2.4 GHz is interesting for equipment that must be able to work at a longer distance from the router. the 5.0GHz frequency is interesting for equipment that works close to the router. However, not all Roomba's support 5.0GHz2Setting up your Roomba, iRobot.co.uk. Check the overview below and make sure you set the correct frequency via the app.
| Roomba Series | 2.4GHz | 5.0GHz |
|---|---|---|
| 600, 800, 900, i1, i2, i3, i4, i5 | ✓ | – |
| i6, i7, i8, j7, s9, m6 | ✓ | ✓ |
Reposition Base Station: The Internet Router is in contact with the Base Station, which then relays the WiFi signal to the Roomba Robotic Vacuum. If the base station is too far from the router, you may have a weak internet connection. Also, many walls or large objects can prevent a connection. Move the base station closer to the router and remove large objects where possible.
Use a different WiFi network: if you have a lot of devices connected to a WiFi network, the network may be disrupted. This interference, also known as interference3Wave Interference, Wikipedia.org, can be solved by connecting equipment to a separate network.
Factory reset Roomba: If Roomba has been used a lot and may already be connected to other WiFi networks, it may be a good idea to reset Roomba to factory settings. This completely refreshes your Roomba and makes it look like it just came out of the box. Keep in mind that preferences and settings will be lost. Learn how to reset iRobot Roomba here.
How do you reconnect Roomba to the Wi-Fi network?
Make sure that your smartphone with which you are going to pair the Roomba is successfully connected to the WiFi network and that Bluetooth is also turned on.
- Make sure that your smartphone that you are going to pair the Roomba with is successfully connected to the WiFi network (on the correct frequency) and that bluetooth is also turned on
- Place Roomba on the dock
- Open the Roomba application on your smartphone
- Are you using the Roomba for the first time? First add the Roomba via ‘Add Roomba' and give it a name
- Enter the correct WiFi password and click ‘Continue'
- The iRobot Roomba should now successfully connect to the network
If you want to make network settings in the future, for example if you want to connect it to another network, you can always go to ‘Network Settings' in the Roomba app. I hope my article helped you. If you have any questions, leave a comment below this page. I would like to help you!
References
Robbert Tigchelaar
Robbert Tigchelaar is the founder of Vacuumtester.com and is a true vacuum cleaner guru. With more than 10 years of experience in the world of electronic devices, he knows better than anyone what is important in a vacuum cleaner. When a new vacuum cleaner appears, he is eager to test it extensively.
