Installation issues - Wi-Fi related

This doesn’t seem to be strong enough.

Try the Sense connection test.

Where is the sense network test?

Trying to put the pieces together from your 3 posts. It looks like:

  • you are still in the middle of the Sense install (24-48 hours)
  • in the middle of the install, you adjusted your Google WiFi priority
  • resulting in less signal strength.

For this one, I would contact support@sense.com to see if you need to do something different.

Ps: The network connection test only comes up after Sense has made it through the whole install procedure, though I think Sense runs through something similar at the start of the install as well. But changing WiFi settings mid install might have left you in a bad place.

@kevin1 has you covered on next steps. I’d second the suggestion to reach out to Support on this.

But to answer the initial question, signal strength should be between -30 and -70. That is not the only factor at play with the Wi-Fi connection however.

Ok so the wifi is border line. I’ll add an ap today to eliminate that as an issue.

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Can I connect to a sense when it’s offline with Bluetooth??

I think that only initial setup and the new network connection test use Bluetooth.

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@kevin1 is correct. Sense needs a consistent Wi-Fi internet connection to operate.

You can change wifi if you go into settings , my home, device and click network. Just need to be close to the unit …

There doesn’t seem to be a speed test or network check anymore.

A closer AP sounds like a fine fix. Still, it can’t hurt to reach out to the Support team. They can run some other diagnostics to see if it’s only signal strength that is the issue.

EDIT: If you’re not seeing the Network Connection Test option, it’s because your monitor is on older firmware. Once you’re connected, the firmware will update (usually overnight) and that option will appear. In time, all new monitors will be on the latest firmware and that test will be run as part of the installation process.

That signal strength is pretty bad. When measuring signal strength, dBm is not linear. For every 3 dB, the power is roughly halved. So in your screenshot, the light blue network has a signal strength about 16 times lower than the green line. -70 dBm is considered a very weak signal. Anything you can do to increase that signal strength will help you a ton. All you need to do is go from -70 dBm to -67 dBm to double your current signal strength.

I don’t see any network test on android or ios.

Added a Google Wifi and looks like my sense could only stay online for 2.5 hours. Signal strength is good. I think I remember this is why I returned my sense the first time… it needs to recover wifi better.

I was able to get wifi to -50dbm near the sense from -90…

I installed my sense tonight. I had it on Google wifi priority mode. Then I was curious on what would happen if I took it off priority… so I did and now its not coming back online. Agh. I am thinking of adding a google wifi ap tomorrow (sense is installed outside behind a concrete wall and there is weak signal). But any tips/info might be helpful.

I have a nest camera near the sense and its streaming video.

I have a enphase envoy next to the sense and it’s still online.

Marginal wifi is often improved by slight modifications to antenna positions. Generally speaking the higher up a wifi base can be placed the better. Have you tried different Sense antenna positions?

That said it does sound like you’ll benefit from the reliability an additional AP will bring.

You may want to use a phone or other device to check the strength of the base at the Sense location … since it seems like you have other devices nearby … and then reset Sense (power-cycle it).

I wonder if something happens to sense about 9:10 PM.

After adding a wifi ap and having the sense run for 2.5 hours, its offline again. No real reason. Coincidence where the power stopped about 9:12pm on the images.

See original post then compare it to this photo:

Are you through the install check yet ?

no, the sense was 50% checked last. I would think its bad design to go “offline” just because of a system check.

My Google wifi AP near the sense is “weak” to the mesh, but the Sense should be seeing a good connection to that AP.