Are you experiencing a connection failure with your Honeywell thermostat? Smart thermostats that connect directly to your Wi-Fi network can sometimes have connectivity issues. Honeywell thermostats are no different. Have a look at these common reasons why your thermostat might not be connecting to the Wi-Fi!
Reasons for Honeywell Thermostat Connection Failure
Below are the 7 most common reasons for a connection failure. You can also check out the manual for your particular thermostat here.
1. Thermostat not in Router Range
One of the many reasons your Honeywell thermostat is failing to connect to the Wi-Fi could be because it’s not located within the range of your Wi-Fi router. Even though that sounds like a very obvious and silly mistake, you’d be surprised to find out just how many people never consider it. If you have a suspicion that your router is too far away from the thermostat, give it a quick check!
Perhaps the thermostat is located right on the peripheral, so even the smallest disturbances like people walking by, or other smart home devices or microwave signals cause the signal to break. There are workarounds that you can try, though.
For starters, try moving the Wi-Fi router closer to the thermostat. If you don’t want to do that, you can try getting a brand new router with a wider range. Finally, you can also get a Wi-Fi booster that will push the signal further.
2. Thermostat can’t detect Wi-Fi network
Sometimes, thermostats simply cannot detect the wireless network. One of the simplest solutions is checking if your router is on. Maybe you just returned from a vacation and forgot to plug the router back in. If that’s the case, it’s an easy fix!
Another reason for this issue could be having a dual Wi-Fi router that doesn’t support the 2.4GHz channel. Dual routers support the 5GHz channel, but most smart home devices, including thermostats, usually don’t. If you find that your router is indeed plugged in and turned on, check which channel is turned on.
You can turn the 5GHz channel off just for a few minutes to set up the thermostat. With this change, see if the thermostat is able to detect the network.
Another reason could be that the Wi-Fi name is hidden from the public and other devices. Maybe you’re using additional firewalls or a computer-computer network. Either way, you can break down these digital walls with a simple solution.
All you need to do is change your router’s settings. To do that, access your router’s settings page. You can also do that from your network connection settings if your computer is connected to the Wi-Fi network.
Another way to deal with this issue is by manually inputting the Wi-Fi name in your thermostat. You should be given an “Other” option when it comes to Wi-Fi names. Input the name of your network manually. Be careful about cases and spellings.
4. Network details have changed
Do you remember making any changes to your Wi-Fi network details recently? Perhaps you changed the name or password of the network. In that case, the thermostat will not be able to recognize the new network properties.
To solve this problem, all you have to do is reconnect to the network the same way you did when you connected for the first time. Find the network, input the password, and pair the devices.
5. Router needs a Reboot
A less common cause of thermostats disconnecting from the Wi-Fi lies in the router itself. Perhaps your router needs a reboot! Think about it, has there been a power surge in your house recently?
Maybe the router has undergone an automatic update? Could it be that some firmware bug took place? If you can say yes to any of these possibilities, it might be time to reboot your router!
The easiest way to reboot your router is by turning the power off and on again. If it doesn’t work, press and hold the reboot button for a long time to factory reset the router. That will also erase the Wi-Fi name and password that you’ve set up, which might be annoying to change.
6. Network Interference
Perhaps your network is simply too crowded to support your thermostat on top of everything. This can usually happen if you don’t have a lot of bandwidth on your router, and too many smart devices connected to it. Keep in mind that most smart home devices use the 2.4GHz band, so it can easily get crowded.
Watch out for what you connect to your Wi-Fi! Even Bluetooth and microwave ovens can cause interruptions to your wireless network.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to prioritize. Disconnect or turn off all of your devices and try pairing the thermostat to the Wi-Fi again. With fewer interruptions, your thermostat should have an easier time connecting to the network. If that’s your case, you’ll have to keep it in mind for the future, as it might happen again.
7. Check thermostat specifications
If it’s your first time connecting your thermostat to the Wi-Fi, you might want to check all the specifications of your network. That includes the IP address assignment, wireless security compatibility, and network types. Check to make sure your thermostat supports all the specifications.
You can find network specifications for a thermostat on its box or in the user manual. See if your network provides these specifications.
The Verdict
We’ve covered the most common reasons why your Honeywell thermostat might show a connection failure. If you’ve tried everything and nothing seems to work, don’t hesitate to reach out to Honeywell support or a HVAC pro.
2 Comments
Cherie
I rent my home and all of a sudden my thermostat says it is not communicating with the wireless Network however I have Wi-Fi and to my knowledge it isn’t even connected to the thermostat because we have not even had Wi-Fi that long and it worked before. So what do I do to fix this problem because it is extremely cold outside and getting colder in my house by the minute?!.
Gorgorilla
Your WiFi thermostat does not need to connect to your network to operate your furnace.
If you walk up to your thermostat and set it to 90 degrees and your heat doesn’t work, your problem is either a bad thermostat, broken wiring or bad furnace.