Orbi RBR50 | Trying to connect Gosund Smart Plugs

[mercorelli]

I've been using our Orbi RBR50  router and Gosund smart plugs for a couple years. Recently, we reset the password on the router and now need to reconnect all the smart plugs, however, the smart plugs now don't recognize the Orbi wifi and we're unable to reconnect the smart plugs.

I've read through a few other discussion topics in this Netgear Community KB about this exact problem and there was no conclusive answer, not to mention other folks had issues connecting it to the "guest" network.

It seems it has something to do with the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands. The Gosund setup procedure specifically calls out that the devices will not recognize the router at 5Ghz and that the router must be broadcasting at 2.4Ghz. I went through the setup/config screens for the Orbi and found that there's no configuration setting to suspend 5Ghz (and broadcast at 2.4Ghz) in order to reconnect the smart plugs. What's particularly frustrating is that I was able to successfully connect all these smart plugs initially without issue. 

If anyone has information/solution for this they could share - or could point me in the right direction - I'd greatly appreciate it. I'd really like to get these smart plugs back online.

Thanks in advance! 

[mercorelli · Accepted solution]

I have the solution. I will post here and on the other related thread. Just a reminder the issue was that I reset the pw on my wifi router and needed to re-sync all the Gosund smart plugs. 

The Gosund smart plugs can be sync'd/paired via a wifi signal that is broadcast from the plug itself. Instead of putting the plug in a "quick blink" mode, you long-press the button again to put it in a "slow blink" mode. Once in slow-blink mode, you will see a new network listed in your wifi connection list called "SmartLifexxxx" which you can select, connect to, and pair the device using an alternate setup procedure.

Here are the steps:

• Open the Gosund app
• Go into each device, click the edit/setup pencil icon in the top-right of the screen
• At the bottom, select "Remove Device", and then select the option to "wipe data" - repeat this process for all plugs that need to be reset
• Back at the main screen, press the "+" button to add a new device
• Select the socket/plug option
• Enter your wifi name and pw
• On the "Reset your device" screen, press "EZ Mode" in the top right, which will display a quick-pick menu
• Select "AP Mode" from the menu
• Plug the device in and confirm it is in 'slow blink' mode and, if not, long-press the button until you get a slow blink
• Select "Go to Connect" to bring you to your phone's wifi setting to select the "SmartLifexxxx" wifi connection
• Return to the app to complete the device connection

This process worked successfully on all eight of my Gosund plugs. I've attached the screenshots sent to me by Gosund when troubleshooting the issue with them.

Hope this helps the next person that runs into this!

[michaelkenward]

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@mercorelli wrote:

If anyone has information/solution for this they could share - or could point me in the right direction - I'd greatly appreciate it. I'd really like to get these smart plugs back online.

---

Did you try this?

Search - NETGEAR Communities – Gosund

Have you asked Gosund for its current advice?

[mercorelli]

Thanks for the reply, Michael.

I have reviewed the other threads in the Netgear Community board associated to Gosund (the result in the search link you provided). The very first link in the list of posts describes the exact same problem, however, there were no responses and, as a result, no solutions.

I have reached out to Gosund support as well. They advised steps to reset each device (i.e. delete/purge the current setup for each plug in the app) and then reconnect the plugs to the to the same wifi connected to my smartphone running their app. I followed those steps and landed here since the smart plug successfully enters pairing mode however the smart plugs are not found/recognized on the wifi network and subsequently don't appear in the app to setup.

I've also logged into the Netgear Orbi router console to see if there was a configuration setting that would allow me to suspend the 5Ghz channel temporarily such that the router is only broadcasting 2.4Ghz, but do not see such a setting.

Of course, I rebooted the Orbi (because, well, when all else fails, reboot) to no avail.

Thank you for your help

[mercorelli · Accepted solution]

I have the solution. I will post here and on the other related thread. Just a reminder the issue was that I reset the pw on my wifi router and needed to re-sync all the Gosund smart plugs. 

The Gosund smart plugs can be sync'd/paired via a wifi signal that is broadcast from the plug itself. Instead of putting the plug in a "quick blink" mode, you long-press the button again to put it in a "slow blink" mode. Once in slow-blink mode, you will see a new network listed in your wifi connection list called "SmartLifexxxx" which you can select, connect to, and pair the device using an alternate setup procedure.

Here are the steps:

• Open the Gosund app
• Go into each device, click the edit/setup pencil icon in the top-right of the screen
• At the bottom, select "Remove Device", and then select the option to "wipe data" - repeat this process for all plugs that need to be reset
• Back at the main screen, press the "+" button to add a new device
• Select the socket/plug option
• Enter your wifi name and pw
• On the "Reset your device" screen, press "EZ Mode" in the top right, which will display a quick-pick menu
• Select "AP Mode" from the menu
• Plug the device in and confirm it is in 'slow blink' mode and, if not, long-press the button until you get a slow blink
• Select "Go to Connect" to bring you to your phone's wifi setting to select the "SmartLifexxxx" wifi connection
• Return to the app to complete the device connection

This process worked successfully on all eight of my Gosund plugs. I've attached the screenshots sent to me by Gosund when troubleshooting the issue with them.

Hope this helps the next person that runs into this!

[michaelkenward]

Great. Excellent research there Sherlock.

With luck you will save anyone else with this problem from tearing their hair out.

This saga does show the advantage of sticking with the same wifi password where possible. Even when you replace a router it is usually possible to recreate the same SSID and password. But there are times when security questions force you to change the details.