I cannot connect via Wifire. I have tried everything already. Now what?

I tried connecting the Wifire using a 2ghz router (because my 2g/5g router seemed to be an issue), and had no success. After way too many hours dealing with Traeger, I'm giving up on using wifire. The technology behind it is ABSOLUTE GARBAGE. You are restricted from having an Iphone that's 5G, a router that has 5G, exterior doors that are metal, the smoker must face your house (!!), etc.

Just to provide some background, I'm a retired IT Project Manager (served as a programmer and software tester as well), and I've connected 15 other IOT devices to my router with little to no hassle. Traeger's IT shop is pathetic.
 
yesimkidding said:
I tried connecting the Wifire using a 2ghz router (because my 2g/5g router seemed to be an issue), and had no success. After way too many hours dealing with Traeger, I'm giving up on using wifire. The technology behind it is ABSOLUTE GARBAGE. You are restricted from having an Iphone that's 5G, a router that has 5G, exterior doors that are metal, the smoker must face your house (!!), etc.

Just to provide some background, I'm a retired IT Project Manager (served as a programmer and software tester as well), and I've connected 15 other IOT devices to my router with little to no hassle. Traeger's IT shop is pathetic.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, I dropped a cheap 2.4g AP near my grill and have zero connectivity issues. It was worth the $25, but yeah, Traeger support is a crap shoot.

Once connected, WiFire is pretty useful.
 
RemE said:
Hmmm, I dropped a cheap 2.4g AP near my grill and have zero connectivity issues. It was worth the $25, but yeah, Traeger support is a crap shoot.

Once connected, WiFire is pretty useful.
Click to expand...

That should almost be on the top of the accessory list before FireBoard for some guys!!!
 
The engineers at Traeger may have built a physically great grill, but from a wireless engineering standpoint, they're fucking stupid for doing what they have done.

Anyone who has built any IoT device knows the limitations of these chip sets. Firmware issue aside, the connectivity issues everyone is having here is due to the ESP8XXX Wireless module in the grill. It's designed for low power IoT applications, short range unimpeded transmission. It is not designed to be encased in steel, running outdoors far away from an access point. Hence why having a 2.4GHz access point nearby causes a lower level of incidents.

Traeger need to build a new base board with a better chip set with external antenna capability, and put an antenna that fixes to the outside of the unit. A bonus would be to redesign the new hardware stack around Amazon IoT (which is their back end now).
 
Last edited:
hungry87 said:
The engineers at Traeger may have built a physically great grill, but from a wireless engineering standpoint, they're fucking stupid for doing what they have done.

Anyone who has built any IoT device knows the limitations of these chip sets. Firmware issue aside, the connectivity issues everyone is having here is due to the ESP8XXX Wireless module in the grill. It's designed for low power IoT applications, short range unimpeded transmission. It is not designed to be encased in steel, running outdoors far away from an access point. Hence why having a 2.4GHz access point nearby causes a lower level of incidents.

Traeger need to build a new base board with a better chip set with external antenna capability, and put an antenna that fixes to the outside of the unit. A bonus would be to redesign the new hardware stack around Amazon IoT (which is their back end now).
Click to expand...
Amen!!
 
Granted it sucks for them and how they had to do the migration from their old in-house infrastructure to Amazon IoT. There will always be issues whilst they have old controllers and software floating around. I reckon it was ballsy of them to try what they did, and there's a reason you typically don't do that approach with IoT stuff.

Personally, I would have put more features back into the app (ie. session recording, ability to build automated cooks/recipees on the phone), offer a cost price controller upgrade which unlocks those 'advanced' features, and market it all as an upgrade suite to existing grills. Shit the session recording and ability to build things on the phone would sell most people!

Likely someone at Traeger had to bandaid a solution in the interim. Hence the UUID issues too, a different way of manufacturing, getting new software onto devices, and managing them too. That said, I'm trying to be nice to them. It's still fucking stupid to put an ESP8XXX into a steel box!
 
I believe the Traeger people know grills. They just didn't hire an experienced team of engineers on the WiFi side of the house, IMO (or mgmt put such constraints on them re: time and/or budget that you have a flawed product.). There seems to be just too many issues for this not to be true.
 
Agreed, but I still can't believe that Traeger decided it was a good idea to give Timberline's external antennas and not the lower models. It makes zero sense since they are all used in the same locations, outside!

Just asking for trouble in my opinion.
 
Guess what!? Traeger has now escalated my WiFire connectivity issue to "corporate." That was after many, many calls and hours wasted troubleshooting, and arguing with "tech support" until I just wanted to scream. Based on how many people on here have reported the same problems, they've been more than aware for a long time that it wasn't user error, or just some isolated incident. And they have clearly known that the problems I was having were not because I have a dual band router, or, that my grill is (God Forbid) outside. It was rooted in what hungry87 shared above:
  • Anyone who has built any IoT device knows the limitations of these chip sets. Firmware issue aside, the connectivity issues everyone is having here is due to the ESP8XXX Wireless module in the grill. It's designed for low power IoT applications, short range unimpeded transmission. It is not designed to be encased in steel, running outdoors far away from an access point. Hence why having a 2.4GHz access point nearby causes a lower level of incidents.
  • Traeger needs to build a new base board with a better chip set with external antenna capability, and put an antenna that fixes to the outside of the unit. A bonus would be to redesign the new hardware stack around Amazon IoT (which is their back end now).
I need a beer.... or a 6-pack.
 
I will add that the units like yours have the Wi-Fi antenna right behind the face, which is plastic, so technically it's not fully enclosed in metal. But it's likely directional, being most sensitive from the front side.

That said, it's a dumb design for sure.
 
My grill is fairly close to the router, and I didn't have any trouble connecting at all-it was very quick. I read about the problems before I bought it, but knew position was critical. Its nice when it works as I can attest -but I'm sure something in the future will be far more secure. Sure is handy for monitoring temps from inside.
 
yesimkidding said:
Guess what!? Traeger has now escalated my WiFire connectivity issue to "corporate." That was after many, many calls and hours wasted troubleshooting, and arguing with "tech support" until I just wanted to scream. Based on how many people on here have reported the same problems, they've been more than aware for a long time that it wasn't user error, or just some isolated incident. And they have clearly known that the problems I was having were not because I have a dual band router, or, that my grill is (God Forbid) outside. It was rooted in what hungry87 shared above:
  • Anyone who has built any IoT device knows the limitations of these chip sets. Firmware issue aside, the connectivity issues everyone is having here is due to the ESP8XXX Wireless module in the grill. It's designed for low power IoT applications, short range unimpeded transmission. It is not designed to be encased in steel, running outdoors far away from an access point. Hence why having a 2.4GHz access point nearby causes a lower level of incidents.
  • Traeger needs to build a new base board with a better chip set with external antenna capability, and put an antenna that fixes to the outside of the unit. A bonus would be to redesign the new hardware stack around Amazon IoT (which is their back end now).
I need a beer.... or a 6-pack.
Click to expand...
Just bought my Costco Century 885 and am having all the issues mentioned.
I bought a cheap Netgear to run in 2.4 only. (Which you can do if you log in from a browser and turn off the 5ghz SSID.)
I still could not get connected. I will try moving the router within 1 foot of the smoker to see if that helps.

QUESTION: any thought on whether the 'Private Address' feature now used by iOS in wifi settings? I had an issue with that on another device and had to disable it.
 
Netgear is what I had once, I think it's the Router that makes you loggin to it and ACCEPT the new connection you are trying to allow.
Just using the user and pass is not enough, I had to go into the router and click on the device trying to connect and "allow" it
(that was just me tho, I don't use that router anymore)
 
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