Traeger Pro 780 Wifire issues

[M Bach]

I just got a Traeger Pro 780 and it's up and running. However I can't get the wifire app/grill to operate from my iPhone. The grill says its hooked up to my wifi router but when I open the app I get "Grill Offline" and everything I've done to get it ON-LINE doesn't seem to work. I can change the wifi on the grill back and forth to my wifi router name and also to the Grill wifi (Traeger wifi built into the grill) neither seems to work. I have good signal strength, 2.4 ghz signal, and everything that I've read here doesn't fix my problems... any help is appreciated.

 

[Azwoodshack]

Set mine up last night. Same thing. So far, I’m ready to return this $1500 piece of junk. Smoke doesn’t exist. Takes forever to finish “igniting”. Then forever to finish heating up. Then no smoke. I don’t see signs of heat or smoke from the rear vent. But check out the lid!

 

[dunawayfamily]

I just got a Traeger Pro 780 and it's up and running. However I can't get the wifire app/grill to operate from my iPhone. The grill says its hooked up to my wifi router but when I open the app I get "Grill Offline" and everything I've done to get it ON-LINE doesn't seem to work. I can change the wifi on the grill back and forth to my wifi router name and also to the Grill wifi (Traeger wifi built into the grill) neither seems to work. I have good signal strength, 2.4 ghz signal, and everything that I've read here doesn't fix my problems... any help is appreciated.

To confirm - you've been able to successfully complete the setup process for WiFIRE on the iPhone previously, and were able to monitor the status / adjust temps as needed?

On the WiFIRE Grill Display itself, what does the upper right hand corner show (see attached picture for example)? If the upside down triangle is like what is shown in the pic, then the Grill is attached successfully to your Home Wi-Fi ... if the upside down triangle is an outline of a triangle (i.e. empty triangle), then the Grill is not connected to your Home Wi-Fi and you'll want to power cycle the grill to see if it will reattach without any further intervention (some folks pull the power plug completely) ...

 

[M Bach]

To confirm - you've been able to successfully complete the setup process for WiFIRE on the iPhone previously, and were able to monitor the status / adjust temps as needed?

On the WiFIRE Grill Display itself, what does the upper right hand corner show (see attached picture for example)? If the upside down triangle is like what is shown in the pic, then the Grill is attached successfully to your Home Wi-Fi ... if the upside down triangle is an outline of a triangle (i.e. empty triangle), then the Grill is not connected to your Home Wi-Fi and you'll want to power cycle the grill to see if it will reattach without any further intervention (some folks pull the power plug completely) ...

Thank You dunawayfamily for your response and photo... I've attached some photo's in this post to show what I'm experiencing. We did cook a beautiful Pork Belly and the grill sat at exactly *225 for the entire 6 hour smoke. It came out perfect. We are doing Baby Back Ribs tomorrow for Mother's Day. Even if the APP still isn't working I'm happy enough with this Traeger. I just want it to be up and operating before Foorball Season (if we even have one this year??) thanks again for you help.

 

[dunawayfamily]

Thank You dunawayfamily for your response and photo... I've attached some photo's in this post to show what I'm experiencing. We did cook a beautiful Pork Belly and the grill sat at exactly *225 for the entire 6 hour smoke. It came out perfect. We are doing Baby Back Ribs tomorrow for Mother's Day. Even if the APP still isn't working I'm happy enough with this Traeger. I just want it to be up and operating before Foorball Season (if we even have one this year??) thanks again for you help.

So the Wireless Network Name of Traeger-FC25 (the FC25 corresponds to the last 4 alphanumeric hexadecimal characters of the WiFIRE Controllers MAC Address shown 3 lines further down ... MAC = Media Access Control (i.e. "unique" hardware address)) is the Internal Wi-Fi Network for the WiFIRE Controller on the Grill itself - your App Device would switch to that during the setup process to hand-off information specific to your Home Wi-Fi 2.4GHz Wireless Network (SSID, Encryption Type, Password) ... So setup has never completed ... here are the two setup/troubleshooting recommendations you will want to try out:

First step in troubleshooting issues with WiFIRE: One thing to verify on your end is the need to use separate network names (SSIDs) for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wireless frequencies - depending on what WiFi Router/Access Point you use, as well as what mobile device you are using to run the app on, it may be a requirement ... when the network names are the same, and if your mobile device supports 5GHz, the mobile device will by default attach to the 5GHz frequency, while the Grill is connected on the 2.4GHz frequency, resulting in no connection between the App and the Grill ... giving one of the wireless network frequencies a different name allows you to "force" the mobile device to attach to the 2.4GHz network and successfully connect ...

I call my IOT-based device Wireless Networks...
idIOT
idIOT 5GHz
...to support this specific scenario

Additional troubleshooting scenarios and information listed here:
https://www.traegergrills.com/support/wifire-controllers
https://www.traegergrills.com/support/wifire-troubleshooting

WiFIRE Troubleshooting Wizard: http://wizard.web.traegergrills.io/wifire/welcome

-------------------------

Failed / Hung Setup of WiFIRE | Airplane Mode Workaround

ISSUE: Multiple people have reported that the initial setup of WiFIRE will fail/hang before completion ... this is due to the App device defaulting back to the "preferred" 5GHz Wireless Network after handing off the necessary 2.4GHz Wireless Network information to the Grill (Network Name (SSID), Encryption Type, Password). The App Device MUST reconnect back to the 2.4GHz Home Wireless Network in order for the setup process to successfully complete.

WORKAROUND: The best way to eliminate the failed/hung setup state for WiFIRE is to first put your App Device into Airplane Mode, then manually turn Wi-Fi back on, then "forget" the 5GHz Wi-Fi network, then connect to the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network and start the setup process from the beginning ... this eliminates any potential issues with regards to the App Device reconnecting back to the wrong (i.e. 5GHz) Home Wi-Fi Network during the setup process ... once the setup process has successfully completed, you can take the App Device out of Airplane Mode, and reconnect to the 5GHz Wireless network on your App Device (if desired) ...

 

[dunawayfamily]

Per your Traeger2 pic ... recap of what I responded with at the beginning ...

What does the upper right hand corner of the WiFIRE/Grill display show relative to the upside down triangle? If it looks like the highlighted/circled area in the attached picture (Traeger Grill WiFIRE "Connected"), then WiFIRE is successfully attached to your Home Wi-Fi network ... if it is an empty triangle (i.e. outline), then it is not presently connected ... some folks have had to fully power cycle the grill to get it to reconnect ...

 

[M Bach]

So the Wireless Network Name of Traeger-FC25 (the FC25 corresponds to the last 4 alphanumeric hexadecimal characters of the WiFIRE Controllers MAC Address shown 3 lines further down ... MAC = Media Access Control (i.e. "unique" hardware address)) is the Internal Wi-Fi Network for the WiFIRE Controller on the Grill itself - your App Device would switch to that during the setup process to hand-off information specific to your Home Wi-Fi 2.4GHz Wireless Network (SSID, Encryption Type, Password) ... So setup has never completed ... here are the two setup/troubleshooting recommendations you will want to try out:

First step in troubleshooting issues with WiFIRE: One thing to verify on your end is the need to use separate network names (SSIDs) for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wireless frequencies - depending on what WiFi Router/Access Point you use, as well as what mobile device you are using to run the app on, it may be a requirement ... when the network names are the same, and if your mobile device supports 5GHz, the mobile device will by default attach to the 5GHz frequency, while the Grill is connected on the 2.4GHz frequency, resulting in no connection between the App and the Grill ... giving one of the wireless network frequencies a different name allows you to "force" the mobile device to attach to the 2.4GHz network and successfully connect ...

I call my IOT-based device Wireless Networks...
idIOT
idIOT 5GHz
...to support this specific scenario

Additional troubleshooting scenarios and information listed here:
https://www.traegergrills.com/support/wifire-controllers
https://www.traegergrills.com/support/wifire-troubleshooting

WiFIRE Troubleshooting Wizard: http://wizard.web.traegergrills.io/wifire/welcome

-------------------------

Failed / Hung Setup of WiFIRE | Airplane Mode Workaround

ISSUE: Multiple people have reported that the initial setup of WiFIRE will fail/hang before completion ... this is due to the App device defaulting back to the "preferred" 5GHz Wireless Network after handing off the necessary 2.4GHz Wireless Network information to the Grill (Network Name (SSID), Encryption Type, Password). The App Device MUST reconnect back to the 2.4GHz Home Wireless Network in order for the setup process to successfully complete.

WORKAROUND: The best way to eliminate the failed/hung setup state for WiFIRE is to first put your App Device into Airplane Mode, then manually turn Wi-Fi back on, then "forget" the 5GHz Wi-Fi network, then connect to the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network and start the setup process from the beginning ... this eliminates any potential issues with regards to the App Device reconnecting back to the wrong (i.e. 5GHz) Home Wi-Fi Network during the setup process ... once the setup process has successfully completed, you can take the App Device out of Airplane Mode, and reconnect to the 5GHz Wireless network on your App Device (if desired) ...

Thanks again dunawayfamily. I disconnected my grill and deleted my wirefire app, then started all over. This time when the app asked if I wanted to add a grill, I walked through the process two different ways. The first attempt, as it was seeking a wifi signal I stood in my kitchen close to my router. It connected to the wifi, but it stayed stuck with the “downloading data” process until it gave up and said “cannot locate wifi”, however at the grill the wifi settings menu showed “connected to FBISurveillanceVan” (I know, my neighbors think I’m crazy!).

Apparently my grill thought it was connected to my wifi, but my iPhone app didn’t. Possibly, not enough data had been exchanged before the data download timed out.

Disconnected the grill and deleted the app once again and on the second attempt, as it was seeking a wifi signal I stood next to my grill on the back deck. This time, the “downloading data” process worked and my app now shows my grill connected and in “idle” status. The temp shows *56 deg and probe is “current” status (it’s not connected to the grill at this time). Hey, I can use the app to check the outside temps at the house! It's a bit chilly here in southwestern Missouri.

Thanks again for your assistance. I have seen quite a few posts here and elsewhere of folks who are having issues with this process. I hope this thread is useful for others. The Traeger worked very well for my Pork Belly, steady *225 deg temp throughout the 5 hour smoke. I’m looking forward to doing Baby Back Ribs this afternoon for a Mother’s Day celebration. Can’t wait till football season and cooking/monitoring during the games!!!

 

[magoo40]

Good to hear you got connected, can you share how you prepped and cooked the Pork belly I would like to give it a go but not sure if I should remove the skin or leave it on I have read that smoking can cause it to get quite rubbery, what IT did you take off at?

 

[M Bach]

Hey magoo40! We used a recipe from a book titled "Project Smoke" by Steven Raichlen, which apparently is also TV series. We've never seen the show but we're going to try to find it on Netflicks. We bought the book at the same location as we bought the Traeger Pro 780 (Home Depot). here's the link to the recipe, https://barbecuebible.com/recipe/barbecued-pork-belly/

He calls for the Big Green Egg as his smoker and uses a 3 - 3.5 lbs Pork Belly, We got a Pork Belly from the local butcher that was a bit bigger 4-4.5 lbs. we used the sensor and set the internal temp for 165* and had the Traeger set for *225. Took about 6 hours and I was very impressed that the smoker stayed steady at *225 for the entire six hours.
Good Luck,

 

[magoo40]

M Bach, thanks I will definitely give this ago.

 

[magoo40]

Did you use the rub he makes in the recipe?

 

[M Bach]

Did you use the rub he makes in the recipe?

The wife did and she follows recipes very closely, I tend to wander off the reservation. This was the first time I have every cooked a whole pork belly and I expected it to be much more "Bacony" (new word)… I think the spices might have something to do with that,,??? Next time we do one I will probably do it naked (not me, the Pork Belly) and see what that's like...

 

[Mike Akers]

I just got a Traeger Pro 780 and it's up and running. However I can't get the wifire app/grill to operate from my iPhone. The grill says its hooked up to my wifi router but when I open the app I get "Grill Offline" and everything I've done to get it ON-LINE doesn't seem to work. I can change the wifi on the grill back and forth to my wifi router name and also to the Grill wifi (Traeger wifi built into the grill) neither seems to work. I have good signal strength, 2.4 ghz signal, and everything that I've read here doesn't fix my problems... any help is appreciated.

We had a similar problem. Had to delete and reinstall several times. This includes unplugging the router. You definitely have to have a 2.4 ghz router. Ours was variable 2.4-5. Had to add our old router.

 

[audis404]

Food for thought. I added a WIFI extender to my current dual band setup. I simply used the extender as an extension of my 2.4ghz network only while leaving my current dual band router untouched. This allowed me to give my Pro 780 a dedicated 2.4 WIFI access. I recommend matching the extender with the brand of your router. Unless you are using your ISP's router than any brand will work.

 

[Holland]

I just got a Traeger Pro 780 and it's up and running. However I can't get the wifire app/grill to operate from my iPhone. The grill says its hooked up to my wifi router but when I open the app I get "Grill Offline" and everything I've done to get it ON-LINE doesn't seem to work. I can change the wifi on the grill back and forth to my wifi router name and also to the Grill wifi (Traeger wifi built into the grill) neither seems to work. I have good signal strength, 2.4 ghz signal, and everything that I've read here doesn't fix my problems... any help is appreciated.