Teckin smart plugs are a popular brand despite being China products. These smart plugs help you transform your home setup to add more control and schedule to your devices. However, to get the best out of your plug, it has to be paired to your home network. It’s a cause of concern when the Teckin smart plug won’t connect.
So, why is your Teckin smart Plug not connecting?
Teckin smart Plug won’t connect to your Wi-Fi network because you are using a 5 GHz frequency band or the wrong app for the configuration. Also, it could be a strength issue.
This post covers troubleshooting your connection to identify and fix the root cause. Thus, getting your Teckin smart plug up and running.
Why Is My Teckin Smart Plug Not Connecting?
The Teckin plug isn’t connecting because you are using the wrong app or pairing it to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network. When connecting a Teckin smart plug to Wi-Fi, use the compatible Wi-Fi network (2.4 GHz) and the Smart Life app.
The above aren’t the only reasons; a couple of other factors within your home setup influence device connectivity. Here are some reasons for the connection failure;
- Setting up the plug on the incompatible 5 GHz Wi-Fi network – use the 2.4 GHz option.
- Poor network signal – not sufficient to add your device
- Using the Teckin app instead of the effective Smart Life app
- Running a VPN or Ad-guard on your mobile device during the setup process
- Installing the plug far from the router. Thus, weakening the signal strength.
- The plug isn’t in pairing mode – reset the plug to enter setup mode.
Teckin Smart Plug Not Connecting – Troubleshooting
To get your Teckin plug online, ensure that you use the proper application and that your 2.4 GHz network is solid.
Follow our troubleshooting solutions to identify and fix the problem source.
Use The Right App – Smart Life Does the Trick
Despite Teckin having its dedicated application, the Teckin app fails the connection test in most scenarios.
Therefore, to successfully connect your plug use the compatible and effective Smart Life app. Smart life accepts smart devices irrespective of the brand and is freely available in your select app store (Apple Store or Play Store).
Install the Smart Life app on your mobile device, register and verify your account, and add smart devices.
Additionally, Smart Life integrates well with Alexa or Google Home virtual assistants. The connection is straightforward; you should easily add voice control commands to control your plug and other devices.
Check Your Wi-Fi Network Settings
To connect the smart plug, your router needs an active internet connection. Test your Wi-Fi network by connecting to another device (phone, tablet, or laptop) and accessing the internet. If your network is acting up, fix it before adding the device.
Suppose your Wi-Fi is showing lagging signs or not running at average speeds. A quick fix is to reboot your router. Unplug your router, wait for 1 – 2 minutes, and plug it back into power.
Use the correct network credentials when connecting to the plug to your network. Adding a space before or after the password is a standard error many users fall into when connecting smart devices to their network.
Again, on the router admin portal, double-check that the “MAC address filtering” option is disabled. This can prevent your router from recognizing and pairing to new devices.
Also, check the security type on your Wi-Fi network. I have experienced connection issues connecting smart devices to “wpa2/wpa3-personal”. You can consider downgrading to “wpa2-personal”.
Suppose you make changes to your network, power cycle your router to apply them. Try reconnecting your plug smart plug.
Use The 2.4ghz Wi-Fi Band.
Current routers can broadcast both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. 5Ghz offers more speed and bandwidth but less network range, while 2.4Ghz offers considerably less speed and bandwidth but more network range coverage.
Teckin smart plug is compatible with the 2.4 GHz frequency band. Therefore, if your router can broadcast both frequency bands, you should consider switching off the 5 GHz band during the pairing process.
Alternatively, set up two different networks on the router. Now, connect your smart plug to the 2.4 GHz option.
Move The plug Closer to Your Router.
The further you move from the router, the more the 2.4 GHz signal weakens. Also, the number of obstacles increases, weakening the signal further.
To receive sufficient signal strength, ensure that the plug is close to the router during the setup process. A distance of 10 – 20 feet is appropriate.
If it’s an outdoor plug, ensure that the endpoint receives a strong signal. Either move the router closer or install a Wi-Fi range extender to ensure the plug sits comfortably in the Wi-Fi zone.
Disable VPN, Router Firewall, and Ad guard
VPN and Ad guard mask your mobile device’s IP address; thus, it won’t communicate with other devices on your network. When running a VPN or ad blocker, your device is virtually on another network, different from your router’s local network.
Disable your VPN and ad guard when setting up smart devices on your network.
Also, check your router settings for any configuration that could prevent it from adding new devices. The exact term depends on your router model; MAC address filtering is standard with most brands.
Inspect the router settings for any calibrations that could be blocking new devices.
Reset the Plug and Reconnect
The plug must be in pairing mode when connecting to a smart app. Otherwise, you won’t find the device.
In pairing mode, the Teckin smart plug power LED indicator blinks rapidly, showing it’s ready to connect.
To reset the plug, > power it up by connecting it to a working outlet > and press the power button for 5 to 10 seconds. Once the indicator starts flashing, it’s ready to pair.
Now you can connect it to smart life;
- Open the Smart Life app
- Tap the Add device button or the top right “+” icon to a new device
- Select your device category. Tap Electrical
- Choose your plug type. Select “Socket (Wi-Fi)” under the socket options
- Enter your network details. Choose the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network and input the correct password. Tap Next to continue.
- Tap Next on the app and confirm that your plug is in pairing mode.
- Select the blinking mode. Tap the second option (Blink Quickly) to set up your plug in Easy mode.
- Pairing your device. Let the app find, register and initialize your Teckin smart plug.
- Rename your device.
That’s it; your plug is now connected. If you have a 4-pack, follow the same procedure to add the other plugs. Remember to give each plug a unique name.
