How to Connect Echo to WiFi

Buying an Amazon Echo might sound fantastic, but if you can’t connect it to the internet, you can miss more than half of its amazing features.

If you want to make the best out of your Amazon Echo, it’s necessary to connect it to a WiFi connection. But, most importantly, you can’t even communicate with the virtual assistant Alexa without an internet connection. A bummer, no? 

The good thing is that your Echo tells you every time it has any issue. For example, its ring turns red when it faces an internet problem, and sometimes, it may directly tell you that it’s having trouble connecting. 

If you’re a tech-savvy person, setting up an Amazon Echo and connecting it to a stable wireless network will be a piece of cake for you. However, if the case is the other way around, you can still set up your Echo device and easily connect it to the internet.

This article will give detailed step-by-step instructions on setting up an Amazon Echo device and connecting it to a Wi-Fi connection. 

So let’s get started.

Setting Up an Amazon Echo Device

Nowadays, Amazon Echo has become an essential part of every modern home.

Once you set it up, you can watch the news, play music, control multiple Alexa-enabled devices in your home, and a lot more – all just by your voice commands. 

Luckily, the setup is quite simple. 

1. Install the Amazon Alexa app on your mobile phone. Fortunately, the app comes in both versions; iPhone and Android. You can uninstall the app anytime soon; we are just installing it for the setup.
2. Turn on your Amazon Echo, and wait for the ring to turn orange. Once it turns orange, the device is in setup mode. But if it turns purple, press the Action button for a few seconds until it becomes orange again.
3. Now, open the Alexa app on your iOS or Android device and open the ‘hamburger menu’ (the three horizontal lines present on the top-right corner of the screen).
4. Select ‘Add Device.’
5. Once the Setup mode window opens, tap on ‘Amazon Echo.’
6. Now, select the type of Echo device (Echo, Echo Dot, and so on) you want to set up.
7. Setup screens with directions will pop up in front of you. Then, you have to tap on ‘Continue.’ After that, tap on ‘Continue’ again, and your Echo device will turn orange.
8. Then, you will be asked to connect your mobile to the Echo’s network connection. go back to your mobile’s Home Screen and open Settings. Go to ‘WiFi’ and choose the network starting with ‘Amazon-.’
9. Lastly, return to the Home Screen and restart the Alexa app. Follow the final instructions to finish the setup process, including choosing your Echo’s WiFi network. 

Tada – you’ve now successfully set up your Echo device with your mobile phone. 

Customizing Voice Commands in the Alexa App 

Once you complete the basic setup, you can use your Amazon Echo for multiple tasks. While you can communicate and control your Echo with buttons on the top, you can also interact with it via your voice.

To give an order, you’ve to wake up the voice living inside Echo devices – Alexa. For instance, give your commands like “Alexa, what date is today?” 

Plus, if you want to use a different wake word like “Amazon,” “Echo,” or “Buddy,” you can configure your Echo to respond to it.

Here is how you can do that:

1. Launch the Alexa app.
2. Open the hamburger menu present at the upper-left corner of the screen, and go to Settings.
3. Tap Device Settings.
4. On the next screen, choose your Alexa device.
5. Go to the Wake Word option and enter the word you want to use.
6. You’re done.

Customizing Other Alexa Device Settings

Since your Echo now responds to your commands and queries, you must step forward and configure its other settings. It will make the Alexa device more functional, and you can also explore multiple hidden features.

In the hamburger menu of the Alexa app, you will find many settings to customize. For example, it would help if you looked at the following:

• Your Echo’s Location. You can get news related to the area you’re currently residing in, like weather reports. You must set the correct location in your Echo by tapping Settings > Device Settings > Echo > Device Location.
• Your Locations. You can tell Echo your home and work addresses to keep you updated about the traffic conditions. Go to Settings > Your Locations. 
• Enjoy Your Favorite Music. If you’re a music lover, link your Echo with your favorite music channel or service, like Spotify. You can find the option in Settings > Music.
• Flash Briefing. If you’re quick on time, the Alexa device also provides a ‘Flash Briefing’ of every day’s news. First, however, you’ve to set up the service you want the information from by going to the Settings option > Flash Briefing.

And the list goes on. In addition, you can find many other customization options in the Settings menu of the Alexa app.

How to Connect My Echo to a Wi-Fi Network?

After setting up your Echo device, you can easily change its WiFi settings. 

Here is what you have to do:

1. First, launch the Alexa app on your mobile device, and Sign in.
2. Once you sign in, tap on the “Devices” symbol present in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
3. Now, go to “Echo & Alexa.”
4. Choose the Alexa device you want to connect to Wi-Fi from the list of available devices. It must be showing an “Offline” status. But if it shows an “Online” status, your device is already connected to an internet connection.
5. On the next screen, tap the “Change” option next to “Wi Fi Networks.”
6. Follow all the instructions to set up your wireless connection. It may ask you to hold down the Action Button on your echo to pair it with a Wi Fi device.

After a few seconds, your Echo will indeed connect to a Wi Fi connection.

Why Does My Echo Have Wi-Fi Issues?

Sometimes, Alexa devices connected to Wi Fi networks show connectivity issues. 

Note: Ask your device, “Alexa, do you have an internet connection?” Alexa will respond to your query in a few seconds and give you a detailed network diagnostics report on your mobile.

However, it can be possible that your Echo has intermittent connectivity issues if it loses its connection and doesn’t reconnect.

For that, you should always restart your Echo. If it doesn’t work, you can try these steps:

• First, keep your Alexa device within 30 feet of your Wi Fi router.
• Next, keep all the other devices away from Echo, which might cause interference in its connectivity.
• Finally, check that your Wi Fi is working fine by connecting other devices to it. 
• If they connect, your router is working fine. Remember to enter the correct Wi Fi password. You can also disconnect other devices connected to the Wi Fi to reduce the interference for your Echo.
• But if the devices don’t connect, you must restart your router. While it restarts, unplug the power source from Echo and plug it back in after a few seconds. Now try reconnecting the devices to the Wi Fi.
• You can also connect your Echo to another network of the same router. For example, if your router has two separate SSID (or simply separate names) for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, you can move your Echo from one band to another.

The Bottom Line

All in all, a stable network connection indeed enhances the effectiveness and functionality of Amazon’s Echo. The online features give us a modern-home vibe and also make our lives a lot easier than before.

But if your device shows connectivity issues, always restart your device first.

However, keep in mind that the problem can be with your network. So try connecting multiple devices with your Wi-Fi router; if they don’t, contact your Internet Service Provider.