WiFIRE Status Page has been updated (2020-05-20)

[rlaverda]

My config file updated overnight - happy camper here!

 

[PPitBoss]

I have heard the same regarding changes to the App to allow for PULL updates ... what concerns me is that Traeger Support has told some people that the January Update release revealed an issue where some WiFIRE Controllers were susceptible to Firmware Corruption, and given that, if your Grill UUID matches the "lot #s" they are tracking, they will send out a new WiFIRE Controller that has already been given a more recent Firmware / Config version installation ... To my knowledge, they have not published a listing of potentially impacted Grill UUID values that fit within this scenario ... I know when I set my PRO 780 up in February, it installed the January Updates without issue and I have been stuck at those versions ever since ...

I also have an IT background - 30+ years in Enterprise Networking & Security ... I often have to share the following with people to explain why Traeger chose to implement a Wi-Fi chipset that requires a 2.4GHz Wireless connection:

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The goal for all IOT-device vendors is to reach the widest possible customer base "out-of-the-box" ... that means targeting the most widely implemented Wi-Fi Standard possible ... the following table is a quick summary of the timeline of the "major" releases with regards to Wi-Fi that have been widely adopted by the industry:

802.11b - circa 2000 - 2.4GHz - 11Mb/sec max data rate
802.11g - circa 2003 - 2.4GHz - 54Mb/sec max data rate
802.11n (aka Wi-Fi 4) - circa 2009 - 2.4GHz & 5GHz - 600Mb/sec max data rate
802.11ac (aka Wi-Fi 5) - circa 2013 - 2.4GHz & 5GHz - 600Mb/sec max data rate
+ wider channels & more streams & higher-order modulation & addition of MU-MIMO
+ Mesh Networks starting to become available 2017+
802.11ax (aka Wi-Fi 6) - circa 2019/2020 - 2.4GHz & 5GHz
+ goal is to provide 4x the throughput of 802.11ac
+ OFDMA introduced for multiplexing

Given the above, almost all IOT-device vendors implement Wi-Fi via a chipset that supports 802.11b/g/n, as that will reach the widest possible customer base, thus creating the requirement for connecting the IOT-device to a 2.4GHz Wireless Network ... what seems a bit "unique" to the chipset used in the WiFIRE Controllers is the inability to connect to a single Wireless Network Name (SSID) that includes both 2.4GHz & 5GHz, thus needing to rename one of the frequencies ... In my setup, I choose to rename the 5GHz channel (idIOT & idIOT 5GHz) ... Traeger is not the first/only vendor to make the "you must have separate Wireless Network Names" requirement, but I would agree that in 2018-2020+, that caught me off-guard, but since I have run into it in the past, I was prepared to make the necessary changes during my initial setup phase of the WiFIRE Controller ...

FYI - My Ruckus router uses the same name for 2.4G and 5Ghz bands and have zero problems with my Pro 575. Perhaps some routers handle this differently which exposes a marginality in the Espressif (Shanghai, China) WiFi software used by Traeger.

 

[Jmthornt]

FYI - My Ruckus router uses the same name for 2.4G and 5Ghz bands and have zero problems with my Pro 575. Perhaps some routers handle this differently which exposes a marginality in the Espressif (Shanghai, China) WiFi software used by Traeger.

I turned my 575 on this morning and immediate took the firmware update. Still at the lower config, so no 500 degrees yet. But apparently things are moving.

 

[dunawayfamily]

FYI - My Ruckus router uses the same name for 2.4G and 5Ghz bands and have zero problems with my Pro 575. Perhaps some routers handle this differently which exposes a marginality in the Espressif (Shanghai, China) WiFi software used by Traeger.

The issue when you have a single SSID for 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wireless Networks is really about the App Device ... the WiFIRE Controller will connect without issue to the 2.4GHz frequency band, but in order to complete the setup process, you need the App Device to do the same, and also reconnect back to the 2.4GHz frequency at the end of the setup process ... after that is over, then the App Device can be anywhere and communicate with the Traeger Cloud back-end ... The App Device "challenge" is that new(er) devices will automatically connect to the preferred/faster network, which is the 5GHz frequency ... so the potential need to create separate SSIDs is really about forcing the App Device onto the 2.4GHz Wireless Network so it can communicate 1:1/directly with the WiFIRE Controller during the setup process ... if you are using an old(er) App Device, it probably only supports 2.4GHz Wireless Networks, thus there are no issues completing setup ...

 

[dunawayfamily]

I turned my 575 on this morning and immediate took the firmware update. Still at the lower config, so no 500 degrees yet. But apparently things are moving.

You should have the Config Version update within 12-24 hours ...

 

[PPitBoss]

I ran a 22hr cook yesterday followed by many hours in "sleep" (plugged in, red switch light on, LCD screen off). Today I powered up to see the updated FW and config and confirmed 500deg option. Excellent! Took a couple months. Now if only I could record my cook data and save it..

 

[PaulyPaul]

• It may take up to 24 hours to receive the configuration update

Do you think they mean up to 24 hours to download config update, from time of firmware update, or from actual release. That being said, do they expect us to leave the grill powered on for that duration? I read somewhere that leaving the grill on puts your power supply in danger. I always leave the grill plugged in but have the main power on the grill powered off.

Did a cook yesterday with my Pro, and when I powered on grill immediately updated firmware to 2.01.01. Config version remained at 04.012, finished my cook and turned grill off.

I guess I should leave it turned on to get the latest config version.

 

[Jmthornt]

You should have the Config Version update within 12-24 hours ...

You nailed it dunaway. I got the config update Just now and it’s at 500. Thanks.

 

[dunawayfamily]

Do you think they mean up to 24 hours to download config update, from time of firmware update, or from actual release. That being said, do they expect us to leave the grill powered on for that duration? I read somewhere that leaving the grill on puts your power supply in danger. I always leave the grill plugged in but have the main power on the grill powered off.

Did a cook yesterday with my Pro, and when I powered on grill immediately updated firmware to 2.01.01. Config version remained at 04.012, finished my cook and turned grill off.

I guess I should leave it turned on to get the latest config version.

Firmware 2.01.02 will install first ... the fact that you have 2.01.01 may mean that 2.01.02 is not necessary for your WiFIRE Controller / Grill, but at some point it should install ... once the Firmware Update applies, it takes 12-24 Hours for the Config Version update to be PUSH'd down and installed ... it is a 2-step process ... once you have both, then you're "up-to-date" given the current May Update release ... so to answer your Q - the Config Version update follows the Firmware update within an expected 24 Hour period ...

 

[PaulyPaul]

Firmware 2.01.02 will install first .. ...

Thank you Dunaway. Turned the mains power on the grill after I posted. Looks like in those couple of hours the latest 2.01.02 firmware and 04.016 config applied.

Awesome! Thank you for your post. Left grill on for a few days last month and did not receive the config update. I guess Traeger finally started pushing it for the outliers.

 

[dunawayfamily]

Thank you Dunaway. Turned the mains power on the grill after I posted. Looks like in those couple of hours the latest 2.01.02 firmware and 04.016 config applied.

Awesome! Thank you for your post. Left grill on for a few days last month and did not receive the config update. I guess Traeger finally started pushing it for the outliers.

They have definitely opened up the "spigot" to all WiFIRE Grill UUIDs - based on their past release history, it looked like the 3rd Week of May would be when it would be PUSH'd ... glad they finally did a wide release ... and wish they would be more transparent when they do small targeted releases in order to get some analytics back before going wide ... it will lessen everyone's angst questioning why they aren't receiving an update that looks like it was made available 2 months prior ...

 

[ChuckM]

If u cant get grill to connect to wifi how is it going to rcv updates? My 575 did connect once for abt a week then WAP dropped conn and nw grill wont reconnect. Both SW and Config are behind.

 

[PaulyPaul]

Agreed, since most of the "updates" were to correct issues that I was not experiencing on my two grills. I didn't ever notice how timely the firmware and config updates would come in.

Targeted updates should not contain features that the majority see high value (such as 500f degree temp), unless stated on the Traeger update page that they are targeted to just a few devices.

Wonder if Traeger was concerned that the Pro would not handle the extra 50 degrees. Lol, maybe they felt it would be better to only burn up a few "targeted" grills as oppose to the whole bunch.

Once again thank you Dunaway.

 

[dunawayfamily]

If u cant get grill to connect to wifi how is it going to rcv updates? My 575 did connect once for abt a week then WAP dropped conn and nw grill wont reconnect. Both SW and Config are behind.

Only way to get the updates is to get the WiFIRE Controller connected to your Home Wi-Fi Network ... there are some troubleshooting steps to go through to get things working again ... what Router / Wireless Access Point are you using?

 

[ChuckM]

Hi and thanks for your reply. Because my main router is a Verizon and it combines both the 2.4 and 5 ghz signals and auto switches, I knew it would be a problem. So I bought a dual band Comfast access point. It is connected to my primary router/network as a repeater. I can switch my phone wifi over to its 2.4 signal which has internet conn, so I know its functioning. I had my Pro 575 setup and connected to it for about a week and it worked great, then the other day the access point dropped its conn to the network and since resetting that the grill wont reconnect. Have tried recycling power, resetting phone, etc. Each time I try to add a grill it gets to the point after scanning the QR code, then says it cant connect. The access point is only 10 feet from the grill. Driving me nuts. Seems kind of screwed up that most of the issues are with connections and the releases supposedly fix that, but if you cant connect, you cant get the updates. My SW Ver is only 02.00.01 when it should be up to 02.01.02. My config Ver is 04.012 when it should be 04.016. The other question I have is why didnt the grill update when it was connected and running for many hours?