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

[dunawayfamily]

I’ve had zero problems with updates and connectivity with my IW885 ... same SSID on both freqs, it just seems to work. It has since December. I’d rather be lucky than good I guess.

The stated "requirement" for a separate 2.4GHz SSID really has nothing to do with the WiFIRE Controller itself, but the App Device being used to initially setup the WiFIRE Controller and connect it to your Home Wi-Fi Network ... most modern mobile devices support both 2.4GHz & 5GHz Wireless Networks and will always default to the preferred frequency when it is available (i.e. 5GHz since it provides better throughput) ... so if the WiFIRE Controller is within range of both frequencies, and your App Device being used during setup supports both frequencies, you can end up with the WiFIRE Controller sitting on the 2.4GHz frequency (the only one it supports), and the App Device sitting on the 5GHz frequency (because it is the default/preferred), thus they won't be able to communicate 1:1 during the setup process ... if the WiFIRE Controller is far enough from your Router / Wireless Access Point that the preferred (or only available) connection for your App Device is the 2.4GHz frequency, then you will not have any issues during the setup process ... if the App Device you use to complete the setup process is old enough that it only supports 2.4GHz Wireless Networks, or will default to 2.4GHz Wireless if given a choice (ex. 802.11b/g/n), then you will not have any issues during the setup process ... since most people have new(er) App Devices, along with potentially old(er) Router / Wireless Access Points, and they probably have limited/zero experience deploying IoT-based devices, they tend to fall into the following category:

The vast majority of Wi-Fi challenges are due to issues with the configuration of the Router / Wireless Access Point and/or issues with the App Device config, both of which can be resolved with minor changes ... people are expecting "plug and play" and not prepared to have to intervene to accommodate the necessary changes / workarounds ...

 

[BigOlDOg]

Outside of temp for most Pro users has anyone noticed any other improvements with this update?

I’m hesitant to update as the previous one I felt created more visible smoke at times on the i885 than what was originally installed. With that update it bricked the controller so I honestly can’t say it was just the update..

Just seeing what everyone else felt about the update outside of the ability to reach 500*

 

[bms]

My Pro 575 has been on for nearly 48 hours and is still on Firmware V 02.00.01 and Config Version V 04.015. I have a good solid connection to my 2.4g network and to my iPhone, but no update happening. Do I need to be on a certain screen on the grill controller?

 

[dunawayfamily]

My Pro 575 has been on for nearly 48 hours and is still on Firmware V 02.00.01 and Config Version V 04.015. I have a good solid connection to my 2.4g network and to my iPhone, but no update happening. Do I need to be on a certain screen on the grill controller?

Nope - some people have reported updates start downloading after selecting temp and IGNITing cooking session ... our PRO 780 did both updates while in sleep mode ... there is a possibility that Traeger has "paused" the May Updates in order to deal with the negative fallout from a subset of WiFIRE Controllers shutting down unexpectedly ... if they have "paused" the updates from being PUSHed down, you'll have to wait for them to become available again ... calling Traeger Support to get clarification on this may be your best option ...

 

[bms]

Is “sleep mode” when the main power switch is on but the the controller is off?

 

[isaiahfranco]

Is “sleep mode” when the main power switch is on but the the controller is off?

Yes.

 

[dunawayfamily]

Is “sleep mode” when the main power switch is on but the the controller is off?

Yes - powered on, but the WiFIRE Controller display screen is "blank" ... and the App shows the grill with a green light and Sleeping ...

 

[T Russo]

My Pro 575 has been on for nearly 48 hours and is still on Firmware V 02.00.01 and Config Version V 04.015. I have a good solid connection to my 2.4g network and to my iPhone, but no update happening. Do I need to be on a certain screen on the grill controller?

I wouldn’t be too eager to get the next version that’s on their site. I have the Pro 575 and was one of the lucky ones who got the 02.01.02 - RELEASED 5/18/20 version pushed over Memorial Day weekend which has bricked my smoker. I attempted to reconnect to WiFi last night to see if it would download a fix. The controller displayed “Downloading files” after connecting to WiFi but my excitement soon turned to disappointment when the controller shutoff again. Firmware and Config versions had not changed.

 

[ChuckM]

So for the sake of completing the setup process ... have you tried the Airplane Mode WORKAROUND (i..e forget all other Home Wi-Fi Networks on your App Device except for the 2.4GHz network)?

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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) ...
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So do the WORKAROUND pre-steps (Airplane Mode + Turn Wi-Fi back on + forget Doghouse + forget Doghouse-5G), then connect to Doghouse-2G on your App Device and run the setup process with the WiFIRE Controller connecting it to Doghouse-2G ...

The only other "gotcha" I can see is that the updated Release Notes refer to the following fix in the newer Firmware: Fix character count when decoding SSID ... so special characters may be causing an issue and to simplify things for testing, you may want to try changing to Doghouse 2G (no hyphen) ... I doubt that will make a difference, but if all else fails, its worth trying ...

 

[ChuckM]

Wanted to post this update...It appears that the Airplane mode approach is wat is reqd. I had to force the phone to forget ALL SSIDs except for the desired 2 4 ghz signal. Setup completed, grill back online and comm w phone. Left ON, days, no SW or Config update. Called Traeger CS, avg 1hr wait so I opted for callback. Got call abt hr later. Vry personable girl, but totally clueless. After waiting, mostly in silence, for ovr an hr on phone, she announced its an ongoing issue w some controllers, that they r not updating. Took all my info, repeated mult times, and said systems guys wud be in touch soon. In meantime leave grill on and it might get update. That was 3+ days ago. No update, no calls, yet. Now I know why there is an hr wait to get thru though.

 

[dunawayfamily]

I wouldn’t be too eager to get the next version that’s on their site. I have the Pro 575 and was one of the lucky ones who got the 02.01.02 - RELEASED 5/18/20 version pushed over Memorial Day weekend which has bricked my smoker. I attempted to reconnect to WiFi last night to see if it would download a fix. The controller displayed “Downloading files” after connecting to WiFi but my excitement soon turned to disappointment when the controller shutoff again. Firmware and Config versions had not changed.

For some unknown reason, every time the WiFIRE Controller checks-in to the Traeger Cloud back-end, I see Checking Files briefly, followed by Downloading Files briefly, on the controller display and no updates have actually been downloaded/installed (it also never shows the Applying Updates message on the controller display - this is when you know something is actually being installed) ... I don't believe anything was downloaded either given how short the message was displayed on the controller ... you can Factory Reset a WiFIRE Controller and you will see this behavior ...

I did a Factory Reset on 05/19 to see if I could "force/trigger" the May Updates to install ... nothing happened except the behavior described above ... then, while in sleep mode a few hours afterwards, my PRO 780 received/"applied"/installed the 2.01.02 Firmware Update, and approximately 12 hours later, the 03.010 Config Version update ...

 

[KevinJ]

I am still on the 2.00.01 / 04.012 combo. My 575 will NOT do a factory reset. I called CS and they tried walking me through all the things I already told them I tried. They said they would send me a new Controller (which seems like a cop out about not knowing how to properly push an update). I have no clue how to get the new updates now. It's been over a week

 

[strollin]

My Pro 575 has had the latest firmware since May 22nd but was still not able to be set to 500. Yesterday I was smoking a tri-tip and wanted to do a reverse sear and was pleasantly surprised to see that I am now able to crank my unit up too 500 degrees!

 

[dunawayfamily]

My Pro 575 has had the latest firmware since May 22nd but was still not able to be set to 500. Yesterday I was smoking a tri-tip and wanted to do a reverse sear and was pleasantly surprised to see that I am now able to crank my unit up too 500 degrees!

Firmware 2.01.02 was step 1 in a 2 step process ... Config Version 04.016 was required to support 500 degrees (this is where features are updated / added), and that is the 2nd step in the update ... if the WiFIRE Controller was left powered on after receiving the Firmware update, the Config Version update comes down 12-24 hours afterwards ...

 

[strollin]

My grill had the config version 04.016 yet still wouldn't allow the temp to be set to 500. Back on May 23rd I posted that I had the latest firmware AND config but was still not able to go to 500. There must be something else besides the firmware and config updates that also has to happen.