Smart Life Outlet Not Connecting? (Possible Causes & Fixes)
A Smart Life outlet is a device used to control the state of an appliance, i.e. turning a light off and on, from a user’s cell phone. It is also commonly referred to as a smart plug, These types of plugs came into existence in 2015. Since then, there have been other related products launched, such as smart light switches, smart bulbs, and even smart doorbells. You can even control your space at a granular level by linking Smart Life outlets to your existing smart home hub, such as Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa.
These devices largely depend on the strength and reliability of your Wi-Fi signal. If you’ve worked with smart devices before, then setting up a Smart Life outlet should be very simple. That said, there can be several reasons why your Smart Life outlet may not be connecting.
If your Smart Life outlet is not connecting, it’s due to a break in the communication between the device and the app. First, make sure your device has Bluetooth, location, and Wi-Fi turned on. Then, make sure your device is receiving a Wi-Fi signal. Finally, make sure you’re using the correct channel mode for the device you want, as they should have different SSIDs. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, contact support.
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What is a Smart Life outlet?
A Smart Life outlet is a brand of smart plug. Through it, a user can monitor energy usage and control appliances such as lights from an app on their smartphone. This kind of functionality allows for easier control of appliances from one central location.
There are also many alternative brands which are also producing smart plugs. Some retail for as low as ten dollars.
How Do I Use a Smart Life Outlet?
Smart Life outlets are simple and quick to install. Here’s how to get set up on the app and get your outlet working.
- Step 1: Use your phone’s camera to scan the QR code in the provided user’s manual. You can also locate and download the Smart Life app on Google Play or the App store.
- Step 2: Register on the app. Use the verification code you’re sent to complete your registration.
- Step 3: Log in on the app using your email address or phone number.
- Step 4: Press and hold the on/off button on the outlet. Hold down until the light begins to flash.
- Step 5: In the app, select Add Device. You can also tap the + icon.
- Step 6: Select the device and hit the button marked “Confirm”.
- Step 7. Input your Wi-Fi password to allow the device to use the signal. Hit “Confirm” once more, and you’re done. The device should be paired to the app.
How can I Troubleshoot my Outlet?
Troubleshooting a Smart Life outlet is fairly simple.
- Step One: Make sure that the wall outlet is receiving power. Plug a lamp or other small appliance into it to be sure it’s powered correctly.
- Step Two: Make sure that you have the device added in the app.
- Step Three: Make sure the device’s Wi-Fi is turned on, connected, and receiving a signal.
- Step Four: Make sure that the outlet is on the proper Wi-Fi network. Check the network name/SSID on your tablet or phone.
- Step Five: Make sure that the device is set to the proper channel/bandwidth. You will be using either 2.4GHz or 5GHz.
- Step 6: Try resetting the smart plug by pressing and holding the reset button until the LED indicator begins flashing slowly.
- Step 7: Clear the cached data in the app. Occasionally the cached data may cause issues. You can clear the app’s data in the Settings menu of your phone or tablet, then try reconnecting to your smart plug.
If you’ve run through all of your troubleshooting options and are still experiencing connectivity issues, the smart outlet may need replacing. You can also contact the support team and see if they can help you resolve the issue.
How Do I Reset My Smart Life Outlet?
To reset an outlet, press and hold the device’s reset button until the LED indicator begins flashing slowly. You can also quickly turn the bulb on and off three times. If the light begins flashing quickly, press and hold the reset button again, or repeat switching the light off and on.
Smart Life Schedule Not Working
One of the features Smart Life has is the ability to turn devices on or off at specified intervals. Unfortunately, this is also one of the things about them that can glitch. To fix this issue, you can:
- Check Your Battery Optimization. Smart Life will need to run in the background to stay on schedule.
- Check Your Connection. Make sure your Wi-Fi connection is strong and stable. You can also power cycle your router.
- Reset the Device. Sometimes resetting and re-pairing the device fixes connectivity issues.
- Clear App Data. Remove the device from the app. Then go to Settings and locate the Smart Life app. Tap ‘Clear All Data’. Re-add the device and see if the problem is fixed.
- Contact Support if none of the above fixes the scheduling issue.
Smart Life Not Connecting to Alexa
There are three main ways to fix the connectivity issue with Amazon’s Alexa:
- Enable the Skill. Many users forget to enable the skill they’ve installed in Alexa’s configuration tab. Make sure that the skill is enabled before trying the other fixes.
- Clear Data Files and Cache. Clearing the data files and the cache of both the Smart Life and Alexa apps should make the devices run smoother. You can access them in the Settings section of your tablet or smartphone. Keep in mind, however, that you will have to set up the apps again after clearing.
- Log Out and Restart. Occasionally, connectivity issues may be due to a bug or glitch. If this is the case, restarting everything should clear the devices and allow them to run smoothly. Log out of your Smart Life app. Log out of your Alexa app. Now perform a hard reboot of your devices. Then, log back in and check the connectivity.
Smart Life Not Connecting to Google Home
A number of users have complained that they could not get Smart Life outlets to work while using Google Home. Here are a few ways you may be able to solve that issue.
- Check the Network. Make sure that both your Google Home and your Smart Life outlets are running on the same Wi-Fi network. You can do this by verifying the network name in the apps.
- Re-Link Your Account. Re-linking your Google Home and Smart Life accounts may fix the issue. To do this, open your Google Home app. Navigate to Works With Google, then Linked Services, then Smart Life, then tap Re-link Account.
- Limited Issue. If the first two fixes don’t work, verify if the issue is only affecting Google Home. Test your Smart Life lights with only the Smart Life app. If they only fail to work when connected to Google Home, the issue is not with the outlets.
- Contact Support. Finally, if none of the listed fixes work, you can contact the support teams for both devices.
How Do I Change The Wi-Fi Network?
If you’ve installed a new router, you will have to update each of your Smart Life outlets individually. Press and hold the reset switch on the side of the outlet. Once you’ve reset it, add the outlet to the app as a new device under the proper Wi-Fi network.
How Do I Change My Wi-Fi From 5GHz to 2.4 GHz?
- Step 1: To change your network’s Wi-Fi band, go into your provider’s app and select Advanced Settings.
- Step 2: From there, you should be able to select either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi. Find the Wi-Fi band you want to update, and select Edit next to it.
- Step 3: Select the new channel or Wi-Fi mode setting and hit the Apply Changes button to save the new settings.
Related Questions
Why do Smart Life plugs go offline?
The most common cause of a smart plug going offline is due to an issue with the internet or power to your home. A power or internet outage cuts the signal to the outlet. Check the Wi-Fi band you have selected and run an internet speed test to see if the Wi-Fi is working.
What is an SSID?
SSID stands for Service Set Identifier. It’s essentially your network’s name. In the context of a Smart Life outlet, the SSID is used to pair the device to the smartphone app. This way the app ‘knows’ the device and can control it accordingly.
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Conclusion
Smart Life and other related brands of smart technology are simplifying daily life at every turn these days. From turning on the lights, to making sure you’ve locked your doors, and even starting your coffee in the mornings, smart technology is everywhere. Smart Life outlets are designed to be simple to use and quick to set up. They integrate well with other smart home devices, and you can find one that’s right for nearly every room in the house.
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