Most customers will be able to complete their robot setup using our simpler RoboKind Quick Robot Network Setup Guide, however if the process is not successful, this document is intended to help troubleshoot and resolve any issues.

If the issues experienced are not specifically with establishing a Wi-Fi connection, then see our broader troubleshooting document at Troubleshooting - Robot Network Connectivity

Definitions:

SSID: Stands for Service Set IDentifier. This is essentially the name or identifier of each wireless network. When you get ready to connect to a specific network from any computer or an R25 robot, the list of networks that you see is a list of SSID’s.

5 Ghz Adapter: Out of the box, RoboKind R25 robots work with the 2.4 Ghz frequency. RoboKind supplies 5 Ghz adapters on request to customers who need or wish to connect using the 5 Ghz network. See the “Contact us” link on the bottom of page http://support.robokind.com if you need a 5Ghz adapter.

Example of 5Ghz adapter, appearance may vary

Hotspot: Certain devices can provide wireless Internet connections to other devices. These are usually provided by a wireless provider such as AT&T, Verizon, etc., and there are monthly caps and data limits.

Note that RoboKind does not recommend using hotspots for robot & iPad connections due to higher latencies, and the of limits/costs imposed by Hotspot & Wireless providers.

Tethered Internet Connection: In many cases, smart phones or Internet connected tablets can provide wireless Internet connections as if they were a hotspot. Data limits may apply, and speed / latency can be less reliable than with other types of Internet connections. For purposes of this document, these will be referred to as hotspots.

Firewall: Most organizations have firewalls that protect their networks from external threats. It is possible for a robot to be successfully connected to WiFi or an Ethernet connection, yet still be blocked from being able to connect to the required resources. RoboKind Networking Requirements and Security Considerations Hotspots & Tethered internet connections are less likely to be configured with firewalls, so they are sometimes used for troubleshooting to confirm if an issue is indeed firewall specific or not.

Low Data Mode: If connecting to a hotspot or tethered connection from an iPad, it may detect that the wireless connection is metered and enter a “Low data mode”. Low data mode may adversely affect the ability to start and run lessons. To check and turn this off, go to Settings and tap Wi-Fi. Tap the “i” info button next to the connected Wi-Fi network, and make sure Low Data mode is disabled.

Support Server: RoboKind supports a diagnostic mode known as “Support Server” which requires that certain firewall ports be open. If you run a network test and only the “Support Server” is failing, this is a successful result for purposes of being able to run lessons from the robot; the support server mode is intended to be used only in a temporary basis.

Pre-requisites

The robot must be on software version 3.2.8 or later. How-to check your robots software version
The robot must has been booted or rebooted within the last 2 hours. If not, please restart.
Confirm that when other devices connect the the target WiFi network, they must not be presented with a “captive portal” screen. (Captive portal screens often appear at coffee shops, restaurants, and hotels)
When other devices connect to the target WiFi Network, they need only a pre-shared key or username/password, not any IT provided security certificates. (While some certificate configurations are possible, they are not supported by this troubleshooter. See Advanced Robot Networking Guide for more info.
The R25 robot should not be connected to a network via the Ethernet port.
The SSID of the network being connected to should not have any international characters. (Older robot release also did not support quotes or spaces)
An SSID is required, no “hidden” networks or empty string SSID’s.

Which type of network do I have?

Most wireless routers found in schools/offices support 2 frequency bands: The 2.4 Ghz range, and the 5 Ghz range.

School/Office Networks: If in doubt about 2.4 Ghz vs. 5 Ghz, you can either attempt both methods, or contact your IT department for guidance on recommended settings.
Home Networks: Most WiFi gateways are configured for both 2.4Ghz and 5 Ghz by default. In some cases the 5 Ghz networks may have a 5G after their SSID, and 2G after the 2G network; in other cases they may share the same SSID.

iPhone tethered connections: If you are connecting to an iPhone 11 or earlier as a hotspot, then 2.4 Ghz is the only option. For iPhone 12 or later, the default is 5 Ghz, unless enhanced compatibility mode is turned on, in which case both bands are available.
Other devices: A google search or contacting your provider may reveal which bands are supported your specific device.

Wi-Fi Connection and Troubleshooting Steps:

Network Band Specific Setup:

2.4 Ghz connection instructions:
- Verify that there is no 5 Ghz adapter connected to the back of the robot.
- On the R25 Robot’s Utilities - Network menu, look for a “Wireless Adapter” button on the bottom.
  - If found, choose “Use Internal”, and then reboot the robot.
  - If not found, no action is required.
5 Ghz connection instructions:
- See instructions at How-to Connect your Robot to 5GHz WiFi

Clear existing Wi-Fi connections:

Under Utilities - Network - Saved Connections, select and “Forget” all listed connections until all connections are gone from the list.
Under Utilities - Network - Disabled Connections, select and “Forget” all listed connections until all connections are gone from the list.

Locate your Wi-Fi network:

Using Utilities - Network - Setup WiFi, look for the SSID of your network.
1. If your network is visible, use the up and down arrows to select it and choose connect.
2. If you network is not visible:
  1. Use the back button and then setup WiFi again, up to 3 more attempts.
  2. If still not available and the device is a hotspot, ensure that the device is on and in personal hotspot mode, or equivalent.
  3. Test connecting to the same SSID in question using a different device, such as an iPad or a Laptop.
  4. If it is still not working, then it is possible there is a mismatch between the type of the network (5 Ghz or 2.4 Ghz) and your configuration.

If able to see SSID/Network name but not prompted for password/username:

Wait at least 30 seconds before pressing any additional buttons.
1. If still no prompt, then reboot the robot, and check the Utilities-Network-Saved Connections screen and document if the network is listed.
Run a network test and document the results.
If a hotspot device, consider changing the SSID for your network to be something that does not contain any special characters.
Test connecting the robot to a different listed Wi-Fi network, and document the results.
Communicate the above documented notes to RoboKind at contact us on the bottom of page http://support.robokind.com.

If you are prompted for password or username but still fail to connect:

Ensure that you are entering the information as indicated using the R25 chest screen. Note that for pre-shared keys or password, entries are case sensitive.
Wait 30 seconds, then run a network test under Utilities - Network - Network Test, and document the results. (Note that if only the “Support Server” test fails, then you are now successfully connected).
Check to see if the Wi-Fi network connection is now listed under “Saved Networks” in Utilities - Network - Saved, and document the results.
Check to see the Wi-Fi connection status under Utiltiies - Network - Network Info - WiFi, and document what is shown on this screen.
If on a tethered device like a phone, we recommend temporarily changing the hotspot to use a simple password with just lower case letters of the alphabet in the a-m range. This can help to rule out any problems that could be cause by special characters or capitalization in the default password.
If using a tethered device or hotspot, connect to that hotspot from a different device (iPad or laptop) that is not connected to any other networks, and attempt to access the Internet over that connection. If not successful, your subscription may not support hotspot/tethered data connections.
Communicate the above documented notes to RoboKind at contact us on the bottom of page http://support.robokind.com.