An Amazon Echo is a voice-activated speaker that responds to questions and commands. It can be used to control smart devices in your home, play music, make calls, and more.

I got my first Amazon Echo in 2014, and over the years I have upgraded to the latest models and bought more devices that have “Alexa” built such as Fire TV, Echo Show and Echo Flex.

It’s been one of my favorite devices, and I think it’s definitely worth the price.

Sadly over the years I have had a few issues when my Alexa devices have not connected to WiFi, below are some of the tricks and tips I have learned to help fix these issues.

To fix your unresponsive Alexa device, check your power connections, check that your WiFi is working, check that the Alexa device is not located too far from the router and finally try rebooting your Alexa device.

How to Fix Amazon Echo Won’t Connect to WiFi

1. Inspect Your Amazon Echo Setup

The first thing you should do if your Amazon Echo won’t connect to WiFi is to check your setup. Make sure that the Echo is plugged into a power outlet and is receiving power.

Make sure that all of the cords are plugged into their corresponding ports, and ensure that none of them are loose or damaged. If any cables appear to be frayed or broken, it may be a good idea to replace them.

If your power cord is plugged into an electrical outlet, check to make sure that the outlet is working properly. You can do this by plugging in another device, such as a lamp, to see if it turns on. If the outlet is not working, you may need to reset the circuit breaker or contact an electrician.

Place The Echo Device Closer to The Router

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If you are having difficulties connecting your Amazon Echo device to your home Wifi, it may help to move the gadget closer to your router. Amazon advise that the best location for an Alexa device is within 30 feet (10 metres) of a wireless router or modem.

Check for WiFi interference

There are some devices that can interfere with your home Wifi signal and cause problems for your Echo device. These include baby monitors, microwave ovens, cordless phones, and televisions. If you have any of these devices in the same room as your Echo, try moving them to see if that improves the situation.

For example we have an Echo in our kitchen to run some automations and to listen to music, we kept having problems as it was next to the microwave oven so we moved the Echo a few feet further down the counter.

You should also check to see if there are any thick walls or metal objects between your Echo and the router. These can also interfere with the Wifi signal and cause problems for your Alexa device.

There are several adapters available on the market which make it possible to connect your Echo to an Ethernet cable.

2. Restart Your Amazon Echo

If there are no loose wires and the Echo is not being blocked from receiving a signal then the next step is if your Amazon Echo won’t connect to WiFi, you should try restarting the device.

To restart your Echo, simply unplug the device from the power outlet and then plug it back in. Once the device has restarted, you should be able to use it as normal.

If you’re still having trouble connecting to WiFi after restarting your Echo, move on to the next step.

3. Check Your Internet Connection and WiFi Signal

If your Amazon Echo won’t connect to WiFi, the next thing you should do is check your internet connection.

Start by making sure that all of the cables connected to your router are secure, especially the cable in the internet or WAN Port.

Then, open a web browser on another device and try loading a website. If the website doesn’t load, you may have an issue with your internet service.

If the website loads on your laptop or phone but you’re still having trouble connecting your Echo to WiFi, then you know the problem lies with your Echo.

How to Restart Your Modem or Router

Modems and routers sometimes need to be reset for them to work properly.

To do this:

  • Find the power button on your modem or router and turn it off for about 30 seconds.
  • After 30 seconds turn your modem or router back on.
  • Once the modem or router has restarted, try connecting your Amazon Echo to WiFi again.

Forget Your WiFi Network and then Reestablish a Connection

If you’re still having trouble connecting to WiFi, you can try forgetting your network and then reestablishing a connection.

Tip: Network name may be referred to as SSID; your password as passphrase or key.

To do this:

  • Settings > Network
  • Select the WiFi network that you want to forget
  • Press the Menu button on your remote control and select Forget Network
  • Once you’ve forgotten the network, try connecting again.

4. Re-enter the Password when Connecting to WiFi

If you’re still having trouble connecting your Amazon Echo to WiFi, the next step is to check that you’re entering the correct password for your network.

To do this:

  • Settings > Network
  • Select the WiFi network that you want to connect to
  • Enter the password for your WiFi network when prompted

Make sure that you are entering the password correctly.

Passwords are case-sensitive.

Ask any other members of your household if they may have changed any settings on the router.

5. Check Compatibility Issues with Your WiFi Router

If your Amazon Echo won’t connect to WiFi, it’s also possible that there may be a compatibility issue with your router.

Echo devices can connect to WPA1-PSK encrypted, WEP, WPA-PSK, open networks, and hidden networks.

Most also support N, B, and G routers on 2.4 GHz and AC, A, and N routers on 5 GHz.

If you’re unsure whether your router is compatible with the Echo, check the list of compatible devices on Amazon’s website.

You can also try connecting to a different WiFi network to see if that solves the problem.

6. Check Router Firmware

If you’re still having trouble connecting your Amazon Echo to WiFi, the next step is to update the firmware on your router.

To do this:

  • Log into your router’s settings page
  • Find the firmware update page and follow the instructions to update your router’s firmware
  • Once the firmware has been updated, try connecting your Amazon Echo to WiFi again.

Update the firmware of your Alexa device

Firmware updates are released regularly for Amazon Echo devices, and these can sometimes help to fix connection issues.

To check if there is a firmware update available for your Echo device, open the Alexa app on your phone and go to Settings > Device Settings. If an update is available, you’ll see a notification here.

To install the update, simply follow the prompts on the screen. Once the update has been installed, you should notice an improvement in your Echo’s performance.

7. Factory Reset Your Amazon Echo

If you’ve tried all of the steps above and you’re still having trouble connecting your Amazon Echo to WiFi, the next and final step is to factory reset your device.

Warning: This will erase all of the data on your Echo Device!

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If you’re still having difficulties, you may need to factory reset your Echo device. This will delete all of your settings and data, so be sure you’ve tried everything else first.

To factory reset your Echo, go to Settings > Device Settings > Reset Device. From there, follow the prompts on the screen to reset your device.

Once your Amazon Echo has been reset, you can set it up again and try connecting to WiFi.

If you’ve tried all of these steps and your Amazon Echo still won’t connect to WiFi, then it’s time to contact customer service.

We hope this article helped you solve the problem.

Thanks for reading!

Summary

  • If any of the cables aren’t properly connected, your Amazon Echo may not function as intended.
  • If your Wifi isn’t working, there are a few reasons why. A sluggish internet connection might affect the performance of your Alexa device. If this is the case, your Alexa device won’t connect or respond.
  • If your Echo device isn’t connected to your router, Alexa won’t respond. You may need to move your Echo closer to your router or upgrade your router.
  • If you’ve connected your Amazon Echo device to your network with an incorrect WiFi password, it won’t work. So double-check that the gadget is connected to the WiFi with the correct password.
  • There are specific wireless gadgets, such as keyboards or headphones, that may produce a signal interference. Baby monitors, microwave ovens, televisions, and thick walls can all disrupt or block your Wifi signal. If your Wifi signal is disrupted, your Alexa gadget will not respond automatically.