Even though they’re a less known member of the Wyze family, Wyze smart bulbs are gaining popularity. This is particularly among established Wyze users as it gives them the ability to control their smart cameras and lights from one central location – the Wyze app.
But even the best-laid plans sometimes run into hiccups. Some people have had wyze bulbs pairing or setup issues while their Wyze smart bulb set up – whether it’s issues with the Wi-Fi connection, or getting them to stay connected.
If you or someone you know is going through this, there are a few things that can help you through these sticky situations.
To fix Wyze setup issues, you should check that your phone's internet signal is strong and you have the latest app, and also that your home has a strong Wi-Fi signal. But before diving into those details, let's look at why that's important by recapping on Wyze's bulb line-up.
What are Wyze bulbs?
When it comes to Wyze, most people think of their line of small, affordable smart home cameras.
While these are still popular, many aren’t aware of their line of smart lighting.
Around 2019, Wyze began introducing a line of smart lighting, creating a new world of convenience for Wyze users.
Now, they can control more than just their smart cameras from the Wyze app. They can add smart lighting, making the operation of their smart home that much more cohesive.
Wyze’s line of smart lighting includes a color bulb, a white bulb, as well as light strips, a floor lamp, and even a floodlight that comes with its own Wyze Cam!
The color bulb can display an array of over 16 million colors, while the white bulb, on the other hand, can only display varying shades of white. Many use Wyze's white bulbs to match the brightness to the time of day.
Both of these bulbs work via the 2.4 GHz band of Wi-Fi, so they’re not compatible with the 5 GHz band. Wi-Fi is how they connect to the Wyze app, where you can control all of their settings app.
The Wyze smart bulb, much like their cameras, are also compatible with a few different smart home ecosystems, including Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. Let's recap how the Wyze setup process should work (i.e. before any bugs or glitches hit you!).
Setting Up Your Wyze Bulbs
You set these smart bulbs up the same way you would any other Wyze devices. In the Wyze app, you’ll navigate to the plus “+” sign in the upper, left-hand corner of the Home screen.
From there you’ll select “Add Device” from the pop-up menu.
On the next screen, select “Power & Lighting”.
From there you can choose which device you’ll be adding, whether it’s the Wyze Bulb, Wyze Bulb Color, or another lighting device.
You’ll then follow the prompts to complete the setup. Most of the time, things run smoothly. But what happens if things don’t go as planned?
Common Problems with Setting Up Wyze Bulbs
Setting up Wyze smart bulbs is a pretty straightforward process. However, as with most technology, sometimes things don’t always go as planned.
In order to prevent setup issues, you have to keep in mind, if you’re trying to connect your Wyze smart bulbs via the 5 GHz band of Wi-Fi, you’re automatically going to run into problems.
This is because these wyze light bulb only support the 2.4 GHz band of Wi-Fi. If you run into any setup issues, first check to make sure you're on the 2.4 GHz band.
Of course, there are other setup issues that people run into. Fortunately, most of these involve rather simple troubleshooting.
Problem #1: Wyze Bulb Won’t Connect
This is one of the most common problems that many come across during setup, and can happen for a variety of reasons.
If you’re trying to connect the bulbs using your Android smartphone, some users have had issues with using cellular data. Because the Wyze network created during setup has no internet, many phones default to cellular data, creating setup issues.
In this case, it’s best to turn your cellular data off, prior to installation so that only Wi-Fi is being used for an internet connection. Once your bulbs are completely set up, you can turn your cellular data on again.
Apple users may also run into some issues specific to iOS. This has to do with network permissions that may be needed to connect your smart bulbs. Apple often requires you to give permission to see certain networks, like the one your Wyze app will create during setup.
First off, make sure that your iOS is upgraded to the lastest version. Then, go into your Settings, then to Privacy, then Location Services.
Scroll down until you locate the Wyze app, and make sure that it's given permission either “While Using” the app or “Always”. Now you can proceed with the setup of your Wyze bulb.
It's also a good idea to check the stability of your internet connection. An unstable, or weak connection can make it difficult for the bulbs to properly connect. If you’re experiencing intermittent connection, you may need to restart your router.
The issue could also lie with the Wyze app. Does it need to be updated? Check your app store to see if any updates are needed. This makes sure the app is operating at optimal performance and with the latest software and any necessary bug fixes.
Problem #2: Bulb Keeps Randomly Disconnecting
This is perhaps one of the most frustrating issues! Suppose your wyze bulb is off at the switch, then you turn it on, and it suddenly starts blinking in pairing mode. Or you're using a smart home hub, such as Alexa to control it, only to find the wyze bulb in question isn't responding. What gives?!
This can be due to an intermittent internet connection. If your area is prone to a bad connection, this may be the culprit. You may also want to explore using a Wi-Fi extender to boost the signal. Make sure it’s placed about halfway between the router and where you want to connect your bulb. This allows for the best possible connection.
The issue could also be due to your smart bulb’s firmware needing an update. While Wyze is usually pretty good about letting you know when one of your devices needs an update, it’s good to check from time to time – just to be sure. To do this, launch the Wyze app and click “Settings” then “Device Info” to then see the firmware versions:
At times, it may have something to do with the electrical socket that the bulb is in. Try a different socket to see if there's a change.
Rarely, it could be an issue with the smart bulb itself. Try a different bulb to see if the problem persists. If it does, you may have to reach out to Wyze for a replacement.
Uncommon Wyze Setup Tips
Of course there are common tips for connecting smart bulbs, but sometimes the uncommon ones can solve problems too.
For example, some users have experienced difficulty connecting their bulbs if the Wi-Fi's SSID is too long. The SSID is the name of your Wi-Fi network, such as “John's Wi-Fi”, or “The Batcave” – just to name a couple. Wyze users have sometimes had issues connecting when the SSID, or Network name is longer than 25 characters. One would only wonder why you'd need such a long SSID, but to each their own.
If this is an issue, try at least temporarily shortening the network name. If there is another Wi-Fi network in the house, perhaps for a home business or guests, try using that one instead if the network name is shorter.
Another not-so-common fix is using one particular socket to connect each Wyze bulb, then moving them to a different location. This has been met with mixed success. Still, if you're in a bind when it comes to network connectivity, it may be worth a shot.
If all else fails, it may be time to contact Wyze Support.
Do you want to find out if you can use Wyze without a subscription? Go through this article to learn what functionalities are available and what isn't when using Wyze without a subscription.
Alternative Smart Bulbs
The good thing about smart bulbs is that there are just so many to choose from! Which one you decide to go with depends on a few factors. You may want the advantages that the mesh network of a Zigbee bulb offers. Or, you may rather the more common Wi-Fi bulb so that it can more easily integrate into your smart home.
One of the most popular options in smart lighting is Philips Hue.
They have a long-standing reputation of being one of the best. They have a wide variety of sizes and colors to choose from, inlcuding light strips. These run on either Zigbee or Bluetooth. You’ll need a Zigbee hub, such as the Hue Bridge if you want to use Zigbee. If you have a smart home hub such as a 3rd generation Amazon Echo, you may be able to forego the Hue Bridge. However, without the Hue Bridge, you’ll have limited options when it comes to lighting configurations.
Another popular brand is LIFX, which uses Wi-Fi.
They come in a wide variety of colors and bulb shapes so that they can suit whatever theme you want to achieve.
Nanoleaf is probably one of the most unique lighting options you can explore. They have smart bulbs, as well as unique lighting panel designs. But the shapes of their lighting panels aren’t the only thing that makes Nanoleaf so innovative. In addition to being compatible with Bluetooth, they’re also compatible with Thread. You'll need a Thread border router to use it, however.
There are also a wide variety of budget-friendly smart bulbs such as Kasa and Sengled. Both are readily available on Amazon as well.
Acheiving the Connection
Issues with setting up Wyze, or any other smart bulb, can get beyond frustrating. Making sure everything is in order before set up can definitely help. However, if problems still persist, there are a few simple fixes.
You can decide whether you want to take steps to troubleshoot your Wyze smart bulb, contact Wyze, or just go with another smart bulb manufacturer all together. No matter what you decide, there’s a way to get smart lights set up in your home without a hitch.
