Traeger Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi? 7 Easy Fixes

Frustrated with your Traeger grill not connecting to Wi-Fi? Don’t worry. It’s a common issue, and it’s usually easy to resolve.

In this troubleshooting guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to connect your Traeger grill to Wi-Fi so you can get back to barbecuing.

What is Traeger WiFIRE?

Traeger WiFIRE allows you to connect your grill to your home Wi-Fi network. With this feature, you can control and monitor your grill remotely using your smartphone or tablet.

By the way, WiFIRE is just Traeger’s way of combining the words Wi-Fi and Fire. If you see a “WiFIRE-enabled” grill, that simply means it connects to Wi-Fi.

Clever branding, Traeger. 😉

By connecting your Traeger grill to WiFIRE, you gain access to a wide variety of features, such as setting grill temperature, adjusting timer settings, and receiving notifications when your food is ready.

Additionally, the WiFIRE technology enables your grill to receive software updates, ensuring that it stays up-to-date.

How to Connect Your Traeger Grill to Wi-Fi (WiFIRE)

Here’s how to connect your Traeger to Wi-Fi. However, note the steps below can vary slightly depending on your model and app version.

1. Download the Traeger App: Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
2. Pre-Pairing Checklist: If you’re on iOS 15, disable iCloud Privacy Relay. Ensure your grill is within 30 ft of your router. Connect your phone to the Wi-Fi network you want your grill connected to, preferably on the 2.4 GHz band.
3. Open the App and Start Pairing: Open the Traeger app, select “+ Add WiFIRE Grill,” choose the controller that matches your grill, and select your grill model.
4. Choose Pairing Method: You can pair with a QR Code found under the hopper lid or without a QR Code.
5. Pair with a QR Code: Scan the QR Code, enter your Wi-Fi network password, and allow Suggested Wi-Fi Networks.
6. Pair without a QR Code: Enter your Grill Name (found in the Wi-Fi information on your controller), Grill Password, and the grill’s UUID (found in Menu > Settings > About Grill > Grill UUID on the controller). Enter your Wi-Fi network password and allow Suggested Wi-Fi Networks.
7. Confirm the Connection: Once paired, your phone will display “Checking Wi-Fi Connection.” Upon successful pairing, you can control the grill’s temperature, monitor the cooking process, and more through the app.

Remember, your grill and mobile phone must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If you’re having trouble, ensure your Wi-Fi signal is strong enough at the grill’s location.

How to Fix a Traeger Not Connecting to Wi-Fi (WiFIRE)

If you followed the connectivity steps above and still have issues linking your Traeger pellet grill to Wi-Fi, try the troubleshooting steps below.

Step 1: Ensure Your Wi-Fi Router Uses a 2.4GHz Network

Compatibility issues between your Wi-Fi network and Traeger grill are a common reason the devices won’t link.

Some routers (for example, eero) are designed for 5GHz devices, whereas Traeger grills are only made for 2.4GHz devices. [1]

Confirm there aren’t security restrictions in your router settings preventing the grill from connecting.

Lastly, verify the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and password are accurately input. Double-check for any special characters or spaces.

Step 2: Update Your Traeger Grill’s Firmware to the Latest Version

I’ll be the first to admit: if I don’t have updates auto-enabled, nothing gets updated. Ever. 🤦

Thankfully, your Traeger grill updates to the latest version whenever it’s on (or in standby mode). If your grill doesn’t update the firmware, you may experience syncing issues.

Your Traeger could have outdated firmware because an update was released between the time of its manufacture and assembly or an unsuccessful attempt from poor signal strength.

You can find your grill’s firmware version by navigating to Menu > About Grill on the controller.

“Firmware is software that provides basic machine instructions that allow the hardware to function and communicate with other software running on a device.” [2]

– TechTarget

Try these steps if your smoker doesn’t automatically update:

1. Power off the grill and unplug it from the electrical outlet.
2. Verify the Wi-Fi signal is strong and connected.
3. Turn on the grill and wait for an update message.

Should this process not work, you may need to contact Traeger customer support, as there may be an issue with the controller.

Step 3: Remove Physical Obstacles to Improve Signal Strength

Physical obstructions such as walls, furniture, or appliances can weaken Wi-Fi signals because they can reflect, absorb, or scatter the radio waves.

• Reflection: Surfaces cause signal bounce-off, reducing strength.
• Absorption: Certain materials absorb signal energy, decreasing power.
• Diffraction: Obstacles scatter the signal, lowering its reliability.

Ideally, position your grill within a clear line of sight to your router and remove any obstacles that hinder signal stability.

Remember that devices like microwaves and Bluetooth products can affect signals by emitting electromagnetic radiation.

This device acts as a bridge, expanding the range of your Wi-Fi signal to reach your grill, ensuring a steadier connection.

Step 4: Check if Your Router Has a Limit on Connected Devices

Some routers have a set limit on the number of devices they can handle at once. This limit could be due to hardware constraints or a limitation set in the router’s firmware to ensure stable performance.

When this limit is reached, no additional devices can connect until you remove one.

You may have reached this limit if you have many Wi-Fi-capable devices at home, such as smartphones, computers, smart TVs, smart home devices, and now your Traeger grill.

You’ll need to access your router’s settings to check this. Here’s how:

1. Enter your router’s IP address into a web browser on a connected device.
2. Locate the device limit or connected devices section in settings.
3. If it’s at the limit, disconnect a non-essential device.
4. Attempt to connect the grill again.

You may need to upgrade your router if it can’t handle as many devices as you require.

Step 5: Disable AP/Client Isolation or Privacy Separator

“AP/Client Isolation” or “Privacy Separator” is a feature found in some routers, particularly those provided by Internet Service Providers.

This feature restricts direct communication between devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network, which can interfere with the proper functioning of devices like Wi-Fi enabled grills.

Disabling this feature in your router’s settings may help resolve connectivity issues with your grill.

The specific steps to fix this depend on your router model. Contact your internet provider for further instructions.

Step 6: Check for MAC Filtering

MAC filtering is another security feature available on many routers. It allows only devices with approved MAC addresses (a unique identifier for network devices) to connect to the network.

If your router has MAC filtering enabled, your Traeger may not connect unless its MAC address is added to the approved list.

You can find your grill’s MAC address through Menu > Settings > Wi-Fi Information.

Step 7: Perform a Factory Reset on Your Grill and Reconnect With the Network

If the above steps don’t work, try a factory reset and re-establish the connection to your Wi-Fi network.

Follow these steps to perform a factory reset:

1. Press the Menu button on the controller.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Choose About Grill.
4. Press and hold the Ignite button for 5-10 seconds until the Traeger logo appears.

After the factory reset is complete, you can reconnect your grill to your Wi-Fi network:

1. Open the Traeger app on your iOS or Android phone.
2. Follow the on-screen pairing process to connect your grill to your home network.
3. Complete the pairing process.

You can try deleting and reinstalling the Traeger app if the above steps don’t work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out the FAQs below if you still have questions about connecting your Traeger grill to Wi-Fi.

Final Thoughts

Although your Traeger pellet grill not connecting to Wi-Fi can be frustrating, we discussed numerous solutions in this guide.

We’ve examined steps from checking your grill’s compatibility, ensuring the Wi-Fi signal strength, and updating your grill’s firmware to resetting your network settings.

Lastly, you may need to contact Traeger support after you’ve tried all the steps in this guide. However, you may need to call your Wi-Fi provider for network or router issues.