Solar app offline after router change

This guide covers setting up and reconnecting. If a working app has suddenly gone offline, start with solar app offline; for which app suits which brand, see our Wi-Fi dongle and monitoring app guide.

What the setup actually does

The dongle plugs into the inverter's communication port and sends its data over your internet to the manufacturer's cloud, which your app shows. It needs three things:

• your network name (SSID) and password, typed exactly;
• a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi signal. Solis and SOLARMAN both state that their loggers need 2.4 GHz during setup; check the manual for other dongles;
• a router that lets new devices on and allows them to reach the internet.

If one is missing, the dongle stays offline while the inverter keeps producing.

Before you start

• Note your Wi-Fi name and password exactly, including capital letters.
• Make sure a 2.4 GHz network is switched on. If your router merges 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz under one name, you may need to separate them for setup.
• Stand close to the inverter with your phone; the dongle's hotspot has a short range.
• Turn mobile data off, so the phone does not jump to 4G during setup.
• Find the dongle's serial number (SN) and any password printed on its label (often marked "PWD").
• Install the brand's app and log in to your account.

Quick-check table: inverter wifi not connecting

Safety first

Safety box. Wi-Fi setup is done from your phone. You never need to open the inverter. Touch only the dongle's outer locking ring if you must reseat it, and only if your installer or manual tells you to; do not pull it in and out repeatedly. Never touch DC cables, the battery terminals or anything behind a cover. If the inverter screen is blank or shows a fault, that is not a Wi-Fi problem; see inverter display not working.

Inverter WiFi setup: general steps for most dongles

1. Put the dongle in setup mode if needed. Some create their hotspot automatically; others need a short press of a reset button. Follow your manual, because a long press may reset the dongle to factory settings.
2. Connect your phone to the dongle's hotspot. It usually shows the brand or "AP" followed by the serial number. The phone will warn there is no internet; that is normal.
3. Open the app or setup page and choose your home network from the list.
4. Enter your Wi-Fi password carefully, using the "show password" option to check it.
5. Save and wait. The dongle restarts and joins your router. Data usually appears in the app within a few minutes to about ten minutes.
6. Check the dongle's light: steady usually means connected; flashing often means still trying or failed.

Solis WiFi stick setup

For Solis Wi-Fi dataloggers, Solis's own guide describes this method:

1. Turn off mobile data and forget your home Wi-Fi on the phone.
2. Connect to the stick's hotspot, named "Solis_" or sometimes "D_" followed by its serial number. Use the hotspot password given in the manual or on the label.
3. Open a browser and type 10.10.100.254 in the address bar, not the search box.
4. Log in with the username and password given in the manual. Newer firmware asks you to create your own password.
5. Open Quick Set, tap Search, and choose your 2.4 GHz network. Solis advises choosing a network with signal above about 30%.
6. Enter the password, check it, and save without changing other fields.
7. The stick restarts. A solid green light means success; flashing green means it failed and you should repeat the steps.
8. After a few minutes, check the datalogger status in the SolisCloud app.

Solis also advises against using Wi-Fi repeaters with its sticks and notes that routers with strict firewalls may need to allow the stick through. See our Solis inverters page for the models we supply.

SOLARMAN app setup

SOLARMAN is a platform used with loggers on several inverter makes. Some Inverex models use it; for Knox, Luminey and Primax, the app depends on the model. In the SOLARMAN Smart app, the steps are broadly:

1. Open the home (plant) you want, or create one.
2. Add the logger: scan or type the serial number from the logger label. If asked for a password, look for "PWD" on the label.
3. Tap Go to Configure, confirm your phone is on the right 2.4 GHz network, and tap Start.
4. When asked, go to your phone's Wi-Fi settings, join the logger's network (named "AP_" plus numbers), then return to the app.
5. The app configures the logger automatically. It may still say offline for a while; SOLARMAN says data usually appears within about 10 minutes.

SOLARMAN advises removing special characters such as commas, semicolons, quotes and equals signs from the Wi-Fi network name if setup fails. See our Inverex inverters page.

Other brands we supply

• GoodWe: in the SEMS Portal app, choose the Wi-Fi configuration option, connect the phone to the inverter's "Solar-WiFi" hotspot, then select your home network. A steady light shows success. See GoodWe inverters.
• Huawei: the FusionSolar app is used for both monitoring and commissioning, and setup steps depend on the inverter and dongle model. This is usually done by the installer. See Huawei inverters.
• Sungrow: monitoring is through the iSolarCloud app; follow the dongle's manual or ask your installer. See Sungrow inverters.

Change WiFi password: solar inverter steps

The dongle stores the old password. When you change it on the router, the dongle cannot join until you repeat the setup steps above with the new password. Two tips save trouble:

• New router? Give it exactly the same network name and password as the old one, and many dongles reconnect on their own.
• Changing the password? Redo the dongle setup straight away and note the new password somewhere safe.

What an engineer will check

If setup still fails, an installer can check the dongle's firmware or replace a faulty dongle, check the inverter's communication address (Solis, for example, requires a specific address for a directly connected stick), fit a wired link or access point near a distant inverter, check router security that blocks new devices, and move the plant to your account.

How to keep monitoring online

• Power the router from a UPS or the hybrid inverter's backup output, so it survives load-shedding.
• Keep a 2.4 GHz network switched on permanently.
• Avoid special characters in the network name.
• Keep your installer's access to the plant so they can see alarms.
• If you want room-by-room data as well, see home energy monitoring.

How Solar Works helps with monitoring

On systems we install, current and new systems are designed with monitoring capability, subject to what the equipment supports, and we show you the app at handover. If your dongle needs reconnecting, WhatsApp 0336 666 4321 with a photo of the dongle label, the inverter model and a screenshot of the app. Many setups can be guided over WhatsApp. Our 1-year service warranty applies under the applicable project terms. See how after-sales service works.

We can also set up or reconnect monitoring on systems installed by other companies, as a chargeable service, across Punjab.

Frequently asked questions

How do I connect my solar inverter to WiFi?

Connect your phone to the hotspot the dongle creates, then enter your home network name and password through the brand's app or setup page. Use a 2.4 GHz network, keep mobile data off, and wait a few minutes for data to appear.

Why is my inverter WiFi not connecting?

The usual reasons are a wrong password, a 5 GHz-only network, a weak signal at the inverter, the phone switching back to 4G during setup, or a router that blocks new devices. Check each one, then repeat the setup.

How do I change the WiFi password on my solar inverter?

You change it by repeating the dongle setup with the new password. The dongle does not pick up a router password change on its own.

Do I need to set up the inverter WiFi again after getting a new router?

Yes, unless you give the new router exactly the same network name and password as the old one. In that case many dongles reconnect by themselves.

Does the inverter WiFi work on 5 GHz?

Solis and SOLARMAN loggers need 2.4 GHz for setup, and many other dongles are the same. Check your dongle's manual, and keep a 2.4 GHz network switched on.

Will the inverter stop working if the WiFi is not connected?

No. The inverter keeps producing and keeps its own totals. Only the remote app view is lost until the dongle reconnects.

Sources

1. Solis Service Center, "Solis Wi-Fi Configuration for S2-WL-ST and S3-WIFI-ST Dataloggers"
2. SOLARMAN Help Center, "Network Settings"
3. SOLARMAN Help Center, "Add a Logger (SOLARMAN Smart APP)"
4. Gigawatt Inc. help centre, "GoodWe inverter Wi-Fi connection guide"