Grid Connect tips, tricks and help

[CSParnell]

Hi all,

I thought it may he good to have a feed where we could share any tips and tricks to do with any of the Grid Connect Range being Arlec, Deta, Verve, Orion.

I am learning from trial and error and really just accident so sharing with others and sharing back we may be able to create some good learning information for us all.

Please post below starting with what the trick is as the title then how to do so as the body of information.

Carl 

[CSParnell]

@w0mbat 

Tuya / Grid Connect Smart Devices and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Requirement

Why 2.4GHz is Required for Initial Setup (Not 5GHz or Dual-Band)

Hardware and Compatibility: Most Tuya-based smart devices (using Smart Life or similar apps) are built with only a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio and do not support 5GHz Wi-Fi at all. In other words, they simply cannot detect or join a 5GHz network. This is a deliberate design choice: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi modules are more mature and cost-effective, and maintaining compatibility with 2.4GHz ensures the devices work with virtually any standard router. Tuya’s documentation explicitly notes that you must connect these devices to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network during setup, because the 5GHz band “is not supported”. If your router uses a combined (dual-band) SSID for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, it can confuse the pairing process – the device might fail to connect until it sees a purely 2.4GHz signal.

Range and Penetration: The 2.4GHz band was chosen for more than just cost. Technically, 2.4GHz offers better range and wall penetration compared to 5GHz. Lower-frequency signals travel farther and pass through obstacles more easily. For example, a 2.4GHz signal attenuates less through walls (about a 70% drop through drywall) than a 5GHz signal (around 90% drop) – yielding fewer dead spots and more reliable coverage in a typical home. This superior range is crucial for smart gadgets like plugs, sensors, or cameras that might be scattered throughout a house (even in garages or outdoors), where a 5GHz signal from the router might not reliably reach. Tuya devices don’t need the high throughput of 5GHz; they send small commands and status messages, so 2.4GHz’s lower bandwidth is not a limitation. As one user puts it, it’s common for smart devices to use 2.4GHz only since they don’t need the extra speed and instead benefit from the greater range.

Power and Cost Benefits: Using 2.4GHz simplifies the device’s design. Because 2.4GHz Wi-Fi has been around longer, the chips and antennas for it are inexpensive and energy-efficient. Incorporating a 5GHz radio would raise the device’s cost and power usage for little benefit. In fact, due to economies of scale and backward compatibility, 2.4GHz chipsets are significantly cheaper and more ubiquitous than 5GHz ones. For a budget smart bulb or switch, it’s a “no-brainer” to use 2.4GHz-only hardware. This keeps IoT devices affordable and ensures they work with older routers and protocols.

Implications of Using the Wrong Band: If you don’t follow the recommended process and try to set up a Tuya device while your phone (or setup device) is on 5GHz Wi-Fi, the pairing will likely fail. Since the IoT device cannot see or talk on 5GHz, it won’t receive the configuration data. The Tuya app may time out saying it “failed to find the router” or just never connect. Tuya’s support notes that a mixed 2.4/5GHz network (single SSID for both bands) can prevent successful configuration. In practice, many users find they must temporarily switch their phone to a 2.4GHz-only connection for the device to be added. If you skip this step, the smart device will stay in pairing mode and never join your Wi-Fi, effectively making setup impossible until a 2.4GHz link is used. In short, not using 2.4GHz for initial setup means the device won’t connect at all. (The device isn’t “offline” or broken – it’s just never actually joined your network.) Always ensure your phone/tablet is on a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network when adding a new Tuya smart gadget, or the device won’t receive the correct credentials during setup.

Benefits of 2.4GHz Over 5GHz for Tuya Devices

To summarize the technical advantages of 2.4GHz in this context:

• Wider Coverage: 2.4GHz signals cover a larger area and penetrate walls/floors better than 5GHz. This is ideal for IoT devices which may be far from the router or in challenging spots (basements, outdoor cameras, etc.). The improved range helps maintain a stable connection where 5GHz might drop out.

• Sufficient Bandwidth: Smart switches, bulbs, sensors, etc., send very small data payloads (on/off commands, sensor readings). They don’t stream HD video or large files. Thus, they don’t require the high throughput of 5GHz. The 2.4GHz band’s throughput is more than enough for their needs, and avoiding 5GHz has no performance downside for these devices.

• Lower Cost & Power: Sticking to 2.4GHz keeps device manufacturing costs low. The single-band Wi-Fi modules use less complex hardware. Manufacturers avoid the expense of dual-band chipsets and additional antennas. This also often means lower power consumption, which is beneficial for devices that prioritize energy efficiency (especially battery-powered gadgets).

• Better Compatibility: Nearly all routers and access points support 2.4GHz, whereas some older or budget routers might not do 5GHz. By using 2.4GHz, Tuya devices ensure maximum compatibility with any home network and even older Wi-Fi standards. It also simplifies support – if the device connects to 2.4, it will work with dual-band or even tri-band routers as long as 2.4 is available.

The trade-off of 2.4GHz is that it can be more crowded (many household devices use it, and neighbors’ networks can cause interference). But for the small data bursts of IoT devices, this is usually not a major issue, and the range benefits outweigh the occasional congestion. In any case, during the initial setup, being on 2.4GHz is non-negotiable because of the hardware limitation: the device won’t even join your network if you only offer it 5GHz.

What Happens After Setup – Can You Use 5GHz Then?

Once you’ve added the Tuya device to your Wi-Fi (via 2.4GHz), you might wonder if you can go back to using your faster 5GHz network on your phone or other controllers. The good news is yes – after setup, the device will remain connected to your router on 2.4GHz, but you can control it from any network path that reaches the same LAN or internet. Your phone or voice assistant can be on 5GHz Wi-Fi (or even on mobile data) and still communicate with the smart device. As long as the controlling device and the smart gadget ultimately connect through the same router (or cloud service), the frequency band doesn’t matter at that point.

For example, if your smartphone reconnects to the 5GHz band after setup, it’s still on the same local network as the IoT device (most home routers bridge 2.4GHz and 5GHz together). You can open the Tuya/Smart Life app and send commands – the commands will reach the device just fine. One user confirms “your phone on 5GHz will connect to the switches on the 2.4 network”, meaning a device on 2.4GHz can be controlled from a 5GHz client without issues. The 5GHz vs 2.4GHz distinction is irrelevant to the app once the device is already on the Wi-Fi; both bands route through your one home network. In essence, the 2.4GHz requirement only applies to the device’s connection itself and the initial pairing process. After that, you as a user are free to use 5GHz on your phone or laptop – the router will handle passing traffic between the 5GHz-connected controller and the 2.4GHz device.

Cloud Control: It’s worth noting that many Tuya devices are cloud-controlled by default. This means even if your phone isn’t on the same local Wi-Fi, it can still control the device via the internet. So certainly after setup, being on 5GHz presents no limitation – you could even be on a different network (say, phone on 5G cellular data) and still turn on a Tuya light at home. The only requirement is that the device itself stays connected to your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and online.

Important: Do not remove or disable the 2.4GHz band on your router after setup. The smart device must stay connected to 2.4GHz to function. You can safely re-enable a dual-band configuration or reconnect your phone to 5GHz, but ensure the 2.4GHz network remains active for the device. If you completely shut off 2.4GHz on your router, the Tuya device will go offline (since it can’t switch to 5GHz). As long as 2.4GHz is available, the device doesn’t care if your phone or hub is on 5GHz. In mixed-network environments, people have reported that their 2.4GHz-only smart devices (like Tuya curtains, plugs, etc.) work fine and are discoverable from a phone on 5GHz Wi-Fi. So after that initial hurdle, you get the best of both worlds: your gadgets enjoy stable 2.4GHz links, and you can enjoy faster 5GHz on your other devices concurrently.

EZ Mode vs AP Mode During Pairing

When connecting Tuya Wi-Fi devices, there are typically two setup modes available in the app: EZ Mode (Easy Mode) and AP Mode (Access Point Mode). Both ultimately achieve the same goal – getting the device onto your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi – but they work differently and have different implications for frequency use and stability:

• EZ Mode (SmartConfig): This is the default method in many apps (often the quick flash pairing). In EZ mode, the device and your phone attempt to communicate over your home Wi-Fi network. You put the device in pairing mode (usually its LED blinks rapidly), connect your phone to the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and then the app sends the Wi-Fi credentials to the device. Technically, the phone broadcasts the network name (SSID) and password (usually encoded in special UDP packets or using broadcast/multicast) while connected to your router. The unconfigured Tuya device, listening in pairing mode, picks up these credentials and then tries to join the Wi-Fi on its own. EZ mode is convenient because you don’t have to leave your normal Wi-Fi on the phone, but it has some drawbacks in dual-band environments. If your phone is accidentally on a 5GHz connection, those broadcast packets might not reach the 2.4GHz device (some routers do forward them, but reliability can vary). That’s why the app or instructions insist your phone be on 2.4GHz for EZ mode. Even with the phone on 2.4GHz, EZ mode can sometimes fail due to interference or router settings (certain routers or phone OS versions might block the broadcast technique). It’s reported that EZ mode’s success rate is a bit lower and it has “compatibility requirements for mobile phones and routers”, whereas AP mode tends to be more robust. In summary, EZ mode is easier for the user (when it works), but on some networks – especially those with band steering or isolation – it might struggle. It works best on 2.4GHz networks with strong signal nearby (since the device needs to hear the transmissions from the phone).

• AP Mode (Access Point Mode): AP mode is an alternative setup method often recommended if EZ mode fails. In AP mode, the smart device itself temporarily acts as a Wi-Fi access point (usually named something like “SmartLife-XXXX” or the device model) that your phone must connect to. The device’s LED typically blinks slowly in this mode. You manually go to your phone’s Wi-Fi settings and join the device’s temporary Wi-Fi network. This puts your phone directly on a 2.4GHz connection to the device, peer-to-peer. The Tuya app then detects the device and prompts you to input your real Wi-Fi’s credentials, which it sends straight to the device over this direct link. The device receives the info and then switches off its AP to join your home 2.4GHz Wi-Fi with the given credentials. AP mode involves a few extra steps (manually changing Wi-Fi networks), but it is often more reliable on dual-band or tricky networks. Since your phone is connected to the device’s own hotspot (which by design is 2.4GHz-only), there’s no confusion about bands – you are definitely communicating over 2.4GHz to configure it. This mode has a “high success rate and good reliability” even with 2.4/5GHz dual-band routers. Tuya’s developer docs note that AP mode adapts well to dual-band setups because the device will filter out unsupported networks – it only shows you the 2.4GHz SSIDs it can connect to, ignoring any 5GHz networks during the scan. In other words, AP mode inherently avoids the 5GHz issue: you won’t even be able to select a 5GHz network for the device. The trade-off is convenience – the user must switch Wi-Fi on their phone to the device’s AP and back – but this mode can bypass problems like band steering, and even Apple’s iOS restrictions on broadcasting (on iOS 14+, apps need special permission to send the EZ multicast, so AP mode is recommended to avoid that complication).

Frequency Selection: Both EZ and AP modes ultimately configure the device to use a 2.4GHz network, but how they handle the presence of 5GHz differs. EZ mode assumes your phone is on the correct (2.4GHz) network and sends the info through the router. It’s sensitive to the phone’s Wi-Fi band and the router’s handling of mixed bands. AP mode takes the router largely out of the equation during setup – it directly connects phone to device over 2.4GHz. This means even if you have a unified SSID for 2.4/5, AP mode will still work because you aren’t relying on the router to bridge the gap; you hand the credentials to the device directly. In essence, AP mode is immune to band-steering issues during setup, whereas EZ mode requires that you manually ensure the right conditions (phone on 2.4GHz, etc.).

Stability and Success Rate: Tuya’s docs and many user experiences indicate AP mode is more stable for pairing. It has fewer points of failure: no need for special broadcast packets to traverse the network, and less chance of interference. The success rate of AP mode is higher than EZ mode according to Tuya. That said, if your network is straightforward and your phone is on 2.4GHz, EZ mode can work perfectly fine and is quicker when it does. Many devices ship in EZ mode by default (fast blinking), and only if that fails do you switch them to AP mode (usually by holding reset longer until slow blink). Some newer Tuya-based devices also support a Bluetooth-assisted EZ mode (the app uses Bluetooth to tell the device your Wi-Fi info, then the device joins Wi-Fi). Bluetooth provisioning can also bypass the 2.4/5 issue because it doesn’t rely on Wi-Fi broadcasts, but this only works if the device hardware has Bluetooth (some do). Otherwise, AP mode is the go-to fallback.

In summary, EZ mode is the typical easy setup but requires a 2.4GHz environment to be in place (and can be tripped up by dual-band routers unless you take steps). AP mode is a bit more involved for the user but tends to be very reliable for getting devices onto a 2.4GHz network, especially in modern dual-band Wi-Fi environments. It’s often recommended if you have any trouble with the standard method or if your router’s 5GHz is making things difficult.

Working Around 5GHz/Mixed Network Issues During Setup

Many households now use routers that broadcast both 2.4GHz and 5GHz under one network name (SSID), or they rely on mesh systems that automatically steer devices between bands. This can make it confusing to get a 2.4GHz-only device connected. While the ideal solution is to use a 2.4GHz network for setup (per the recommendations above), there are some workarounds if you cannot easily separate or disable your 5GHz network:

• Temporarily Disable 5GHz: The simplest trick is to log in to your router settings and turn off the 5GHz band for a few minutes. This forces all your Wi-Fi devices (including your phone) onto 2.4GHz. You can then run the Tuya app and pair the device normally (EZ mode should work now since the phone is definitely on 2.4). Once the smart device is added and working, re-enable 5GHz on the router. Many users and even developers suggest this approach; for example, one Tuya integration developer recommends “temporarily turning off the 5GHz band of your AP” during pairing. The downside is it momentarily disrupts any devices that were using 5GHz, but it’s a quick fix.

• Use a Separate SSID for 2.4GHz: If your router allows it, give the 2.4GHz band its own unique network name (SSID) different from the 5GHz band. Tuya’s support team advises that separating the SSIDs is a reliable way to ensure the device connects properly. For instance, you might name your networks “HomeWifi_2.4” and “HomeWifi_5”. Connect your phone to the 2.4GHz one during setup. The smart device will then join “HomeWifi_2.4”. Later on, you can decide to keep the networks split (which gives you manual control over which band devices use) or you could even merge them back (using the same name) after the device is configured. If you do merge them, the Tuya device will still only see and connect to the 2.4GHz portion (it will ignore the 5GHz signal), but initially separating helps get over the setup hurdle. The only caution: if you merge SSIDs again and your router does aggressive band steering, ensure it doesn’t “hide” the 2.4GHz from older devices. Most will be fine – the device will just reconnect to 2.4GHz as it did before.

• Use AP Mode for Setup: As described earlier, if EZ mode isn’t working on a mixed network, switch the device to AP mode. In AP mode, it doesn’t matter if your router has one SSID for both bands; you’ll connect directly to the device’s temporary network. The Tuya app even suggests AP mode in cases where you have a combined network SSID. This way, you don’t have to change any router settings – you just take an extra step in the app. Once the device is on your Wi-Fi, it will stay on 2.4GHz and you can continue using your network normally.

• Force Your Phone onto 2.4GHz: If you cannot change the router configuration, another trick is to influence your phone to use 2.4GHz. Because 5GHz has a shorter range, you can try moving far enough from your Wi-Fi router (or between thick walls) such that the 5GHz signal weakens and your phone switches to 2.4GHz. This can sometimes allow the phone and device to be on 2.4GHz simultaneously for pairing even with a single SSID. It’s a bit of trial-and-error: you need to still be within reach of 2.4GHz signal but out of good range of 5GHz. Some mesh systems also let you pause one band or have an app-based band steering you could disable temporarily. The key is simply: get the phone on 2.4GHz by any means so that EZ setup communication can happen.

• Create a Temporary 2.4GHz Hotspot: If all else fails and you absolutely cannot get your main Wi-Fi in a 2.4-only mode, you can use a secondary device as a makeshift 2.4GHz network. For example, use a spare smartphone or a laptop to create a Wi-Fi hotspot that operates on 2.4GHz (most phones let you choose 2.4 vs 5 for tethering, and many laptops support hosted networks). Set the hotspot’s SSID and password to the same as your home network, so that once the device connects to this hotspot, you can later turn the hotspot off and the device will try the real router’s network. One Reddit user described being “finally able to do it by using my laptop as a hotspot” (with the same SSID/password as the router) to get stubborn Tuya devices connected. This is a complex workaround and generally not needed unless your router has some strange incompatibility, but it demonstrates that as long as the device can find a 2.4GHz access point with the given credentials, it can be configured and will work. After using the hotspot trick, the device was controllable and worked fine on the main network. (Be sure to disable your hotspot after pairing so the device reconnects to your actual router’s 2.4GHz.)

Potential Issues with Workarounds: While the above methods can help, be mindful of a few things. If you disable 5GHz or split SSIDs, some of your other devices might momentarily lose connection or switch bands – so do this at a convenient time. When using a temporary network (hotspot or alternate router), remember the device will stay on whatever network you paired it with. You may need to reconnect it again if you want it on your main Wi-Fi instead of the temporary one. It’s always preferable to get the device onto your primary router’s 2.4GHz if possible, to avoid managing multiple networks. Also note that some ISP-provided routers have limited settings; if you absolutely cannot separate or turn off bands on a locked-down router, AP mode in the Tuya app is usually the safest bet to pair your device.

In general, the recommended process is: use a 2.4GHz connection for your phone during setup (and ensure the Wi-Fi SSID/password have no incompatible characters, etc.), add the device, then you can resume normal use of your dual-band Wi-Fi. Once the device is on the network, it will stick to 2.4GHz and you shouldn’t need to do these steps again for that device. All control and automation can then happen seamlessly, with the device enjoying the range of 2.4GHz and your controllers using whichever band is optimal for them.

References:

• Tuya Support – Devices only support 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi; 5Ghz not supported; mixed networks may fail
• Tuya Developer Docs – Recommendation to use 2.4GHz, separate SSIDs or AP mode for pairing on dual-band routers
• Reddit (r/smarthome) – *User explanation of 2.4GHz vs 5GHz for smart devices (range vs bandwidth)*
• RouteThis IoT Blog – *Technical comparison of 2.4GHz vs 5GHz (range, wall penetration, cost of chipsets)*
• Petoneer Blog – EZ mode works best with 2.4GHz due to longer range and better wall penetration than 5GHz
• Tuya App SDK Docs – AP mode has higher success rate and adapts well to 2.4/5 GHz dual-band environments
• GitHub Tuyapi Issue – Advice to turn off 5GHz or use a temporary 2.4GHz AP for pairing Tuya devices
• Reddit (r/smartlife) – User success using a laptop 2.4GHz hotspot to connect Tuya devices that wouldn’t pair otherwise.