Roomba Won't Connect to WiFi During Setup

Easy 10-20 minutes

If your Roomba won't connect to WiFi during setup, shows "Unable to connect," or keeps failing to join your network, this guide covers the most common causes and fixes.

Roomba Only Supports 2.4GHz WiFi

This is the most common cause of Roomba WiFi setup failures. Roombas do not support 5GHz networks.

If your router broadcasts both bands on the same name:

  1. Go into your router settings
  2. Create a separate 2.4GHz-only network with a different name
  3. Connect your phone to that 2.4GHz network
  4. Then set up the Roomba

iRobot notes: "Roombas only support the legacy 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi standard. This resulted in annoying issues with the app trying to set up Roombas with Wi-Fi networks that they didn't support."

Proper WiFi Activation on the Roomba

Before the Roomba can connect, you must activate its WiFi mode correctly.

For Roomba s, i, e, 900 series and Braava jet m series:

  1. Press and hold the Dock and Spot Clean buttons simultaneously
  2. Hold for about 2 seconds until you hear a tone
  3. The WiFi indicator should blink green

For Roomba 600 and 800 series:

  1. Press and hold the Dock button (or both Dock and Spot)
  2. Hold for 2 seconds until Roomba generates a tone
  3. A green WiFi icon should flash
  4. Be careful not to accidentally press CLEAN

Setup Still Failing? Try These Steps

1. Reboot everything:

  1. Force close the iRobot HOME app
  2. Restart your phone
  3. Restart your router
  4. Restart the Roomba (hold CLEAN for 10 seconds)
  5. Try setup again

2. Move closer to the router:

  • During setup, place the Roomba and Home Base near your router
  • Weak signal during initial setup often causes failures
  • You can move it to its permanent location after successful setup

3. Check your phone's WiFi:

  • Make sure your phone is connected to 2.4GHz (not 5GHz)
  • Disable mobile data temporarily during setup
  • Turn off any VPN

Battery Reset Method

If the Roomba won't broadcast its setup network at all, try a battery reset:

  1. Flip the Roomba over
  2. Remove the battery (consult your model's manual for how)
  3. Leave it disconnected for at least 1 full minute
  4. Reinstall the battery
  5. Press and hold Dock + Spot for 5 seconds
  6. The Roomba should now broadcast its temporary configuration network

One user reported: "I needed to remove the battery and leave it disconnected for a full minute before reinstalling it. When I next held the Dock and Spot buttons, the Roomba then started broadcasting the temporary configuration network as expected."

Remove and Re-add the Robot

If you've previously set up this Roomba (or a different one) on your account:

  1. Open the iRobot HOME app
  2. Go to Settings → Remove Robot
  3. Remove any old robots from your account
  4. Start the setup process fresh

One community member shared: "In the app, I removed my robot from the app and re-added it. I was able to connect to my WiFi this way. Not ideal, but it worked."

Router Compatibility Settings

Some router settings can block Roomba connections:

Settings to check:

  • Band steering: Disable or ensure 2.4GHz is available
  • AP/Client isolation: Must be disabled
  • Smart Connect: May need to be disabled temporarily
  • WPA3-only: Roomba may need WPA2 compatibility
  • MAC filtering: Add Roomba's MAC address if enabled

Mesh WiFi Issues

Mesh systems (Eero, Google WiFi, etc.) can cause setup problems:

  • Temporarily disable other mesh nodes during setup
  • Set up with only the main router active
  • Re-enable other nodes after successful setup
  • Consider assigning a static IP to the Roomba

Factory Reset (Last Resort)

If nothing else works, factory reset the Roomba:

For i, s, and j series:

  1. Press and hold the Home, Spot Clean, and CLEAN buttons simultaneously
  2. Hold for about 20 seconds
  3. Release when the light ring shows a swirl pattern

For 900 series:

  1. Press and hold CLEAN for 10+ seconds until you hear a tone

For 600 and 800 series:

  1. Press and hold CLEAN for 10+ seconds
  2. When released, Roomba will play a reboot tone

After factory reset, the Roomba is like new and you'll need to set it up from scratch.

"There was a problem connecting to Robot"

If you see this specific error:

  1. Make sure the Roomba's WiFi indicator is blinking green
  2. Ensure your phone connected to the Roomba's temporary network (named "Roomba-XXX")
  3. Keep your phone close to the Roomba during setup
  4. If it still fails, try the battery reset method above

Check Your Home Base Location

The Home Base should be:

  • In an area with good WiFi coverage
  • On a hard, flat surface
  • Against a wall with clearance on both sides
  • Not hidden in a closet or behind furniture (blocks signal)

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