Setting up your Wi-Fi Connected Robot with the iRobot® HOME App

Setting up your Wi-Fi Connected Robot with the iRobot® HOME App

Download the iRobot® HOME App onto your mobile device. If you already have the iRobot® home app, we encourage you to visit the store to ensure you are running the latest version of the app.  We recommend staying up-to-date with the latest version which is available for your device in order to receive the best experience. These operating systems are the minimum requirements
 

• iOS: Compatible with operating systems 15 and higher
•  Android: Compatible with operating systems 9.0 and higher

Note: We no longer support iPad devices during setup. You will not be able to set up your robot on an iPad.

Connecting Roomba® or Braavaa® to the iRobot® HOME App 

Step 1: Setup 

Place the Home Base® Charging Station or Clean Base™ on a level surface that is free of obstacles and as close to your router as possible to ensure good Wi-Fi coverage. Then connect the power cable. There should be a small light from the base. There are a few indicators to let you know that the robot is charging:

• When first placed on the Home Base®, the light ring will swirl white.
• The Home Base® LED on top the Home Base® will light up white for four seconds.
• The robot will make a tone after a few short minutes to let you know that it is fully awake.

After one minute, all LEDs on the Home Base® and robot will shut off. This feature conserves energy on the robot. A simple press of the CLEAN button wakes the robot up.

WARNING: To prevent the risk of your robot falling downstairs, ensure that the charging station is placed at least 4 ft (1.2 m) away from the stairs.  

Step 2: Put your device on the network you wish to operate the robot with. 

Some robot models do not support 5GHz connectivity, and you may need to connect to your 2.4GHz network instead. Some robot models cannot connect to Wi-Fi at all.  See below for a guide:

For traditional routers, the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz are typically identified separately. See if there are multiple similar network names under Wi-Fi options of your mobile device, such as:

• "home_wifi" and "home_wifi_5G"
• "home_wifi" and "home_wifi 5.0"
• "home_wifi" and "home_wifi5"
• "home_wifi 2G" and "home_wifi"

Step 3: Verify Bluetooth is Turned ON

Where possible, iRobot® uses Bluetooth to set up and connect your robot to your device. If Bluetooth is NOT turned on, the iRobot® HOME App will ask you to turn it on for the set-up process. 

NOTE: You may see a request for location services. This is a security feature employed while using Bluetooth and is only enabled so that your mobile phone can safely detect Bluetooth robots near you during the set-up process. 

Step 4: Select “Add your product” in the app 

Note that the app is intended to support multiple iRobot® products.

Tap the 3 lines in the upper left of the screen to reveal the main menu. Then tap on “Add your product”. ​​​​​You will be prompted to select whether you wish to add a type of Roomba® or Braava®.  Select the appropriate robot and the app will guide you through the correct steps for your specific robot.
 

Step 5:  Connect Roomba® to Your Wi-Fi 

The iRobot® HOME App will display the name of the Wi-Fi network that the mobile device is currently connected to.

• Confirm this is the network you would like to use and enter your Wi-Fi network password. 
• If no password is required, check the box on the screen and press “Continue”. 

NOTE: If you receive a message at the end of the setup process that indicates an incorrect password, be sure that you have entered your Wi-Fi network password correctly. The App will inform you if your password won't work due to any special characters that would not be accepted.

NOTE: Networks can be changed later, but your phone and robot should be using the same network for setup.  Again, if your robot supports 2.4 GHz exclusively, ensure you select the 2.4 GHz network per the instructions in Step 2.

Step 6: Activate Roomba®  

This step turns on Roomba®’s internal Wi-Fi network so that your device can locate the robot.  

NOTE: This step is not required for Roomba® j7, as it automatically does this step when turned on initially.  

Follow the guidance in the app in order to complete this step. *specifics vary by robot.

From here, your device should locate the robot and you’ll now be able to adjust and control it through the iRobot® HOME App! This completes the setup process! 

If the robot is unable to be found, the app should prompt you to try again.  After two (2) attempts you will be prompted to manually select a network that Roomba® has created. Please follow these instructions. This is a temporary network created by your robot to establish a connection. Once it connects, your device will default back to your network. (Note that your device may default back to 5ghz, and you may need to switch back to 2.4) 

If the robot is still unable to be found, please reboot the robot by holding the Clean button until the light ring turns white and spins clockwise (10-20 seconds). Also, force close and reopen the app. It is then recommended that you repeat the setup process over again. 

NOTE: We do not support WPA3 security.

If you are unable to connect your robot to the app, please first confirm that you are using optimal firewall settings on your router as well as confirm that the correct ports are open which are outlined in this article: Optimal firewall configurations.

Also, please check to see if you are using a router listed here: Router Compatibility Issues.

If the issue persists, please contact iRobot Customer Care. 
 

Step 7:  Name Your Robot 

“Roomba” is preloaded, but you can give your Roomba® a personal name. Name it whatever you want!  Type a name and press “Continue”.