For larger installations, we recommend Plugzio WiFi units which require a WiFi network to connect to the cloud.

This article will walk you through the network configurations required and provides some recommendations of cellular-WiFi routers for Plugzio WiFi devices.

Any WiFi Router of WiFi extender can be used to automatically provide internet connectivity to Plugzio WiFi devices.

If the already installed router or extender is configured with a network name and password that cannot be changed, the Plugzio management dashboard must be used to configure the Plugzio WiFi unit to connect to that specific network. Please follow these instructions to learn more: Manager - Configuring WiFi Settings article.

If the network name on router or extender can be changed, then the Plugzio WiFi unit will automatically connect to the router without further setup required. Configure the router to broadcast the following network:

Other parameters for the network:

The network setup can be verified by trying to connect to the network using a cell phone using the above SSID and password. If the cell phone able to connect to the network and access the internet (i.e. try accessing Google) , the Plugzio WiFi devices should be able to as well.

Once the "Plugzio" network has been set up, Plugzio WiFi devices should automatically connect to the the network. This can be indicated by the LED of the device changing from a blinking pattern to a breathing pattern as seen below.

Note that if the network is "Hidden" or has a guest login page, the device will not be able to connect to the network.

If WiFi infrastructure is not available at the location that the devices are to be installed, consider installing a cellular router. Cellular routers are WiFi routers that use a SIM card and rely on a cellular data network for internet connection. This removes the need for traditional WiFI infrastructure.

Any cellular router can be used as long as it follows the specifications above. We have tested routers from OutdoorRouter in several outdoor and indoor installations. These devices can be purchased from the websites below:

These routers are suited for outdoor installations and provide advance features such as remote management and dual-sim card slots for backup. At the time of writing we recommend any of their 4G LTE Cat.4 or Cat.6 routers depending on your budget and needs.

Instructions on how to set up these routers can be found on their website or on the installation/setup manual provided with the router.