Bull Controller pairing problem and customer service.

[bar046]

I'm gonna vent a bit then shut up about it. I ordered my Bull during the holiday season and; of course, had to experience a delay in shipping. That was totally understandable. I received my grill about a week and a half ago. I put it together within a day or so of its arrival. I tried to pair the controller with the app and they wouldn't pair. I went ahead and did my burn-in and decided to make my maiden cook last weekend. I tried for over an hour to get the controller and app to pair with negative results.

I called the RecTec after hours number and they called me right back. The man with whom I spoke listened to my problem and immediately advised me he was not too knowledgeable with modems and WiFi. He said they had several computer geeks working there but he would do his best. We then discovered I had a dual band WiFi. He told me I should contact Xfinity to get them to split the 2.4gh and 5gh bands. He said I might try to walk away from my router until I had the lowest signal of 2.4gh and then it might connect. I'm thinking, RecTec says to be within 30yds of the router when trying to connect but I tried that first before finally having the pleasure of trying to get to talk to a real person at Comcast Xfinity.

That took over 30mins and another thirty minutes trying to get them to split the two bands. They finally stated our system was too outdated to split and they would send a new modem out. I got to thinking about it and called RecTec back. I spoke with the same individual and asked him if the system would pair using a WiFi hotspot. He said he had overheard several people at work talking about it and seemed to remember that I could do that. I made my wife's phone into a hotspot and attached the signal to my phone. I layed both phones side by side on top of the Bull controller shelf, put the controller in discover mode yet again and attempted to pair.

Nope, it wouldn't do it. I gave up and did the first cook without the phone app. Good smoker grill and no problems. The modem arrived last week and I tried to pair my controller and app again today. Another no-go after several attempts. Called RecTec back and got a pretty knowledgeable guy. Re-explained my problems and again asked about hot-spot pairing. He said it would absolutely work and to try it again. He said to message him the results and if it didn't pair he would send out a new controller. It didn't and I messaged him back. I'm just wondering why the person I spoke with last week didn't tell me to message him back after attempting the hot-spot pairing and I might just already have received a new controller and would be up and running with all of the features I looked forward to having.

RecTec needs to insure all of their hot-line techs are trained to the same level. Not happy but I'm through venting now. I'm sure they're gonna get it straight.

 

[Buckeye smoker]

Did you happen to check the WiFi antenna itself on the Bull?. It's just a tiny little wire that plugs into the board. It might have come lose during shipping. Also, I keep repeating myself but, way back when I recieved mine,I had to turn GPS location on to get it to connect. It wouldn't connect prior to doing that. After that I never needed to turn that on. Just a couple things to check.

 

[bar046]

Did you happen to check the WiFi antenna itself on the Bull?. It's just a tiny little wire that plugs into the board. It might have come lose during shipping. Also, I keep repeating myself but, way back when I recieved mine,I had to turn GPS location on to get it to connect. It wouldn't connect prior to doing that. After that I never needed to turn that on. Just a couple things to check.

I did check the antenna. I unscrewed it and insured the wire didn't get bent when it was attached and long enough to make the connection. I just checked my location for the app and it is set to "on" when using the app. Thanks for the tips though.

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

I had trouble getting mine to connect and called reteq and found I was using the password to their site instead of the one for the app, LOL!! It's worked fine ever since.

 

[sdynak]

I'm sure you will eventually get it going. Likely you might need more time with your wifi. I walked down the street with my phone until I lost my wifi connection then back until it just came back. I knew at that point I had to be on 2.4g since 5G travels less distance. My wifi system at that time did not let me separate bands (changed since). Of course this was only with my phone and not the grill. The grill can stay nearby it is the phone that needs to be on 2.4G to pair. Once paired you don't have to do that again.

I also did a "forget" wifi on my phone and re-added it to ensure it was only 2.4G at that time.

Yes... if Recteq would just make a compatible 5G controller it would simplify this process.

Good luck.. You will get it.

 

[okie]

My modem is both 2.5 and 5. I added wifi booster to my modem, and connect to my iPhone. My booster is a NetGear booster, and only receives 2.5. So my advice is to get a wifi booster Netgear 2.5. and place it closer to your pit. Then on your iPhone WiFi settings, select the netgear wifi (it will have ".ext" after the name of your wifi. Example: my setting offers my wifi name, but I have the same name with .ext for the booster.) Works for me. The wifi name for the 5.mg is a slightly different number than the 2.5.

 

[okie]

modem model: WN3000RPv2 I have placed the booster closer than half way to my 590. Just plugged into a receptacle and turned it on.The instructions will tell you how to register and get it onto your WiFi system first. Then all you do is select "your wifi.ext" It may just say Netgear.ext If so just select that.

 

[ifican]

Could be any number of things. You can validate what band your connecting too on your phone. If your sure you on 2.4 and your sure your password is correct then try a different phone. Both mine and my wifes phone recently wouldnt connect, but trying a third different phone it immediately connected. I thought no way, tried my phone again, nada. Other phone perfect. Once the grill is connected to the network you can access it with any device that will run the app.

 

[ndfan6464]

I had this issue when I first got my smoker. Turned out it was the phone itself blocking access to it, security features on my Samsung phone. Once I unblocked it I instantly connected.. I believe I wrote up a post about it...

 

[bar046]

Thanks for all the tips.

 

[Jhb076]

No issue here.

 

[Bif Hunkly]

I had to take the optional "Guest Network" and make it 2.4. That was my workaround.

 

[bar046]

I activated the hotspot on my wife’s phone and it’s 2.4. I laid her phone and mine side by side on top of the controller and it wouldn’t pair to the app. RecTec sent me out a new controller this morning. Hopefully, that is the issue.

 

[bar046]

In follow-up to my last comment. I was just informed a package arrived from RecTec this afternoon. They must have overnighted it. Damn, I’d forgotten what real customer service is.

 

[Wasaplaya55]

I'm gonna vent a bit then shut up about it. I ordered my Bull during the holiday season and; of course, had to experience a delay in shipping. That was totally understandable. I received my grill about a week and a half ago. I put it together within a day or so of its arrival. I tried to pair the controller with the app and they wouldn't pair. I went ahead and did my burn-in and decided to make my maiden cook last weekend. I tried for over an hour to get the controller and app to pair with negative results.

I called the RecTec after hours number and they called me right back. The man with whom I spoke listened to my problem and immediately advised me he was not too knowledgeable with modems and WiFi. He said they had several computer geeks working there but he would do his best. We then discovered I had a dual band WiFi. He told me I should contact Xfinity to get them to split the 2.4gh and 5gh bands. He said I might try to walk away from my router until I had the lowest signal of 2.4gh and then it might connect. I'm thinking, RecTec says to be within 30yds of the router when trying to connect but I tried that first before finally having the pleasure of trying to get to talk to a real person at Comcast Xfinity.

That took over 30mins and another thirty minutes trying to get them to split the two bands. They finally stated our system was too outdated to split and they would send a new modem out. I got to thinking about it and called RecTec back. I spoke with the same individual and asked him if the system would pair using a WiFi hotspot. He said he had overheard several people at work talking about it and seemed to remember that I could do that. I made my wife's phone into a hotspot and attached the signal to my phone. I layed both phones side by side on top of the Bull controller shelf, put the controller in discover mode yet again and attempted to pair.

Nope, it wouldn't do it. I gave up and did the first cook without the phone app. Good smoker grill and no problems. The modem arrived last week and I tried to pair my controller and app again today. Another no-go after several attempts. Called RecTec back and got a pretty knowledgeable guy. Re-explained my problems and again asked about hot-spot pairing. He said it would absolutely work and to try it again. He said to message him the results and if it didn't pair he would send out a new controller. It didn't and I messaged him back. I'm just wondering why the person I spoke with last week didn't tell me to message him back after attempting the hot-spot pairing and I might just already have received a new controller and would be up and running with all of the features I looked forward to having.

RecTec needs to insure all of their hot-line techs are trained to the same level. Not happy but I'm through venting now. I'm sure they're gonna get it straight.

In follow-up to my last comment. I was just informed a package arrived from RecTec this afternoon. They must have overnighted it. Damn, I’d forgotten what real customer service is.

I’m having the same problem connecting the wifi...I’m pissed I spent all this money for the 590 & I have to use my old probe! Had the head wifi tech on the phone for 45 mins walking me through the same steps I’ve done 20 times with no success! I’m disgusted...Feel your pain buddy...

 

[fullhouse32]

Thank you all for share this info. And I am looking forward to when I get my Bull, so I can look back on my notes and remind myself to make sure my phone is on my 2.4 so I can pair them up.
thank you again.
sometimes it’s the ones that go before us that help those that follow.

 

[bar046]

I’m having the same problem connecting the wifi...I’m pissed I spent all this money for the 590 & I have to use my old probe! Had the head wifi tech on the phone for 45 mins walking me through the same steps I’ve done 20 times with no success! I’m disgusted...Feel your pain buddy...

Installed new controller yesterday morning. Nothing like tearing apart something you assembled two weeks prior. Tried to pair to wifi with a 2.4gh hotspot. Couldn’t get it to pair. I’ve about had it. One of the main reasons I bought the grill was so I wouldn’t have to babysit it.

 

[C. Keeper]

Installed new controller yesterday morning. Nothing like tearing apart something you assembled two weeks prior. Tried to pair to wifi with a 2.4gh hotspot. Couldn’t get it to pair. I’ve about had it. One of the main reasons I bought the grill was so I wouldn’t have to babysit it.

I would think RT would take the grill back if you're that frustrated with it.

 

[Newb]

I had a problem pairing my app to the grill. Went through all the typical troubleshooting with tech support. “Forgot” the network and reconnected, etc. Tech support eventually determined it was a bad WiFi antenna and shipped me a new one. When I got off the phone with tech support I decided to shut down my phone and restart it. That fixed it. A few days later my new antenna arrived and it’s now sitting in a drawer awaiting a need to use it. I know it’s aggravating, but try simply rebooting your phone.

 

[bar046]

I'm going to get me a bottle of ketchup because I've been told crow is more tolerable with it when you have to eat it. My Bull was connected yesterday with the help of Baret at Recteq. I'll take some of the blame for not getting it connected earlier but what I did, a lot of people could do. When I first downloaded the app it required me to supply a password, which I did. I then began the wifi pairing process. It advises you to pair your user device (phone) with a 2.4gh wifi signal. I did that. It then tells you to hold down the wifi button on the controller until you get a fast blink. I did that. The next screen shows you the wifi signal you're on by name and the block underneath tells you to type in your password. I did that, thirty times at least. It would not pair. The box that says "type in your password" does not state to type in your "wifi" password. As soon as I did that it connected almost immediately. I had been typing in my app password. I discussed it with Recteq today when Zach there called me. He was aware of some of the confusion with this issue and they're addressing it. I just wish the other techs I had been talking too over the last few weeks had been aware of this issue and asked me if I was typing in the wifi password when they were trying to help me. It could have saved a lot of trouble and aggravation. But, all is well. The baby backs have been on for three hours and I'm able to monitor events from my phone. They do have fantastic customer service and appear to care about their customer's satisfaction.