Bull Using iphone without internet

[txdave]

Like the title says. I’ve searched but didn’t have much luck. Where I live, internet isn’t an option. What’s the easiest way to control my grill or is it possible? I only want to be able to control or monitor the grill from around the house. Do I still have to have internet? I’m using an IPhone 7+ if that matters. I do have a router I could hook up. Would that pair the two without internet? I’ve messed with it but never had any luck.

thanks
Dave

 

[Greg Jones]

You need the Internet. The grill and the app communicate via the internet to your account on the recteq server.

 

[txdave]

Well that sucks! Lol. Kinda figured this was going to be the answer.

thanks
Dave

 

[Wslayer]

Not sure how or where all it works but Mobil hotspot an option? Other techies can clue you in better than I.

 

[Greg Jones]

Not sure how or where all it works but Mobil hotspot an option? Other techies can clue you in better than I.

That actually might work. May need to have two devices for the initial connection, as both the grill and the phone need to be on the same network for setup. I know that the iPhone hot spot is 2.4G, so that would help.

 

[ndfan6464]

Now you have me curious as to where in the US there isnt internet connection these days even via satellite...

 

[Bif Hunkly]

Now you have me curious as to where in the US there isnt internet connection these days even via satellite...

You'd be surprised - We live about 40 miles from Austin and the big ranch/former ranch areas around us don't have internet unless they pay an ungodly amount for tower access. Even then, their internet speed crawls and its line of sight. Lot's of hills and bowl shaped areas around here. It's pretty though.

 

[ricwoodard]

Mobile hotspots will work fine.

 

[txdave]

How would I go about using my hotspot. Would I have to have to have two devices? I know my phone has the ability. Thanks for the help everyone.

Dave

 

[Greg Jones]

Just speculation on my part, but I expect you would need two devices for the initial setup, then only your phone to actually control the smoker. This is due to the fact that setup requires the grill and the setup device be on the same network, and your phone cannot join its own hot spot network. Install the recteq app on both your phone and also on a second phone/tablet.

Setup your phone to be the hotspot, then it will appear as a WiFi network to the second phone/tablet. Connect to that hotspot and from there, follow recteq’s instructions for setting up your account and the connection. If all goes well, you will no longer need the second device to operate the grill. Log into your recteq account from your phone and fingers crossed! You can delete the recteq app from the second device if you no longer want it connected to the grill.

The biggest difference in how this works compared to a typical internet connection is that a) you will need to make sure your phone has hot spot active before cooking and, b) you will have a very limited range of how far your phone can be from the grill until the connection is broken. Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[Wslayer]

The biggest difference in how this works compared to a typical internet connection is that a) you will need to make sure your phone has hot spot active before cooking and, b) you will have a very limited range of how far your phone can be from the grill until the connection is broken. Good luck, and keep us posted!

This would have been the only downfall "if" hotspot would work. I think you would have to remain close to the RT unit

 

[Greg Jones]

This would have been the only downfall "if" hotspot would work. I think you would have to remain close to the RT unit

My personal hot spot connection setting on my phone gets turned off with every iOS update, so I thought it was worth mentioning.

 

[Kevin O]

You'd be surprised - We live about 40 miles from Austin and the big ranch/former ranch areas around us don't have internet unless they pay an ungodly amount for tower access. Even then, their internet speed crawls and its line of sight. Lot's of hills and bowl shaped areas around here. It's pretty though.

I have the same issue just outside of Birm, Ala. $$$ and very very slow.

 

[drstrangelove]

I tried everything to sync the app to the smoker multiple times. Shut down the 5g router signal, renamed it, forgot the network, deleted app and reinstalled... nothing worked...
Until I read this thread and tried activating my iPhone 8 hotspot then used my iPad to sync the smoker... Works for either the iPhone or iPad app as long as the hot spot is on. I have a call into Rectec CS for further help with the house system, but for now I have a handheld remote. Suspect I won't be able to leave the house and control my smoker but will check tomorrow from work.

 

[Bif Hunkly]

I tried everything to sync the app to the smoker multiple times. Shut down the 5g router signal, renamed it, forgot the network, deleted app and reinstalled... nothing worked...
Until I read this thread and tried activating my iPhone 8 hotspot then used my iPad to sync the smoker... Works for either the iPhone or iPad app as long as the hot spot is on. I have a call into Rectec CS for further help with the house system, but for now I have a handheld remote. Suspect I won't be able to leave the house and control my smoker but will check tomorrow from work.

I had a hell of a time because I kept forgetting my passwords. I finally was able to set up a guest network on my linksys at 2.5 ghz and named it BBQ. So my Rectec and Signals basically have their own network. They deserve though. I hope you can get it set up better.

 

[SmokeZilla]

I tried everything to sync the app to the smoker multiple times. Shut down the 5g router signal, renamed it, forgot the network, deleted app and reinstalled... nothing worked...
Until I read this thread and tried activating my iPhone 8 hotspot then used my iPad to sync the smoker... Works for either the iPhone or iPad app as long as the hot spot is on. I have a call into Rectec CS for further help with the house system, but for now I have a handheld remote. Suspect I won't be able to leave the house and control my smoker but will check tomorrow from work.

I was reading your post and I had a similar issue trying to acquire a good connection. Ultimately, I made sure there were not any competing wifi signals interfering with my 2.4Ghz connection and then changed my router’s channel from 11 to a lower frequency (e.g., 1-4). For some reason, my Bull has problems with the higher channels. Good luck.

 

[drstrangelove]

What ultimately worked the best was a 2.4Ghz signal extender downstairs.

 

[VanBull]

Like the title says. I’ve searched but didn’t have much luck. Where I live, internet isn’t an option. What’s the easiest way to control my grill or is it possible? I only want to be able to control or monitor the grill from around the house. Do I still have to have internet? I’m using an IPhone 7+ if that matters. I do have a router I could hook up. Would that pair the two without internet? I’ve messed with it but never had any luck.

thanks
Dave

I just received my RT-700 simple assembly with smoker box and shelf and placed on comp cart and did burnin last night. WiFi setup with my iPhone took hours. Had to call internet provider to have my modem split into 2.4 and 5.0. Then had to turn off WiFi on other items I had running on 5.0 to then allow RT-700 to connect with 2.4