Discovered this problem Yesterday and spent most of this afternoon working on it. 1st Gen Echo has been on a Hidden 5Ghz network since it was received. Lost connection and would not reconnect to the same Hidden network. If I change it to broadcast in the "Clear" it connects without a problem. 2nd Gen Dot connects without a problem as well as Fire TV stick (2nd gen) and of course all other devices connect without issue. Assume that it was the software update that caused a problem. As a temporary solution I created a temporary 5Ghz "Guest" Network with separate password and SSID. Keeping the original SSID hidden and only the misbehaving echo on its own Guest Network. Am still able to use the multiroom music on this setup, but don't use them for lights or anything. Hope Amazon fixes this soon.
Same problem here with two first gen Echo Dots. Connecting to a hidden 5GHz network has worked for more than a year. I've been troubleshooting by switching to other channels with no luck. My Echo Show and Fire TV Sticks have no problems connecting. Glad to see it is a firmware issue with first gen Echo Dot. I almost bought a new router because of this issue. I hope Amazon fixes the firmware soon and lets us know how to resolve this. I am running software version: 628568420. Connection failures to hidden 5GHz network started on 1/16/2019.
I can also confirm the problem. I have one Echo 1st gen and two Echo dot (3rd gen) and one Echo (3rd gen), first one is from 2015 if I recall correctly (purchased in the USA) and the other three are from this year, Spanish versions purchased in Spain.
From Thursday afternoon (1/17/2019), first time I noticed, the 1st gen echo, that has been connecting just fine for four years to a hidden ESSID, lost Wi-Fi connection ("I can't connect to your Wi-Fi, blah blah"), tried everything and didn't even SEE it to TRY to connect to the access point, tried to reconfigure the thing and got all the errors on the manual, every... single... one...
Until I setup the most simple ESSID I could think off (open, not-hidden) and work my way up there until I got it to connect to a WPA2 and correct VLAN.... and the moment I hid the ESSID... I lost connection.
It's for sure a bug in the echo software, pushed recently, I for sure it needs to be fixed, this is the ONLY device at home from a list of 78 devices connected to Wi-Fi, that doesn't allow (now) to connect to a hidden ESSID... I know it doesn't mean a thing from a security perspective, but I have several ESSID that I don't want showing and cluttering network options when someone is searching for the correct one to connect.
Amazon, please, fix it, and stop breaking our devices, I've wasted hours with this issue trying to troubleshoot something that wasn't really MY problem, I'm beyond annoyed right now.
I have had a G1 Echo for over 2 years and have never had a problem connecting to my hidden SSID. After much troubleshooting, rebooting router, etc. I finally put out a Guest Network WiFi connection and set her up and she connected right up. Then I found this page. I'll give it a week and then move to Google if this is not fixed. Too bad that they can't do some simple testing BEFORE deploying an update or give the option to revert....
By explaining to a tech that *their* update broke *their* device that that *their* useless developers have wasted 4 days in not fixing, I got them to replace it with a Gen 2 model while refunding tax and overnight shipping since the second generation devices are working fine with hidden SSIDs.
Hopefully this sets a precedence and I urge everyone here with this problem to do the same.
Hopefully the swarm of calls and mass refunds from everyone else here will finally get their attention and they will actually fix what they break. A company as big as Amazon going this long without fixing a simple problem that they caused is unacceptable.
By explaining to a tech that *their* update broke *their* device that that *their* useless developers have wasted 4 days in not fixing, I got them to replace it with a Gen 2 model while refunding tax and overnight shipping since the second generation devices are working fine with hidden SSIDs.
Hopefully this sets a precedence and I urge everyone here with this problem to do the same.
Hopefully the swarm of calls and mass refunds from everyone else here will finally get their attention and they will actually fix what they break. A company as big as Amazon going this long without fixing a simple problem that they caused is unacceptable.
Problem for me is I got mine through Woot (thru Amazon?) so not sure they'd exchange it - and even if they did - have read the 2nd Gen sound isn't near as good as the first --- so like others, I may switch to Google devices - or go back to my trusty iTouch and regular alarm clock ;)
I'm in the same boat as everyone else with the original Echo, been since jan 13th trying get it to connect finally figured out it will connect only if I un-hide my ssid's, as soon I hid the ssid Echo disconnect, none of the numerous other devices has this issue. I refuse to broadcast my ssid just to have the Echo, so I guess it's goodbye to Alexa. I don't care what anyone says about ssid's, at work we would get fired for broadcasting any of our numerous ssd's and I'm not going to start doing it at home now just for Amazon! :(
Thank you for your posts. Like many of you, I spent a few hours yesterday trying to understand why my 1st gen Echo suddenly stopped being able to connect to our Wi-Fi network. After I read this thread by searching for "software version: 628568420," I stopped trying to solve the problem because now I know it's a software issue and has nothing to do with my Wi-Fi network or some hardware problem with my 1st gen Echo. I didn't unhide my hidden SSIDs, but I connected my 1st gen Echo to a nearby "xfinitywifi" public network for Comcast Xfinity customers, which brought my 1st gen Echo back to life, no problem. But, I'm paranoid about using the Echo on a public Wi-Fi network, so I don't know how long I'll let the Echo stay on the "xfinitywifi" public Wi-Fi network. Maybe I'll just unplug the Echo and wait it out until the software issue is resolved.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Amazon -- please help us fix this software problem ASAP -- we want to get our 1st gen Echos back online!
I set up the guest Wi-Fi network on my router and made its SSID visible. I was able to get my 1st gen Echo to connect to it and get the Echo back online. I think it's better (safer? perhaps I'm being naive here...) to have the Echo traffic going through my Wi-Fi router vs. the "xfinitywifi" public Wi-Fi network for an extended period of time. Who knows what kind of account-related information is being sent back and forth between the Echo and Amazon's services on an ongoing basis.
Same problem here, Recently moved set it up there was an update no longer connect to hidden SSID no matter security type. Super frustrating. +1 lets fix it amazon!
so frustrating, esp since I've only had my Echo since Oct :( and they are completely USELESS without being connected....was hoping at least the alarm clock would work :(
Just adding myself to increase the thread count. Same here, two Echo Gen 1s went dead morning of the 17th. They connect fine when SSID is made visible, then immediately fail to connect once SSID is hidden again.
Adding myself to the list as well. Glad I’m not the only one, but definitely disappointed I’ve spent as much time as I have in the past week before finding this thread.
First gen echo not connecting to hidden network
Version 628568420
Really hoping they fix this issue they caused and don’t just abandon the device.
Same problems here, but I have both the first Gen Echo and a first gen Dot. The problems seem to go beyond the hidden network as I have trouble connecting to visible and or public networks as well. I have wasted countless hours with all the pointless troubleshooting exercises and chatting. Just wasted more than another hour trying to get an acceptable solution, which would be replacement. They kept telling me they are working on it, be patient, etc. I repeatedly asked how a corrective update will be applied to devices they killed when they can't connect to the internet. No answer, more of the same "it being worked on...". Very frustrating, but that frustration only escalated when they started claiming my warranty was expired and they would offer me a 15% discount on new devices. This isn't a warranty issue: Amazon killed our devices.
I know this sounds like a broken record. "Same issue here"! I just got off of chat with the Amazon tech, and they didn't reveal to me that this is a known issue until I sent them a link to this forum. I said, "Sounds like this is a known issue", and they affirmed that it was and that the technical engineers were working on a fix. I won't hold my breath. My Echo dots work just fine; this only happened to my two Echo's (1st Gen). Thanks for letting me vent. No help from here.
Same issue here. Been working fine for years on a hidden SSID. If I unhide SSID, Echo connects, hiding it will immediately disconnect.
Discovered this problem Yesterday and spent most of this afternoon working on it. 1st Gen Echo has been on a Hidden 5Ghz network since it was received. Lost connection and would not reconnect to the same Hidden network. If I change it to broadcast in the "Clear" it connects without a problem. 2nd Gen Dot connects without a problem as well as Fire TV stick (2nd gen) and of course all other devices connect without issue. Assume that it was the software update that caused a problem. As a temporary solution I created a temporary 5Ghz "Guest" Network with separate password and SSID. Keeping the original SSID hidden and only the misbehaving echo on its own Guest Network. Am still able to use the multiroom music on this setup, but don't use them for lights or anything. Hope Amazon fixes this soon.
Same problem here with two first gen Echo Dots. Connecting to a hidden 5GHz network has worked for more than a year. I've been troubleshooting by switching to other channels with no luck. My Echo Show and Fire TV Sticks have no problems connecting. Glad to see it is a firmware issue with first gen Echo Dot. I almost bought a new router because of this issue. I hope Amazon fixes the firmware soon and lets us know how to resolve this. I am running software version: 628568420. Connection failures to hidden 5GHz network started on 1/16/2019.
I can also confirm the problem. I have one Echo 1st gen and two Echo dot (3rd gen) and one Echo (3rd gen), first one is from 2015 if I recall correctly (purchased in the USA) and the other three are from this year, Spanish versions purchased in Spain.
From Thursday afternoon (1/17/2019), first time I noticed, the 1st gen echo, that has been connecting just fine for four years to a hidden ESSID, lost Wi-Fi connection ("I can't connect to your Wi-Fi, blah blah"), tried everything and didn't even SEE it to TRY to connect to the access point, tried to reconfigure the thing and got all the errors on the manual, every... single... one...
Until I setup the most simple ESSID I could think off (open, not-hidden) and work my way up there until I got it to connect to a WPA2 and correct VLAN.... and the moment I hid the ESSID... I lost connection.
It's for sure a bug in the echo software, pushed recently, I for sure it needs to be fixed, this is the ONLY device at home from a list of 78 devices connected to Wi-Fi, that doesn't allow (now) to connect to a hidden ESSID... I know it doesn't mean a thing from a security perspective, but I have several ESSID that I don't want showing and cluttering network options when someone is searching for the correct one to connect.
Amazon, please, fix it, and stop breaking our devices, I've wasted hours with this issue trying to troubleshoot something that wasn't really MY problem, I'm beyond annoyed right now.
Same problem. Useless customer service. No acknowledgement of an issue.
I have had a G1 Echo for over 2 years and have never had a problem connecting to my hidden SSID. After much troubleshooting, rebooting router, etc. I finally put out a Guest Network WiFi connection and set her up and she connected right up. Then I found this page. I'll give it a week and then move to Google if this is not fixed. Too bad that they can't do some simple testing BEFORE deploying an update or give the option to revert....
Just spoke to another useless rep.
State they are aware and wanted to create a ticket.
Began asking all the useless questions.
Made me nuts.
If you're aware of a bad update......what can possibly gain by asking me anything?
A SOLUTION: (sort of)
By explaining to a tech that *their* update broke *their* device that that *their* useless developers have wasted 4 days in not fixing, I got them to replace it with a Gen 2 model while refunding tax and overnight shipping since the second generation devices are working fine with hidden SSIDs.
Hopefully this sets a precedence and I urge everyone here with this problem to do the same.
Hopefully the swarm of calls and mass refunds from everyone else here will finally get their attention and they will actually fix what they break. A company as big as Amazon going this long without fixing a simple problem that they caused is unacceptable.
Problem for me is I got mine through Woot (thru Amazon?) so not sure they'd exchange it - and even if they did - have read the 2nd Gen sound isn't near as good as the first --- so like others, I may switch to Google devices - or go back to my trusty iTouch and regular alarm clock ;)
I'm in the same boat as everyone else with the original Echo, been since jan 13th trying get it to connect finally figured out it will connect only if I un-hide my ssid's, as soon I hid the ssid Echo disconnect, none of the numerous other devices has this issue. I refuse to broadcast my ssid just to have the Echo, so I guess it's goodbye to Alexa. I don't care what anyone says about ssid's, at work we would get fired for broadcasting any of our numerous ssd's and I'm not going to start doing it at home now just for Amazon! :(
Hi all on this thread,
Thank you for your posts. Like many of you, I spent a few hours yesterday trying to understand why my 1st gen Echo suddenly stopped being able to connect to our Wi-Fi network. After I read this thread by searching for "software version: 628568420," I stopped trying to solve the problem because now I know it's a software issue and has nothing to do with my Wi-Fi network or some hardware problem with my 1st gen Echo. I didn't unhide my hidden SSIDs, but I connected my 1st gen Echo to a nearby "xfinitywifi" public network for Comcast Xfinity customers, which brought my 1st gen Echo back to life, no problem. But, I'm paranoid about using the Echo on a public Wi-Fi network, so I don't know how long I'll let the Echo stay on the "xfinitywifi" public Wi-Fi network. Maybe I'll just unplug the Echo and wait it out until the software issue is resolved.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Amazon -- please help us fix this software problem ASAP -- we want to get our 1st gen Echos back online!
Hi all,
I set up the guest Wi-Fi network on my router and made its SSID visible. I was able to get my 1st gen Echo to connect to it and get the Echo back online. I think it's better (safer? perhaps I'm being naive here...) to have the Echo traffic going through my Wi-Fi router vs. the "xfinitywifi" public Wi-Fi network for an extended period of time. Who knows what kind of account-related information is being sent back and forth between the Echo and Amazon's services on an ongoing basis.
Same problem here, Recently moved set it up there was an update no longer connect to hidden SSID no matter security type. Super frustrating. +1 lets fix it amazon!
+1 Echo Gen1 owner here.
Y'all sound juuuuust like me.
No connection available on wifi with hidden SSID.
Maybe they're just laughing at us.
so frustrating, esp since I've only had my Echo since Oct :( and they are completely USELESS without being connected....was hoping at least the alarm clock would work :(
Just adding myself to increase the thread count. Same here, two Echo Gen 1s went dead morning of the 17th. They connect fine when SSID is made visible, then immediately fail to connect once SSID is hidden again.
Adding myself to the list as well. Glad I’m not the only one, but definitely disappointed I’ve spent as much time as I have in the past week before finding this thread.
First gen echo not connecting to hidden network
Version 628568420
Really hoping they fix this issue they caused and don’t just abandon the device.
Same problems here, but I have both the first Gen Echo and a first gen Dot. The problems seem to go beyond the hidden network as I have trouble connecting to visible and or public networks as well. I have wasted countless hours with all the pointless troubleshooting exercises and chatting. Just wasted more than another hour trying to get an acceptable solution, which would be replacement. They kept telling me they are working on it, be patient, etc. I repeatedly asked how a corrective update will be applied to devices they killed when they can't connect to the internet. No answer, more of the same "it being worked on...". Very frustrating, but that frustration only escalated when they started claiming my warranty was expired and they would offer me a 15% discount on new devices. This isn't a warranty issue: Amazon killed our devices.
I know this sounds like a broken record. "Same issue here"! I just got off of chat with the Amazon tech, and they didn't reveal to me that this is a known issue until I sent them a link to this forum. I said, "Sounds like this is a known issue", and they affirmed that it was and that the technical engineers were working on a fix. I won't hold my breath. My Echo dots work just fine; this only happened to my two Echo's (1st Gen). Thanks for letting me vent. No help from here.
mine's unplugged....and like I said, I won't be buying a Gen 2 or 3.... will be another brand if any...
and like someone else pointed out - how will they fix it when they've 'broken' the ability to connect to the internet?