Troubleshooting
Accounts
| Problem | Try this |
|---|---|
| The verification or reset email does not arrive | Wait a few minutes and check your spam folder. Then request a new code. |
| "Invalid OTP" | Codes are valid for 10 minutes and can be used once. Request a new code. |
| "Too many wrong codes" | The code was entered wrongly 5 times and no longer works. Request a new code. |
| The password is refused | Use at least 8 characters with a capital letter and a number, not a common password and not only numbers. |
Adding a device
| Problem | Try this |
|---|---|
| "Device already registered" | The device is on another account. The current owner must remove it, or contact the company that supplied it. |
| "Device not found" | Check the barcode on the label and type it again. |
| The app does not find the device | Make sure the device is in setup mode, close by, and Bluetooth is on. Allow location access: Android needs it to search for Bluetooth devices. |
| The browser cannot connect over Bluetooth | Use Chrome or Edge on a computer or Android. iPhone browsers and Firefox do not support Web Bluetooth. |
| WiFi connection failed | Check the network name and password, and that the network is 2.4 GHz. |
| Added, but the device stays offline | Give it a minute. If it stays offline, power it off and on, check the WiFi is working, and give it the WiFi details again. |
Dashboards
| Problem | Try this |
|---|---|
| "No widgets configured" | The organization has not set up the device's widgets yet. Contact them. |
| A widget does not update | Check the device is online. If it is, the firmware may be sending on a different pin or widget type; the organization or device developer can check in Telemetry. |
| A control does nothing | Check the device is online. Commands to an offline device are kept for most controls and delivered when it reconnects, but Keypad and Text Input commands are not. |
| "MQTT not connected — cannot control device" | Your phone or computer has lost its connection to ThingsLinker. Check your internet and reload. |
| A chart is empty | A chart needs at least two numeric readings. Text values are not charted. |
Alerts
| Problem | Try this |
|---|---|
| No notifications | Sign in to the app on your phone and allow notifications. Check the rule is not Paused. |
| A rule never fires | The widget must carry numbers: text values cannot trigger alerts. Check the condition and threshold. |
| Too many notifications | Increase the rule's cooldown. |
Firmware
| Problem | Try this |
|---|---|
| The device does not connect to ThingsLinker | Check the auth token and blueprint key. Run the 00_Connection_Test example and read the Serial Monitor at 115200 baud. |
| "Bad username or password" | The ThingsLinker broker needs no login: call iot.begin() without a username and password. |
| Commands arrive late or not at all | Make sure loop() calls iot.run() often and does not block with long delay() calls. |
| The device keeps going into setup mode | Its saved network cannot be found at power-up, or the password was rejected. Check the router is on and is 2.4 GHz. |
| Reset WiFi says the device is offline | The app and portal can only reach a device that is online. Hold the reset button on the device for 3 seconds instead. |
| OTA update does not install | The firmware must call iot.enableOTA() (or iot.checkOTA() on 4G), the shipment must be Live, the device must be online and active on your plan, and the .bin must use the same partition scheme as the firmware already on the device. See OTA troubleshooting. |
| OTA: a device used all its attempts | It gets new attempts after the shipment's Attempts reset period. Fix the cause (signal, power, partition scheme) or start a new shipment. |
| GSM modem does not start | Check the wiring, the modem's power supply (500 mA or more) and the PWRKEY setting; see 4G quick start. |
| GSM "Network registration failed" | Check the SIM is inserted and has a data plan, the antenna is connected, and the APN is correct. |
Still stuck? Users can raise a support ticket with the company that supplied their device. Organizations can email support@thingslinker.com.