Hello everybody! I would like to know if anyone works from a steel utility building and if so are you having any internet issues as far as the service dropping? My ISP said that the upgrade I have would take care of the issues but I am still being dropped. The building I have is insulated and it has been walled as well.
I donāt work in one, but that could definitely be an issue. When a staff member gets here they can review the logs and let you know whether a weak signal is the issue.
For a multitude of reasons a lot of folks have ended up setting up guest networks that only have the 
on it because sometimes other things interrupt the signal (one person couldnāt use their AppleTV on the same network as the ).
In case you didnāt know, itās not the speed of the signal thatās important to the , but the reliability. Unlike watching TV, etc. thereās no caching on the so if the packet drops itās gone :-/
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Hi @kiandersbc. Iām sorry to hear that youāre having issues with your Glowforge staying connected to your Wi-Fi network. @deirdrebeth had some great advice and information regarding factors that affect the stability of the connection for prints.
Based on the description of the environment, it can definitely lead to trouble with the Wi-Fi signal having a harder time maintaining a strong network signal. If you havenāt already done so, you can try moving the location of the router, or modem, closer to the Glowforge. This can help avoid the signal from degrading, or being blocked as it tries to penetrate through any metal or insulation with the building. I also have some other suggestions that may help:
- If your Wi-Fi network includes several access points, itās possible that your Glowforge needs to re-establish its connection whenever it āhopsā from one access point to another. As a test, you could try creating a dedicated access point for the Glowforge to see if that helps.
- Since Glowforge only uses the 2.4GHz frequency, a connection will be harder to establish and maintain on a crowded 2.4GHz network. Other devices using 2.4GHz, like cordless phones and microwaves, can cause interference and an unstable connection. You can consult your router settings to check the performance and traffic on your 2.4GHz network.
- In your network settings, check the channel youāre using for the 2.4GHz band. Trying a different channel may provide a more consistent connection.
- Though less common, DNS or name resolution conflicts may also cause intermittent connectivity problems. If you use a custom DNS configuration on your router, you might want to try default DNS settings to see if that works better.
If youāre still having trouble, thereās a test you can try that will help us narrow down any potential issues with the unit. If possible, could you please create a Wi-Fi hotspot with a cell phone and use that network to connect your Glowforge to Wi-Fi? This is a good way to rule out signal interference, since you can set your phone right on top of your Glowforge!
You can find instructions online to help you create a Wi-Fi hotspot using a cell phone. Make sure that you set it up to be a 2.4 GHz hotspot, since that is the frequency your Glowforge uses.
Once the Wi-Fi hotspot is broadcasting, you can connect to it by following these steps:
- Turn on your Glowforge.
- Wait 30 seconds. Then hold down the button for ten seconds until it glows teal.
- Go to setup.glowforge.com and then follow the steps to connect your Glowforge to Wi-Fi. When prompted to connect, select the hotspot you created.
- Once Wi-Fi setup is complete, go to app.glowforge.com and try a few prints.
Also, since you are already in contact with your ISP, it may help to let them know what you are trying to connect to an IoT device that requires a 2.GHz network connection. Thank you!
we have the main wifi router and cable modem(as of today two different items) on the second floor.
2.4 and 5.
sitting under the deck of our walkout basement there was no signal. there is a metal āroofā under the deck to make below the deck usable in the rain.
so I added another router in the basement so under the roof and out by the pool are good to go.
so penetrating a metal building is going to be a huge problem, I expect.
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Thank you so much for taking into consideration the details we provided, and finding a solution to increase the signal strength. Iām glad to hear that you were able to get your Glowforge back up and printing. Iāll close this ticket for now, but please donāt hesitate to reach out to us directly at support@glowforge.com in the future, and weād be more than happy to assist.