How do these networks work?
 

I’ve got a Neato robot vacuum that can be controlled by an app on my phone - somehow. It apparently also communicates with one of the house WiFi channels. How do these systems work?
It loses the connection with the phone so often I don’t bother to use it. It has some features that would be handy if it worked, but having to pair the phone and vac over and over just isn’t worth the trouble. If I understood what was going on I might be able to make it work more reliably.

When you say 'pair', what do you mean?

It looks like this product uses Wifi to connect back to the company to store data, and I suspect the same is true for you the app on your phone. When you are talking about pairing above, do they have you connect via Bluetooth?

Thanks for the reply. The pairing process involves pushing some buttons on the vacuum to put it in “pairing mode.” Then I go to the WiFi setup screen on my phone, where the vacuum magically appears as a network, right alongside the networks from my router. I select it, wait a while, and I’m connected. I paired the vacuum about an hour ago and it’s working, sending progress reports to my phone. But when I look at the list of available WiFi networks on the setup screen on my phone, the neato network is gone.

Patrick, once you have paired with the wifi from the Neato, you need to go through and log it into your home WiFi. Once that is done the app will work anywhere because the robot is linked to the home WiFi network.

Thanks. I have no idea how to do that. On the initial setup I give the Neato the password to the house WiFi network. I don’t understand what is going on.
The thing with the Neato showing up as a WiFi network, and after I log into it it disappears has me totally perplexed.

I have a D3, then bought my mom a D8, and neither are set up to use Wifi or the phone app. From memory, I seem to recall that the robot sets up a temporary Wifi for the phone to "see", then uses for setting everything up on the phone app, then it's through. I did none of that....both vacuums work great by simply pushing the button to start them up....and that's all I want them to do....YMMV.

I don't want "dead body outlines" stored online ;)