If your Roomba doesn’t connect to the cloud, it means you can’t clean your home. It could be due to your charging station or dock not charging the unit properly, but let’s not jump to conclusions quite yet.
If your Roomba won’t connect to the cloud, it’s likely due to the unit not being placed properly on the charging station or dock. Since the battery is low or depleted, Wi-Fi signal is not reaching your Roomba. Charge your Roomba fully and check your Internet connection. Finally, check for possible software updates and perform a reset.
Luckily there are several troubleshooting steps to try so you can get your Roomba back up and running in no time. First, let’s look at the possible reasons and then the possible solutions.
Reasons Roomba is Not Connecting to the Cloud
If you’re getting an error message that your Roomba doesn’t have a cloud connection, it means your robot isn’t connected to your home’s wifi network. There are several reasons for this to occur, and some of them are quite simple.
For example, if your Roomba doesn’t sit properly on the base station it won’t charge properly. If the robot doesn’t have enough of a charge, it won’t be able to connect to the network. Just by adjusting the unit so it can get a full charge will solve this problem.
So, don’t panic too much when you see this error message. Let’s discuss some of the most common reasons your Roomba isn’t connecting to the cloud so you can get it fixed as soon as possible.
Roomba is Disconnected
If your Roomba becomes disconnected from your home’s wifi network, it won’t be connected to the cloud. That means you won’t be able to use all the robot’s features or certain features on the app.
You’ll know your Roomba is connected to wifi when it displays a blue light ring or the wifi indicator light is flashing green.
Sometimes your Roomba can disconnect if it’s having software issues, goes outside your wifi range, or just needs to be reset or reconnected to the network.
Internet Problems
If you’re having problems with your internet service provider, such as an outage, many of your devices may have trouble working properly. Your Roomba is no exception. If your robot isn’t connected, check your smartphone or other devices to see if they are connected to the internet.
If you’re having connectivity problems on your other devices, you’ll know the issue is with your network and not with the Roomba.
If it is just the Roomba, you may need to reconnect the device to wifi or reset the signal to get it back up and running.
Roomba Has Power Problems
If your Roomba doesn’t have enough battery power, it won’t be able to connect to the cloud. If your robot has ever gotten itself stuck somewhere, you probably already know this.
Another power-related problem may be due to your Roomba not sitting properly on the base station. If the charging contacts don’t have a good connection due to being misaligned or dirty, the battery will drain quickly and it will lose its cloud connection.
The Router is Too Far Away
If you’re setting up your Roomba for the first time or you’ve recently relocated its home base, you may be too far away from your router. Your Roomba needs to have a sufficient and consistent wifi connection to operate properly.
If you notice your Roomba’s Home Base has less than two bars of wifi signal, it may not be able to maintain a consistent connection to the cloud.
Wrong Network
Your Roomba needs to be connected to the right network in order to function properly. Depending on which model Roomba you have, it may only work when it’s connected to the 2.4 GHz frequency.
If your router supports both 2.4 and 5.0 GHz frequencies, this could cause a problem for your Roomba if the settings aren’t correct.
How To Fix Roomba Not Connected To the Cloud
1. Update Roomba Software
You’ll want to have the most up-to-date version of the iRobot home app and also update your Roomba with any new software upgrades.
Your Roomba will automatically update its own software anytime it’s connected to the internet and situated on its base station. To check your Roomba’s software version, open the iRobot Home app and navigate to MORE → SETTINGS → ABOUT (robot name).
If your Roomba isn’t receiving updates, check your wifi connection and signal strength. If you see the message that your Roomba isn’t connected, try again, that means you have a problem with your internet connection, or that your Roomba is downloading a software update and you may need to wait 24 hours and try again.
If your Roomba won’t connect to the 5 GHz wifi signal, then you’ll need to switch to your 2.4 GHz network instead. You can do this by switching the network your Roomba is connected to in the iRobot Home app.
2. Reconnect Your Roomba to Wifi
To reconnect your Roomba to your wifi network, follow these steps. The steps are the same whether you’re setting up your robot for the first time or reconnecting your Roomba to your home’s wifi network.
1. Verify your mobile device is connected to your home’s wifi network (2.4 GHz network)
2. Ensure Roomba has a good connection to its charging contacts on its base station
3. Open the iRobot Home app
4. If you’re setting up your Roomba for the first time, select ADD ROBOT and follow the on-screen prompts. Otherwise, go to step 6
5. Enter your home wifi network’s password
6. To adjust your network settings or reconnect your existing Roomba, select ROBOT SETTINGS → WI-FI SETTINGS
7. From there, you can choose a different network by selecting “Change Robot Wi-Fi,” or reconnect to the existing network
3. Ensure the Wifi Setup Instructions Are Being Followed Exactly
It’s simple to set up your new Roomba, but you’ll need to follow the instructions exactly for a hassle-free experience. Here’s how you set up your new robot and connect it to your wifi:
1. Download the iRobot HOME app onto your smartphone or another mobile device
2. Place the base station on a flat surface as close to your router as possible
3. Plug in the power cable, checking for a small light from the base
4. Connect your smartphone to the network your Roomba will use. This will usually be a 2.4 GHz network unless you have a Roomba i6 or higher
5. Turn on your Bluetooth settings on your mobile device
6. Open the iRobot HOME app and select “Add a Robot” (then, give your Roomba a name!)
7. Confirm the wifi network in the app when it prompts you to do so and enter the password if required
8. Follow the in-app instructions to activate your robot
4. Your Wifi May Need to be Reset
If your robot won’t connect to the network, you may have to reset your wifi connection. Check your other devices and if they’re not connected, either, then you know it’s a problem with your home network.
To do this, unplug your router for 10 seconds then plug it back in. Wait for the router to boot up again completely, which could take a couple of minutes.
5. Reset Your Roomba
Sometimes, you may need to reboot your robot and give it a fresh start. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Verify your Roomba is on its base station and charging
2. Hold down the CLEAN button for about 20 seconds until you hear a little tune and the light ring turns white and spins
3. Force close the iRobot HOME app and then reopen it
4. Try again to connect your robot to the network (note: it could take up to two minutes for your Roomba to reboot and re-establish a network connection)
6. Move the Home Base Closer to the Router
Your Roomba needs a strong, consistent connection to the internet to function properly. If your router doesn’t provide good enough wifi coverage, your robot may lose connectivity.
One way to check for this issue is to look at the wifi coverage indicator on your Roomba’s base station. Less than two bars may indicate a weak signal.
If your Roomba is too far away, find a location that’s closer to your router and plug your Roomba’s base station in there. Set it up and see if this corrects the issue.
7. Consider How Many Devices You Have Connected to the Internet
Too many devices connected to your router without enough bandwidth can drain your signal and lower your coverage throughout the home. The limitations on your signal will depend on your internet service provider, signal strength, and router.
However, you should also consider how many robots you have connected to the network. Your iRobot HOME app account can have up to 10 robots connected without issues. If you want to add additional robots, you’ll need to use another account and a separate mobile device to do so.
8. Get a Wifi Extender
One potential solution to a weak wifi signal or coverage that doesn’t reach your entire home is to add a wifi extender.
A wifi extender is sometimes also called a range extender or wifi range extender. Extenders work by picking up your existing wifi signal and then transmitting it beyond that location to enable devices to connect where they otherwise may not be able to.
So, this may be an option to help your Roomba make it to all the corners of your home if you have spots of weakened connectivity.
10. Get a New Router
If you still can’t get your Roomba to connect to your network, it’s possible that you may have an incompatible router. While Roomba will easily connect to most common routers, there are a handful of devices that do have compatibility issues with these robots.
In some cases, updating the router’s firmware may be the fix, but in other cases you may just need to purchase a new router altogether.
Here are a few routers with known connectivity issues. You can find out more information about these specific makes and models here.
Brand | Model |
Cisco | RE1000 |
D-Link | DIR-300 |
Logitech | LAN-W300N/RSB |
Microsoft | MN-700 |
Motorola | SBG6580 |
Sagemcom | F@st5260 |
Time Warner | Arris DG860A |
Western Digital | My Net AC1300-J2F |
ZTE | ZXHN F670 |
Contact Roomba Customer Support
If all else fails, Roomba has an extensive customer support team that’s available to assist you with all kinds of issues and concerns.
For the quickest resolution, have the following information ready when you make contact:
- Roomba charged and nearby
- Your robot’s serial number
You can contact iRobot Customer Care by phone Monday through Friday, 9am-9pm (EST) or 9am-6pm on weekends.
USA and Canada: call 1-866-747-6268 or send them a message.
Buy a New Unit
If your Roomba is old or damaged, it may be time to purchase a new unit. No one wants to have to replace these expensive robots, but they do have lifespans like everything else.
If you do need to buy a new robot vacuum, you can normally find good deals online during spring and summer when lots of retailers are running cleaning-related promotions.
Other great opportunities to buy a new Roomba include Prime Day for Amazon Prime members, Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, or just before the big holiday sales season. These are the times when you’re most likely to find a great deal and get more bang for your buck when you replace your Roomba.
Conclusion
Roomba devices are typically user-friendly and pretty self-explanatory when it comes to getting them set up and connected to the internet. Still, you may experience some problems resulting in your robot disconnecting from the cloud.
Luckily, it’s pretty easy to troubleshoot these devices and you should be able to get yours up and running again. Usually rebooting the robot, app, and/or your router will do the trick.
If you continue to have trouble, reach out to iRobot’s customer support for additional information.