How to Fix a Merkury Smart Device That Is Offline
It's a common smart home frustration: you open the Geeni app to turn on your Merkury smart bulb or plug, only to find it's greyed out with the word 'Offline'. An offline device is unresponsive and can't be controlled, but the good news is that the fix is usually quick and simple.
This guide will walk you through the most common causes for a Merkury device going offline and the steps you need to take to reconnect it.
### Common Signs of an Offline Device
- 'Offline' Status: The device is greyed out in the Geeni app and is labelled as 'Offline'.
- Unresponsive: Tapping the on/off button in the app has no effect.
- Blinking Light: A smart bulb may be blinking rapidly, which indicates it has lost its connection and is in pairing mode.
- 'Device is offline' Error: You see a specific error message when you try to control the device.
- Works Manually: You can still turn the light on and off with the physical light switch, but not with the app.
Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Merkury Device Back Online
Let's start with the most basic checks and move on to reconnection steps.
1. Check the Obvious: Power and Switches
Before diving into network issues, check the physical power source.
- For Smart Bulbs: Is the light switch or lamp switch turned on? A smart bulb needs a constant supply of power to stay connected to the network. If someone flips the switch off, the bulb goes offline.
- For Smart Plugs: Is the plug firmly in the wall socket, and is the socket switched on? Have you accidentally turned off the power button on the plug itself?
2. Check Your Internet and Router
If the power is on, the next suspect is your home network.
- Is your Wi-Fi working? Check if other devices in your home, like your phone or laptop, can connect to the internet.
- Reboot Your Router: Unplug your Wi-Fi router from the power, wait for 30 seconds, and plug it back in. It will take a few minutes to restart. This simple step resolves a surprising number of connectivity issues. While the router is restarting, it's a good idea to power cycle your Merkury device too (by flicking the switch off and on).
3. Have Your Wi-Fi Details Changed?
This is the most common reason for a device to permanently go offline.
- New Password or Router: If you have recently changed your Wi-Fi password, or installed a new internet router, your Merkury device is still trying to connect using the old, incorrect details.
- The Solution: Because the device cannot connect to receive new instructions, you must perform a reset and set it up again as if it were a new device.
4. How to Reset and Reconnect Your Merkury Device
If your Wi-Fi password has changed or a simple reboot didn't work, you'll need to reconnect your device.
- Put the Device in Pairing Mode:
- For a Smart Bulb: With the bulb in a socket that is switched on, turn the power switch off and on 3 times (Off-On, Off-On, Off-On). The bulb will begin to blink rapidly, indicating it is in pairing mode.
- For a Smart Plug: Press and hold the power button on the side of the plug for about 5 seconds until the indicator light starts blinking rapidly.
- Delete the Offline Device: In the Geeni app, it's best to remove the old offline version of the device first. Tap on the device, then the settings icon, and choose 'Remove Device'.
- Add a New Device:
- In the Geeni app, tap the '+' icon to add a new device.
- Select the type of device you are adding (e.g., 'Smart Lighting').
- Ensure your phone is connected to your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network.
- Follow the on-screen prompts, confirm the device is blinking rapidly, and enter your Wi-Fi password.
- The app will then reconnect to the device and add it back to your account.
By following these steps, you can quickly diagnose why your Merkury device went offline and get it reconnected to your smart home system.