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Troubleshooting wi-fi playback problems

This answer applies to R2 Mk3 R3 Mk1 MRx Mk1 R5 Mk1 R7 Mk1 / Mk2 R7 Mk3

From experience we know that most Wi-Fi playback problems are rarely the fault of our product but usually something to do with customers Wi-Fi router, its settings and occasionally network speed. Below we have made some recommendations that you should try in the first instance, but if these do not help, then please contact us, so we can help further.

1. Reboot your router

If your Ruark has been working fine and then suddenly playback is unreliable then in the first instance you should disconnect power from your Ruark and then turn off your router. Leave for at least 30 seconds so all power is dissipated and then reboot your router. Once fully rebooted you should then reapply power to your Ruark and allow it to reconnect to your network. This simple procedure usually resolves most network related issues.

2. Check that your product is receiving a good wi-fi signal.

  • Placing your Wi-Fi router out of sight in a cupboard, is the worst place it can be! For your Wi-Fi router to work at its best, ideally it should be placed in open space, centrally in your home away from metal objects and other electronic components, particularly TVs which will drastically reduce signal range and strength
  • If you are having trouble connecting to your home network after you’ve run the network wizard on your Ruark, then we suggest that you use a Wi-Fi test app to check the Wi-Fi signal strength in the area where you wish to use your Ruark, as a weak or fluctuating signal will make connection and playback unreliable. These apps are readily available for both iOS and Android devices. Just type ‘wi-fi signal strength’ into the search bar on your app store.
  • If you think your Ruark is connected to your home network but you are having problems with playback you can check its network status with our UNDOK app. If you don’t already have UNDOK installed you can download this from both the Android and iOS app stores. With the app open you should see your Ruark system or systems displayed on the home screen. Select the system you want to check and then tap the little cog symbol. This will open another screen which will show the system settings of your device including Wi-Fi Strength. Ideally, signal strength should be at least 40% as anything below this is likely to cause unreliable playback.
  • Finally some Wi-Fi routers show both 2.4 and 5GHz bands and allow you to choose which Wi-Fi band you would like to connect your Ruark to. If your router offers this choice then we recommend that you should choose the 2.4GHz band as this is generally more robust, has further reach and is best for streamed music services.

In all cases, if your Wi-Fi signal is weak where you want to use your Ruark then you will need to look at either moving and improving your router to provide wider coverage or else installing Wi-Fi extenders or a mesh Wi-Fi network. Getting your home wi-fi network to work optimally is a bit of a black art and requires good knowledge, but your Service
Provider or local IT Shop should be able to help and advise you with this.

3. Reset your router and Ruark

All devices on your home network are assigned a unique IP address by your DHCP server (for most people this is their Wi-Fi router) when first connected so they can each be identified on the network. If you see the error message “limited or no network connectivity” on your Ruark’s display then this shows that it has failed to obtain an IP address from the DHCP server. In this instance, your Ruark will then assign its own IP address which will often not make sense or clash with another device on your network. This will result in a scenario where the product is connected to the network but cannot connect to the internet because it’s improperly addressed, hence “limited or no network connectivity”. In this instance, please try the following:

  • Perform a factory reset on your product as this will ensure that all anomalous details of the network are cleared (details on how to do this are shown elsewhere in our Q&As).
  • Turn your router off at the plug, wait a while and then turn it back on. - Although other devices on your network are fine, it could be that they were assigned IP addresses prior to a problem with the DHCP.
  • Make sure that you can connect to the internet using a phone or computer.
  • Turn on and repeat the ‘Network Wizard’ setup procedure on your Ruark.

4. Set up a Wi-Fi hotspot on your smartphone

If the above suggestions do not cure your Wi-Fi problems, then finally we suggest setting up a Personal Wi-Fi Hotspot on your Smartphone. Most Smartphones will allow you to do this and providing you have a good 4G signal, this will confirm whether or not there is an issue with your wireless router and its configuration. With your Ruark connected to your Smartphone, if sources such as Internet Radio work without any issues, then this indicates that your wireless router is probably the weak link in your wireless home network. In this instance, please speak to your internet provider.

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