The Amazon Echo speaker
range is hugely popular, with many houses having multiple speakers now.
Although our experiences with the Alexa-enabled devices have been pain-free
thus far, here are some of the Amazon Echo problems you may experience,
complete with suggestions for how to resolve them.
1-The Wi-fi Connection Is
Inconsistent or non-existent
Echo’s connectivity status is
indicated by the power LED on the bottom rear of the device, with white meaning
good and orange denoting no Wi-Fi connectivity.
If
you’re experiencing intermittent connectivity or non-existent Wi-Fi
connectivity with your Amazon Echo, here’s what to try.
First, follow the usual drill: reboot your router and turn your Echo off and on again.
If that doesn’t help and everything else on the network is working well, you
might want to think about repositioning your Echo away from devices that may be
interfering with the signal.
You can also reduce the
congestion on your Wi-Fi network by removing unused devices from the network.
If
you have a dual-band modem, you may effectively have two networks set up. Try
switching the device from the 2.4GHz frequency to the 5GHz frequency or
vice-versa. 5GHz promises less interference, better speeds and a more stable
connection and it is often less congested.
Alternatively, 2.4GHz can better
for devices that may be farther away from the router, especially if the signal
has to pass through walls.
Move
your Echo to higher ground, like a bookshelf, to avoid signal interference.
Related: Amazon Echo Dot review • Amazon
Echo Clock review
2-Alexa Wont Connect to other
Device: One of Alexa’s myriad of talents is her ability to act as a
voice-controlled smart home hub for a wide range of devices from manufacturers
like Philips, SmartThings, Honeywell, Wink and Insteon. However, discovery and
connection isn’t always smooth sailing.
Firstly, make sure your device is actually compatible with the
Echo. It may need a bridge like the SmartThings or Wink hub. The list
of compatible devices can be found here.
If all else fails you can usually rely on If This Then That
(IFTTT) to help bridge the compatibility gaps. There’s even an official Alexa IFTTT channel.
The
next step, of course, is to follow the set-up instructions for the smart home
device before asking Alexa to discover it. You may need to download a companion
app and go through the motions.
Related: Best Alexa skills
This may go without saying, but
make sure the smart home devices are the connected to the same Wi-Fi network as
the Echo. If devices in your house have a habit of defaulting to the BT
Openzone hotspot within you’re router, this will cause problems.
Also, ensure you’ve downloaded
the most recent firmware and software updates for your devices, and remember
that many smart home devices require you to enable it as a ‘skill’ in the Alexa
app
Open the app, hit the menu and
select ‘Skills’ then search or search for the relevant manufacturer. Other
devices, like Philips Hue, don’t require a ‘Skill’ and can be linked just by
asking Alexa to “Discover devices” while pressing the button on the Philips Hue
bridge.
The Alexa app enables you to link
smart home devices in a Group. This way you can use voice controls to control
multiple devices with a single command, such as “turn off bedroom lights.”
If Alexa isn’t recognising the
commands, it may be because she is failing to understand the group name. Change
it to something easily discernible and speak it clearly.
Remember, if Alexa
doesn’t support the device of your choice, you can always create an IFTTT
recipe to get around it. Here are some of the best IFTTT recipes.
3-Alexa Doesn’t understand Me
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand
the question,” can be Alexa’s most uttered phrase at times and it can be really
frustrating. Alexa’s voice recognition naturally improves as it gets to know
you, but there are ways to avoid repeating yourself.
Start
by using the voice training tool. Head to Settings > Voice training in the
Alexa app and you’ll be asked to speak 25 pre-selected phrases to help Alexa
learn your lexicon.
Next,
check what Alexa actually heard. The Alexa app keeps a note of all of your
requests, so you can see exactly what she heard. Go to the app’s Settings and
hit History. Here you can identify common misheard words and perhaps express
them more clearly.
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