This article describes the network requirements for Remote Two, Remote 3 and the Docks, and the router and access point settings that work best with them.

💡 WPA3 and hidden networks require firmware 2.10.2 or newer. The improved reconnect after standby for networks with multiple access points requires firmware 2.11.0 or newer. With firmware 2.12.0 or newer, Remote 3 handles the router’s group key renewal during standby by itself; on Remote Two every renewal wakes the Remote and turns the display on. See Security for the renewal interval to use.

Network

Unfolded Circle devices obtain their IP address and other network parameter configurations like DNS, default gateway, etc. via DHCP. IPv4 is required. IPv6 may be active in your network, but the devices do not rely on it.

When setting up a Remote and a Dock, you will need to make sure they are on the same subnet. If the devices are used in a managed network environment, make sure there are no routers or firewalls between the devices and that they are not isolated by VLANs.

We recommend a DHCP IP reservation for the Remote and each Dock in your router. A fixed IP address avoids connection loss if an address changes and allows faster reconnects after standby.

Wireless Network

A wireless router or access point is required for the Remote to communicate with the Dock and other devices on your network. The Dock can be set up to use WiFi or ethernet. If possible, connect the Dock with ethernet.

Routers with WiFi 6, 6E or 7 work fine, as long as the 2.4 GHz network (and for Remote 3 the 5 GHz network) remains available with the settings described below.

Please make sure that “client isolation” is not activated in your wireless network. Certain routers and access points have a setting that allows clients to only access the WAN (mostly the internet) but not each other. This would prevent the Remote from communicating with the Dock and your devices. For the same reason, guest networks cannot be used.

Frequency bands and channels

The supported wireless channels on the Remote depend on the configured country in Settings > Localisation > Country. This influences the use of higher WiFi channels (12, 13, 14), which are not allowed in all countries.

• 2.4 GHz: use channel 1, 6 or 11 and a channel width of 20 MHz. Only use channels 12 or 13 if the country configured on the Remote allows them.
• 5 GHz (Remote 3): use channels 36 to 48. DFS channels (52 to 144) are not recommended: the Remote may not find the network or take longer to reconnect after standby.

Remote 3 connects to 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz automatically. You can restrict it to one band in Settings > Wifi & Bluetooth > WiFi band (Auto, 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).

💡 A changed WiFi band takes effect after a restart of the Remote. The Web Configurator offers the restart right away.

Network Names (SSID)

Only network names with valid UTF-8 character sequences are supported. Emojis are not supported, even though they might work.

Hidden networks are supported, but not recommended. A hidden network takes longer to find, which slows down the reconnect after standby.

Security

WPA3 is not supported on Remote Two, because its WiFi controller firmware is missing WPA3 support. If you use a Remote Two, your network must offer WPA2 without requiring PMF — either as WPA2-Personal or as WPA2/WPA3 transition mode.

• Recommended: WPA2/WPA3-Personal (transition mode) with Protected Management Frames (PMF, also called 802.11w or Management Frame Protection) set to Optional or Capable, or WPA2-Personal (AES) with PMF disabled. Both give the fastest reconnect after standby with firmware 2.12.0 or newer.
• Older firmware (2.11 and earlier): WPA2-Personal (AES) with PMF disabled reconnects fastest after standby.
• Not recommended: WPA3-only and PMF Required. Remote Two cannot connect, and a Remote 3 with firmware older than 2.12.0 reconnects more slowly after standby.
• Avoid the old “WPA/WPA2” mixed mode with TKIP encryption. Use AES (CCMP) only.

Why the group key renewal matters: while the Remote sleeps with Keep WiFi connected in standby enabled, the router periodically renews its group key. A Remote 3 with firmware 2.12.0 or newer answers this by itself and normally stays connected. Occasionally its answer arrives too late for the router, which then drops the sleeping Remote; it stays off WiFi until you pick it up and reconnects within seconds. How often that happens depends on the renewal interval: with a renewal every few minutes within hours, with the common hourly setting every few days, with the renewal off never. With older firmware the Remote 3 cannot take part at all, many routers then disconnect it, and the reconnect after wake-up takes a few seconds longer with PMF than without. A Remote Two wakes up for every renewal and turns its display on; with an hourly renewal that is about 24 extra wake-ups per day, which costs battery.

💡 If you change the security mode or the PMF setting of your WiFi network, a Remote 3 with firmware 2.12.0 or newer adjusts its saved network within a few minutes. If the network does not reconnect, remove the network on the Remote and add it again.

Recommended router and access point settings

Many routers work well with their default settings, but some defaults are not ideal for the Remote. The Remote is a battery-powered device that sleeps most of the time. Some router features that help phones and laptops can disconnect a sleeping Remote or delay the reconnect after pick-up.

If you have connection problems, check the following settings for the network the Remote uses. The names differ between manufacturers; see Router-specific settings below.

Group key renewal: many routers renew the group key of the WiFi network regularly, for example every hour. If Keep WiFi connected in standby is enabled, a renewal that happens while the Remote sleeps wakes a Remote Two, and can occasionally disconnect a Remote 3, which then has to reconnect when you pick it up. Turn the renewal off, or set the longest interval your router allows. Routers that never renew the key unless an interval is set, such as UniFi, need no change.

A separate network for smart-home devices is the easiest way to get these settings. Many routers can create one in a single step, for example the IoT network on TP-Link Deco, Archer and Netgear Orbi, the IoT Network on ASUS WiFi 7 routers, WiFi Optimization: IoT on UniFi and Enhanced IoT Connectivity on TP-Link Omada. These networks use 2.4 GHz and WPA2, most of them without PMF, which suits the Remote and the Dock. Remote 3 then only uses 2.4 GHz, which is usually the more robust choice for a remote that sleeps in its dock. Make sure the smart-home network is not isolated from your main network.

Mesh systems and multiple access points

The Remote works with mesh systems and with multiple access points using the same network name. These setups need the most attention, because the Remote may move between access points while it sleeps and wakes up.

• Update the Remote to the latest firmware. Firmware 2.11.0 returns to the access point the Remote was using before standby and reconnects faster.
• Use the same network name, password and security settings on all access points. With a mesh system this is the default.
• Turn off steering for the Remote where possible: band steering, client steering, BSS Transition (802.11v), Fast Roaming (802.11r) and minimum RSSI.
• Place an access point or mesh node close to where the Remote’s dock is located. A wired connection between the access points (ethernet backhaul) is more stable than a wireless one.
• If the Remote still disconnects: create a separate network name that is only broadcast by the access point closest to the Dock, and connect the Remote and the Dock to it. Many users report that this solves persistent problems. The trade-off: the Remote no longer switches to another access point if you take it out of that access point’s range. Locking the Remote to an access point in the router’s client settings is less effective than a separate network name.

Router-specific settings

The menu names below are from current firmware versions and can differ on your model.

AVM FRITZ!Box

• Wi-Fi > Security > Encryption (WLAN > Sicherheit > Verschlüsselung):
  • “WPA2 + WPA3” can be used on FRITZ!OS 8 only if “Optimize the security settings for Wi-Fi access for increased compatibility with older wireless devices” remains enabled. This switches the 2.4 GHz network to WPA2 without PMF, which is required for Remote Two. Without that option, WPA2 clients in transition mode must support PMF.
• FRITZ!OS 7: choose “WPA2 (CCMP)” and turn off “Enable support for protected logins by wireless devices (PMF)” (“Unterstützung für geschützte Anmeldungen von WLAN-Geräten (PMF) aktivieren”) in the additional security settings. A Remote Two may not be able to connect in “WPA2 + WPA3” mode.
• Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi Channel > Adjust Wi-Fi channel settings (WLAN > Funkkanal > Funkkanal-Einstellungen anpassen): if a Remote 3 keeps switching between bands or repeaters, turn off the automatic steering of Wi-Fi devices between the frequency bands and FRITZ! products in the Mesh (“WLAN-Geräte automatisch zwischen den Frequenzbändern sowie zwischen mehreren FRITZ!-Produkten im Mesh steuern”). This setting applies to all devices.
• In the same place, don’t include channels 12 and 13 in the automatic channel selection (“WLAN-Autokanal inklusive Kanal 12/13”) unless the Remote’s country allows these channels.
• Keep client-to-client communication enabled (“Die unten angezeigten aktiven WLAN-Geräte dürfen untereinander kommunizieren”).
• Don’t use the guest access, the Wi-Fi time switch or the energy-saving mode for the network the Remote uses. The energy-saving mode turns off 5 GHz.

Ubiquiti UniFi

• Settings > WiFi > (your network) > Advanced:
  • For a dedicated Remote / smart-home network: set WiFi Optimization to IoT (called Enhanced IoT Connectivity in older versions).
  • Otherwise turn off: Band Steering, BSS Transition, Fast Roaming, Proxy ARP, Multicast Enhancement (Multicast to Unicast), Multicast and Broadcast Control, Client Device Isolation, Multi-Link Operation and Handoff Suggestions.
  • Use WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3 as security protocol for the Remote’s network. PMF may be Disabled or Optional; do not set it to Required.
  • Keep 802.11 DTIM Period and Minimum Data Rate Control on Auto.
  • Keep Group Rekey Interval disabled if it is already disabled. If UniFi shows an interval, set it to the longest available value or disable it.
• UniFi Devices > (access point) > Settings: turn off Minimum RSSI and Interference Blocker.
• Keep the access point firmware up to date. Recent access point firmware contains several fixes for IoT and WPA3 connections.

TP-Link

Deco

• More > IoT Network: create an IoT network with WPA2 and connect the Remote and the Dock to it. If you use the main network, choose WPA2 rather than WPA2/WPA3.
• More > Advanced: turn off Fast Roaming. Turn off Beamforming if the Remote drops the connection.
• If available for the Remote in the client list, turn off Mesh Technology or set Connection Preference to the Deco closest to the Dock.

Archer

• Advanced > Wireless > Wireless Settings: turn off Smart Connect if Remote 3 should stay on one band.
• Advanced > Wireless > Additional Settings: keep Group Key Update Period at 0, DTIM Interval at 1 to 3 and AP Isolation off.

Omada

• Create the network with Enhanced IoT Connectivity (Omada Controller 6.3 or newer).
• Otherwise turn off for the Remote’s network: Band Steering, 802.11r, Multicast-to-Unicast, ARP-to-Unicast, Non-Stick Roaming, Min RSSI and the load balance RSSI threshold. Use WPA2 with PMF set to Disable (never Mandatory) and Group Key Update Period 0.

ASUS

• Wireless > Professional > Roaming assistant: disable it for every band. On routers with AiMesh it is enabled by default at −70 dBm and disconnects devices with weak signal, such as a Remote in its dock.
• Wireless > General (on newer firmware Network > Main network profile): turn off Smart Connect and use a separate name for the 2.4 GHz network.
• WiFi 7 routers: use the IoT Network (Network > IoT Network) for the Remote. Enabling WiFi 7 mode switches the main network to WPA3 with PMF required.
• Wireless > General: Authentication Method WPA2-Personal with Protected Management Frames set to Disable. Never use Required.
• Group Key Rotation Interval: 0 (off), or 86400 seconds. The default of 3600 seconds renews the key every hour.
• If the Remote cannot reach the Dock, try disabling Airtime Fairness on 2.4 GHz.

eero

• Keep the 2.4 GHz encryption on Standard (WPA2), which is the default.
• If the Remote drops the connection in standby, turn off Client steering in Settings > Advanced networking.
• Keep Multi-link operation off on WiFi 7 eeros.
• Don’t use the Power Saving Schedule.
• Menu names and available options vary by eero model and app version.

Netgear Orbi and Nighthawk

• Orbi: use the IoT network where available. If your Orbi model supports it, set the IoT network to “2.4 GHz only”; otherwise connect the Remote to the 2.4 GHz network. Use WPA2-PSK [AES] for the Remote and the Dock.
• Turn off Enable Fast Roaming where available.
• Nighthawk: set the 2.4 GHz mode to “Up to 289 Mbps” (20 MHz).

MikroTik

• Use RouterOS 7.19 or newer.
• Legacy wireless package: set the security profile’s group-key-update to 1 day (1 hour with CAPsMAN v1). The default of 5 minutes disconnects the Remote in almost every standby.
• WiFi package (wifiwave2): use wpa2-psk with management-protection set to disabled for the Remote’s network, and keep group-key-update at 1 day or longer.
• Keep Fast Transition (ft) off, don’t use access-list signal ranges to kick clients, and set the correct country.
• CAPsMAN v1: enable client-to-client-forwarding if the Remote connects to the Dock over WiFi.

Google Nest Wifi

Google Nest Wifi offers almost no WiFi settings. Keep WPA3 turned off, which is the default, and place a Nest Wifi point close to the Dock.

Linksys Velop

Keep the security on WPA2 Personal. Keep Client Steering and Node Steering off (default). If the Remote disconnects every few days, turn off Auto-Channel Finder.

Internet provider routers

• Telekom Speedport: change the encryption from WPA2/WPA3 to WPA2 if a Remote Two cannot connect.
• Vodafone Station: in expert mode, turn off Band Steering and use WPA2 if needed.
• Xfinity: use Split bands in the Xfinity app if your gateway offers it.
• Plume, xFi Pods and similar systems managed by your provider: if the Remote does not stay connected, ask your provider or add your own access point for the Remote.

OpenWrt

• Set option disassoc_low_ack '0' on the network the Remote uses.
• Use psk2 or sae-mixed encryption with ieee80211w at 0 or 1 (never 2). Keep ieee80211r off.
• Set option wpa_group_rekey '0' to disable periodic group-key renewal, or set it explicitly to 86400 for daily renewal. Do not leave it unset: OpenWrt’s default is 600 seconds.

mDNS

Unfolded Circle devices rely on the mDNS (multicast DNS) protocol to discover each other. As soon as a Remote or Dock has joined the network, it will register itself as an mDNS service in your network. The following mDNS service strings are used:

• Remote Two and Remote 3: _uc-remote._tcp.
• Dock: _uc-dock._tcp.
• External integrations: _uc-integration._tcp.

The devices use the domain .local.

In most consumer networks the mDNS protocol is allowed and when the Remote and Dock(s) are on the same network, the Remote should have no difficulties finding the dock(s). However, when using mesh networking or professional networking gear, mDNS may be disabled or only specific mDNS services may be allowed. In such cases, please check the manufacturer’s documentation on how to enable mDNS or specific mDNS services.

💡 Note: some network devices require you to add only the mDNS service string to their mDNS allowed list (e.g. Aruba), whereas others require both the service string and domain name to be added to the allowed list (e.g. Cisco).

If mDNS cannot be used, or a Dock is located in a different network, the Dock can be set up with its IP address. See Manually add a Dock in the Web Configurator. If the Web Configurator is not reachable with the .local name, use the IP address of the Remote instead.

Firewall

If the Remote, the Docks and your devices are in different networks, the following connections must be allowed:

External integrations use the port announced by the integration. The Remote connects to your devices and integrations, so it must be allowed to reach them.

Troubleshooting

If the Remote disconnects, or takes long to respond after you pick it up:

1. Update the Remote and your router or access points to the latest firmware.
2. Check the recommended router settings, especially band steering, minimum RSSI / Roaming Assistant, BSS Transition, Fast Roaming, the security mode with PMF, and the group key rekey interval.
3. With a mesh system or multiple access points, follow the steps in Mesh systems and multiple access points.
4. Remote 3: try a fixed WiFi band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) in Settings > Wifi & Bluetooth. 2.4 GHz has a longer range, 5 GHz is less crowded. Restart the Remote after changing it.
5. Enable Keep WiFi connected in standby in Settings > Power Saving. The Remote then stays connected while it sleeps and reconnects faster, which slightly decreases battery life. It works best with the router’s group key renewal turned off or set to a long interval: every renewal wakes a Remote Two, and a Remote 3 can occasionally be dropped by a renewal and then stays off WiFi until you pick it up. If your router renews the group key often and you cannot change that, try disabling this setting instead.
6. Retry commands after wakeup in Settings > Power Saving repeats a command that could not be sent right after the Remote woke up.
7. Leave Active WiFi scanning in Settings > Wifi & Bluetooth disabled. It is no longer needed with current firmware.
8. Create a DHCP IP reservation for the Remote and the Dock. If the Dock is not found reliably, set it up with its IP address.

If the problem persists, please contact our support and include:

• a WiFi diagnostic log file downloaded from the Web Configurator (Settings, Development, Logs: Services, WiFi diagnostic) right after the problem occurred, without restarting the Remote in between.
• your router or access point manufacturer, model and firmware version.
• whether you use a mesh system or multiple access points.
• the security mode and PMF setting, the group key rekey interval, and whether band steering, Fast Roaming (802.11r), BSS Transition (802.11v) or minimum RSSI are enabled.