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Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

slowtime
Grafter
Posts: 42
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Registered: ‎06-05-2009

Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

A few months ago my old PlusNet Thomson router failed and I had a new one delivered by them (I think it's the Sagemcom one that sits upright, with pink feet!).  All my other devices such as my printer, a laptop and smartphone have been connected successfully to the internet/PC via the new router.  The only unsolved problem is to get my FitBit Aria weight scales to talk to my PC via the PlusNet router.

I have carefully followed the setup procedures from FitBit using an app downloaded to my PC and one downloaded to my smartphone.  I cannot get either to make the connection from my Aria to my PC.

The PC FitBit setup app that I downloaded requires the Ethernet cable link from my router to be disconnected, which is a no-go as I don't have a Wi-Fi adapter on my PC (I am following this up but I'm loathed to break the Ethernet cable link that I have as Wi-Fi is slower).  My old Plusnet router worked fine with this physical link.  My smartphone FitBit app will get so far with the setup as it detects the Wi-Fi from the Aria but I get an error message "Internet may not be available" on my smartphone connection settings when I try to connect it.

From my limited understanding of these things, the Plusnet router uses an 802.11 Wi-Fi protocol and the FitBit Aria uses a 102.11b Wi-Fi protocol but I don't know the significance or relevance of this info.  It just sounded like different languages!

 

Has anyone tried and succeeded in connecting Wi-Fi enabled scales such as the FitBit Aria to their PC via a PlusNet router and Ethernet cable to a PC?  I'd love to know how you did it!

13 REPLIES 13
30FTTC06
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Registered: ‎18-02-2013

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

Did you try removing the battery from the scales for 10 seconds to put the scales back into setup mode then try to reconnect to the scales via the app from a mobile allowing you to put your new details back in for the new router ?

 

slowtime
Grafter
Posts: 42
Thanks: 12
Registered: ‎06-05-2009

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

Thanks for the reply and suggestion.  Yes, I've tried this and this is part of my problem.  This is what happens...

 

From the FitBit phone app > account,> add device > Aria> I then get a page headed "Whoa there" at the bottom it says "Set it up on your computer at www.fitbit.com/setup.  If I go to that URL on my PC it leads me down a route where I have to unplug my Ethernet cable and as I have no Wi-Fi adapter on my PC I can go no further.

I've also tried taking out the batteries from the Aria and pressing the two bottom corners of the Aria when prompted to get as far as "Active Setup".  My phone will detect the Aria D8C 118 Wi-Fi but when I try to connect to it, it says the signal strength is strong but that "internet may not be available" and I can get no further.  I don't appear to be able to get an opportunity to put a router password in on my phone.

 

Any further ideas would be great!  What am I doing wrong?

Mustrum
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Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

What are you doing wrong - not following the instructions! After disconnecting the Ethernet cable from your PC, is the next bit not connect it to the Aria so that you can set it up, and change the IP address to one on your Wi-Fi network?

 

30FTTC06
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Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

The way I read it is you need to connect to the scales from a wifi device via the app which I assume connects via some form of secure connection like wifi-direct for example, so in other words that process has nothing to do with the router. If you can't get to the setup step in the first place then something is wrong with the device your trying to connect with or the scales!

 

Setup_Manual

US version, but the same thing I guess.

30FTTC06
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Registered: ‎18-02-2013

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

Delete the app-cache remove the app and try again is what I would try first.

 

Edit: grab Wifi Analyzer for your phone and see if both your devices are on the same channel. If that is the case then move the channel on your router away from the Fitbit one.

slowtime
Grafter
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Registered: ‎06-05-2009

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

Hello Mustrum,

 

Thanks for your reply.

Not following instructions?  It wouldn't be the first time but I think that I am!  One of the things that I have tried on my PC is...

  1. Downloaded the app.
  2. Clicked "Get started".
  3. A message comes up saying (paraphrasing) Oops, something went wrong, can't see a network, No Wi-Fi so try a smartphone instead.

I've no Wi-Fi adapter on my PC, just an Ethernet cable link to my router so the way I read it is that I can't do the setup using the app on the PC.  The next thing to try (following instructions!) is to try to connect using my smartphone?  Unfortunately, my troubles do not end there!

 

Not sure what you meant by "...is the next thing not to connect it to your Aria so you can set it up...?"  I may be misunderstanding you but there is no Ethernet socket on the Aria.

Mustrum
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

@slowtime sorry about that, I had not read the instructions, and got a bit confused about the need to remove the Ethernet cable. 

I think if you follow @30FTTC06 suggestions you may have more luck. Failing that a trip to PC World for a WiFi adapter may be your next option.

slowtime
Grafter
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Thanks: 12
Registered: ‎06-05-2009

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

Hello, 30FTTC06 and thanks for your first post.  

 

Yup, I think that you are right.  I need to work from a Wi-Fi enabled device using the app.  I've tried to do this by downloading the FitBit app to my smartphone.  The sequence of events is...

 

  1. Download app
  2. Go to "account"
  3. Go to "add device"
  4. click "Aria"
  5. I then get a screen up saying "Whoa there" and "set it up on your computer at www.fitbit.com/setup
  6. ..but I can't set it up on my computer!

When I do the battery thing and get Setup Active on my Aria, my smartphone will detect the Aria Wi-Fi (Aria D8C 118) but be accompanying this is an error message "internet may not be available" and this doesn't make any sense to me! I can't get any further than this.

 

Thanks for the link to the US Product Manual.  I've printed it off and tried to follow the instructions on my smartphone.

It's all very frustrating!

slowtime
Grafter
Posts: 42
Thanks: 12
Registered: ‎06-05-2009

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

Hello, 30FTTC06 and thanks for your second post.  Tried uninstalling the app and emptying the cache (with CCleaner) but unfortunately, I just get a re-run of previous failures with a fresh download of the app. I have downloaded the Wi-Fi Analyzer and run it and it shows my router's Wi-Fi and the Aria Wi-Fi and they appear to be on different channels (as far as I understand these things!)  

slowtime
Grafter
Posts: 42
Thanks: 12
Registered: ‎06-05-2009

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

Thanks for your reply Mustrum.  I've got the idea for an adapter for my PC on the back burner.  Two reasons for not going ahead at present...

 

  1. Before I installed my current router my previous one (that came to the end of its working life!) did work perfectly well with my Aria and was linked to the PC with an Ethernet cable.
  2. I like my router/PC Ethernet link as it is solid, stable and faster than Wi-Fi.

I may end up Wi-Fi enabling my PC if all else fails! 

 

30FTTC06
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Registered: ‎18-02-2013

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

Once you get the fitbit connected to the router, by default you will then have access to it as well via ethernet.

Last thing I have to offer (not a related problem though) is that the fitbit charge needs bluetooth enabled to work properly.

slowtime
Grafter
Posts: 42
Thanks: 12
Registered: ‎06-05-2009

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

Thanks for your reply 30FTTC06.  I'll keep going with the investigation into the problem and hopefully get a resolution! I've a thread going on the FitBit Community forum and a direct enquiry to the FitBit Team.

Sorry for another question but what is it you mean by "fitbit charge" in your post?

30FTTC06
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Registered: ‎18-02-2013

Re: Connecting a FitBit Aria weight scale to my PC

It's one of the Wristbands