A typical home router handles ten to twenty devices: phones, computers and TVs. A smart home adds dozens more: switches, shutters, the water heater, the energy meter and sensors. When a device shows up in the app as “unavailable”, or responds slowly, the problem is almost always the network, not the device.
This guide explains how to plan a home network that can handle all of this, which router settings are worth checking, and what to do when something won’t connect.
Note: this guide is provided for your convenience. OZZI doesn’t provide support for networking equipment: routers, mesh systems or internet providers.
Planning a home network (when building or renovating)
If you’re building or renovating, this is the cheapest time to prepare the infrastructure. Once the walls are closed, it gets much more complicated.
- A wired network point for roughly every 80 m², with a power outlet next to it. That’s where a Wi-Fi unit will go. Actual coverage depends on how much concrete and steel is in the walls, and a safe room (mamad) blocks almost everything.
- Network points for TVs and computers. Anything connected by cable doesn’t load the Wi-Fi.
- CAT6A cable or better to every point, all run to a single network cabinet.
- A network cable to the electrical panel. Pro series devices and energy meters installed in the panel connect by network cable, which is the most stable connection possible.
- Where to place the Wi-Fi units: in the middle of the area they cover, up high, and not inside a cabinet or behind a TV.
Your provider’s router: use it as a modem only
The routers that internet providers supply are fine for normal browsing. Many of them struggle when dozens of devices are connected at once, and some even have a limit on the number of devices that can connect over Wi-Fi.
The solution we recommend:
- Set the provider’s router to modem only (bridge mode). The provider can do this for you over the phone.
- Install a good mesh system, for example TP-Link Deco. The main unit runs the network, and the others extend the coverage.
- Connect the mesh units to each other by cable. Most dropouts between mesh units happen when they’re linked to each other only wirelessly. A cable-connected mesh is much more stable and faster.
Another advantage: when you switch internet providers, you replace only the modem. The network, its name and its password stay the same, and all your smart devices keep working without being set up again.
Router settings worth checking
Shelly devices connect to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. That band has longer range and gets through walls better. These are the settings that affect them most:
| Setting | What to check |
|---|---|
| 2.4 GHz network | Enabled. You can use one network name for 2.4 and 5 GHz, but 2.4 GHz must be working |
| Maximum number of devices | Make sure there’s no low device limit. On some provider routers the default limit is low |
| Device isolation (AP / Client Isolation) | Off. The app needs to talk to the devices on the home network |
| Guest network | Don’t connect smart devices to it, because it’s usually isolated |
| Address reservation (DHCP Reservation) | Recommended for important devices, so their address doesn’t change |
| Network name and password | No unusual special characters. English letters, numbers and common symbols only |
| WMM and IGMP (on professional routers) | Best turned off. On professional routers and mesh systems these services are sometimes on by default, and they cause smart devices to disconnect |
Tip: on Shelly devices you can set up a second Wi-Fi network as a backup. If the main network is unavailable, the device connects to the second one.
When adding a new device fails
- Stand close to the device and turn on Bluetooth on your phone. New devices are set up over Bluetooth.
- Keep the phone and the device on the same network. If you have a separate 5 GHz network, temporarily connect your phone to the 2.4 GHz network.
- Temporarily turn off mobile data if the app can’t find the device.
- Check the password. A single wrong character is the most common cause.
Full instructions are in Adding a new Shelly device to the app.
Troubleshooting: a device disconnects or shows “unavailable”
First: is the problem in your home or with your provider? If all the internet in the house goes down, including on your phone and TV, the problem is in the line coming into the house, not in your internal network. Contact your provider. If the dropouts continue even after a technician visit, sometimes the simplest fix is to switch to a different infrastructure: Bezeq, HOT or fiber, depending on what’s available in your area.
If only one or a few devices disconnect:
- Check the signal strength. In the Shelly app, the device settings show the Wi-Fi signal strength. A negative number closer to zero is better. Around -70 or lower is weak.
- Device in a metal electrical panel? A metal enclosure blocks Wi-Fi. You can move a mesh unit closer to the panel, or choose a Pro device that connects by network cable.
- Device behind a switch in a thick wall or in a safe room? Add a mesh unit in that area. Many Shelly devices can also extend the network to other devices themselves.
- Restart the router. If that fixes the problem only for a short while, the router probably can’t handle the load, and it’s time for a mesh system.
- Cheap range extenders (repeaters) often cause more problems than they solve. Mesh is better.
Good to know: schedules you’ve set, such as a Shabbat timer or turning off the water heater, are stored in the device itself and keep running even when the internet goes down. What won’t work without internet is remote control from outside the home.
FAQ
How many smart devices can the network handle?
A good mesh system easily handles 50 to 100 devices or more. A basic provider router starts struggling much sooner.
Do I need a separate network for the smart devices?
It’s not required. If you want one anyway, it should be a regular network, not a guest network, so the app can talk to the devices.
What’s better in the electrical panel: Wi-Fi or cable?
Cable. Shelly Pro devices and energy meters support a wired network connection, and a wired connection is the most stable, with no Wi-Fi dropouts.
Do the devices work without internet?
Yes. The wall switches and the schedules keep working. Without internet you only lose remote control, and after a power outage the device needs an internet connection to get the correct time.