Here, we cover how to change wireless network on Honeywell WiFi thermostat RTH8580WF model. You may need to change this Honeywell smart thermostat to a different wireless network. Perhaps you changed the name of your home WiFi network. Or you want to connect the thermostat to a different access point. Do all of these tasks by following the procedure below.
Change Wireless Network on Honeywell WiFi Thermostat RTH8580WF: Setup Overview
This WiFi thermostat, during initial setup, actually becomes a wireless access point. It also has its own web site. This lets you connect with and administer the thermostat with a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Thus, Ethernet devices do not work for this part of setup. You must instead, use some sort of mobile device for this part.
Now assume that your thermostat is up and running. Plus it has connection to a certain wireless network. Then all you have to do, is to change that network name and password. This means that you won’t have to change any other non network settings.
The picture above shows the thermostat, already linked to an in-range wireless network.
Change Wireless Network on Honeywell WiFi Thermostat RTH8580WF: Step by Step
1. Enter Wireless Setup Mode
Switch from normal to wireless setup by changing operating parameter 900 from a 1 to a 0. This forces disconnection from the current network. It also starts Wi-Fi Setup. So, do this as follows.
Press the System button. See the screen change to the following:
Press and hold the blank square button in the middle (above pic), on the bottom of the screen. Hold until the screen changes to the following. You may have to keep pressing for up to five seconds.
Then, press the center up and down arrow keys, to advance through the parameters list. Stop when you find code 900.
2. Clear out Old Wireless Network Data
Use the value Up / Down arrow keys (far right above). These change the value of parameter 900 from 1 to 0. This forces disconnect from the current wireless network.
Next, press the DONE button in the lower left corner of the screen. This applies the new setting, and deactivates the current wireless connection.
You should then see a status message across the top of the screen that shows Wi-Fi Disconnected, as follows:
The above message displays for several seconds. Then, the thermostat enters Wi-Fi Setup mode.
You have now put the thermostat into WiFi Setup Mode. So proceed to the next step.
3. Find the Thermostat’s Wireless Network on your Mobile Device
In WiFi Setup Mode, the RTH8580WF creates its own little wireless network. In this step, you will connect your mobile device to this network. Once there, the system guides you through choosing the new wireless network.
We use an iPad Air tablet to connect, by going to Settings->WiFi. The screen we then see on the tablet follows.
4. Connect to the Thermostat Wireless Network
Next, use the procedures supported by your computer / tablet / phone to connect to this network. In this case, they call the network NewThermostat 277279. This is an open wireless network, so you need no password to connect to it. Have no security fears though, because this ad hoc network goes away once you finish Wi-Fi Setup.
After you connect, your device should display the following network selection page after a few seconds. This is the list of in-range wireless connections that your thermostat sees.
5. Pick New WiFi Network For Thermostat to Connect With
On the above screen, pick the network you want by tapping or clicking the area above it. Here, we choose the 937T681J4059H SSID.
The system then prompts you for the password of that network.
6. Enter the New Network’s Password
Next, upon entering the correct network password, the RTH8580WF turns off its own wireless network (the “NewThermostat 277279” network).
It then connects to the WiFi you picked. The network selection window on your tablet / computer then disappears within a couple seconds.
When it does, the touchscreen displays a “Connecting…” message as follows:
It can take up to thirty seconds for the new link to form, so be patient.
At any rate, once it does, another message appears in the touchscreen status area. It changes back and forth between “Connection successful,” and “Joined network” as follows:
7 Wrapping Up WiFi Setup Mode
Eventually, after one to three minutes, and if we hit no errors connecting , the RTH8580WF exits Wifi Setup mode. It then returns to normal operation mode as displayed below.
After that, the text disappears from the blue-encircled space shown in the above picture. Then the Wifi signal strength meter appears. If you see this, then you did everything right. The thermostat is now talking through the internet with the Honeywell Total Connect Comfort servers. Indeed you successfully changed / updated the thermostat’s wireless network settings.
8. Done with How to Change Wireless Network on Honeywell WiFi Thermostat RTH8580WF !
Now that you completed the wireless network change, check the user manuals for what to do next. You can now control your thermostat remotely, via the web. Also, for further reading, check out our Honeywell Programmable WiFi Thermostat Review. This gives more details about the capabilities of this thermostat.