Here we offer Alexa Echo Dot WiFi setup instructions, demonstrating setup of any Alexa Echo Dot speaker on a new wireless network. It lists what you’ll need to get your new Dot Alexa speaker up and running on the internet. Do this when you first set up a brand new Dot, when someone gives you a used one, or when you change settings on your WiFi router, such as network SSID name or its password. We show how to connect the Dot to a new WiFi network on Amazon’s latest version (the 3rd Gen Echo Dot).
Before you Begin these Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup Instructions
Before you start, make sure you have secured the following items.
1. An Available WiFi Connection
None of the Alexa Echo Dot devices built up to now has an Ethernet RJ45 port. So, you may only link them to Amazon’s Alexa service via an in-range wireless network. That WiFi network must have internet access. Also note that Alexa on your Echo Dot will not operate without first linking it to a functioning wireless internet connection.
2. An Amazon Account
If you do not already have an Amazon account, create a new one at https://amazon.com/ . Follow the prompts there to set one up.
Or, when you run the Alexa app in Step 2 under How to Connect Echo Dot to New WiFi, Step-by-Step Instructions below, and you’ve never signed into the app with a valid account, the Alexa app will ask you to sign in, as shown next.
There, Amazon allows you to create a new account if you need one. If you do, then press the Create a New Amazon Account button in the lower center portion of the login screen. Then, the Alexa app walks you through that account setup screen prompts. At any rate, be sure you have a working Amazon account before proceeding.
3. A Compatible Mobile Device
You must run the Alexa app on a compatible smart phone or tablet computer. For this demonstration, we’re running it on an iPad Air tablet.
4. The Alexa App
Download the Alexa app from the Google Play (Android) store, or the App Store (iOS), depending on what type of mobile device you have. Download and install the appropriate version on your tablet, and log into it with your Amazon account credentials.
5. Bluetooth
Don’t forget to turn Bluetooth on on your mobile device. Why? Because the Alexa app uses Bluetooth to discover nearby Alexa Echo Dot speakers in some situations. So, switch on Bluetooth on this device on when connecting an Echo Dot 3 to a new WiFi network.
Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup Instructions, Step by Step
1. Unpack your Echo Dot
Skip ahead to the next step if you already unboxed your Alexa Echo Dot.
Now all of the Echo Dot speakers come in a small blue box, as pictured in the last shot above. For new Dots, the box itself arrives in a clear plastic bag. Remove that outer bag, and slit the tape securing the box top closed with a sharp knife.
Open the box lid, take out all contents and spread them on a floor or table. You should have the Dot Echo, the power adapter with its permanently attached cord, and some informational pamphlets.
Remove any clear plastic protectors on the Echo Dot from the side and top. This exposes the DC power input and audio output (headphone) cable ports (side). It also allows access to the volume up-down, mic mute, and wake buttons (top).
Then, unpack the AC adapter and cable.
2. Connect your Echo Dot Alexa to AC Power
3. Run the Alexa App to Continue with Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup
Find the Alexa app on your mobile device, as we did on our iOS based iPad Air tablet, as shown in the next picture.
Tap the Alexa app icon to run it. If this is your first time running the app, it will prompt you for your Amazon account and password.
Furthermore, if this is your first Dot Echo device, the app prompts you to set up a new device.
4. Enter Amazon Account Id and password.
Should that prompt appear, type in your Amazon account credentials. Follow the instructions above to create a new Amazon account if you don’t already have one. Then you’ll be signed in via the Alexa app. The app then remembers your Amazon account information the next time you run it. This way, you won’t have to enter this data every time.
5. If you are Not Prompted to Connect a New Device…
If this Echo Dot is not that first Echo device connected via your Amazon account, the app displays its Home screen.
6. Tap the Menu (Hamburger) Button to Continue with Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup
Find this called out by the green arrow in the last picture.
Hitting the menu button brings up the Alexa app’s main menu, as shown next.
7. Go to the Settings Screen
Visit the Settings page by tapping the Settings menu item (left side of screen), highlighted by the green arrow in the previous picture.
The Settings the screen displays as follows.
8. Visit the Device Settings Page
Get to the Device Settings page by tapping the Device Settings menu item (left side of the Settings screen, near the top), highlighted by the green arrow in the last screenshot.
Tapping Device Settings brings up the All Devices screen, which lists all your currently registered Echo Dot speakers and other devices. Shown next.
9. Go to the Set Up New Device Menu to Continue with Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup
Bring up the Set Up New Device menu by tapping the Plus button in the top right corner of the All Devices page, as highlighted by the green arrow in the last photo above.
The Set Up New Device menu then pops up as shown in the next screenshot.
10. Tap the Add Device Option
Touching the Add Device option brings up the Setup->What type of device are you setting up? screen, as shown next.
11. Tap the Amazon Echo Device Type
Tapping the Amazon Echo item brings up the first Setup screen for Alexa Echo devices, as shown next. There, you pick which model of the Echo you’re setting up. Here, we’re setting up an Alexa Echo Dot speaker on WiFi. So, we pointed out the Echo Dot option with a green arrow in the next screen shot.
12. Tap the Echo Dot Device to Continue with Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup
Touching the Echo Dot device brings up the Which Echo Dot are you setting up? screen, as shown next.
13. Get your Echo Dot into Setup Mode
If your Alexa Dot is running, as it should be if you ran Step 2 above, it’s probably displaying its orange ring of light. If so, then skip ahead to Step 14. Or if not, then run through this step.
If this is a brand new Alexa Echo Dot, just plug it into AC power. Then after ten to fifteen seconds, it automatically enters Setup mode and announces this.
But, if this is not a brand new speaker, it may not instantly go into Setup mode. For that case, you need to factory reset it. See our Factory Reset Echo Dot 3rd Generation Instructions, How To post. That piece shows how to reset a Dot. In short, to reset, press and hold the Action button until the unit starts resetting. After a hard reset, the Echo Dot automatically enters Setup mode.
But however you get there, once you have your Dot in Setup mode, proceed onto the next step.
14. Tap the Alexa Echo Dot that Matches the One you’re Setting Up on WiFi
Next. grab your tablet / phone again and go back to the Alexa app. You should see the screen pictured in Step 12 above.
Since we’re connecting a Dot speaker in this scenario, we touch the topmost speaker in the displayed list of Dot versions shown there.
This starts the Alexa app scanning for new Dot speakers, as shown next.
Now at this point, the Alexa app is waiting to hear from the speaker you’re setting up. It hears it when you place your Dot into Setup mode.
If your speaker is indeed in Setup mode, then after a brief pause, Alexa should find your new speaker, as ours did, shown next.
If Alexa does not find your Echo Dot, check that you have Bluetooth turned on on your mobile device that’s running the Alexa app. Check also that your Dot is flashing its light ring in orange. Note that the Alexa Dot only stays in Setup mode for several minutes, and times out after that. If timeout happens, then unplug the Dot from power for a few seconds and plug it back in. This should re establish Setup mode. If not, then hard reset it.
15. Tap the Listed Alexa Echo Dot to Set Up to Continue with Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup
This brings up the Select your Wi-Fi Network page, as shown next.
Just prior to Alexa showing this screen, it runs a WiFi scan from your selected speaker, for in-range WiFi networks that your Dot sees. Then, it’s this list that the app displays for you.
16. Choose the WiFi Network on which to Set Up your Alexa Echo Dot
Tap the new Wi-Fi network you want your speaker to log into. In our case, we picked the 937T681J4059H_2G_Guests network. That one is pointed out by the green arrow in the last picture.
17. Enter the Password for the WiFi Network you Picked
The app may them prompt you for the password for that network. Skip to Step 18 if you don’t see this prompt.
Should a password entry screen pop up, type in the right WiFi password for the network you chose. Then, move forward to the next step.
18. Wait for your Alexa Echo Dot to Connect to the WiFi Network
While your Echo Dot builds a connection to the WiFi network you selected in Step 15, the Alexa app shows the Connecting your Echo Dot to Wi-Fi screen, as pictured next.
After some seconds, and if all goes well, you see the next screen. This shows that the Echo Dot successfully set up on the WiFi network you wanted.
Also, the Echo Dot then makes a rising chime sound, and announces that it’s ready for use.
But if your Echo does not connect and you get errors, follow any instructions the app displays. If you typed in the wrong password, the system prompts you to try typing it again. But if the problem is network related, then investigate and resolve that on your router. Once you fix the issue, try rerunning this WiFi setup procedure again. We suggest that you close the Alexa app and start it fresh, first. Then, be sure that your Alexa Echo Dot is in Setup mode before doing the routine again.
19. Tap the Blue Continue Bar to Continue with Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup
Hitting the Continue strip then invites you to choose which speaker your Echo Dot will play through, as shown next.
20. Choose Default Speaker
In our demo, we chose the speaker that’s built into our Echo Dot.
Then, tapping this choice takes you to the Where is your Echo Dot screen, as pictured next. This screen allows you to name the location in your home where you will place your Dot.
21. Tap your Desired Location for the Echo Dot
Pick the name of your desired Echo Dot location from the list displayed, as shown in the last picture. In this demo, we tapped Bedroom, as shown in the last photo. Note the check mark that appears when you make a choice, as pointed at by the green arrow in the next shot.
22. Tap the Blue Continue Bar to Continue with Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup
Once you bump the Continue strip, your Echo Dot has successfully connected to the new WiFi network, and is now ready to answer voice commands.
Then, the Alexa app takes you back to its Home screen, as shown next.
You may now close the Alexa app if you wish.
23. Test Out your Alexa Echo Dot
With your Alexa Echo Dot now set up, try asking it some questions. Precede each question with your Echo Dot wake word. Ask about the weather, traffic, or ask for the news. If these work, then setup was successful.
24 Done with Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup Instructions !
Related Posts to Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup Instructions
- Belkin F9K1106v1 WiFi Booster Setup Instructions
- Honeywell Thermostat WiFi Setup RTH8580WF
- Belkin F9K1122v1 N600 Plug In WiFi Range Extender Setup Instructions
- http //belkin.range/Setup Instructions for the F9K1106v1 N600 Belkin Wi-Fi Extender
- Gosund Mini WiFi Outlet Setup Instructions
- Honeywell RTH9580WF WiFi Setup Instructions
Other Posts About the Alexa Echo Dot
- Alexa Echo Dot Reset Instructions
- Use Echo Dot as Bluetooth Speaker, How To
- How to Restart Echo Dot, Restarting Amazon Alexa Dot
- Alexa Factory Reset Echo Dot Instructions
References for Alexa Echo Dot WiFi Setup
Change History
- 2020-04-06: Added tags.
- 2019-03-04: First time posted.