Picture of the Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Generation Smart Speaker, Top View

Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2

It’s not necessary to completely erase your Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2 settings in the Alexa app, just to change the WiFi network to which your Dot connects.  Armed with your tablet and the Alexa app, changing your Dot 2 to a different WiFi network is a breeze.  We give instruction here on changing WiFi network on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2 speaker thus.

We assume here that Alexa App is linked to your Amazon account. Plus, the Echo Dot you’re changing is present in your Alexa app.  We took the screen shots below from an Apple iPad Air.  But a similar Alexa app for Android is also available from the Google Play store.

Changing WiFi Network on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2 Speaker

1. Connect your Echo Dot to Power

If not already running, plug your Amazon Dot into a power source. You’ll need power to access the network parameters stored in its memory, as described below.





2. Run the Alexa App on your Mobile Device

To get started, run this app on your table or other mobile device. This gives you access to your current Alexa devices and settings.

The Alexa App   Home   screen then appears as pictured next.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa App, displaying its Home screen. Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2.
Amazon Alexa App, displaying its Home screen.

3. Tap the   Settings   Menu Item

Touch the   Settings  option.  For older versions of this app, find this in the black-background menu at left-screen.

The   Settings   screen then appears as pictured next.

Picture of the Settings screen on the iOS Alexa App.
Alexa App Settings Screen

4. Choose the Echo Dot to Change to Continue with Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2

Tap the Echo device you wish to change the WiFi connection info for.  Find this  Dot speaker under the  Alexa Devices   section on the screen above.





The device configuration page for the Echo Dot you selected then appears, as pictured next.  We circled the   Update WiFi  option on that device page, in the next picture.

Picture of the Alexa App displaying the Echo Device Configuration screen, with Update WiFi option circled.
Alexa App Echo Device Configuration screen, with Update WiFi option circled.

5. Next, tap the   Update WiFi   Item

After pressing the   Update WiFi  option above, an icon of the Dot displays next (2nd generation here).  It shows you where on the Echo Dot the action button is.  You’ll need to know where this button is to run the next step (step 6).

Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2
Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2

6. Press and Hold the Echo Dot’s   Action   Button 

Find the   Action  button on your Amazon Dot as shown in the last picture above. Then press and hold it for roughly five seconds. It’s the button with the small white circle printed in its center.

This forces the Echo Dot to enter   WiFi Setup  mode.  The Amazon Dot then announces, “Now in setup mode.  Follow the instructions in the Alexa app.”

A rotating orange blip then appears on the light ring, as pictured next. Do not proceed to the next step until you’ve heard this announcement, and see this rotating orange glow.

Do not place the Echo Dot into WiFi setup mode until the screen in step 6 shows.  Putting the Dot into setup mode first, and then advancing the app to this point, sometimes confuses the app. This then forces you to set up the Dot as a completely new device.  But following the steps in this routine reduces this risk.

Picture of the Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2 in Setup Mode, showing Light Ring with orange blip circling.
Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2 in Setup Mode, showing Light Ring with orange blip circling.

7. Press the   Continue  Button Back in the Alexa App, to Continue with Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2

Once you see the light ring glowing orange, return to your tablet and the Alexa app. Then press the blue   Continue   button.

The   Connect to Echo Dot   prompt screen then displays as follows.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa App, Prompting to Connect your tablet to Echo Dot.
Amazon Alexa App, Prompting to Connect your tablet to Echo Dot.

8. Go Into your Tablet’s   Settings   Page

Press the   Home  button on your tablet.  This minimizes the Alexa app.  Then, find the   Settings  app and tap it.  We find the   Settings   app in our iPad Air on the second home page as shown below, although this app may be elsewhere on your tablet.

Picture of an iPad Home screen, with the Settings app highlighted by an arrow. Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2.
iOS Home Screen with Settings App Highlighted

9. Tap the   WiFi Settings   Item

This starts a scan for in-range WiFi networks by your tablet.  A partial list of networks that our iPad found is pictured below.  Note that it found the Amazon-E9W wireless network.  This is the WiFi SSID being broadcast by our Amazon Echo Dot running in setup mode.





If you do not see the Amazon-XXX network, move your tablet closer to the Amazon Dot.  Then wait some seconds for it to appear.

If you still do not see it, reboot your Echo Dot.  Then, once the light ring goes out, repeat step 5 above.  The orange ring must appear as described in that step, in order to see the Amazon-XXX network.

Picture of the iOS Settings WiFi Screen, showing the available AMAZON-XXX Network Highlighted though not yet connected.
iOS Settings WiFi Screen, showing the available AMAZON-XXX Network Highlighted though not yet connected.

10. Tap the    Amazon-XXX    Network to Continue with Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2

The connection should happen right away, as the Amazon-XXX network is unsecured.  You need enter no password for this ad hoc network.

Once connected, your   WiFi Settings   screen should look something like the next picture. Note that we’re now connected to Amazon-E9W.

Picture of the iOS Settings WiFi Screen, showing successful connection with the AMAZON-XXX network.
iOS Settings WiFi Screen, showing successful connection with the AMAZON-XXX network.

Your Amazon Echo Dot should also announce something like the following: “You’ve connected to Echo Dot.  Go ahead and finish the setup in the Alexa app.”

11. Go Back to the Alexa App

Press the   Home  button on your mobile device to return to the   Home  page.  Find the Alexa app.  Ours is on Home Page 3, as shown below.  Tap the Alexa app.

Picture of the iOS Home screen with the Alexa App highlighted. Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2.
iOS Home screen with Alexa App highlighted.

The following screen then appears, showing that the tablet is now connected to your Echo Dot.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa App, displaying the -Connected Echo Dot- screen.
Amazon Alexa App, displaying the -Connected Echo Dot- screen.

12. Press the   Continue   Button

Press the blue   Continue  button on the screen pictured above.  This begins a scan by your Amazon Echo device, for available WiFi networks from its vantage point.





Once the scan finishes, the   Choose Your WiFi Network  screen appears, as shown next.  This displays a list of the in-range WiFi networks detected by your Echo Dot during the scan.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa App, displaying the -Select Your WiFi Network- screen.
Amazon Alexa App, displaying the -Select Your WiFi Network- screen.

13. Tap your Desired WiFi Network to Continue with Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2

Pick the network you’d like your Amazon Dot to connect to on the   Choose Your WiFi Network   screen above.  You’ll then be prompted for that network’s password, as shown next.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa App, prompting for WiFi password. Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2.
Amazon Alexa App, prompting for WiFi password, and virtual keyboard displaying too.

14. Enter the WiFi Password

Use that virtual keyboard to tap in your WiFi network’s password.  When finished, hide the keyboard.

You should see the following screen, showing the password entered.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa App, displaying the WiFi Password Entry screen.
Amazon Alexa App, displaying the WiFi Password Entry screen.

15. Press the   Continue    Button

Tapping the   Continue  button starts attempts by your Echo Dot to connect to the WiFi network you chose in step 13.

During this connection process, the   Preparing your Echo Dot   screen appears, displaying an advancing progress bar, as shown next.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa App, displaying the -Preparing Your Echo Dot- screen.
Amazon Alexa App, displaying the -Preparing Your Echo Dot- screen.

If all goes well, the   Setup Complete  screen appears, as pictured next. This means that that your Amazon Echo Dot has successfully connected to the WiFi network you specified.  It also means that she was also able to connect with the Alexa servers at Amazon through that WiFi connection.

Picture of the Amazon Alexa App, displaying the Setup Complete screen.
Amazon Alexa App, displaying the Setup Complete screen.

Then, your Echo Dot should say something like, “Your Echo Dot is now ready.”

16. Press the   Continue   Button to Continue with Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2

Tapping this button on your tablet takes you out of the   Setup Complete  screen and back to the Alexa App   Home   screen.

17. Test Out your Amazon Echo Dot

Ask, “Alexa, what time is it?” or “Alexa, what’s the weather?”   If she responds with appropriate answers, then your Echo Dot is ready for use.  Enjoy!

Run this routine any time you wish to change your Echo Dot’s preferred WiFi network.

18. Done with Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2 !

Qualifiers

    • This post pertains to the following software and hardware versions of the components referenced herein:
      • iOS 10.1.1
      • Alexa App: Client Version 1.24.698.0; Bridge version 1.16.39.0
      • Amazon Echo Dot, 2nd Generation

Other Posts About the Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2 Speaker

    1. Unboxing and Connecting Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Gen Smart Speaker
    2. Echo Dot 2nd Generation Factory Reset Directions
    3. Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Generation Charger Specs
    4. Echo Dot 2nd Generation Review
    5. Echo Dot 2nd Generation Setup Instructions

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References for Changing WiFi on Amazon Echo Dot Gen 2

    1. What is Amazon Echo?   on Wikipedia

Revision History

    • 2019-04-06: Added key phrase targeting and subheadings.  Fixed some typos too.
    • 2018-02-24: Revised tags list.
    • 2016-12-03: Originally published.