Picture of the Screen Display of the Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat, in Wi-Fi Setup Mode

Change Wireless Network on Honeywell WiFi Thermostat RTH8580WF

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 than the one set up on it at installation.  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 allows you to connect with and administer the t-stat with a laptop, tablet, or smartphone (equipped with wifi option).

Thus, Ethernet-based devices do not work for this part of setup.  You must instead, use some sort of wifi-capable computer device.

Now assume that your thermostat has been installed and is up and running.   It is connected to a certain WiFi network.  Then all you have to do, is to change the wireless network name and password.  This means that you need not alter any  other non network-related settings.

Picture of the Honeywell RTH8580 Wireless Thermostat, Installed and Operating.
Honeywell RTH8580WF WiFi Thermostat, Installed and Operating

The picture above shows the thermostat, already linked to an in-range WiFi network.

Change Wireless Network on Honeywell WiFi Thermostat RTH8580WF, How To Instructions

1. Enter Wifi Setup Mode

Switch from normal to Wifi setup by changing operating parameter 900 from a 1 to a 0.  This forces disconnection from the current Wifi network.  It also starts Wi-Fi Setup.  So, do this as follows.

Press the   System   button.  See the screen change to the following:

Picture of the Screen Display of the Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat, in System Mode
Screen Display of the Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat, in System Mode

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.

Picture of the Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat on the Parameters Configuration Screen.
Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat on the Parameters Configuration Screen

Then, press the center up and down arrow keys, to advance through the parameters list.  Stop when you find code 900.





The touchscreen should then appear as follows:

Picture of the RTH8580WF touchscreen, showing parameter 900 (Wi-Fi Connection) selected.
Parameter Code 900 (Wifi Connection) Selected on the Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat

2. Clear out Old WiFi Network Data

Using the value Up / Down arrow keys (far right above), change the value of parameter 900 from 1 to 0, as pictured next.  This forces WiFi disconnection.

Picture of the touchscreen, showing Wifi Connection Status Set to OFF (0) on Honeywell RTH8580WF Digital Thermostat.
Wifi Connection Status Set to Off on Honeywell RTH8580WF Digital Thermostat

Next, press the DONE button in the lower left corner of the screen.  This applies the new setting, and deactivates the current WiFi connection.

You should then see a status message across the top of the screen that shows   Wi-Fi Disconnected, as follows:

Picture of the screen of the Honeywell RTH8580WF thermostat, showing this device in the Wi-Fi Disconnected state.
Wi-Fi Disconnected state on the Screen Display of the Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat

The above message displays for several seconds.  Then, the thermostat enters Wi-Fi Setup mode, as pictured next.

Picture of the Screen Display of the Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat, in Wi-Fi Setup Mode
Screen Display of the Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat, in Wi-Fi Setup Mode

You have now put the thermostat into WiFi Setup Mode.  So proceed to the next step.

3. Find the thermostat WiFi Network on your Mobile  Device

In WiFi Setup Mode, the RTH8580WF creates its own little wireless network.  In this step, you will connect your tablet or other wifi computer device to this network.  Once there, the system guides you through choosing the desired new WiFi network.





We used an iPad Air tablet to connect, by going to Settings->WiWi.  The screen we then saw on the tablet follows.

Screen shot from iPad Air, showing the Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat Created Wifi Network, circled in blue.
Honeywell RTH8580WF Thermostat Created Wifi Network, circled in blue.

4. Connect to the Thermostat WiFi Network

Next, use the procedures supported by your computer / tablet / phone to connect to this network.  In this case, the WiFi network is called 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 WiFi connections that your thermostat sees, as shown next.

Picture of the Available Networks Screen generated by the RTH8580WF Wifi Thermostat.
Available Networks screen generated by the RTH8580WF WiFi thermostat.

5. Pick New WiFi Network For Thermostat

On the above screen, pick the desired network by tapping the area above it or clicking it with the mouse.  In our case, we’re choosing the 937T681J4059H SSID.

The system then prompts you for the password of that network, as pictured next.

Picture of the RTH8580WF Honeywell thermostat, prompting for the network key on an iPad Air.
Prompting for Network Password, Honeywell Wifi Thermostat RTH8580WF.

6. Enter the New Network’s Password

Next, upon entering the correct network password, the RTH8580WF turns off its own Wifi 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:

Honeywell RTH8580WF Displaying Connecting... Message as it attempts to log into the chosen Wifi network.
Honeywell RTH8580WF displaying Connecting… message as it attempts to log into the chosen Wifi network.

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:

Picture of the touchscreen of the Honeywell RTH8580WF Wifi Thermostat, showing SUCCESS messsage after having properly logged into the new wireless network.
The Honeywell RTH8580WF Wifi Thermostat, successfully connecting to a new wireless network, and displaying a SUCCESS message.

 

Picture of the touchscreen status area, displaying the "Joined Network" status message on the Honeywell RTH8580WF Wifi Thermostat, indicating the name of the Wifi network just joined.
Joined Network Status Message on the Honeywell RTH8580WF Wifi Thermostat, indicating the name of the Wifi network just joined.

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, and the Wifi signal strength meter appears as shown in the picture next.  If you see this, then you’ve done everything right, and the thermostat is now talking through the internet with the Honeywell Total Connect Comfort servers.  So congratulations!  Indeed you’ve successfully changed / updated the thermostat’s network settings.

Picture of the Honeywell RTH8580WF Wifi Thermostat, Returned to Normal Operation after successful configuration of a new wireless network, showing the circled wifi status icon in the status area.
Honeywell RTH8580WF Wifi Thermostat, Returned to Normal Operation after successful configuration of a new wireless network.

8. Done with How to Change Wireless Network on Honeywell WiFi Thermostat RTH8580WF !

Now that you’ve finished the wireless network change, check the manuals that came with your thermostat for what to do next.  Consequently, you can now access and control your thermostat remotely, via the web.  For further reading, check out our    Honeywell Programmable Wifi Thermostat Review   to get more details.

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References for Change Wireless Network on Honeywell WiFi Thermostat RTH8580WF

  1. Where to buy the Honeywell RTH8580WF Programmable Thermostat

Revision History

  • 2019-04-06: Tweaked the targeting and fixed some typos.
  • 2019-02-17: Added key phrase targeting.
  • 2018-03-15: Added ad code.
  • 2017-01-25: Updated tags list.
  • 2015-10-04: Added appropriate tags.
  • 2015-09-05: Added the Suggested Reading section.
  • 2014-12-02: Originally published.