Screenshot of the Alexa app on iOS in 2018, displaying its -Set Up A New Device- screen, with the -Echo Dot- choice highlighted.

How to Hook Up Alexa to New WiFi

In order to hook up Alexa  to a new WiFi router, put the speaker into Setup mode first. There, you choose the desired WiFi network for the speaker.

Below, we walk through hooking up Alexa with an Amazon Alexa Echo Dot 2 speaker. But, the hook up Alexa process is alike for the other speakers.  These include the Dot 1, the Echo 1 and Echo 2, and the Tap. We do this hook up Alexa demo on our iPad iOS tablet.

If you’ve hooked this Alexa speaker to your Amazon account before,  setup can erase all settings for this speaker.  But if you’re just changing the WiFi network, use the less involved procedure.   This keeps other settings for the speaker saved.  We cover both cases here.  Armed with your mobile device and the Alexa app, hooking up Alexa smart speaker is painless, as follows.

We assume that you linked the Alexa App to your Amazon account before.

Note also that we took the screen shots below from an Apple iPad Air. However, a similar Alexa app for Android is available from the Google Play store.

How to Hook Up Alexa to New WiFi

1. Hook Up Alexa to Power

If not already running, plug your speaker into a power source. You must power on the speaker to access the network settings stored in it, as described below.

Picture of the Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Gen Speaker, plugged in and booting. Necessary to hook up Alexa on that speaker to a different WiFi router. How to Hook Up Alexa Speaker.
To hook up Alexa, we plug in the Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Gen Speaker, and boot it up first.

2. Run the Alexa App on your Mobile Device

To begin, run this app on your tablet or phone.  Doing so grants access to your current Alexa settings.

The Alexa app Home screen then appears as pictured next.

Picture of the Alexa app on iOS in 2018, displaying its Home screen, with the hamburger (Main) menu button highlighted.
Alexa app on iOS in 2018, displaying its Home screen, with the hamburger (Main) menu button highlighted.

3. Tap the Hamburger Shaped Menu Control

The blue arrow in the last picture points at the menu control. Tapping it brings up the main menu, shown next.

Picture of the app displaying its main menu, with the -Settings- item Highlighted.
The app displaying its main menu, with the -Settings- item Highlighted. Hook Up Alexa speaker.

4. Tap the Settings Menu Item to Continue with How to Hook Up Alexa

We circled the Settings menu item in blue in the last picture, located in the black-background menu at left-screen. The Settings screen then appears pictured next.

Picture of the -Settings- screen, with the -Set Up A New Device- button highlighted. How to Hook Up Alexa.
The -Settings- screen, with the -Set Up A New Device- button highlighted.

5. Look for your Alexa Smart Speaker in the List

Note on the Settings screen in the last picture. The Alexa app lists all our previously hooked up speakers.

If the speaker you’re hooking up to a different WiFi router appears, then tap that entry.  Then jump down to step 6 below.  There, you can update the saved WiFi router network.  Also there, you avoid steps to connect a new speaker.





However, if your speaker does not show, then you must set it up from scratch.  In that case, you’ll prepare the speaker to hook up Alexa to WiFi first. Do this if adding a new smart speaker to your Amazon account. In that case, continue on with the next step (Step 5a) to do that.

5a. Tap the Set Up a New Device Button

The blue arrow in the last picture points at the Set Up a New Device button. The app then shows the Set Up a New Device screen, as shown in the next picture.

Screenshot of the -Set Up A New Device- screen, with the -Echo Dot- choice highlighted.
The -Set Up A New Device- screen, with the -Echo Dot- choice highlighted.

5b. Choose the Device Type you’re Setting Up

From the list of devices shown in the last screenshot, tap the speaker type to set up. We picked Amazon Echo for this demo. The app then shows the Choose Language screen, as seen next.

Screenshot of the -Choose Language- screen, with the -Continue- button highlighted.
The -Choose Language- screen, with the -Continue- button highlighted.

5c. Choose the Language for the New Speaker

In our case, the correct language choice already shows in blue in the last picture: English (United States). However, to change this, tap on this link. A list of language options then appears, with the current language choice checked. There, you tap your preferred language. The blue link then reappears, showing the language you picked. Once the desired language displays, tap the blue Continue button. Alexa then shows the Begin Echo Dot Setup screen, as seen in the next step.

6. Observe the Begin Echo Dot Setup Screen to Continue with How to Hook Up Alexa

See this screen as shown next. From here, connecting to WiFi is the same for both a new speaker, and one with which you’re working.

Screenshot of the -Begin Echo Dot Setup- screen, with the -Connect To Wi-Fi- button highlighted. How to Hook Up Alexa.
The -Begin Echo Dot Setup- screen, with the -Connect To Wi-Fi- button highlighted.

7. Tap the Connect to WiFi Button

The Setup->Wait for the Orange Light Ring screen then shows, as seen next.

Screenshot of the -Setup-Wait For Orange Light- screen, with the -Continue- button highlighted.
The -Setup-Wait For Orange Light- screen, with the -Continue- button highlighted.

Wait for a minute or so. Your Alexa speaker light ring should then glow in a slowly spinning orange-yellow pattern.

If the orange light does not appear after a couple minutes, force setup mode as follows.  Find the Action button on your speaker. Press and hold it for roughly five seconds. The Action button has the small white circle in its center. Holding this button in forces the speaker to enter WiFi setup mode. When that happens, the speaker says, “Now in setup mode. Follow the instructions in the Alexa app.”  You cannot hook up Alexa without your speaker in setup mode.





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

Do not place the smart speaker into WiFi setup mode until the screen above appears on your mobile device. If you do, and then advance the Alexa app to this point, you might confuse the app sometimes.  This confusion forces you to set up the speaker as a new device, though you may not have wanted that.

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

8. Tap the Continue Button Back in the Alexa App

This brings up the Echo Dot Setup->Connect your iPad to Echo Dot screen, as shown next. This screen stays up until you link your mobile device to the speaker’s WiFi network.  Do that in the next step. The speaker sets up this Amazon-xxx ad hoc network for setup purposes. Continue with the next step to link your mobile device to the speaker.

Screenshot of the Alexa app displaying its -Echo Dot Setup-Connect Your iPad To Echo Dot- screen. How to Hook Up Alexa.
The Alexa app displaying its -Echo Dot Setup-Connect Your iPad To Echo Dot- screen.

9. Go into your Mobile Device’s Settings Page to Continue with How to Hook Up Alexa

Press the Home button on your mobile device. This hides the Alexa app.

Then, locate the Settings app and tap it. O our iPad, we find the Settings app on the second home page as seen next.  Note that  this app may appear elsewhere on your device.

Picture of an iPad Home screen, with the Settings app highlighted by an arrow.
iOS Home Screen with Settings App Highlighted.

10. Tap the Wi-Fi Settings Item

This starts a scan for in-range Wi-Fi networks by your device to which you can hook up Alexa wirelessly. Our iPad found the list of networks, shown next. Note that it found the Amazon-E9W network. Our Echo Dot, running in setup mode, broadcasts this WiFi SSID when the light ring glows orange.

If you do not see the Amazon-XXX network, move your tablet closer to your Alexa speaker. Then, wait some seconds for the network to appear. If you still do not see it, reboot your speaker. Then, once the light ring goes out, repeat from step 5 above. The orange ring must show, 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.

11. Tap the Amazon-XXX WiFi Network

The connection should occur quickly to the unsecured Amazon-XXX network. Unsecured WiFi networks need no password.

Once linked as seen next, your Wi-Fi settings screen should look like the next picture.

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 speaker should also say the following: “You’ve connected to Echo Dot. Go ahead and finish the setup in the Alexa app.”





12. Go back to the Alexa App to Continue with How to Hook Up Alexa

To go back to the Alexa app, press the Home button.  This brings up the Home page. There, find the Alexa app. Ours is on Home Page 3, as shown below. Tap the Alexa app to bring it up.

Screenshot of the iOS home screen, showing the Amazon Alexa app Icon highlighted
iOS 11 home screen, showing the Amazon Alexa app Icon highlighted.

The following screen then appears. It shows the mobile device linked to your Alexa speaker.

Screenshot of the Alexa app displaying its -Connected To Echo Dot- screen, with the -Continue- button highlighted.
The Alexa app displaying its -Connected To Echo Dot- screen, with the -Continue- button highlighted.

13. Press the Blue Continue Button

Find this button on the screen seen above. This starts a scan by your speaker for Wi-Fi networks.

Once the scan completes, the Choose Your Wi-Fi Network screen shows, as seen next. This shows a list of in-range WiFi networks found by your smart speaker.

Screenshot of the -Setup-Select Your Wi-Fi Network- screen, with the desired network circled.
The -Setup-Select Your Wi-Fi Network- screen, with the desired network circled.

14. Tap your Desired WiFi Network

Pick the network to which to hook up Alexa speaker, on the Choose Your Wi-Fi Network screen above. In our case, we picked the 937T681J4059H_2G_Guest network. If you never linked with this network before in your Amazon account, the app asks for a password, shown next. The screen you see may differ slightly.  But the password prompt function is the same.

A password request may not appear to hook up Alexa.  Why not?   When  you’ve previously entered this WiFi network on Amazon, the system remembers that password for this network. You probably saved WiFi networks to Amazon when you connected any Alexa speaker before.  So, the app issues no password prompt if your account has this WiFi network saved.

Picture of app prompting for WiFi password.
The app prompting for WiFi password, and virtual keyboard displaying too.

15. Enter the Wi-Fi Password if Requested to Continue with How to Hook Up Alexa

Use that virtual keyboard to peck in your WiFi network’s password. When finished, hide the keyboard. You should see a screen similar to the following, 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. Hook up Alexa speaker.

16. Press the Continue Button

Pressing  Continue  begins attempts by your Alexa speaker to link to the WiFi network chosen in step 13.

During this process, the Preparing your Echo Dot screen appears.  It shows a progress bar as the hook up Alexa process proceeds, seen next.

Screenshot of the -Setup-Preparing Your Echo Dot- page.
The -Setup-Preparing Your Echo Dot- screen.

If all goes well, the Setup Complete screen appears, as shown next. Your speaker has successfully connected to the WiFi network you set. Plus, Alexa connected successfully with the Alexa servers at Amazon as well.

Picture of the -Setup Complete- screen, with the -Continue- button highlighted.
The -Setup Complete- screen, with the -Continue- button highlighted.

Finally, your Alexa speaker should say, “Your Echo Dot is now ready.”





17. Press the Continue Button

Tapping Continue here returns you to the Alexa App Home screen, as shown next.

Screenshot of the Alexa app -Home- screen.
The Alexa app -Home- screen.

18. Test Out your Now Hooked Up Alexa Speaker

Ask, “Alexa, what time is it?” or “Alexa, what’s the weather?” If she responds correctly, then the speaker is ready for use.

Follow this procedure any time you wish to change your speaker’s Wi-Fi network.

Qualifiers

  • This post pertains to the following software and hardware versions:
    • iOS 11.2.5
    • Alexa App: Client Version 1.24.4244.0; Bridge version 2.2.2471.0
    • Amazon Echo Dot, 2nd Gen, running firmware version 599473420.

Other Posts About Alexa

  1. Alexa Vs. Google Home Speakers
  2. How to Get Alexa to Play Spotify Playlists
  3. Reconnecting Alexa to WiFi Internet
  4. How to Put Alexa in Pairing Mode
  5. How to Change Alexa Name to Jarvis

References for How to Hook Up Alexa

  1. What is Amazon Alexa? on Wikipedia

Revision History

  • 2021-08-25: Revised the tags and internal links lists., and updated the description text in the pictures.
  • 2020-08-04: Optimized text and tags.
  • 2019-04-26: Removed ad code.
  • 2019-03-11: Improved key phrase targeting and added more tags.
  • 2018-03-01: Originally published.