How to troubleshoot a Sengled Smart Bulb (ZigBee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi)

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

How to troubleshoot a Sengled Smart Bulb (ZigBee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi)

2. Resolution

First, we need to identify the model number of the bulb in question.

Different Sengled Smart LED bulbs, have different communication protocols and thus different ways to be set up. The model number will tell us what protocols the bulb uses.

Below is an example photo of where this information can be found:

If the model number starts with an E or a Z

Compatible Hubs:

A hub is a device that speaks the same ZigBee language as the bulbs; the hub is the device that is connected to the router—and thus the internet. 

For example, the Sengled Smart hub, SmartThings hub, and Echo Plus with a built-in hub are all compatible hubs.
The Echo Dot, Echo, and the Google Home Assistants are not hubs.

The method of adding the bulb to a hub would depend on the hub, one must use the app that corresponds to the hub. 

Use Conditions: 

Next, our Smart LED bulbs—like most LED bulbs—are not meant to be used in the following conditions: 

Wall dimmers—with the sole exception of the Tunable White bulbs (Z01-A19NAE26) which can be used on some dimmers; for more information, please see the following article: List of compatible dimmers for the Tunable White Smart LED 

Ceiling fan fixtures

Lamp with multiple power settings (i.e. a low/high power lamp, a low/medium/high power lamp—a 3-way lamp—or a dimmer lamp)

Enclosed fixtures

Outdoors—with the sole exception of the Sengled Smart LED with Motion Sensor PAR38 Bulb (E13-N11).

Resetting & Re-adding:

Once you have confirmed you have a Smart LED (ZigBee) bulb—and if it is not being used in a condition it is not meant to be used in—proceed with the following to add it to your hub:

1) Reset the bulb, like so: https://support.sengled.com/hc/en-us/articles/219648347-How-do-I-reset-a-Sengled-Smart-LED-bulb- 

2) Add it to your hub. This will depend on the hub you have. One must use the hub that corresponds to their app.

So, if you have a Sengled hub, then you would use the Sengled Home app—depicted below—to add the bulb, like so: Adding Sengled Smart LED (ZigBee) bulbs to your Sengled Hub

If the model number starts with a W

Use Conditions: 

Next, our Smart LED bulbs—like most LED bulbs—are not meant to be used in the following conditions: 

Wall dimmers

Ceiling fan fixtures

Lamp with multiple power settings (i.e. a low/high power lamp, a low/medium/high power lamp—a 3-way lamp—or a dimmer lamp)

Enclosed fixtures

Outdoors

Resetting & Re-adding:

Once you have confirmed you have a Smart Wi-Fi LED bulb—and if it is not being used in a condition it is not meant to be used in—proceed with the following to add it to your router:

1) Reset the bulb, like so: How do I reset the Sengled Smart Wi-Fi LED bulb?

2) Open the Sengled Home app—depicted below—to add the bulb, like so:

Adding a Sengled Smart Wi-Fi LED Bulb or Accessory (iOS Setup)

Adding a Sengled Smart Wi-Fi LED Bulb or Accessory (Android Setup)

If the bulb is not adding: 

There are many router-based reasons a Wi-Fi bulb would not add.

Below are some of the more obvious culprits and how to address them.

If you need help with these changes, please contact the maker or provider of your router. 

1) Set a static/reserved IP (also known as a DHCP IP Reservation) from the router's settings to the bulbs; a bulb's MAC address, which is what would have the static IP assigned to it, begins with B0.

2) Ensure certain "ports" are open to your router.

You will need to have the following ports opened; I would recommend opening the ports in pairs. So first, open TCP 443 & 6884 and then try to add the bulb. If that does not work, do the same for the remaining ports, please.

TCP 443 & 6884
TCP/IP 1883 & 8883

3) You have no/low firewalls on your router during setup. Double-check to ensure that the router is not blocking/blacklisting the Smart Wi-Fi bulbs. The MAC address of the Smart Wi-Fi bulbs starts with B0 (that is how you would identify the Sengled Smart Wi-Fi bulbs). Ideally, you would have the bulb's MAC address whitelisted but not all routers offer such an option.

4) You have access to and are using your Wi-Fi's 2.4 GHz network. If they can, and they usually can, have them set the router to broadcast the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi separate from the 5.0 GHz. (add a "-5G to the 5G Wi-Fi).

5) Ensure your router is set to work as an IPv4 router and not an IPv6 router.

If the model number starts with a B

Use Conditions: 

Our Smart LED Bluetooth Mesh bulbs—like most LED bulbs—are not meant to be used in the following conditions: 

Wall dimmers

Ceiling fan fixtures

Lamp with multiple power settings (i.e. a low/high power lamp, a low/medium/high power lamp—a 3-way lamp—or a dimmer lamp)

Enclosed fixtures

Outdoors

Compatible Echo Devices & Echo's Software:

Ensure you are trying to set the bulb up on a compatible Echo device.

Compatible devices include: Echo (2nd, 3rd, and 4th Gen), Echo Dot (2nd, 3rd, and 4th Gen), Echo Show (1st Gen), Echo Show 5/8/10, Echo Spot, Echo Input, Echo Flex, Echo Studio

Ensure your Echo device has the latest version of the software. For most of the Echo devices without a screen, you can check the software version by saying, "Alexa, is your software up-to-date?"

For the Echo devices with a screen, please see the following from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GYB55PBLWG8A6FJ8 

If you are unsure if your Echo device has the latest version of the software, here is a list provided by Amazon on what the latest version of the software is for each device: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201602210

If your need help updating your device's software, we would recommend contacting Amazon support.

Resetting & Re-adding:

Once you have done the first three steps, please proceed with the following to add the bulb to your Echo device:

1) Power your Echo device off—leave it off for, at least, ten seconds—and power it back on. Ensure your Echo device is online before proceeding.

2) Delete the bulb from your Alexa account if it is still listed.

3) Reset the bulb, like so: How do I reset the Sengled Smart Bluetooth Mesh LED bulb?

4) After the bulb flashes three times—pause—then blinks once, wait ten seconds; then, add it to your Echo device by saying "Alexa, discover devices".

[Conversely, you could add the bulb via the Alexa app by opening the Alexa app, tapping on "Devices", tapping the "+" at the top-right of the screen., tapping "Lights", then, tapping "Sengled". From here, tap "No" when asked if the bulb is a ZigBee bulb and tap "Yes" when the app asks you if it is a Bluetooth bulb. Then, tap "Next".]

Alexa's response: 

If the Alexa device finds the bulb, the setup is complete.

But if the Alexa device says she did not find any devices, say "Alexa, turn all lights off".

If the bulb in question turns off, then the bulb did the setup and the Echo device had the common false fail issue—where an Echo device will say it did not find the bulb when it in fact did. Please, if it is not too much trouble, report this false fail to Amazon as the bulb did add but the Echo device wrongly said it did not add. Hopefully, if enough people report the issue, it can be found and solved.

If the Alexa device says she failed to find the bulb and the bulb does not respond to "Alexa, turn all lights off"