Aria Setup Failure

[bfox33]

I am also unable to set up my Aria.

I followed all these directions (thanks to Erich for helpfully posting):
- Take out all the batteries and wait for one minute before placing them back in.
- Clear your browser's cache and cookies.
- Check that your Wi-Fi password is correct.
- Make sure the Aria scale is within 10 feet of the router.
- Make sure the scale wireless antenna has access to the main router signal, not to an extender.
- Your router needs to be configured to standard 802.11b (for more information about this you can contact your internet provider or your router's manufacturer)

My router is in this mode right now:  Mixed accepts 802.11b and 802.11g connections.  I could have switched it to 802.11b only, but since it says it accepts 802.11b I left it in this mode.

Every time, I do the following:
1.  take out battery, replace battery after 1 minute
2.  Aria says V31 Wifi [SSID], Tap to Change
3.  I hold down lower edge, "Setup Active" appears on the scale
4.  I follow the instructions on my iPhone app, which has me log in to my Fitbit account
5.  It asks me to switch to AriaXXXX wireless network, which I do
6.  It seeks and finds my wireless network, which I select.

7.  It then asks me to switch back to my home wireless, which happens automatically on my iPhone, and then I click a button saying I am connected, and the iPhone attempts to connect to the Aria, BUT
8.  While I am doing that, and before I can get to the button, the scale says JOINING, then Wifi ERR, then goes dark.

5 attempts so far, it's packed and ready to go back pending a non-boilerplate response from Fitbit.  Any help is appreciated!

[SunsetRunner]

Hummmm  Our router is three floors up from where we weigh. This could be our issue. I'll box it up and send it back for a refund. If anyone knows a work around for the router location problem, I would love to hear from you.

[MarthaJo]

Try setting it up right by the router, then move it to where you prefer to weigh. Once I got it to set up, I've had no problem. Good luck!

[dgrainger]

Following is what I wrote back to FitBit after they responded to my scream of anguish over Aria installation:

Not useful information, and seems to be a regurgitation of exactly the same information that is in your web page.

Your instructions are ambiguous and lack clarity. They also offer instructions that are impossible; an example is the step where after "change your device to Aria... network" you state that we are supposed to "not close the browser" As any user of Windows knows, if you switch networks, the browser loses connection to the page! Also, the instruction to "switch your device to the Aria network" is ambiguous: the Aria itself is a device, as are all five of my computers plus our iPad, our two iPhones, and the router itself, and so on. You imply that the device in question is the Aria, given the context of your instructions, yet there is NO way to change anything in the Aria that is apparent.

After five hours of trouble shooting, I got the **ahem** thing working. I have been very successful in the computer business as a professional since 1981, I have taught courses about networking for businesses, and have authored a book on the subject that sold very well. I have NEVER seen a poorer instruction set nor a worse installation procedure!
I want to point out that your product does not work through Firefox as a browser, nor does it correctly identify which version of Internet Explorer is on any of our computers.
Based on other people's comments in the blog, MANY others have had the same problems with installation and instructions that do not make sense to anyone other that the author of your instructions. Your company needs to pass these instructions to someone who has never seen them before and who is an average citizen without my thirty four years of experience, and then see what happens. Then your company needs to completely re-write the instructions plus re work the installation procedure completely.

In teaching, training technicians, writing, there is a problem to be overcome called  the "presumed Knowledge Problem" You cannot assume that your audience already knows what is in the head of a listener or reader, and must make sure that explanations, instructions, are all crystal clear, do not omit information, and do not presume that the reader or listener already knows what is meant. Your ARia instructions fail this test!
Oh, by the way, 32 bit Windows XP will not support your installation procedure. That was one of my machines that I tried.. Also: the Aria requires 802.11 b !!!!. Have you not noticed that you are requiring a long replaced protocol????

[TheBerns]

Wow, I agree whole heartedly with all of your post.  I too am very knowledgable and could not get our scale set up.  In the end they had to send us a new/may refurbished one. It was broken from the start being new go figure!  I hope that their other products work better than this one.

[SunsetRunner]

Okay - now this connects the dots. No wonder we are having so many issues with this scale.

Thanks for being so thorough!

Sending my scale back now.

Again, thank you.

Candy R

[MatthewFitbit]

As @MarthaJo mentioned, it's important to have your scale right next to the router during the setup process. The signal needs to be very strong to complete the setup - once that's complete, you can move the scale farther away to use and sync with it as normal. Just make sure it's as close as possible during setup!

[dgrainger]

How about 2 feet? That's where it was the entire time. Your tech support redplies only spit back stuff from the web page and do not do any real trouble shhoting...

[dgrainger]

Your company does not seem to offer any sort of direct customer support at all. Most software companies offer at chat line or a telephone support line. The responses we all seem to get from FitBit are just canned regurgitations of what is on your website, without any apparent interest in problems the consumer is having. Your installation instructions are ambiguous at best and wrong at worst, and DO NOT lead to a satisfactory conclusion. There is a very large groundswell of negative opinion about this one product, the Aria scale which could hurt your company overall. We love the fitbit. We HATE the horrible experience I have had trying to install Aria! Even now, I cannot get the Aria to identify ME as a user even though it synchs to my Dashboard, but always shows me as guest USER. I HAVE TO ADD THE DAILY READING TO MY USER NAME IN THE DASHBOARD. ALSO, THE DERN SCALE IS READING ABOUT FIVE POUNDS LOW!!!!

Reply To This Case

[Marlea]

Same thing here!  Grrrr!  I'm getting SO frustrated!  The main reason I bait so much for the Aria is that I hoped it would sync easily!!!  I'm giving it until the end of the day before I send it back.  *sadness*

[Marlea]

I tried this... the scale said it was joining the wifi then still went back to active!! 😞

[nancd]

I had to send one back. They were pretty nice about the whole thing.



Nancy



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[fdawg2k3]

yeah, this is dumb.

spent 4 hours over 1.5 weeks trying to get this thing to work -got all the way to the SUCCESS and the CHECKMARK on the scale but it always gives me an error, even when on the floor 3 feet from the router.

I'm pretty irritated about the lack of a power-cycle button, after tkaing the batteries in and out about 5028 times...but the thing that really drove me nuts is that it won't show the weight after taking it, when it ERRs out.

AT LEAST MAKE IT SHOW THE WEIGHT BEFORE THE ERR SO WE CAN ENTER IT MANUALLY INTO THE FITBIT APP!?!?!?

I hate this GD thing with all my being.

Fred

[MatthewFitbit]

@fdawg2k3 Sorry to hear you're having such a trying time with your scale. Are you seeing an error message every time you weight yourself? If so, there may be an issue with the hardware of the scale itself, which would require you to exchange the device.

You can contact our Support Team at http://contact.fitbit.com for further assistance - they will be happy to help you out.

[tinabina22]

Grab the aria on the ends at the bottom and press down for a couple seconds, that will reset your aria.

[TheBerns]

No it will not reset it only make it start over and if it doesn't work, like mine, it will continue t say "ERR"

[nancd]

I already knew I was techno challenged and time poor. I just dumped in the
box and sent it back. They were nice about the whole thing.



Nancy



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[dgrainger]

If you are not barefoot on the scale you will get ERR

[dgrainger]

if you are not barefoot on scale it will day ERR

[fdawg2k3]

Yes was barefoot.

What's with the B wireless? That's some old school tech.

[dgrainger]

Huh?