Aria Wifi ERR solution for new routers which support 802.11ac

[SunsetRunner]

So I spent a little while trying to get my Aria re-connected after making some changes to my router.

I have one of the new models with two radios (2.4Ghz and 5). It uses 802.11 b/g/n on the 2.4Ghz band and ac on the 5Ghz band, and offers to "intelligently" use the correct band for the device connecting. I set it up on a newish laptop running Windows 10. Apparently there's something that Aria doesn't like about this whole setup, but I finally got it working and this is how:

1. Turn on the guest network in your router and make sure it's set to use the b/g/n mode. (or no more than 54Mbps, or compatibility mode, or whatever they call it in your router.)
2. Give your guest network a name that only includes letters or numbers. (There's no real reason for this; it seems Fitbit just decided that would be easier for them.)
3. Make sure there are no hackers in the near vicinity.
4. Turn off any security for your guest network.
5. Make sure your guest network is visible (is broadcasting its SSID)
   1. If you don't own your router or have some means of accessing the settings, try calling whoever does and asking them to please change the settings for you, ideally while you're home, during working hours. We're using the guest network because 802.11b is a slower protocol and you'll want to keep using the faster ones on your secure home network. 802.11b was only superceded by faster protocols in 2003, so it's understandable that Fitbit needs a little time to catch up.
6. Put your Aria in setup mode by taking out one battery for 10 seconds.
7. Bring your scale, router, and laptop to within 10 feet of one another.
8. Go to http://www.fitbit.com/setup/aria (I used MS Edge, because enterprise software teams tend to develop for Microsoft first and it doesn't allow plugins. If you don't have Edge, try IE8) (I know we're not dealing with enterprise software here, but it feels the same, so work with me here.)
9. Clear your cookies and restart your browser. Throw a pinch of salt over your left shoulder and spin around three times counterclockwise.
10. Follow the prompts, giving your Aria a name that reflects your feelings towards Fitbit. Be honest.
11. Take a break and send an email to Fitbit support asking why they couldn't just use WPS like printers and music streaming boxes and everything else that needs to connect to wifi without having a keyboard.
12. Connect to the network starting with "ARIA", hoping that there's only one. You might have to wait a bit for the network to show up.
13. Hope that no wise guy has called his router "ARIA501b" or something to trick you to connecting to it.
14. Let it scan for networks and select your guest network. Status messages will be displayed on the scale.
15. When the webpage shows your guest network, select it.
16. When prompted, go to your wifi settings and connect to your guest wifi.
17. Go back to the page and click continue.
18. Hopefully you'll get a success page, but we're not done yet. Go have a cup of tea.
19. Put your scale on a hard surface somewhere
20. Stand on it.
21. Step off when it tells you to step off.
22. Watch the display to see if it gives you a checkmark after displaying your weight, BF, and initials, then doing the little "sending" animation.
    1. If you get a little x above a wifi symbol, it didn't work. Contact support or go to step 8 and try, try again.
23. Go to your fitbit dashboard or open the app and see if it logged your weight.
24. Go back into your router settings and change your guest wifi to WPA2 and give it a simple password with only letters and numbers (again, this appears to be just because Fitbit decided that would be easier for them.)
25. Repeat step 8 through 20, including the cup of tea, but this time, when you select your guest network, the scale (or whatever device is broadcasting a name starting with ARIA) will ask for your wifi password. Give it your guest network password. (This is why step 2 is very important. If it turns out to be a honeypot device, at least you have only given it your guest wifi password, which you totally aren't using anywhere else, right?)
26. Enjoy your new time and effort saving scale!

[MCollins]

I'll be honest, I didn't read the 26 step process to use the aria scale with the Fitbit app.  Waaaaayyyyy back in 2013, I think, I got my aria scale because I was stoked about my Fitbit (remember when you could carry it in your pocket like a fob or clip it to your shirt?).  I tried setting it up on my own and couldn't get that to work.  I happened to live/work on a ship, so I asked one of the folks in the IT dept if they could help.  Our most senior, experienced and very intelligent people struggled for about 2 days and was ultimately successful, but said it was ridiculously difficult.  This is a full-time, IT professional.  

When I left the ship, I took the scale with me and tried again, on my own, to set it up in my apartment.  No joy.  Then began my hunt through this "community."  The "We're Fitbit: we don't provide online customer support.  We allow blind customers to lead blind customers but lie and call that 'customer service.'"  site.  This one, right here.  

There was, then (2014) a similarly long, multi-step process which - I kid you not - included making a cup of tea.  It was also unworkable.  

The Fitbit aria scale is a mystery.  Or, maybe it's just a scam, overpriced product that is only designed to work if you allow anyone in the known universe to access your internet?  If you live on a remote farm, or something, maybe that makes sense?  I lived in a city, surrounded by hotels and apartment buildings.  Thousands, and thousands of people in range to use my little internet access.

So, that was 100% unworkable, obviously. 

I ended up getting a Fitindex scale and app that I use on my iPhone.  It was less than $100, took about 3 minutes to set up and - a couple years later - works as seamlessly and easily as it did day 1 even though I've moved and no longer have the router I used to.  My internet security isn't compromised by it, either.  

Fitbit has steadfastly refused to fix this for about a decade now.  I don't anticipate them ever fixing it.  I also don't anticipate them ever taking this scam product off the market either.  I was suckered in because the Fitbit device & app worked well, so I presumed that I could trust Fitbit to make a good scale that would also seamlessly interface with their app.  And, that's the scam.    

[UCEngineerGirl]

Faster yet - bought an Aria Air.

[Super_Ted]

Strange solution:) but worked for me.

[Sal649]

I have one of the new modem  with two radios (2.4Ghz and 5). It it only uses 802.11 g/n, my internet provider does not offer mode "B", the tech suggested that I purchase an extender which I did.  I purchased a NETGEAR model EX2700, when prompted to chose your network you click on the EXT WIFI network  and it fixed my problem, my old ARIA now connects to my WIFI network. 

[Buster52]

This solution worked for me. At least I can get my weight now. The body mass is way off but at least it is connected to my wifi and is a scale now.

 Thanks SunsetRunnet

[johnmonticello]

SunsetRunnet, I am glad that my post helped you!