Connectivity difficulties between Aria and Comcast/Xfinity routers

[JuanJoFitbit]

Hi everyone! It has come to our attention that some users are experiencing issues with syncing/setting up Aria scales with Comcast/Xfinity routers and we are currently reviewing. 

There is a workaround that has helped most users. For this, follow the instructions below:

• Log into comcast/xfinity account
• Once logged in,  visit https://internet.xfinity.com/more
• Edit wifi settings under "Additional Settings"
• Click on 2.4 frequency edit button.
• Select g/n, hit save.
• When the screen refreshes, click edit again, select b/g/n and hit save. 
• Stand on scale
• Continue with the regular setup process

Thank you all for your patience. Any update available, I'll make sure to share it in this thread.

[jkniff26]

That is a misleading explanation. The Aria had only been out a couple years when it stopped working. Many people only had scales less than a year. Microsoft offered updates to their operating systems. Xp is the one that became obsolete but only after a very long period of use. Yes we do expect engineers and designers to plan ahead for changes that any first year IT pro can see coming.

Joe

[SSTATKUS]

Very interesting and helpful to have found this thread. My Aria hasn't been working right for a while, I haven't had time to mess with it beyond taking the batteries out a few times, and re-going through the setup process once. Since the summer, it's worked off and on. The last time it synced was a week ago though. Yes, I have comcast for internet. I'm thinking this is the issue after reading here. Mine is also doing something new, it's no longer displaying body fat percentage. All it gives me is weight. I can manually enter my stats into My Fitness Pal so it doesn't bother me too much, but I do miss the BF%. I don't see anyone mentioning that issue... am I alone on that one?

[LarryInSeattle]

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@SSTATKUS wrote:

Very interesting and helpful to have found this thread. My Aria hasn't been working right for a while, I haven't had time to mess with it beyond taking the batteries out a few times, and re-going through the setup process once. Since the summer, it's worked off and on. The last time it synced was a week ago though. Yes, I have comcast for internet. I'm thinking this is the issue after reading here. Mine is also doing something new, it's no longer displaying body fat percentage. All it gives me is weight. I can manually enter my stats into My Fitness Pal so it doesn't bother me too much, but I do miss the BF%. I don't see anyone mentioning that issue... am I alone on that one?

---

Mine also stopped recording body fat a while back (like more than a year ago).  I called Fitbit support, and they sent me a new scale (Aria 1 to replace my current one), no charge.  It's been working fine in that regard since then. Even though the Aria 1 has been discontinued they might offer to replace it for you, or maybe give you some kind of discount on the Aria 2.  I suspect the body fat issue is a separate one from the connectivity with Comcast thing.  But adding an 802.11b access point to my home network solved that for me by allowing the Aria to connect to something other than the Comcast router.  Even if you've changed the settings in your router to include 802.11b, I suspect that every time Comcast sends a refresh signal to the router (which they seem to do fairly regularly and don't let you know it's happening) it reverts back to Comcast's preferred settings, which disables wireless b.

[SSTATKUS]

Thanks for the reply. I probably won't bother with contacting Fitbit, my Aria was purchased 4-5 years ago and I don't even use a Fitbit tracker anymore. I got an Apple Watch a couple years ago and that took the place of clipping anything additional onto my clothing, plus I seemed to kill Fitbit Ones right around the year mark or earlier so I decided to stop spending money on them. Apple Watch continues to be great, and I'm sure there's a newer and better smart scale I can ask Santa for 🙂

[LarryInSeattle]

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@SSTATKUS wrote:

Thanks for the reply. I probably won't bother with contacting Fitbit, my Aria was purchased 4-5 years ago and I don't even use a Fitbit tracker anymore. I got an Apple Watch a couple years ago and that took the place of clipping anything additional onto my clothing, plus I seemed to kill Fitbit Ones right around the year mark or earlier so I decided to stop spending money on them. Apple Watch continues to be great, and I'm sure there's a newer and better smart scale I can ask Santa for 🙂

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Other folks on this thread have suggested the Renpho scale, and several say they have it and love it.  I've looked at it on Amazon and from the description think it's worth checking out.  And the price is right too...30 bucks!

[SSTATKUS]

Great tip, thanks!

[SunsetRunner]

My Aria stopped syncing in February after Comcast gave me a new, updated modem.  Various techs from Fitbit and Comcast tried, and tried, and tried to get it to sync.  Each company blamed the other company.  Buying a new modem to replace Comcast did not help.  Apparently the problem is in the SIGNAL Comcast sends to any modem.  "We are still working on a solution," according to both companies.  I gave up and just started logging my weight manually.  The Alta HR has always synced all my other data.  Of course STEPS are not really counted, only ARM MOVEMENTS.  Thus walking with a walker, or on a treadmill and holding on to the side, will not count any steps because your arm is not swinging.  I guess new-fangled gadgets aren't for senior citizens.

[MJH7]

YEP!!!  This worked.

You must go through the website - locally logging in doesn't work. 

[Sensualpoet]

As noted previously, I am (was) an Aria 1 user. Rogers Cable in Canada is rolling out Comcast's Xfinity product here (branded as Ignite); Shaw Cable in the West and Videotron in Quebec are also on board. We are using the same wifi router when subscribing to 500 MB or 1 gig service which Comcast uses. It does NOT support 1996 protocol "b". There's a good reason: if you have that enabled, it degrades the wifi throughout the home. I switched to 1byone Smart Scale from Amazon. It appears to be similar to the Renpho folks have talked about. It sinks with the Fitbit database and uses Bluetooth to connect to a smartphone (in my case, a Google Pixel 2). The white scale was CDN$35 with free shipping.

Adios, Fitbit, and thanks for the useless support. What is wrong with just being honest with customers? Time to clean house!

[tamahome]

Hi.  I just realized I lost 3 months of data when I got the Xfinity router.  I tried changing to the B wifi but it still doesn't work.  My job is computers and I still can't figure it out.  I also tried "WPAWPA2-PSK (TKIP/AES)" (which one does Aria use?)  My comcast modem has both a 2.5 ghz and a 5 ghz.  I tried renaming or disabling the 5 ghz one.  I even tried no password on the 2.5 ghz network.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi tamahome,

I don't know which one Aria uses.  I've never encountered those choices.  I'm 81 and NOT a computer tech.  Fitbit told me months ago that the Aria scale MUST be on a "b, b/n, or b/g/n" wifi and use 2.4 ghz not 5.0 ghz.  That's when I bought a new modem/router at Best Buy to use those settings.  But when connected to the Internet, the Aria still would not sync.  Fitbit said the Aria 2 scale wouldn't work either.  They also said it was the SIGNAL that Comcast sends to whatever modem/router you are using that causes the problem.  Both companies say "we are working on a solution" but in over 8 months they still have not found one.  My Alta HR wrist Fitbit syncs fine, but the Aria information I now enter manually on their website.

[tamahome]

I plugged my old linksys wrt54gl 2.5 ghz only router into the comcast router, disabled wifi on the comcast router, and the aria scale connects fine.  Some settings on the linksys:

mode:  mixed (B & G)

channel: 6 (2.437 ghz)

security mode:  wpa personal

wpa algorithms: aes

starting ip:  192.168.1.100

Switching the mode to G only works ok. 

THE ARIA SCALE DOES NOT REQUIRE B MODE WIFI.

Security mode wpa2 personal works ok.

Wpa algorithms tkip+aes work ok (aes is better anyway).

Channel 11 works ok.

Starting ip 10.0.1.2 works ok.

Is there a way to turn off ipv6 on the comcast router?  Here's an example of an Xbox One not working with ipv6 and comcast:  https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Your-Home-Network/How-do-I-disable-IPv6/td-p/2611763

[SunsetRunner]

Congratulation tamahome.  I'm glad it worked for you, just as manual logging has worked for me.

[LarryInSeattle]

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@tamahome wrote:

I plugged my old linksys wrt54gl 2.5 ghz only router into the comcast router, disabled wifi on the comcast router, and the aria scale connects fine.  Some settings on the linksys:

mode:  mixed (B & G)

channel: 6 (2.437 ghz)

security mode:  wpa personal

wpa algorithms: aes

starting ip:  192.168.1.100

Switching the mode to G only works ok.  The aria scale does NOT require B mode.

Security mode wpa2 personal works ok.

Wpa algorithms tkip+aes work ok.

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This is the easiest no-sweat no-cost solution.  Good for you @tamahome!

[FitnessLaurie]

I spent nearly 4 hours today with live chat to get my Aria 1 to sync with my fit bit. Went thru 3 reps and many adjustments they suggested. TO NO avail.

I see many people noted that as of March this year they also found this problem. What is going on? I have been a fitbit user for 10 years and have bought gifts for family with them but this really irks me. It appears it is a method of trying to get a person to update and buy an Aria 2. I will NOT do that. I will more likely switch to another company of products going forward.

[Jerzydeb]

Most users have switched to a Renpho scale - amazing product, at about $30
at Amazon.

--
*Deborah Sarhan*


*“The results you achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you
apply.”* — Denis Waitley

[CherylFoster]

My Fitbit app syncs with my RENPHO app!! Plus the RENPHO only requires Bluetooth not WiFi and the info I get out of it is way better than what Fitbit offers

Get Outlook for iOS

[tamahome]

I actually went out and tried the Aria with a brand new router (Linksys WRT 3200 ACM, open source ready!).  

wpa2 personal:  works

2.5 ghz protocols:

802.11 G: works

802.11 N: does not work

None of the 5 ghz protocols work.

Channel and Channel width are on auto.

Even ipv6 is enabled, and the scale still works, so I don't know what the problem is with the Comcast modem.

[Sensualpoet]

re: "Linksys WRT 3200 ACM

wpa2 personal:  works

2.5 ghz protocols:

802.11 G: works"

This router is compatible with the b standard. While the scale is connected every device on the network will be slowed down to b protocol. That is why Comcast's high performance gigabit router explicitly disables it. That's not a solution for the Aria 1 which was poorly designed with 1990s technology on release in 2013.

[tamahome]

The Aria scale works with the G standard.  I’ve seen it work on two different routers. 

Actually a 802.11b device can connect to a 802.11g router.  G mode is backwards compatible.  Switching from g/n to b/g/n is meaningless.

Moderator edit: merged reply