How to: Setup your Fitbit Aria

[FitbitCommunity]

The simplest and quickest approach to setting up your Aria scale is by installing and running the setup software from here.

If you are unable to complete the setup with this software, we recommend using the web-based setup as a secondary alternative. Complete instructions for this process can be found in this help article, along with the instructional video below.

Setting up your Aria via the Web-based Method

For assistance with putting your Aria in "Setup Active" mode, please consult this post.

If you are unable to complete the setup process using the above information, check this help article for more setup tips. For further assistance, please contact our Support Team at http://contact.fitbit.com or join the discussion in our Aria Community forum. Be sure to provide as many details as possible about where in the process you are getting stuck and what error you are encountering.

[malco123]

I finally got mine to work.

I am fortunate that I have two PCs. One wired, and one wireless. I'd previously failed to connect on each.

This time I went tot he wireless and tried again and failed again. While it was grinding away I downloaded the program, went through set-up and it connected.

I did have the comment above - home for scale was rejected, so I just put in H and it went through. 

So its quirky. Good luck. 

[almac7]

Sucess with connecting my Aria!  Hopefully this will help someone.  It took me more than four hours (and 30+ years of experience on computers) to get past the "WIFI ERR" part of the setup. Good luck!

I tried both the mobile and desktop app, but never got past the final stage, as the "WIFI ERR" error message would flash on the scale.  Here are the steps I took: 

1. I have a D-Link Wireless Router (DIR-815) and made the following changes:

             a) Ensured that I was using the 2.4ghz band.

             b) Ensured that my wireless mode was set to: 802.11mixed (n/g/b)

             c) Changed the name of my wifi network to only letters (not sure if this made a difference)

             d) Changed my security from WPA/WPA2 (enhanced) to disable security

                 (no password needed; this last step made all the difference.)

2. Once I made those changes, I was able to connect to the Aria (with both the desktop or mobile app -I tested both.)

3.  I then went back and changed my router securtiy from no-security to WEP and followed the steps outlined in the below link, and ensuring that my password had no special characters (i.e. !?_) 

https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/I-ve-made-changes-to-my-network-How-do-I-reconne...

4.  I might have been able to connect by originally changing the routher setting security to WPA/WPA2 to WEP directly, but I didn't bother to test that theory (four hours is long enough!)

5. I understand that Fitbit needs to get their products "out the door" as soon as possible due to increasing competition, but I know few friends that would be able to have circumvented this error.  I also now have (slightly) decreased router security in order for the Aria to connect.

I do love my Fitbit HR, and have lost more than 10 pounds.  Thanks, Fitbit!

[RodAtHome]

WOW, that was a lot that you had to do. I almost had to do as much, although I didn't change the security settings of my router. Although I had to do most of what you said. I do agree, it is more complicated than it really needs to be. I think the process needs to be similar. But I'm glad it's finally working.

Now I've got to start really loosing some weight. So far it's only beginning and not going well. I've mentioned this before in the forums but the issue all boils down to a super long commute leaving me with almost no time at all for exercise.

[Justdoit15]

Thank you but I returned it.

Sent from my iPad

[stefjnl]

"I turned off Auto network switch and was finally able to set up my Aria scales."

What do you mean by 'Auto network'?

In my advanced wifi-settings (android 5.1.1) i only see Wi-Fi frequency band that is set to automatic, and can be set to either 5 or 2.4Ghz..

So i spent most of my evening last night trying to set up the Aria, with no luck. The part where I'm stuck is here:

On my (Windows 10) laptop, I am able to switch to the Aria*** network (though with 'limited connectivity'). On my Android (5.1.1) phone connecting to the Aria network itself is hardly ever working, even though my router, scale and phone are within 1 feet of eachother). I am then supposed to return to the setup page and click the orange button "I'm connected". Clicking that button *should* lead me to a url that starts with 1.scale.fitbit or something, but it either gives me a blank page or a page_not_found/no_internet_connection error. 

Ive read posts of other people stalling at this step in the process, but havent seen a solution for it yet. I am supposed to be connected to the Aria network when clicking the Im connected button right?

Moderator edit: merged reply

[johndownunder]

I used my Android phone to set up my Aria scales. My phone could see my Aria scales, but wouldn't stay connected. I figured out my phone kept trying my other networks to find an internet connection. When I turned off auto network switch on my phone, my phone then stayed connected to my Aria scales so I could complete the setup.

I'm A4.4.2, which has Smart Network Switch. It allows the phone to auto Sitch networks to try to keep or find a good internet connection. I can't imagine A5+ doesn't include a setting to do the same thing. If it's not in WiFi settings, it must be somewhere else.
Once Aria is set up, phone auto/smart network switch can be turned on again.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[stefjnl]

thanks for your replies John. I havent found that particular setting, but on both my Nexus 7 and OnePlus I made sure the home networks were "forgotten" so that it would only connect to the Aria network. Still, on both devices it's stuck at "Obtaining ip address...". Router, scale and phone are within one feet of eachother...

Edit: tried the .exe setup again, and apparently it's generating a log file. It's giving the following error: "HTTP error: The server name or address could not be resolved. SocketClientException: connect failed with error: 10060 The requested address is not valid in its context." 

[johndownunder]

Do.your devices support 802.11b?

[stefjnl]

yes im using a Netgear Nighthawk as a router, which has b/g/n on the 2.4Ghz channel... 

The issue is is that i cannot connect properly to the Aria network, no matter what device I use (laptop, phone, tablet).

i was about to return the Aria to the store when i was able to give it a last try with a family member's iPhone. the iPhone connected to the Aria network without problem and setup was successfull within a minute. what gives? 

Moderator edit: merged reply

[tolueni]

How do you change it from 802.11n to 802.11b

[SFDonovan]

---

@syntorr wrote:

I had this same problem.  My aria saw my neighbors' WiFi but not mine.  I fixed this by changing my" 2.4 GHz Channel" from "Automatic" to "5".    There are several ways to do this.  I will show you how i did it on a Mac using the AirPort Utility. (iPads have an app of the same name) First click on the "Finder" icon, then open "Applications", then open "AirPort Utility".  Now click on the router ( i have a Time Capsule). A box will appear with network data.  Click "Edit".  Click on the "Wireless" tab and then at the bottom click on "Wireless Options".  Find the line labeled "2.4GHz Channel". Change it to "5" instead of "Automatic".  This next step will disable your WiFi for about 2 minutes while it activates these changes. When you are ready press "Save" and then press "update".  I hope this helps

So the Aria DOES work with Time Capsule?  Our old Airport Extreme Base Station started giving us problems so I switched to my wifes time capsule.  Now the Aria wont recconect.   I'm not at the router now, but I don't remember seeing a line labeled "2.4GHz Channel".  Only a bunch of radio button listing the channels 1 through 11

---

[LarsIvar]

I just got my Aria scale in the mail today, and I am having problems turning it on.

I pulled out the tab in the battery compartment, but the scale gives absolutely no visual indication that there is any power. Nothing showing in the display on top of the scale. The setup program on my computer is unable to find the scale.

After this I went to the shop and got a set of new batteries. Replaced all batteries. Still no power.

Is there anything more I can try here, or did I simply get a broken scale?

[SunsetUser]

I tried that. No matter how hard I press on the Aria, I cannot get the **ahem** to go into Setup Mode.

What else do I do?

I cannot recommend this to anyone.

[Zack-Wagenmaker]

Is there any way to make it work with a dual band Internet or through Bluetooth like the Fitbit HR or without Internet. If not how do I return it.

After I finally got a hold of a them after waiting on hold and got told to down grade my internet from dual band to the slowest of the two band. Why can't it just use blue tooth and run from your phones app like the Fitbit HR.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[SunsetRunner]

I get to work

[jbmyers08]

Thank you! This worked!

[Woodie01]

This worked for us too - setup 1 person was easy, 2nd person had to use this persons help!!

[JohnTheCanuck]

I only signed in here to say that it is one of the worse products I have ever tried to setup.

Have tried multiple ways (using Windows 7) and cannot get to the last step.  I find it in my network but the step after everything goes to pieces......

Junk.

[thomn8r]

I got a new router and spent 2 hours trying to get my scale to connect.  I do this stuff for a living, which probably makes it worse because I have higher expectations.

Using a packet sniffer, I can see that the setup program switches back to my home network before the connection to the scale is properly established - this is why it fails so quickly.   I can see 3 - 5 packets fail before one succeeds, but by that time the setup program has already raised the white flag. 

When I try to use the web-based setup, it's trying to connect to http://1.scale.www.fitbit.com, for which it never gets a DNS reply.  

I can see the IP for the scale in setup mode is 192.168.240.1 - why not just hard-code that in the setup?  Or at least give the user a way to enter it manually?  

And if the user has to have another go at the setup, why not retain all the info you just captured (scale name, initials, wireless info, etc) and use it for the input defaults - instead of having to type it in over and over and over?

Better yet - take some of that money you're blowing on product placement and spend it on QA, and use a modern wifi chipset that's not hard-wired to an older spec.

[johndownunder]

I agree with your thinking thomn8r. There are a bunch of problems with the outdated wifi technology and the less-than-friendly setup applications. I assume that fitbit sells enough of these scales to be able to ignore user feedback. Perhaps fitbit bought so many outdated parts so cheaply that they can't justify investing in something more useful for most people. I also assume sales of the Aria scales are riding on the back of the fitbit activity trackers and would not be viable on their own.

I'm an engineer, although not a network engineer. However, I've set up a few home LAN + wifi networks. The Aria experience leaves me shaking my head. I did some research before buying, but didn't imagine the setup situation could be as bad as so many customers were reporting. I eventually got the scales to work, but it took many hours of trying. The PC method didn't work for me, perhaps for the reasons you've said. In the end, the only method that worked for me was using my (Android) phone with a setting change to prevent the network from switching when internet was not discovered. I had to figure that out on my own.

I haven't recommended the Aria scales to anyone else as I wouldn't want anyone else to have to endure so much frustration and a far too high likelihood of failure.