Cannot register replacement One as Connect hangs instead of displaying main menu

[PorkyBaker]

I am getting nowhere with FB support, so trying here. My One got crushed in a car park, so I got hold of a replacement. Trouble is, Connect just displays a spinning cursor when I ask it to display its main menu, so I cannot register the replacement One. Manual syncing does the same thing.

I have tried four versions of Connect going back to 2016, but all do the same. The version I currently have installed is v2.0.2.7241-2018-07-25, which as far as I know is the most recent.

Syncing still works (for another Fitbit).

There are no other options for me as I cannot run Windows 10, I do not have a smartphone, and I'm certainly not buying one just for this. I have wasted a lot of time over this, so would be very glad of any insights anyone can provide.

Mac Pro 2013, OS X 10.9.5.

[Odyssey13]

Hi @PorkyBaker  there is no support currently for the One, as it was retired some years ago, which is why you were directed to the community forums. The Windows 8.1 where I used Fitbit Connect stopped working properly, so I just use my Android phone. Minimum for anything iOS is 13 or higher. Does anyone you know (friends, family, co-workers) have a device you can use to set up and sync? 

[PorkyBaker]

Maybe, and thanks for reply, but:

a) Fitbit support have been fielding my issue and have escalated it to second level

b) Connect used to work and nothing else has changed, certainly not my version of MacOS (which is deliberate but for reasons unconnected with Fitbit)

c) I wasn't directed here, I came here as an extra resource.

So, I'm a bit baffled – unless FB have intentionally disabled Connect and not admitted to the fact. Certainly the fitbit.com/start/one IRL now 404s

I just don't like have something around my wrist all the time, especially something you have to prod just to see the time. I have a Charge 2, which works and is still paired, but it registers much higher calorie burn and fails to register stairs properly even though almost unused.

I think a relevant question for anyone reading this is: is there anyone out there that still has Connect working on a Mac?

[Odyssey13]

You're right @PorkyBaker . The blurb at the top of this forum area said it's no longer Moderated, which isn't the same as Supported. Sorry for misleading you. The Inspire 2 has an optional clip, but it doesn't have an altimeter, which counts those floors. It's great that One owners fiercely love their devices and it makes me wish I had gotten one of them years ago.

[PorkyBaker]

Yes, it's given me six years of perfect service, including being lost and found once. I am kicking myself for being so careless to drop it and not notice until it got squashed. I am also kicking myself for deleting it from my FB account without knowing of the pairing problem – although I suppose they all have some sort of unique ID burned in so that might not have helped.

I had to pay almost the new price for a second-hand one on eBay, although it appears almost unused, and noticed that sellers with actual new ones were asking a couple of hundred for them. Beats me why FB discontinued the One, other than that as a company they seem to undergo a massive amount of product churn. Which? liked the One too, praising its accuracy, which is why I bought it in the first place.

[Williger]

@PorkyBaker so, you determined your replacement One, although showing steps and tracking them became defective and is incapable of syncing? regarding the discontinuance, considering there are several manufacturer's products used within our Fitbits, it's quite possible something as simple as a patent issue has prevented them from continuing offering the One. bottom line, until they tell us which it seems they won't, we can merely speculate. I wouldn't say they're excessively churning but attempting to keep up with this aggressively growing market as people demand the latest features. you got a great 6 years out of an inexpensive device, that's awesome! IDK where you're looking at eBay for ones but brand boxed new ones sell there for really cheap, cuz most will be DOA. instead of complaining about the price you paid, if you'd like some eBay shopping strategy tips, just ask 😉 

[PorkyBaker]

I am taking the unusual step of publishing my latest dialog with FB Support here, as the limits of my tether have been well and truly reached...

Look, I've worked in the software industry all my life (that's what the 'MBCS' means): I'm not a fool. Your first-line support wasted a lot of my time over this, so I asked for this issue to be escalated to second-line support. If you are second-line support, you haven't solved it either. Nor has the forum, although I got a better response there than I have from you.

At this stage I would expect the issue to be passed to your software team, and at the least an instrumented (look it up if you don't know what this means) version of Fitbit Connect be released to the customer to aid diagnosis of the problem.

I also note that at no stage in this saga has anyone suggested looking at Fitbit Connect's log files. So I did. When it hangs indefinitely when asked to display its main menu, this is the log file entry:

23/09/2021 11:14:04.798 Fitbit Connect[3880]: FBHTTPClientInitGlobal: 0
23/09/2021 11:14:04.911 Fitbit Connect[3880]: SCNetworkReachabilityCreateWithAddress[Pair] called with invalid address family 1

The second error entry strongly suggests to me that some essential service on your servers is missing or non-functional. See:

<https://developer.apple.com/documentation/systemconfiguration/1514895-scnetworkreachabilitycreatewit...>

I note in passing also that the URL for getting a Fitbit One up and running, www.fitbit.com/start/one, now 404s, so my suspicion is that your company has taken steps to deliberately obsolete and render non-functional either the One and/or Macintosh desktop support.

I look forward to further progress on this issue. I would not wish to feel forced to publicise it [oops]. Up till now I have been a very satisfied Fitbit customer, and I wish to continue using your products for the foreseeable future, as I consider them superior to the competition. Please do not disappoint me.

Steve

Thanks for letting us know about this issue. We're aware of it, but may not be able to provide a fix in the immediate future. We'll continue to monitor the situation, and keep our team informed of the impact to you and other customers. We understand that this isn't the resolution you're hoping for, but rest assured we're always working to improve our products.

We're sorry for any trouble. We appreciate your patience and look forward to getting you back on track.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Sincerely,

[Support Person] and the Fitbit Team

[PorkyBaker]

Thanks. I have reluctantly reverted to a Charge 2. It wildly over-estimates calorie burn and fails to register floors climbed correctly. I like the auto-display on wrist twist, but little else about it.

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I appreciate your respose, but find it a little hard to understand. Story is: my One got trashed, I bought another one, then discovered that I was unable to pair it with my account because Fitbit Connect had become non-functional.

Your theory about patents is interesting, but my evidence so far points to a dropping of software support for the One on Fitbit's servers.

Yes, it is awesome that I got six years out of an inexpensive device. Not only that, but there was no evidence of battery deterioration. That's why I bought another one.

I am sure we would all be grateful for eBay shopping tips, but I'm an old hand with eBay. In this instance I merely searched for a One and picked the best value.

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Apologies for duplicate postings. I haven't found my way around the weirdnesses of this forum software yet – nor how to link a reply to a posting.

[deeceehs37]

"I think a relevant question for anyone reading this is: is there anyone out there that still has Connect working on a Mac?"

Well, my almost complete answer is "Yes, but ..."

I have the latest version of Fitbit Connect working well for my Alta HR on a Mac Pro with High Sierra 10.13.6.

I would like to have the same setup working on my BFF's MacBook Pro with El Capitan 10.11.6 but alas, no JOY, and that's why I'm fiddling around in the Fitbit help forums. Ironically, FC was working on the 'Book at one time but apparently quit in one of the periodic hiccups that seem to just pop up.

Unhopefully, I cannot recreate the successful installation but, some way, some how it did happen once.

[PorkyBaker]

So basically it's gone flaky, which is my experience on Mavericks. It used to work, it now does not, no apparent reason.

[deeceehs37]

My takeaway from the many many Fitbit Community postings concerning the
lack of Mac *computer *connectivity is that Fitbit is out of interest
in it. And that's OK if it is part of the business plan. What is not OK
is that Fitbit still pretends the connectivity is viable when they know it
is not. That makes dishonesty a part of the business plan and that is not
OK.