Charge 2 ships without dongle

[evet]

Why does the Charge 2 not ship with a dongle? Does the Charge 2 not need one or do I use the dongle from another Fitbit device? Or does a dongle have to be purchased separately?

[Brin1956]

If you complain loud enough they will send you a dongle.  Or you can buy a cheap one off of ebay or Amazon.  Don't tell support or they will tell you those dongles will not work well with this watch. $25 for theirs. Please beware that this watch will not track your steps accurately.  I have to try and connect my watch to my computer again as it will not stay connected.  Nothing can make this watch count your steps right.  It will not count steps if you are holding anything, pushing anything or not doing more than 4-5 steps.  So if you are thinking of returning it get to it.  Mine tells time.  Expensive time piece.

[Alex1113]

RE: "They can be synced with any computer that has Bluetooth."

Meh...sort of  a half truth...My Windows 10 PC has bluetooth but my new Charge 2 will not sync with it. Because apparently my PC doesn't have "the right kind" of bluetooth. The computer has to have a version of bluetooth where the hardware is compatible with v4 LE. Mine doesn't apparently. So now, even though my PC has bluetooth that I use successfully just fine with other devices, I have to go out and buy a dongle anyway. Needless to say this displeases me. It should really just ship with 1...Stupid that I paid $150 for this thing and it doesn't even work unless I buy yet another part.

[Brin1956]

The company shipped me one for free.  If you end up buying one they are cheaper on Amazon or Ebay.  I had to wait 6 weeks for mine from Fitbit.

[Alida123]

For some reason Fitbit decided people don't use older operation systems like win 7 or have computers etc without Bluetooth.

Very frustrating.  IMO the decision makers should be fired.

These Fitbit devices are neat but the software and support is some of the worst ever seen.

[Twaku]

Hey, are you bases in SA?

[NinjaFlyer]

Bluetooth sync is buggy on MacOS 10.12.4 and the computer cannot see the Bluetooth device listed even when SYNC does work. Not sure what the issue is. Fitbit Charge 2 is charged and a few inches from the computer my success rate is 7 syncs from 18 attempts... not so great. I am not using an external dongle and no other Fitbit devices are nearby. I have the latest version of Fitbit Connect installed. Any suggestions?

[Rich_Laue]

If your havimg problems with MFP, this is not related to the Charge 2, I would suggest going to the Third Party App foum at https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Third-Party-Integrations/bd-p/other-apps

You will see 5 solved threads in this subject. There is something in these threads that will get the link working.

[NinjaFlyer]

Why do we need to pay extra for a fundamental component required to make the device work as advertised??? This is basically an expensive digital watch without sync. Sounds like a scam to me.

[Rich_Laue]

@NinjaFlyer please see @Brin1956's post above, maybe if you ask you wont need to purchase.

[Brin1956]

If you can not get a free dongle do not buy it from them.  Ebay and Amazon both sell it cheaper and yes it will work with your device just as well.  The waiting period is just about the same too.

[Rachel23]

Why in the world would any fitbit be sold without the needed dongle?  I bought two Charge 2s for my in-laws who live abroad.  As I sat down to set it up for them, found that they need a laptop to set up and that even set up instructions were online..the salesman assured me that by buying the charge2 with a display would not need to sync to a laptop, just a smartphone.  Already frustrated, I then searched for ten minutes in my box for a dongle only to find online later that there is no dongle.  Even if this thing syncs to bluetooth laptops, what makes you think everyone has them??  Now, I have to return back home, buy a dongle, and wait 'til my next trip abroad to set  these fitbits up for them?!  What a waste of $500!  Clearly label your boxes so that people can buy the needed items.  I was disappointed with my own fitbit purchase as I have to keep resetting my fitbit as it often fails to sync.  I still thought spending more on my in-laws and getting them an upgraded version for the sake of their health was a worthwhile investment.  Now I'm leaving without giving them their gifts, out nearly $500, and frustrated as ever.  Not cool at at all fitbit...my company uses your products for our employee health initiatives and this feedback is going to go back to our leadership team.  

[Brin1956]

Rachel 23  are you able to get one off of Amazon or ebay mailed to you?  Would it get there in time for you to program them without making another trip?

[Brin1956]

I did request a free dongle from the company and got it.  Even with bluetooth my computer would not sync and I'm not the only one.  Any computer seems to need a dongle.

[daleelad]

Yes but why have it in the set-up and you can't move off the screen?  

[Rich_Laue]

So contact.fitbit.com and ask them what you should do, r3mind thrm that because you have an older computer, or that your not running Win10 or MAC that you need a dongle.

[rmtw]

Just received my charge 2. Started start up instructions on line. Instructions state to connect a dongle, but none included in package. Luckily had one from previous broken fitbit.  Subsequently found out by going through the forum that connection can be by bluetooth.  But if that is the case, why do on-line instructions state to use a dongle. For a first time buyer, this could be totally confusing!  My earlier fitbit was a nightmare to set up with the most awful instructions. I had hoped that with newer models that Fitbit might have tried to make instructions totally foolproof!  Just hope Charge 2 has better life than earlier model - first one came to pieces when a year old. Fitbit sent a replacement but that fell to pieces after 6 months!  Only bought again because find it very good for monitoring fitness

[Rich_Laue]

Not sure which online instructions your refferring to? Or which operating system you are using?

The last 5+ lines of your post are simply there as a diversion and to add confusion. 

[Badamache]

The reply that most modern laptops have blue tooth is OK EXCEPT:

1. The setup instruction don't mention using a laptop with Bluetooth, so I still wasted looking for a dongle.

2. There is no info on how to get a dongle if you don't have a Bluetooth laptop.

[Rich_Laue]

Fitbit has an online store, and over the last fie pages it has been mentioned more than once to reach out and contact Fitbit. Contact info may be found in the top right of this page, or under help in the app. Also if you have had a fitbit in the past the same dongle will work, and many have found out tyat thrir pc wa already setup before they pulled their dongle out.

On MACs and Win 10 the dongle might not be needed.

[Mintz]

my iMac is not 12 months old and has Blue Tooth.  The Charge 2 will not communicate with my computer unless I use a Dongle.   Why not?