Since their invention, smart plugs have revolutionized the way we live. We don’t have to be Tony Stark or Elon Musk to have automated homes because now, all we need is a small adaptor and a decent Wi-Fi connection to have control over all of our home appliances.
A smart plug may stop responding to Google Home due to a disruption in your Wi-Fi connection, a power outage, a faulty electrical wall outlet, or an unstable connection with the device’s control app. It’s also possible that the appliance got turned off and you forgot to turn it back on.
In this article, I’ll discuss why your smart plug may not be responding and what you can do to fix and prevent this issue in the future. Keep reading to find out how you can get your smart plug up and running in no time.
Why Your Smart Plug Isn’t Responding
Imagine being at work and remembering you forgot to turn off the coffee maker. No big deal! You have a smart plug. So, you get on your app to turn it off, but much to your annoyance, you’re not getting a response from your smart plug. Now images of your house burning down flash through your mind.
We don’t realize how much we rely on smart plugs until they stop responding. Every “smart home” owner should have a basic knowledge of how to go about fixing such a problem. However, before we can get to that, let’s talk about why your smart plug isn’t responding in the first place. To treat the problem, we first have to diagnose it.
Here are some reasons your smart plug may not be working.
You Switched Off Your Appliance
Your appliance may have been turned off by accident. Your appliance should always be switched “on” in order for a smart plug to work. It’s the smart plug that controls the flow of current from your electrical outlet to your appliance. So, turning your smart plug on won’t do any good if your appliance has been switched off.
Your Wi-Fi Connection Was Interrupted
An unresponsive smart plug could quite possibly be due to an interruption to the Wi-Fi connection. Wi-Fi enables you to interact with your smart plug. Without it, your smart plug is just another adaptor plugged into a wall. A reliable internet connection is needed to go “smart” with your home.
There’s Been a Power Outage
If there’s been a power outage in your neighborhood, it has likely disabled both your Wi-Fi and your smart plug in one fell swoop. Until power comes back on, there’s no way for you to get back online with your smart plug.
Your Electrical Outlet Is Faulty
A faulty electrical outlet may be the culprit in some instances when your smart plug is unresponsive. A defective outlet simply means there is no power being supplied to your smart plug, which would render it unable to control the appliance that is plugged into it.
You can confirm this issue by plugging your smart plug into a different outlet. If your smart plug powers up in another outlet, then the first outlet was the problem, in which case you’ll need to get it fixed.
Your Smart Plug’s Firmware Is Outdated
Like any smart device, the firmware of smart plugs can become outdated. While smart plugs often automatically update themselves, they may run into bugs that prevent them from completing these updates. It is also possible that the malfunction is in the control app.
If you’re just getting started with plans to automate your home, you may be interested in learning about other smart devices. Click here for additional reading into the world of home automation.
5 Fixes for Your Unresponsive Smart Plug
Luckily, most of the underlying causes of unresponsive smart plugs can be quickly addressed at little to no cost (without poring over your device’s manual). Here are some quick fixes that will get your smart plug back online as soon as possible:
- Make sure your outlet is receiving power.
- Keep your appliance on.
- Turn your device off, then on.
- Try updating your control app.
- Do a factory reset.
1. Make Sure Your Outlet Is Receiving Power
Your main switch may have been turned off, cutting off power sourced to your electrical outlets. A quick peek at your main switch could confirm this. If the switch is turned on, a faulty electrical outlet may be your problem. In that case, you’ll need to address the faulty outlet before you can use it to power your smart device.
2. Keep Your Appliance On
As previously mentioned, turning off your appliance renders the smart plug useless. Make sure your appliance is switched on before leaving the house. You don’t have to be concerned about your devices being left on because that’s what your smart plug is for. You can control when your appliance powers on or off through your smart plug.
3. Turn Your Device Off, Then On
The off-and-on trick, a descendant of the old slap-your-TV-to-get-clearer-reception, works. Most of the time, anyway. Turning your device off and then on serves as a soft reset that refreshes the connection between your control app and your smart plug. Sometimes that’s all you need to do to get everything back in order.
4. Try Updating Your Control App
Sometimes the problem isn’t with the smart plug itself but with the control app. As it is with any app, bugs may arise and cause glitches. The app may need an update. You are usually alerted of these new updates, so be sure to get rid of any potential updating issues early on.
5. Do a Factory Reset
The mention of a factory reset is enough to make any smart home owner groan. Factory resets mean you’ll have to set everything up all over again. That can be a pain in the neck, but sometimes it’s the fix your smart plug needs to get back to working normally.
Conclusion
Smart plugs are an affordable way to automate and optimize your home. Having a smart plug could mean the difference between stumbling into a dark house or pulling up to the welcoming sight of a well-lit front porch after a long day at work. What makes your life even easier than having a smart plug? Knowing how to fix it when it becomes unresponsive.
