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Wi-Fi Pairing Workflow

All Lightform devices are designed to be used over Wi-Fi freeing up users from having to carry and attach HDMI cables. Pairing over Wi-Fi is one of the first steps in setting up your Lightform device and has to be done every time you are in a new location or using a new Wi-Fi network. This Lightform Guide article takes you through the steps to pair your device.

Notice for LF2 and LF2+ users (only):

  • A firmware update is required to correct potential fire risk and device damage. Please complete the update procedure to safely update your device to the latest firmware version (2.4.1), and do not otherwise use the device until you perform a firmware update. See more about this issue here.

Before You Begin

Important

Do not skip this section. The most common issues users have when pairing can be avoided by ensuring you are meeting the specifications documented below: 

  1. You are on using a supported network (captive portal networks are unsupported)
  2. If you are on a Windows machine, you have changed your firewall settings
  3. Your device is in pairing mode

  • Are you on a supported Wi-Fi network?

    Please make sure you are using a supported network type. If you are unable to meet these Wi-Fi requirements, you will need to connect your Lightform device to your router via an Ethernet cable or take the device somewhere with a supported Wi-Fi network to get started.

    Supported Network Types

    • 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks*
    • WPA/WPA2 Personal networks, WEP, Unsecured

      *On LF1, 5GHz is not supported (must use 2.4GHz)

     

    Unsupported Network Types

    • Captive Portal: Networks like you find at airports, hotels, coffee shops, or corporate/university networks that use 802.11x i.e. "xfinitywifi". On these networks, you are asked to sign in on a web page, before you can connect.
    • WPA/WPA2 Enterprise: WPA/WPA 2 Enterprise networks are specifically designed for use in organizations. Usually, enterprise networks require users to have their own credentials that are assigned by an authentification server.

     

  • Are you on a Windows computer?

    Before you can pair your device to Wi-Fi, you need to change your Firewall settings to get started. To do this follow the instructions on this page.

  • Do you need to enable Pairing Mode?                                                                                            New devices that have never been switched on are automatically in Pairing Mode. If your Lightform device has been used before, follow the steps on this page to put it in Pairing Mode.

Instructions

 

Setting up an LFC?

The video above shows the process using an LF2, however, unlike the LF2, the LFC Kit will not show a test card until you have updated the firmware. If you are not seeing a test card when setting up your LFC Kit, this is expected behavior.

Use the Lightform Creator software to set up your Lightform device

  1. Turn on your Lightform device.
  2. Open Lightform Creator and click New Project when the application starts up.
  3. Give your project a name and make sure the box that says Perform New Scan to Initialize Project is checked.
    1_wifiPairing_1x.png

  4. Click Pair Devicepair_device_.jpg
  5. Click on the icon of the device you are pairing (LF1 or LF2 or LFC Kit) and follow the prompts to advance to the next page.Screen_Shot_2021-01-15_at_3.50.38_PM.png
  6. Go to your computer's available Wi-Fi networks list and change your Wi-Fi network to the Lightform device's network Wi-Fi network (i.e., Lightform Ancient Jackal). The password is lightform.
    lf2_wifi1.png
    Please Note:
    - It can take up to 3 minutes for the device to appear in the Wi-Fi list
    - You will temporarily lose internet connection
  7. In a few seconds, a list of Wi-Fi networks will appear in Lightform Creator.
    - Select your network
    - Enter your password
    - Press "Pair"
    lf2_wifi2.png
  8. On your computer, re-join the wi-fi network that you paired the Lightform Device to.
    lf2_wifi3.png
  9. Follow the prompts in Lightform Creator and within a few minutes, it should indicate that the device has successfully paired to your network.

 

Confirm you are connected

  1. Once you are connected to Wi-Fi, your test card will indicate that it is connected and give you information about which network you are connected to. test_card_real_example.jpeg
  2. If you are connected to a network that you plan on using often, you will not need to re-pair your device each time you open Lightform Creator. 
    1. Turn on your device, see what network it is connected to on the test card, and make sure your computer is also on that network before opening Lightform Creator -- this will ensure that your device comes up to connect to. 
  3. You can also find this information on the control page in Lightform Creator. 

mceclip0.png

Troubleshooting

If you are having trouble pairing your Lightform device please fill out our pairing wizard survey so a member from our support team can help or check out common issues below. 

How do I forget a paired network?

Once you pair your Lightform device to a Wi-Fi network, it will remember the network and automatically join the network when in range. If you do not want the device to rejoin a saved network, you can remove the network from the device's saved networks list In Creator.

To forget a paired network:

  1. Navigate to the Control Page. Your device’s properties are displayed here
  2. Enable "Labs" features by checking "Enable Labs" in the Help menu
  3. Find the Saved networks property box, where you will be able to remove any saved networks from the Lightform device
  4. Right-click on the network you would like to forget. Click the Remove network '[network name]' option. The device will forget about the network and you will have to re-pair your device to that network

    2020-01-07_14-13-32.png

The Lightform device does not show up in available Wi-Fi networks

  • Move the Lightform device close to the router
  • If you've connected your device to this network before, it will no longer appear in the list of available devices. Check the test card that is displayed from your projector to ensure it is not already connected to a known network.
  • Make sure you are attempting to pair your device on a supported network (Lightform products will not work on Captive Portal or WPA/WPA2 Enterprise networks).
  • Restart both your Lightform device and Lightform Creator

 

My regular network does not show up in Lightform Creator

  • Confirm you are using a supported network
  • If using a mobile hotspot, verify that the hotspot page is open when the Lightform device reboots / goes into pairing mode
  • Restart both your Lightform device and Lightform Creator
  • Manually enter the device network name/password in Creator by checking the "Enter Network Details Manually" box

 

I am stuck on the 'Connect to Lightform Device' page

  • If you are on a Windows computer, it is likely that there is a firewall blocking your computer from seeing the Lightform device's network and you need to change your Firewall settings. To do this:
    • Close Creator
    • Fix firewall settings by following instructions on this page
    • Re-open Creator and attempt to pair again

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