Fenix 5 Plus - Wifi Broken - WIFI Software reporting 655.35

Hi,

Today i finally recieved my new Garmin Fenix 5+
I wanted to install Spotify and it told me it needed a software update. I updated to 6.00 using Express.
I was able to install the Spotify app, but the watch gives me a huge headache when trying to setup Wi-Fi.
Literally tried everything. Express, Connect. Automatic search does not find a single network (does not even list), a manually setup network freezes the watch (needs a hard reset then) when trying to connect.
I then had a look into the about dialog and it shows:

GPS: 2:30
WIFI: 655.35 (shouldn't that show 2.50; at least it said it updates to 2.50)
CIQ: 3.0.4
WHR: 20.03.32
ANT/BLE/BT: 3.20
Sensor Hub: 2.30

Does someone has any idea how I can fix this?

Pretty annoyed, as all of the 5 Garmin watches I had before worked flawlessly and this one was by far the most expensive one.

Thanks!

Top Replies

Garmin-Heath over 5 years ago in reply to nmyeti +3 verified

If anyone is having setting up their WIFI on any of their Garmin products, then they should use the troubleshooting steps in the Troubleshooting Wi-Fi Connection on Outdoor Products.

If you still having…

All Replies

0 Former Member over 5 years ago

Yep, the version number is encoded in 2 bytes and "FF FF" would be 655.35. Looks a bit like your WiFi firmware was erased but no new firmware was installed. Have you tried to reinstall the GUP2196.GCD from the latest beta package (put the file from the WiFi_v250 folder into the "GARMIN\RemoteSW" directory on your watch)?

0 kerthi88 over 5 years ago

Yes i tried that. I put the fle in there but it seems it's not picking it up.
I now tried to revert to 5.10 and reupdate to 6.00.
In 5.10 it shows Wifi 2.50 and wifi networks can be listed. As soon as i update to 6.00 it messes it up again.
I tried to revert again to 5.10 and it didn't fix it on second attempt. Updated to 6.00 again and still messed up (see attached picture).
Very, very frustrating as it's not clear how it is behaving...ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1432341.png

0 kerthi88 over 5 years ago

Found out that as soon as i hook up the watch to garmin express the gup2196.gcd is automatically placed into Garmin/RemoteSW. So it seems express realizes that something is missing. But it's never installed correctly.

0 bgrenda over 5 years ago in reply to kerthi88

I have exactly same symptoms as you (the difference is that I'm on 7.10 now, but the problem existed since 6.0). As you I have tried to put the GUP2196.GCD manually - but without success (so, after reboot the WiFi version stays 655.35. Also - spotted that once connected to Garmin Express the gup2196.gcd appears in GARMIN\RemoteSW - but does not seems to be installed.

Have you manage to resolve your issue? How?

0 AJRykala over 5 years ago

Possibly a silly thing - but you do have a 2.2Ghz wifi network not a 5Ghz one? I don't think the watch does 5ghz?

0 bgrenda over 5 years ago in reply to AJRykala

This is rather irrelevant, as the watch does not sees ANY network. I have checked it in multiple places, where my phone sees many, if not dozens.

0 nmyeti over 5 years ago

kerthi88 please contact Garmin Support. Garmin-Heath may be able to help. Chances are you'll need an exchange as i bet your wifi chip is dead. Support should take care of you

+1 Garmin-Heath over 5 years ago in reply to nmyeti

If anyone is having setting up their WIFI on any of their Garmin products, then they should use the troubleshooting steps in the Troubleshooting Wi-Fi Connection on Outdoor Products.

If you still having an issue, then please confirm you are using the correct password for your Wi-Fi. Garmin Express does not validate the Wi-fi credentials before sending them to the device. The wrong password is entered, and the Wi-Fi setup is completed, the device will not connect to the Wi-Fi network. If this could be the case for you or a friend, then follow these basic but crucial points:

Remember that all Wi-Fi passwords are case-sensitive
The Wi-Fi setup is easier to do via Express then the device (Keyboard!)
There is no shame in typing the password into Notepad and then copying and pasting it in the password box
Disconnecting and reconnecting via your phone/laptop to confirm the password is always a good way to confirm you remember the right password

If you are still having issues, then it is time to reach out to your local Garmin Support teams so that they can work with you directly.

0 bgrenda over 5 years ago in reply to Garmin-Heath

Garmin-Heath and nmyeti: I'm already in touch with Garmin support, but so far their advises were like "reinstall the software, reboot the watch". And indeed they asked now to send them watch - but I hesitate as I'm kind of addicted to it ;-) and I do not want to run without it for, possibly, weeks. And I'm quite convinced that problem is software in nature, not HW - so it can be resolved remotely. See the kerthi88 description - the issue goes away when downgraded below firmware 6.00. In my case - I noticed it some time after 6.00 was introduced, so most likely it was brought with 6.00 upgrade as well.

0 Garmin-Heath over 5 years ago in reply to bgrenda

That is good to know that backdating fixed it for someone, but I would really like to get my hands on a few of these devices for testing. bgrenda Product Support should be asking for your device but do your location it makes it bit more challenging. So if you want to try something to fix this, feel free to clean out/delete everything in your RemoteSW folder, empty your Trash if on a mac, then run Garmin Express while the device is plugin. That should remove any corrupted files that might have not installed correctly and load all the correct files to your device to fix the issue.

Everyone else, if you are in the US with me and you are experiencing this issue, Garmin would really like to bring your device in for testing.

This, of course, could be avoided and speed up if anyone can find a method for me to reproduce it here at my location. I have already updated the firmware via Wi-Fi and Express on a few devices and have not seen this '655.35' software version.

So if anyone can provide me the steps to recreate this issue and/or has a device with this issue in the US, please feel free to message me privately. After that point, I would be able to work with the engineers to find out what is causing this and also come up with a fix so it will stop happening too.