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Fenix 6x Pro connectivity issues: Express, Connect, Wi-Fi

muydelpalo
3 months ago

Hi! I recently bought a second hand fenix 6X Pro which, according to the previous owner, was aorking flawlessly and had recently gotten a software update to version 27.00 via Garmin Express.

I have been using it for almost 3 weeks now and the watch works correctly. I have been able to track and sync my activities: running, HIIT, golf... However, I am finding several connectivity issues that may or may not be related:

  1. The watch is note detected by my PC or Garmin Express. I have tried different cables and 3 different PCs with no luck; also reinstalling Connect making sure all files get deleted. All I have been able to achieve is force mount it by connecting ir when off and pressing START for a long period, then Garmin Express is able to find the watch, but as soon as I release START button the connection is lost. Browsing through the forums I found I may need to install some Windows optional features (Media Feature Pack and MSIX Packaging Tool). I have done so, but the issue persists. By the same foums indications I am able to see that Device Manager somehow sees the watch, but it seems the driver is unrecognized. I have tried to update it, but the dialog says it is up to date. After trying to connect to my PC I have to force restart the watch.

  1. When I am trying to connect the watch to my PC the USB connection face shows on the watch and it is charging. Often, the battery level is around 90%, almost 20-21 days. However, the next morning the battery is fully drained. I have found this issue three times now.
  2. The watch can't find any Wi-Fi network. I have tried manually adding it to Garmin Connect, but it stil doesn't work. When trying from the watch itself, it gets stuck looking for networks and I have to wait a lot for the watch to unfreeze or force restart it. 
  3. After doing an activity Garmin Connect can't find my watch. I have to force restart it for my phone to detect the watch and sync the activity

Despite these issues, the watch works fine. Any idea on how to address them? I am currently using my Surface with Windows 11 Pro 24H2

  • 0 3 months ago

    Hi , for me exactly the same issue. Initially thought it was a hardware issue but when i read some many people having the same problems it looks much more a software problem. Contacted the GARMIN support but no solution. The inital support contact i had in the US told me something was wrong with the WIFI version of my watch. He told me to contact local support but when I did they asked me to do all things i told them I had done already (soft/hard reset). No solution until now and feels like out of options and a expensive watch only after 3 years ready for the scrap.

  • +1 3 months ago in reply to 9289278

    Hello. I am sorry to hear you are having this issue. For this, I would recommend trying the following steps.

    • Ensure all of your Sw is up to date for the watch, Garmin Express, and Connect app. 
    • Next, I would recommend seeing if the wireless version is correct in the watch menu. Menu, System, About, Scroll down. Ensure this is showing the wireless version. If this is listed as 0.00, this is missing and is the likely cause. 
    • If the Computer is not seeing the watch, be sure the contacts on the back of the watch and cable are clean. You can use rubbing alcohol for this. 
    • You can also try another cable. 
    • Here are some steps to try is Garmin Express is not seeing the watch: 
    • If the watch is not pairing with the phone, I would recommend trying these steps in order: 
    1. Uninstall the Connect Mobile app
    2. Clear the phone cache and history
    3. Ensure the watch does not appear in the phone's Bluetooth menu. If it is, please remove the device
    4. Powercycle the watch and phone. To do this, hold the Light button until this shuts off. Then power on again
    5. Reinstall the Connect Mobile app
    6. Try the pairing again ( Be sure there are no other Bluetooth enabled device nearby)
    1. Ensure the watch is powered off.
      • You may need to hold LIGHTfor up to 30 seconds to turn the watch off.
    2. Press and hold BACK and START/STOP.
    3. Press LIGHT to power the watch on while holding these two buttons.
    4. After the first beep release START/STOP.
    5. After the second beep release the remaining button.

    If this continues, I would recommend contacting Garmin Product Support. 

  • 0 3 months ago in reply to Garmin-Laurie

    Hi Laurie! Thank you for your response. I've tried all of the above:

    All software is up to date, and the wifi is showing the wireless version

    • Watch software v 27.00 (6a5363d) , Wi-Fi 655.35
    • Garmin Express v 7.24.0.0 (db94190d)
    • Garmin Connect v 5.9.1

    Neither Garmin Express nor the computer are seeing the watch. I've tried all the steps in both links with no success. Additionally, my computer does not have the option to disable USB selective suspend. There are no USB settings in the power options menu. All I have been able to achieve is force mount the watch but Garmin Express only sees the watch for a few seconds, then it unmounts. According to Garmin Express, there are 5 available updates, all of them are maps: 3 CourseView, TopoActive Europe and Ski Map.

    I have noticed that, after an activity, the watch was not pairing with Garmin Connect but, if I close the app and open it again the phone pairs with the watch and the activity is synced, so at leats this is working fine.

    I have followed the steps to set up Wi-Fi using Garmin Connect app but the watch just doesn't find the Wi-Fi network, even though my phone is connected to the network. I have checked parental control is disabled and my router has both 2,4 Ghz and 5 Ghz enabled.

    I have followed the steps and managed to do a factory reset. However, after the factory reset I am having the same issues with Wi-Fi and Garmin Express.

    When I rubbed the contacts on the back with alcohol I noticed the second one is not a sphere, it seems to be missing a small piece. I don't know if this is how it is supposed to be. However, I can charge the battery with my cable so I guess maybe this is not it.

    After trying several times everything there is, I haven´t been able to solve the issues. Can you please tell me how to contact Garmin Product Support?

  • 0 3 months ago in reply to muydelpalo
    muydelpalo said:
    Can you please tell me how to contact Garmin Product Support?

    You can links to Call, Chat or Email Garmin Support at the bottom of the page with this link: https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?productID=641530&tab=topics

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to Garmin-Laurie

    Soooooo, is there a firmware fix for this Wifi issue?? Maybe someone in Development could check the last known driver version that allowed the wifi to work correctly and reverse engineer from there?? Or at the very least, provide said older WiFi driver so we can downgrade to get the Wifi to work the way it's supposed to again... 

    It's amazing that you can have a $750+ watch and have absolutely abysmal support for software issues..