How to Fix Firestick ‘Connected with Problems’ Error in 2024

by
Frederik Lipfert
Dr. Frederik Lipfert Founder, vpncheck
Updated on 30 Dec 2021

Firestick Connected with Problems

First of all, you should know what we mean by ‘Firestick Connected with Problems’. Basically these are the errors that appear when your Firestick is not getting the required signal strength. It may be a problem with your router or modem, something with the wiring or interference with the signals, which is an ordinary phenomenon. 

If you want to solve this problem, you have come to the right place. Here, we will lay out the step-by-step instructions on how you can solve this type of issue.

Inspecting the Signal Strength on Firestick

Checking the Wi-Fi strength on your Firestick is the first step. It can help you trace the origin of the problem. To check the Wi-Fi strength follow these steps :

  • Go to the Settings of your Firestick.
  • Then, select the ‘Network’ option.
  • Firestick settings Network highlightedConnect to a Wi-Fi network and on the network chosen press the button indicated on the image below to check the network status.Firestick WI-Fi network screen showing Press button to check network status
  • A pop-up will appear with the details of your network, including the signal strength.Firestick WI-Fi network status screen
  • The signal strength may range from ‘Poor’ to ‘Very Good’.
  • If the Firestick is not showing at least ‘Good’ signal strength, you should double check your set up.

In that case, follow these instructions to solve the issue:

  • If your Firestick is far from the router/modem you may want to move it closer so you can get a stronger signal. If there are any technical issues, like cable length, on moving  the device, you can always call your ISP to move the installation to a better position.
  • If many devices are connected to the same router, the network speed can be considerably slowed down. We would recommend cutting down on the number of devices connected to your router, since apps running in the background often use the internet.
  • You can always reboot the router. Rebooting the router clears its cache data and, if there are updates available, they will be installed.
  • If your router is placed deep into your house or in a corner try and move it out a bit. Any physical obstruction between the devices communicating wirelessly can interfere with the signals, thus reducing the connection speed. Moving the router to an open space, minimizing the number of obstructions between connected devices, can help you solve the issue.
  • Keep your router away from other electronic devices. The electromagnetic waves from other devices can interfere with the router’s signals, reducing the speed.

Facing Problems Even After a ‘Very Good’ Signal Strength?

If the signal strength is ‘Very Good’, but you still have the error, the problem is probably not with the connection but the Firestick itself. In that case follow the instructions below.

Have You Tried Restarting the Firestick?

Restarting the Firestick is a basic step. By doing this, you will be refreshing all of its data. If you have installed a lot of apps, the limited RAM memory of your Firestick may fill up, resulting in reduced performance. When you restart the device, all of its connections and apps get refreshed, which helps to get rid of junk data occupying memory.

  • Go to the home screen then settings.
  • There, select ‘My Fire TV’.Amazon Firestick Settings menu with My Fire TV highlighted
  • Look for the ‘Restart’ option and click on it.My Fire TV menu
  • Click on it again to move ahead.My Fire TV menu Restart highlighted 
  • A pop-up will appear to confirm you want to restart your Firestick. Press restart to confirm.Confirm Restart Prompt
  • After rebooting the device, reconnect the Wi-Fi. 

To disconnect and reconnect to your Wi-Fi, follow the following steps:

  • Go to  your Firestick’s home screen and then Settings > NetworksFirestick settings Network highlighted
  • Select the connected Wi-Fi and press the menu button (three small lines) on your remote to forget the Wi-Fi.Firestick WI-Fi network screen showing Press button to forget this network
  • Press the enter or ok button on the remote to disconnect.
  • Select your Wi-Fi again and enter the password to reconnect.

(If you have multiple Wi-Fi connections at home, select the most powerful one or the one closer to the Firestick and connect to it.)

Do You Use VPN on Your Firestick?

If you use a Firestick VPN, it comes with a function that disconnects your Firestick from the internet if you ever accidentally disconnect from the VPN. That’s to ensure your privacy protection. In such cases what you need to do is, go to the VPN app and reconnect it. That should solve the problem.

VPN Protocol

VPN protocols are the conditions according to which the VPN selects the network. The VPN protocol is usually at default settings which, in most cases, are the best options. But if the protocols have been changed, here is how you can get it back to the default settings.

  • Open your VPN app.
  • On the home screen select the three-line button.
  • On the menu that appears, select settings.
  • Select ‘VPN Protocols’.
  • Then the ‘Automatic’ protocol. That is the default protocol.

Resetting the Firestick

Resetting Firestick means deleting everything on your Firestick, whether it be data, apps, or settings, it is just like starting from scratch. This is a last resort solution, as downloading all the apps and reconfiguring all your settings may be quite the handful. But that usually does solve any problem coming from your device. To reset the Firestick follow these steps:

  • Go to the home screen of your Firestick and then settings.
  • Look for the ‘My Fire TV’ option in settings and select it.Amazon Firestick Settings menu with My Fire TV highlighted
  • Look for the ‘Reset to Factory Defaults’ option and press it.My Fire TV menu highlighting the option Reset to Factory Defaults with a dialogue indicating to Remove all personal data and downloaded content from your Amazon Fire TV Cube
  • A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation. Select ‘Reset’ to confirm, and your Firestick will reboot.Firestick Reset to factory default

Conclusion

These instructions will help you solve most of the problems with your Signal or related errors. If after these steps you still can’t solve the problem, you should contact your ISP as the issue can be with the network and not the Firestick.