Why Won’t My GE CYNC Smart Light Switch Connect?

By Benny Kounlavouth,

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GE has been one of the top names in lighting for decades, and they are staying in the game by using the new and exciting technology that has saturated the market and calling their new line CYNC. These smart home light switches are pretty impressive, but none of their exciting features can be enjoyed if they’re not working! So let’s answer your question: Why won’t my GE CYNC smart light switch connect?

The top three most likely reasons why your GE CYNC smart light switch won’t connect are:

You did not follow the connection instructions for connection properly.
Your WiFi is running off 5G Hz instead of 2.4 GHz.
Your WiFi isn’t strong enough or is facing interference.

The good news is, each of these problems is fairly easy to fix. We are about to go through each and every solution right now so that by the end of this article, you will not only be a GE CYNC smart light switch connection expert, you will most likely have solved the problem yourself!

How to Find Out Why GE CYNC Smart Light Switch Won’t Connect

The truth is, it’s almost impossible to find out why your GE CYNC smart light switch won’t connect before trying one of the tactics to solve the problem. So, we are going to step through the instructions for each possible problem from the easiest to the most complicated to get your light switch connected.

As you now know, there are three likely reasons why it’s not connecting:

You did not follow the connection instructions for connection properly.
Your WiFi is running off 5G Hz instead of 2.4 GHz.
Your WiFi isn’t strong enough or is facing interference.

Now let’s learn how to fix each one!

Properly Following the Connection Instructions

It may sound simple, but your problem may just be that you did not follow the connection instructions properly. If that is the case, your GE CYNC smart light switch will be connected in the next few moments, but before you read the directions, you need to decide whether you want to control your lights with the CYNC app or your Google Home app. Both work in the same way but have slightly different instructions.

Directions for CYNC App

Open the CYNC app.
If you have not already created a profile, do so now. If you have, just sign in with your email and password.
Select ADD DEVICES.
Click on your Smart Switch Lights.
Follow the prompts to connect them to the app.

It’s important to note that when using either app, the CYNC or Google option, your smartphone needs to be connected to your home wireless network in order to pair with the lights themselves.

Using Google Home

Directions for Google Home App

Open the Google Home app.
In the top left corner select the “+” icon.
Select SET UP DEVICE.
Click NEW DEVICE.
Follow the prompts to connect the lights to the app.

Whichever method you chose, your GE CYNC smart light switches should now be properly connected to your smartphone and therefore your home wireless network as well.

If that did not fix the problem, don’t worry! There are two more solutions to try.

WiFi is Running on 5 G Hz

In case you’re not a tech genius, here’s what you need to know about your WiFi bandwidth. Most smart home devices, including GE’s CYNC smart light switches, can only run on 2.4 GHZ, not 5 GHz. The reason is that the 2.4 bandwidth covers a larger area and is less affected by interference.

While the 5 GHz can provide faster service, it only works for devices that are within extremely close proximity.

To change the bandwidth on your router to ensure it’s running on the necessary 2.4 GHz network, you will need to use a smart device such as a tablet, smartphone, or laptop with a web browser option, then follow the directions listed here.

Find the router’s IP address (example: 192.168.1.1) on the device.
Enter the IP address into the web browser’s URL search section.
Enter the login details which can also be found on the router next to the IP address.
A configuration page will appear where you can easily change the bandwidth.

That’s all there is to it! But remember, in order for this solution to work, your smart device needs to be connected to the same network you are trying to adjust.

Your WiFi Isn’t Strong Enough

The final problem you may be encountering is the most difficult to fix as it may mean that you need to purchase a WiFi repeater to extend and strengthen your router or you might simply have to reach out to your internet service provider and purchase a stronger package.

Before you spend more money, you can try to solve the problem yourself by ensuring that the router is within thirty feet of the GE CYNC smart light switches and that there is no obvious interference such as adobe or cement walls between the two.