Rachio 3 WiFi Troubleshooting: Quadrant 2 Flashing Yellow

Last Update:Jan 3 2023 4:24pm • Est. Read Time:Est. Read Time: 3 MIN


You may have a new router or wi-fi network and now your controller is stuck on the light 2 flashing yellow. Are you a new owner? Have you tried to update the Wi-fi but it never passes the second light? This article is for you.


Our team has identified an issue with older Rachio 3 controllers connecting to home networks with newer iOS and Samsung Android phones and tablets. Controllers with a manufacture date that is at least June 2020 are not affected. This only impacts older controllers that have never been connected to WiFi, or went through a factory reset.


Depending on your phone's settings and Wi-Fi chip model, it may cause the controller to continue flashing yellow on the second quadrant instead of continuing the process.


The good news is that the issue has been resolved through a firmware update on the Rachio 3. However, the controller has to connect online in order to receive the firmware update. There is some troubleshooting below. First, we'll start with the quickest solution. Next, we have some in-depth troubleshooting to get you connected with Mac or Windows 10 computer.


Quickest Resolution

The quickest way to resolve this issue is to use an older model smartphone/tablet (released before early 2019). iPads work great for this! Once you have connected to WiFi with this phone, the controller will receive the latest firmware update and you will not experience further issues connecting online.

Using a laptop

Note: The Serial Number, SSID, and password are case sensitive, let's make sure we don't have any incorrect typos. Also, in case you have a VPN service please make sure to turn it off, during this process.

If you’ve got a Mac


Note: Please review the video guide below. Make sure your Rachio controller is showing the orange second quadrant blinking. Open up the WiFi settings on your Mac and you should see your Rachio-XXXXXX listed under the networks. Click on your Rachio and a new window will pop up asking you what network you’d like to add the Rachio to. Click next once you’ve selected your network and it should get your controller online.


If you’ve got a Windows 10 PC


Note: Please review the video guide below. At the bottom of this page is a link to download a file titled Rachio Connect.bat. Please download this file and double click to open it. Make sure your Rachio controller is showing the orange second quadrant blinking. Follow the instructions in the video to connect your controller


If you’ve got a Linux PC


At the bottom of this page is a download link titled rachio_linux_connect.sh. This is a bash script that you can run to connect your Rachio 3 to WiFi using your Linux computer. 

Rachio Connect.bat - Windows PC

rachio_linux_connect.sh - Linux OS


Installing for the first time?


At the end of the connection process, the controller will go online automatically. However, if you are installing for the first time, the controller will keep flashing on the 4th quadrant like the image below:


But don't worry! Just reach out to our Support Team via the form below and we'll help facilitate your connection.

Submit a Support Ticket

Do you still need help?


We have a chat support team ready to assist you! You can submit a support request by selecting the chat icon in the bottom right of this page and a member of the support team will contact you live.


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