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Pairing Issues With Garmin ActiveCaptain® App

The following are a few examples of pairing issues with ActiveCaptain® and contain common troubleshooting for resolving issues with smart notifications, pairing/syncing and transferring data.


ActiveCaptain® App Isn't Receiving Smart Notifications

NOTE:
•  ECHOMAP chartplotters connected via the Garmin Marine Network will only display smart notifications on the Bluetooth paired device
•  ECHOMAP chartplotters connected wirelessly through Host / Client will share smart notifications
•  Emojis, images, and such will not be displayed

If ActiveCaptain is not displaying some or any notifications on a compatible fishfinder or chartplotter:

  1. Verify Compatibility

  2. Make Sure the Phone or Tablet is Charged

    • Most phones experience difficulty pairing when 20 percent or lower; while this can vary depending on phone model charging the smart device that is having difficulty pairing to rule out this as an issue is recommended.

  3. Ensure the Smart Device is Connected to the Chartplotter or Fishfinder

    Enable Smart Notifications on the Chartplotter or Fishfinder

    1. Initial Wi-Fi pairing of smart device to chartplotter or fishfinder must be completed prior to selecting to pair for smart notifications

    2. Enable Smart Notifications on the chartplotter or fishfinder

      1. open ActiveCaptain® on the Chartplotter or Fishfinder

      2. select Smart Notifcations

      3. select Enable

    3. Confirm the chartplotter or fishfinder shows Connected under the Smart Notifications

  4. Ensure Smart Notifications Permissions are Enabled

    • For iOS devices, select the smart device Settings app and select Notifications to adjust which apps can send notifications to the chartplotter or fishfinder

    • With Android devices within the ActiveCaptain® app select Sync with Plotter and under Smart Notifications select Settings and select which applications can send notifications to your chartplotter or fishfinder


ActiveCaptain® is Connected but Message Shows "Connected but no Internet"

Newer phones have a "connected without internet" notification that pops up after connecting to the chartplotter or fishfinder Wi-Fi network.  This is a normal connection message and the option to, "Stay Connected" needs to be selected, otherwise the cellphone after initial connection with unpair and disconnect.  If "Stay Connected" was not selected the option to select this message will only reappear if:

  • The network is forgotten from the Wi-Fi connections and the password re-entered

  • The network name is changed on the chartplotter or fishfinder and the mobile device is re-paired


"No Mobile Device Connected" with Mobile Device Connected or "Mobile Device Connected" but Transferring and Validating is Paused

NOTE: Make certain to allow permissions for all of the requested functions during initial setup of the ActiveCaptain App

  1. Turn Off any VPN connections

    • Within the smart device settings turn off any VPN connections

  2. Turn off Auto Reconnect to any other Local Wi-Fi Networks

    • The chartplotter or fishfinder Wi-Fi is not a full Wi-Fi connection.  The connection is used for data transferring from the smart device to the chartplotter or fishfinder.  Some smart devices see that they do not have a full connection and bounce back to an open Wi-Fi or local Wi-Fi, such as a home network, unless auto join is disabled on other Wi-Fi connections.

  3. Check for Updates to the ActiveCaptain® Mobile App

    • Using cellular data or a local Wi-Fi network check for updates to ActiveCaptain® app in either the Apple App Store or Android Play Store

      • open the Apple App Store or Android Play Store

      • type into the Search, ActiveCaptain and select to search

      • if the app says there is an update available, select to update

  4. Power Cycle the Smart Device

  5. Change the Name of the Chartplotter or Fishfinder Wi-Fi and Reconnect

    • open ActiveCaptain® on the chartplotter of fishfinder

    • select the  ... / Options / Menu

    • select Wi-Fi Setup

    • select Wi-Fi Network

    • select Change Name

      • Make sure the name is unique and not the same as any local Wi-Fi network

    • connect the smart device to the new network

    • re-open the ActiveCaptain® app on the smart device

  6. Reset the ActiveCaptain® App on Smart Device

    Note:
    • Do not reset the ActiveCaptain® app while paired to the chartplotter or fishfinder Wi-Fi network
    • Make certain to allow permissions for all of the requested functions when logging in to the ActiveCaptain® App

    • open ActiveCaptain® on the smart device

    • select Settings

    • scroll down and select Reset App

    • under "Are you sure" select Reset App
      Resetting the app clears out user data, downloaded content and logs you out.

      • Either export user data to backup prior to resetting the app or resync to a chartplotter or fishfinder that has the user data stored to place user data back onto the smart device after resetting

      • Chart content that is owned or with an Active subscription can be re-downloaded after logging back into the ActiveCaptain® app

    • close the app completely

    • open and log back into the ActiveCaptain® app with the email address your devices are registered under

      • make sure all permissions are accepted and enabled 

  7. Create a New ActiveCaptain® Card

  8. Reset the Chartplotter or Fishfinder

    • remove any microSD cards

    • disconnect any Garmin Marine Network cables and NMEA 2000 cable from back of chartplotter(s)

    • Reset Default Settings

      • for steps to access from previous models of chartplotters refer to the Owner's Manual

      • from home select ... / Options > Settings / Settings Gear Icon Echomap UHD2 > System Information > Reset Default Settings


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