Garmin Marine Wi-Fi Troubleshooting

If a Garmin marine device's Wi-Fi network cannot connect to a smart device (cell phone or tablet), intermittently loses connection, or if the device unexpectedly reboots while connected, try the troubleshooting steps below:

Forget the Wi-Fi network on the mobile device

• iOS devices: 

1. • From the home screen, select Settings > Wi-Fi > tap the circled "i" to the right of the chartplotter Wi-Fi Network > tap Forget This Network

• Android devices:

• • From the home screen, select Settings > Network and Internet > tap Wi-Fi > tap the setting button to the right of the Garmin Chartplotter Wi-Fi Network > tap the trashcan icon labeled "Forget" 

Turn Wi-Fi off on both the chartplotter and mobile smart device

• GPSMAP® chartplotters: Select Options > Settings > Communications > Wi-Fi Network > Off

• ECHOMAP™ chartplotters: Select Settings > Communications > Wireless Devices > Wi-Fi Network > Wi-Fi > Off 

• STRIKER™ fishfinders: Select ActiveCaptain®  > Wi-Fi Network > Off

Next, follow these steps:

1. Close any applications and pages running in the background of the smart device. Consult the mobile device's owner's manual for instructions

2. Re-enable Wi-Fi

3. Attempt to pair. See the Related Content below for pairing instructions

If the steps above are unsuccessful, try the following

1. Change the Wi-Fi channel on the Garmin device. Changing this setting is found under the Advanced Wi-Fi settings of the Garmin device. Consult the Garmin device's owner's manual for instructions

2. Ensure the Wi-Fi password on the Garmin device is correctly entered and contains no spaces

• • From a GPSMAP™ chartplotter: Select Options > Settings > Communications > Wi-Fi Network > Wi-Fi, then change the password

  • From an ECHOMAP™ chartplotter: Select Settings > Communications > Wireless Devices > Wi-Fi Network > Wi-Fi, then change the password

If the vessel is currently in a marina, try moving away from the marina to troubleshoot.

Multiple chartplotters try changing the host chartplotter

The ability to change hosts is available only on GPSMAP™ chartplotters. Consult the device's owner's manual for instructions

• To access the owner's manual on the chartplotter, select Info > Owner's Manual > select a manual > Open

New mobile device

If, after replacing the mobile device with a new model, apps were ported (transferred) from the old mobile device to the latest mobile device and the new mobile device had issues connecting to the chartplotter Wi-Fi:

1. Try to reset the ActiveCaptain® app > log in > connect to chartplotter, and check for user data

2. If resetting the app failed, try uninstalling the ActiveCaptain® app and reinstalling the app > log in > connect to the chartplotter > check the user data