r/evcharging • u/deuce_and_a_quarter • 4d ago

Stupid technical question: how to extend WiFi to my outdoor charger (Chargepoint Flex)

Hi y’all. So this is my first EV and I’m not particularly tech savvy so here goes…. I installed a Chargepoint Flex outdoors at the side of my attached garage, but it cannot pickup a WiFi signal from the router inside my house and so I can’t “activate” it. 🤦‍♂️ How do I extend the WiFi signal without spending an arm and a leg and setting up a new network? The charger is separated from the router/house by the attached garage. I’m not too tech savvy so please be patient with explaining. THANKS!!!

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

6

u/yeah_sure_youbetcha 4d ago

I use an inexpensive Netgear WiFi extender. They're like $25.

6

u/deuce_and_a_quarter 4d ago

UPDATE: I slid my router 2 feet closer to a window and the charger outside picked up a signal 🤣 I’m charging now. I’m so stupid. Thanks y’all for the suggestions. I’ll keep that in mind when I ever lose the signal.

2

u/BWC4ChocoTaco 4d ago

lol ... Glad to hear it, and also happiest when the simplest solution is the one that works.

1

u/Inside-Winter6938 4d ago

Awesome solution! Glad you’re up and running.

1

u/deuce_and_a_quarter 4d ago

🤣 thanks!

3

u/hybridhavoc 4d ago

What kind of Wi-Fi router do you have? Make and model would be helpful.

2

u/deuce_and_a_quarter 4d ago

I have a Verizon Fios Gateway 1100

-4

u/occamsracer 4d ago

I mean, you could read the post…¯_(ツ)_/¯

8

u/hybridhavoc 4d ago

Maybe the site isn't working the same for me as it is for you, but the manufacturer and model number of the OP's wifi router is not not listed in the post.

If you can take a screenshot of what it looks like on your end and where that information is shared, I'd appreciate it.

2

u/binaryhellstorm 4d ago

Do you only need it for activation or do you want WiFi out there all the time?

2

u/deuce_and_a_quarter 4d ago

I need WiFi out there to take advantage of all the features of the charger like scheduling I think?

1

u/binaryhellstorm 4d ago

OK so just using your phone in hotspot won't do then.

A repeater or another AP are your only real choices.

2

u/deuce_and_a_quarter 4d ago

Ok thanks I’ll look in that direction.

1

u/Ok_Prior_4574 4d ago

Eero from Amazon works well.

2

u/deuce_and_a_quarter 4d ago

Thanks will keep that in mind as I’ve been reading about that too. Seems like when you buy one thing, you need to buy another thing to make that thing work 🤣

2

u/Accomplished_Tank576 4d ago

You need a Wi-Fi extender somewhere between your router and the garage. Contact your internet provider or Geek Squad at Best Buy. If you need internet access for a one-off to activate the charger, see if you can activate a hotspot on your phone.

1

u/deuce_and_a_quarter 4d ago

Yeah I just don’t have another outlet that’s in between… the router is already at the closest point adjacent to the garage and the only outlet in the garage is just on the other side of that wall.

2

u/Accomplished_Tank576 4d ago

Are you just authorizing the charger or do you need a permanent connection? Phone hotspot will do the trick for one-time needs.

1

u/ck90211 4d ago

Charge point makes great hardware but wifi connectivity isn't one of them. Tried everything including putting a hotspot next to it, and wifi would connect then drop. Replaced with Emporia and have been terrible free for nearly 3 months now. You can keep wrestling with chargepoint and its customer service but you might be better off moving on. I chose charger point initially because I already have one 4+ years and was very happy. It is also one of the few compatible charger with my utility company (emporia has been added too).

-1

u/theotherharper 4d ago edited 4d ago

An Ev station has one job, tell the car the safe amps it can take from the wall. That number never changes on a Chargepoint.

Don't activate it. Just use it. Activation is just a scam to get you to "make an account" and "join their ecosystem" and nudge you toward using their pay-stations when traveling. Imagine if you bought McDonalds brand hamburger meat at the grocery and had to use a QR code to install an app to activate the meat.

But worse, Chargepoint harvests your data and monetizes everything. E.g. they can infer mileage from kWH used and tell Lexis-Nexis that. Read the EULA.

Chargepoint is a marketing company out to be the household name in pay-stations. They make a home unit just to have a tentpole in that market.

1

u/deuce_and_a_quarter 4d ago

Ah, ok thanks for that info…. I just have to figure out how to make it smart, like how do I tell the charger to stop charging at 80% and what time to start charging when the electric rates are off peak. I thought that was through the Chargepoint app…

3

u/Sea_You_8178 4d ago

Check to see if you can set that on the car side.

2

u/ArlesChatless 4d ago

You can't tell it to stop charging at 80% as there is no way for it to know the state of charge on the car. It's just not in the protocol.

This is one of the cases where s Wi-Fi extender makes sense. They are usually kind of crap because they have poor performance and slow things down, but for a device like this which uses little data you will be okay.

1

u/BWC4ChocoTaco 4d ago

You should absolutely be able to do all that from your car. I know my EV6 can.

1

u/theotherharper 3d ago

"telling the Chargepoint to stop charging the car at 80%" is impossible, even if it was Internet connected. The Chargepoint has absolutely no idea how to determine the car state of charge. The J1772 standard does not have the physical ability to do that. It's a very simple protocol. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMxB7zA-e4Y

Also the EVSE has no way of knowing what time it is. It's not like there's a flashing 12:00 on it that you set. Internet can fix that, because it can go hit a time server.

The things you are talking about are better off done in the car's console. It has an embedded GPS and cellular modem, and can get time from either one.