Circle is a networking device that requires access to your home network. Additionally, the Circle device communicates through your router to our remote servers via the wider internet so that you can manage your Circle device away from home, change settings at home, and receive updates.
Circle device and firewall issues
Most routers come with a security system commonly called a "firewall." A router's firewall makes sure that the traffic entering or exiting your network is safe.
Firewalls aren't smart systems, though, and don't always get it right. Some firewall settings restrict the type of traffic that the Circle device creates, and this can prevent the Circle device from communicating with our remote servers.
For the Circle Home (1st generation) device devices, symptoms include:
- Inability to remotely manage your Circle device when not at home
For Circle Home Plus devices, symptoms include:
- Inability to setup Circle Home Plus
Modifying your firewall settings
On most routers, you can lower your router's security or firewall settings by logging directly into your router. We only recommend lowering your firewall settings if you are having any of the above issues and are comfortable doing so. We don't recommend turning your firewall entirely off and leaving it that way, but for troubleshooting purposes when you're having issues with the Circle device, you can try doing so to see if the firewall is the culprit.
For help with accessing your router's configuration and finding the appropriate settings, please get in touch with your router manufacturer or ISP (internet service provider) and refer to their manual or documented instructions. Typically these changes can be made right through a web browser by entering a special value into the browser's search bar and logging in with credentials usually supplied by the router manufacturer or ISP.