You don’t need to enter your WiFi password to set up Fire TV any more
Amazon has brought its WiFi Simple technology to the Fire TV family of streaming devices through a software update.
The feature comes in version 5.2.6.9 for older Fire TV devices and version 6.2.6.0 for newer ones, and means that the fiddly process of typing your WiFi password into the teeny-tiny Fire TV remote should be a thing of the past. Instead, assuming you’ve agreed to save your WiFi password to your Amazon account, the Fire TV device will simply connect the moment it spots the right network.
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Of course, to download this software update, your Fire TV device will already be connected to the network, making the feature somewhat unnecessary. But still, it should make things a bit simpler the next time you decide to refresh your network password.
More importantly, it means that new devices will have the same WiFi smarts as newer Echo speakers and the Amazon Smart Plug. Future Fire TV hardware will connect to your home network far more easily – especially if you buy directly from Amazon where your account is pre-assigned.
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As Amazon itself points out, you do need at least one compatible Amazon device connected to your network. But if you have that, a new device and a saved password, you’re golden. “If you have all of these things and you purchased your device from Amazon.com, the new device will try to join your Wi-Fi network automatically using Wi-Fi simple setup,” the company explains. “If you bought your device offline, or the device did not automatically join your Wi-Fi network, you can always open the Alexa app and follow the new Wi-Fi simple setup instructions to complete the setup with fewer steps than before.”
Will you be using this, or does the idea of Amazon having your WiFi password saved unnerve you? Let us know on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
