Goal of the Project

This project was created out of my own necessity and interest. I was having difficulty setting up the wifi connection with this AirPlay speaker. I had gotten a newer router and upgraded my iOS devices to newer operating systems then were originally compatible with this speaker and the app used to setup the speaker. This forced me to figure out the steps to setting up the wifi using a wifi enabled device rather than using the iHome Setup App.

Project Specs

Category

  • Audio Narration and Editing
  • Tutorial
  • Video Post Production
  • Motion Graphics

Software Used

  • Adobe After Effects CC
  • Apple GarageBand

(click icon to view name)

Hardware Used

  • Blue Yeti Desktop Microphone

Audience

  • iHome IW3 Speaker Users

Solution to the Problem

After getting my iHome IW3 Air Speaker to work using the instructions I found I decided to create a video tutorial demonstrating these instructions for other users. I figured if I was having difficulty with this issue then other users might appreciate a motion graphics video tutorial showing the setup steps. I created the graphics using Adobe Illustrator. Recorded my audio using Apple GarageBand and a Blue Yeti microphone. And created the finished video project using Adobe After Effects. The video can be seen on my YouTube Channel under iHome Speaker Tutorial at: https://youtu.be/z8tOJYsv8hQ

Video Text Transcription

(Music Playing)

(Image on screen: iHome IW3 Airplay Speaker WiFi Setup Tutorial)

(Announcer Speaking)
If you own a iHome Airplay speaker like the iW3 model shown here, you probably love the sound quality of the speaker... when it works.

Unfortunately this speaker's Achilles heel seems to be remaining connected to a home wifi network. Especially now that the iHome Set app doesn't work with more modern versions of the iOS operating system for newer iPhones.

If you are having difficulty connecting to your wifi with the iHome iW3 speaker following along with these steps might solve your problems.

At the time of the recording of this video the iHome Set app doesn't work with the iOS 12 or iOS 13 operating system for iPhones and iPads. This means that if you have a iHome IW3 airplay speaker you cannot configure the speaker your wifi connection. So if you've upgraded your router or changed out your SSID or password to your router you might feel that you are out of luck.

A way around this is to use a laptop or wifi enabled desktop computer to configure the wifi setting on the speaker rather than hooking an iPhone up via USB.

To configure your iHome iW3 speaker up to your wifi simply turn on the iHome speaker with the speaker mounted to the charging station plugged into the wall.

Once the speaker is clearly on... a small red light will be flashing on the back of the iHome speaker meaning it is not connected to wifi.

From here you hold down the Network Setup button on the iHome speaker for about 5 to 10 seconds. The small red light will begin rapidly flashing green. This means that the iHome speaker is sending out a wifi signal as if it is like a router which you can then view this SSID on your wifi enabled laptop or desktop computer.

You'll need to select that iHome speaker as if it is the SSID you want your computer to connect to from your computer's network settings. On a Mac you simply go to the wifi settings in the toolbar in the upper right and choose the iHome Setup speaker from the list of broadcasted SSIDs. The process will be similar on a Windows operating system computer. Simply go to your wifi network settings and choose the iHome Setup speaker from the available broadcast SSIDs using a wifi enabled Windows laptop or desktop computer.

Once the computer establishes a connection to that iHome Setup SSID, open up a web browser and type in the following URL in the address bar: 192.168.1.12

This will open a web page for the iHome speaker showing the Device Name. Along the left side of the screen click on Networking tab to choose that screen. Once here you can choose your home's routers SSID wifi network and enter the home router's wifi password. Leave Automatic IP address (DCHP) as On. And then click Apply.

This may take up to around 2 minutes to connect. If it doesn't connect on the first try, shut down the iHome speaker for about 10 seconds and restart the iHome speaker. Then start the steps over again holding down the Network Setup button on the iHome speaker for about 10 seconds and waiting for the small green light to begin rapidly flashing. Then see if the iHome speaker comes up as a broadcasted SSID under your wifi settings on your computer. Select that iHome Setup SSID to connect to it and then refresh your web browser page on the 192.168.1.12 web page. Reapply the home router password and your iHome speaker should connect to your home wifi system.

These instructions are available in the iHome air series manual online an manualslib.com.

The direct link to this manual and these instructions is available in the description to this video below. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/514369/Ihome-Iw3-Air-Series.html?page=10#manual.

I hope this helps anyone who is struggling to get this iHome airplay speaker to work especially now that the iHome Set app doesn't seem to operate with the newer iOS operating system versions. I know this has saved this speaker for me and the connection is definitely improved. It hardly ever drops the wifi connection now and in the cases where I have to restart my router I simply just shut down the iHome speaker down for about 10 seconds and restart the speaker and it reestablishes a connection to the wifi reliably. I've only had to go through these steps once to firmly establish a connection with my home router wifi connection and this iHome iW3 speaker.

Let me know in the comments below if this solution has helped you. Thanks.