GivEnergy WiFi Dongle Setup — AECC & HF21 Configuration Guide
The WiFi dongle connects your GivEnergy inverter to the internet and monitoring portal. This guide covers first-time setup for the AECC multi-connect dongle and the older HF21/HFA21 dongle — including the T27 chipset update that resolves modern router compatibility issues.
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Persistent connectivity issues often involve router firewall rules, IP conflicts, or firmware versions interacting in ways that aren't obvious. We resolve GivEnergy connectivity problems remotely in most cases.
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Which dongle does your GivEnergy system use?
GivEnergy systems use different connectivity hardware depending on the inverter generation. Confirm which dongle type you have before following any setup steps — the interface, login credentials, and configuration process are different for each.
AECC Multi-Connect Dongle
Used on: All-in-One 2, Gateway 2, Gen 4 inverters. Supports LAN (Ethernet), WiFi, Bluetooth (commissioning only), and 4G fallback. Larger unit — typically labelled AECC on the casing.
HF21 / HFA21 WiFi Dongle
Used on: Gen 1, Gen 2, early Gen 3 hybrid inverters. WiFi-only — no Ethernet port. Small dongle plugged into the inverter's data port. If it fails to connect to modern routers, a chipset update to T27 resolves most cases.
AECC dongle — first-time WiFi setup
The AECC dongle is configured via a local web interface. You connect to its own WiFi hotspot first, then configure your home WiFi credentials through a browser. Once saved, the dongle switches to your home network and connects to the GivEnergy portal automatically.
Setup procedure
Power on the inverter. The AECC dongle broadcasts a WiFi hotspot — look for a network name like WN2535G070 (the exact name varies). Connect to it from your phone or laptop. There is no password on first use. If it appears password-protected, hold the reset button for 10 seconds to factory reset.
Open a browser and navigate to https://10.10.100.254/web/info. Accept any certificate security warning — this is expected (the dongle uses a self-signed certificate). Log in with username admin, password 123456. You will be prompted to create a new password — use a mix of letters and numbers (e.g. admin123456).
Select STA Settings from the navigation menu. Press Choose to scan for nearby WiFi networks. Select your home SSID from the list. Enter the password exactly as it is — it is case-sensitive and symbols must match precisely. Set Authentication Mode to WPA2-PSK (most common) or WPA3 for newer routers. Leave all other settings at default. Press Save.
Return to the System page. Press Refresh after 20–30 seconds. Under the STA section you should see your router's SSID, a signal strength percentage, and an assigned IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.xxx). If the SSID shows but there's no IP address, the password was entered incorrectly — go back to STA Settings and re-enter it. If nothing shows, the dongle hasn't reconnected yet — wait another 30 seconds and refresh again.
Select AP Settings. Set AuthMode to WPA2-PSK and create a strong password for the dongle's own local hotspot. Do not skip this step — an unsecured access point is visible to any WiFi device within range and is a security risk. Save settings.
Online within 5–10 minutes: Once the dongle has an IP address, your inverter should appear online in the GivEnergy portal (givenergy.cloud) within 5–10 minutes. If it remains offline after 15 minutes, check that your router is not blocking outbound traffic on ports 7654 and 7655 — see the router configuration section below.
Detailed AECC dongle reference: all settings pages, STA vs AP configuration, Bluetooth commissioning, 4G fallback, and reset procedures for each inverter model.
Read the AECC dongle guide →HF21/HFA21 dongle — chipset update to T27
If your Gen 1 or Gen 2 system had stable WiFi and then connectivity problems started after a router upgrade, the HF21/HFA21 chipset is almost certainly the cause. Older chipset versions (T25, T22) struggle with WPA3, beamforming, and 802.11ax features on modern routers. Updating to chipset T27 and bootloader 1.1.4 resolves the vast majority of these issues.
Requires a laptop — not a phone. The firmware upload requires a desktop browser with file upload capability. Mobile browsers cannot complete this reliably. If using an external standalone dongle, power it from a USB supply during the update. If the dongle is inside the inverter, turn DIP switches 2 and 3 to OFF before starting (reduces data traffic load during the update) — turn them back ON after completing.
Chipset update procedure
From your laptop, scan for WiFi networks. Look for a name like WE2300G100 or WJ2300G100. Connect to it. If it's password-protected, hold the reset button for 10 seconds to clear it first.
Open a browser and go to http://10.10.100.254 (HTTP, not HTTPS). Log in with username admin and password admin.
Select Device Management. Note the chipset version shown. If it already shows T27 or higher, no update is needed — your issue is likely router-side. If it shows T25, T22, or anything below T27, proceed with the update.
Navigate to http://10.10.100.254/EN/uboot.html. You'll need the T27 chipset update file and the 1.1.4 bootloader file — download these from GivEnergy's firmware downloads page. Upload the T27 chipset file first. Click Apply. The dongle will reboot — wait until the hotspot reappears, then reconnect.
After the dongle reboots and you've reconnected, log in again and navigate back to /EN/uboot.html. Upload the 1.1.4 bootloader file. Click Apply. Wait for the dongle to reboot again.
After the second reboot, log in to Device Management and confirm the chipset now shows T27. Then go to STA Settings and reconnect the dongle to your home WiFi network. Turn DIP switches 2 and 3 back to ON if you turned them off earlier.
After the T27 update: The dongle should maintain stable WiFi on modern routers. If issues continue, check that your router is broadcasting a 2.4GHz SSID, set channel width to 20 MHz, and ensure port 7654/7655 are not blocked. See the full dongle firmware guide for more detail on the update process.
Complete reference for T27 chipset and bootloader 1.1.4 update — DIP switch positions, file order, error recovery, and verification.
Read the dongle firmware guide →Router settings that affect GivEnergy connectivity
Most persistent dongle connection problems trace back to router settings rather than the dongle hardware. Check these before assuming the dongle is faulty.
AECC connection priority — LAN, WiFi, and 4G
The AECC dongle supports three connection types with a defined priority order. Understanding this helps you choose the right option for your installation.
Always used when a cable is plugged in. Eliminates all WiFi variables — signal strength, channel interference, router compatibility. Most stable option for long-term reliability.
Best choice if cable routing is practicalUsed when LAN is unavailable. Requires 2.4GHz access. Good for most installations once router settings are correctly configured. Supports WPA2-PSK and WPA3.
Reliable for most homesFallback used by GivEnergy for remote diagnostics when home internet is down. Not intended for daily operation — do not rely on 4G as primary connectivity.
Backup only — not for routine useDongle still not connecting — step-by-step checklist
If you've followed the setup steps and the dongle still won't connect or stay connected, work through this diagnostic sequence.
Create a WiFi hotspot on your phone and connect the dongle to it (2.4GHz, WPA2, simple name and password). If the dongle connects via phone hotspot but not via home WiFi, the problem is definitively your router configuration — not the dongle hardware. This rules out hardware failure immediately and points you to the router settings above.
Stand at the inverter with your phone and scan for WiFi networks. Can you see a 2.4GHz SSID from your router? If you only see 5GHz, log into your router admin interface and enable the 2.4GHz band. Virgin Media Hub 3/4 and BT Smart Hub 2 can suppress 2.4GHz on some firmware versions. RSSI (signal strength) should be at least 60%.
If the dongle's System page shows a valid IP address but givenergy.cloud still shows the inverter offline, the dongle is connected to your router but can't reach GivEnergy's servers. Create outbound allow rules for ports 7654 and 7655 in your router's firewall settings. Some ISP-managed routers (TalkTalk, BT, Sky) block unusual outbound ports by default.
If you have a Gen 1 or Gen 2 system and connectivity problems started after a router upgrade or ISP equipment change, the HF21 chipset is almost certainly the issue. Follow the T27 update procedure in the section above — this resolves the vast majority of modern router compatibility failures on older GivEnergy systems.
If your portal was working and went offline (rather than never working), the problem is more likely to be the dongle losing connection after a router firmware update, DHCP lease expiry, or IP address conflict. See the GivEnergy portal offline diagnostic guide for that specific scenario.
Full AECC dongle reference — all settings pages, STA/AP config, reset procedures by model.
HF21 T27 chipset and bootloader 1.1.4 update — DIP switches, file order, verification.
Diagnose why the GivEnergy portal shows offline — dongle, router, and server causes.
GivTCP, Modbus, and Home Assistant integration for local data access without cloud dependency.
GivEnergy WiFi dongle questions
Default AECC dongle credentials: username admin, password 123456. Access the interface at https://10.10.100.254/web/info after connecting to the dongle's WiFi hotspot. Accept any certificate warning — the dongle uses a self-signed certificate. You will be prompted to change the password on first login. The older HF21/HFA21 dongle uses different credentials: http://10.10.100.254 with admin / admin.
Most common causes in order: the router is only broadcasting 5GHz (GivEnergy dongles need 2.4GHz), the wrong WiFi password was entered in STA Settings, the SSID contains spaces or special characters that confuse the dongle, or the router is blocking outbound ports 7654 and 7655. Eero 6E mesh extenders are specifically incompatible — use LAN or a 2.4GHz-only guest SSID instead. For older HF21 dongles, a chipset update to T27 fixes most modern router compatibility failures.
Use a laptop (not a phone). Connect to the dongle's hotspot. Navigate to http://10.10.100.254, log in with admin/admin, check the chipset version in Device Management. If below T27, go to /EN/uboot.html and upload the T27 chipset file (then reboot), then the 1.1.4 bootloader file (then reboot again). Turn DIP switches 2 and 3 off before starting — back on after finishing. Full step-by-step in the dongle firmware guide.
LAN (Ethernet) is always better if you can run a cable to the inverter location. It eliminates all WiFi variables — signal strength, router firmware updates, channel interference — and provides significantly more stable long-term connectivity. The AECC dongle automatically prioritises LAN over WiFi when a cable is plugged in. WiFi is reliable for most homes once 2.4GHz access and correct security settings are in place. The HF21 dongle has no LAN port — only the AECC dongle supports Ethernet.
GivEnergy requires outbound access on ports 7654 and 7655 for cloud portal communication. Most home routers allow all outbound traffic by default. However, some ISP-managed routers (TalkTalk, BT, Sky) and business/managed routers apply strict outbound filtering that can block these ports. If the dongle gets an IP address but the portal shows offline, create outbound allow rules for ports 7654 and 7655 in your router's firewall or traffic management settings.
Dongle still not coming online?
Persistent connectivity issues often involve router firewall rules, IP conflicts, and firmware versions interacting in unexpected ways. Tell us what you're seeing and we'll identify the cause — usually without a site visit.