Do I need my own router to use a Friendship Lamp? (Shared networks and hotspots)

Not necessarily! You can set up your Friendship Lamp in a few different ways, depending on your network situation:

🛠️ Setup Options:

1. App Setup – The easiest and most common method

2. Website Setup – Great for advanced users or when using non-mobile devices

3. Bridge Setup – Requires a physical router/modem with an Ethernet port

⚠️ If you're using the Filimin Bridge, it must be plugged into a router or modem. Plugging it into a wall jack, computer, or cable box won’t work.

If you don’t have your own router, the App Setup or Website Setup is your best option. Just make sure the Wi-Fi you’re using is 2.4 GHz, which is required for all Friendship Lamps.

🏠 Connecting on Shared Wi-Fi (Apartments, Universities, Care Facilities)

You might be using shared Wi-Fi if:

• You don’t have your own router

• You're connecting through campus or facility-provided Wi-Fi

• You're on public or business networks

In most cases, App or Website Setup is all you need. But in more secure environments, you might need to whitelist your lamp first.

Here’s what to expect in different situations:

🎓 Campus/University Wi-Fi

• Some student networks allow direct setup with the app or website.

• Others require devices like printers or lamps to be registered or whitelisted before they'll connect.

• Your school might have a separate device network or self-registration portal for this.

📎 Tip: Check your school’s IT page for terms like “Device Registration,” “MAC Address,” or “Whitelisting.”

🏥 Care Facilities

• Some care homes provide private routers (Bridge Setup works well here).

• Shared networks usually support App or Website Setup, but occasionally require whitelisting too.

🏢 Business or Public Wi-Fi

• If you’re at a small business using a personal router, setup should be straightforward.

• If it’s a public or managed network, ask the IT team to whitelist your lamp before using the App or Website setup.

🪖 Military Bases

• If you have your own router: use Bridge Setup.

• If not: try App or Website Setup.

• If those fail, ask your base IT to whitelist your device—or use a mobile hotspot (see below).

👉 Need help whitelisting? See: Whitelisting your Friendship Lamp

📱 Connecting with a Mobile Hotspot

No router? No problem! Friendship Lamps can connect to:

• Smartphone hotspots

• MiFi devices

• Tablet/laptop-generated hotspots

They use very little data, so you shouldn’t see a big impact on your plan.

To set up:

1. Turn on your hotspot.

2. Use another device to complete the App or Website Setup.

3. Once connected, the lamp will reconnect automatically when the hotspot is on and nearby.

🔄 Resetting Wi-Fi Settings (for hotspot use or network changes)

If your lamp previously tried to connect to another network, it may help to reset its Wi-Fi settings first:

For older firmware:

• Unplug and replug your lamp 4 times quickly. Leave it plugged in the 4th time.

• It will flash rainbow and then blink green.

For firmware version 1.9.1 and up:

• Do the same 4x plug/unplug.

• The lamp will turn solid orange for about 30 seconds.

• During that time, give it 3 firm touches (with a short hold each time).

• It will then flash rainbow and blink green again, ready to connect.

💬 Need Help?

Still stuck? We're here to help!
Reach out to our support team or check out our full setup guides:

• App Setup Guide

• Website Setup Guide

• Bridge Setup Guide