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LIFX Cloud Minimum Requirements

Updated

LIFX lights use the LIFX Cloud for remote control, syncing across devices, running schedules, and supporting integrations. If your lights work locally but appear offline, or cloud features don’t behave as expected, check that your network meets the requirements below.

1. Your light must be connected to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network

All LIFX lights use 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi to stay connected to the cloud.

Make sure 2.4 GHz is:

  • enabled

  • not hidden

  • using standard channels (1, 6, or 11)

Lights cannot connect to 5 GHz networks.

2. Your network must allow outbound internet access

LIFX lights need uninterrupted access to the internet.

Your router should allow:

  • Outbound HTTPS (port 443)

  • Secure MQTT traffic

  • Standard DNS requests

Most home routers allow this by default.

Cloud issues can occur if:

  • parental controls are enabled

  • custom DNS filters are active

  • outbound firewall rules are applied

  • SafeSearch/content filtering is enabled

  • “Block IoT internet access” features are turned on

3. Your phone and light must be on the same LAN during setup

Once setup is complete, the phone and light do not need to stay on the same network for cloud control — but they must match during onboarding.

If you changed Wi-Fi:

  • new SSID

  • new password

  • new router

Reset the light and set it up again.

4. Avoid Guest Wi-Fi or networks with device isolation

Guest networks often block:

  • local discovery

  • cloud communication

  • device → device communication

Ensure your LIFX lights are on your main home network, not a guest SSID or isolated IoT VLAN unless mDNS forwarding is configured.

5. Make sure your network isn’t blocking secure outbound connections

LIFX Cloud needs standard outbound internet access to stay online.
Strict firewall rules, security filters, or DNS limitations can block cloud communication even if local control works.

Your network should allow:

  • outbound HTTPS (port 443)

  • standard DNS

  • secure MQTT traffic

If you use parental controls, content filtering, or custom firewall rules, try relaxing them temporarily to see if cloud access returns.

6. Make sure your internet connection is stable

Cloud features may appear offline if:

  • the internet connection drops briefly

  • you’re experiencing packet loss

  • your ISP is experiencing DNS issues

  • the router is near max load

  • heavy traffic saturates Wi-Fi or WAN bandwidth

Restarting your router often resolves these issues.

If you still see cloud issues

Check these troubleshooting guides next: