What to do before reaching out to our Support team

You have been enjoying your Boat Monitor for years, and suddenly you realize that is has stopped reporting data. Or, maybe, when using the Sentinel WiFi your phone is saying “No internet connection”. What should you do in such cases?

We know that this happens rarely, but when it does, you probably want to resolve the issue at once.

Your basic instinct would be to reach for Sentinel Support (using that magical Report Issue 🕬 button in the app), but let me tell you a little secret: often, you can resolve the issue yourself faster, without waiting for our support agents to assist you. In fact, if the problem cannot be fixed remotely, our support agents will often need to guide you through these same steps anyway.

Instead of waiting for us to tell you what you have to do, we made an easy 3-step-guide as a shortcut for you.

Sentinel WiFi

1. Physical check

— Power supply

• the most important step here is to check the power supply, sometimes the most simple thing is the biggest barrier

— Antenna

• the antenna should be set in the right way (pay extra attention to M/F inputs, antennas should NOT be too tightened, but also not too loosen-balance is the key!)

— Water damage

• the water damage is visible as a small white, chalk-like, stain on the device- right next to the input
• it is NOT covered by warranty, so carefully place it in a safe/dry place

2. Unplug your Sentinel WiFi from its power source (power cycle)

• wait about 5 minutes before plugging in again
• after powering it back up, wait for 2–3 minutes while the Sentinel WiFi connects to the network

3. Check the flashing intervals of lights on your Sentinel WiFi

• use the link for detailed instructions on proper flashing intervals of lights on your Sentinel WiFi→ http://bit.ly/routerlights

Boat/Fleet Monitor

1. Physical check

— Power supply

• the most important step here is to check the power supply, sometimes the most simple thing is the biggest barrier

— Antenna

• make sure your device is installed in a suitable position that won’t be blocking or reducing the GPS signal (a place without many cables; with fewer metal covers, etc.)

— Water damage

• water damage is visible as a small white, chalk-like, stain on the device- right next to the inputs
• it is NOT covered by warranty, so carefully place it in a safe/dry place

2. Unplug your Monitoring device from its power source (power cycle)

• wait until the battery completely drains out, and then plug in again (this can take up to 24 hours depending on the device’s autonomy level)
• when LED lights stop blinking, the battery is drained out

3. Check the flashing intervals of the lights on the Monitoring device

use the link for detailed instructions on proper flashing intervals of lights on your Monitoring device → http://bit.ly/monitorlights

If none of this helps, at least you have collected data that will make it easier and faster for our support team to diagnose and resolve the problem. Therefore, step 4 is…

4. Reach out for Support

• use the Report Issue button in the Sentinel apps
• include a detailed problem description, with all the information you have gathered (such as circumstances under which the device has stopped working, LED light status, etc.)
• whenever relevant, attach a photo or a video to the Report issue (Report an issue with an image/video)

Thank you for your cooperation!