If you are experiencing any issues with the Iridium GO! such as slow connection and downloads, low signal strength or Wi-Fi connectivity, please follow the troubleshooting tips below.
They are also found in the Offshore App, viewable in an offline mode at sea.
The Downloads in the Offshore App are not working or are very slow.
Turn the Laptop/device and Iridium GO! off for a few minutes, and back on again for a complete restart. It is good practice to do this procedure on a weekly basis.
Please only download a GMDSS forecast, or small GRIB files (of 5KB or less) to check the download process.
During the download process, please check you do not have any yellow error triangles on the right of each download. Please click on the yellow error triangle to check for the error message.
Make sure you have the latest version of the Offshore App. Please download from http://www.predictwind.com/grib-files/
Bluetooth and cellular connections on a mobile device can interfere with the network connection to the Iridium GO. Please turn your device into Airplane Mode, then turn on Wi-Fi only. Ensure Bluetooth is turned off. ** This is particularly important on an Android device.**
Turn off or uninstall any Ad Blocker or virus protections Apps running on your device.
Turn off, but ideally uninstall VPN Apps. Uninstalling any VPN is preferred, as we have seen VPN Apps override your earlier choice to turn it OFF in the settings. If you uninstall a VPN you will need to do a full restart of the device and Iridium GO before attempting to connect again.
Ensure you only have 1 device connected to the Iridium GO!, Multiple devices trying to use the Iridium GO! connection causes problems.
On a PC ensure you have any virus/firewall/web monitoring software turned off, or in the settings allow access for the Offshore App. We have had several instances where customers have needed to uninstall the virus/firewall/web monitoring software in order to get a reliable weather download. Windows Firewalls should be set up to allow all outgoing connections.
Please ensure you have a direct connection to the Iridium GO! Wifi - no other networking devices such as a Wifi or LAN router.
On a PC ensure you remove any proxy server settings in Internet Explorer.
On an iPad/iPhone please go to your iOS settings > Wifi > Click on Iridium-XXXXX. At the bottom select HTTP Proxy and click on the "Off" button.
On an iPad/ iPhone that has upgraded to iOS14, ensure 'Local Network' is turned on. Go to your device Settings > Scroll down the page until you see the Iridium Go App/ Iridium Mail App and Offshore App > Open each App Settings > Turn ON Local Network.
On your iPad/ iPhone Offshore App if you get the error message 'Could not connect to the Iridium GO, please check the IP address and Wifi connection' Go to your iPad/ iPhone device > Settings > Privacy > Local Network > Iridium Go App/ Iridium Mail App/ Offshore App> Turn on Local Network for each App.
The default login for the Iridium GO! is username 'guest', and password 'guest'. By default, this login has administrator privileges. In order for the Offshore App to work correctly, the username used by the Offshore App must have administrator privileges. The username the Offshore App uses can be found in the preferences in the Offshore App.
It is critical to have 5 bars of signal strength to get an acceptable download speed. The external antenna/cable supplied by PredictWind will ensure you get a good signal, provided it is mounted in a location with a good view of the sky/horizon. The Iridium satellites are passing overhead every 15 minutes, so important you can see 10 degrees above the horizon (sea level) in all directions. Testing the unit in a marina can be problematic due to other yacht masts/buildings/hills and marina interference. Check all connectors between the Iridium GO! and the antenna to make sure they are 'finger-tight' and not loose. Note: The Offshore App only checks the signal strength before the connection is started, and does not update the signal strength during the connection. You should look at the signal strength on the Iridium GO! LCD display to get the best indication of signal strength. Please note the signal strength is optimistic, so if you have 4 bars of signal strength, in reality, you really only have 3 bars and this is not acceptable for a good data connection.
Locations near airports and strong microwave transmissions can also affect signal quality. For example, it is impossible to use an Iridium phone in Clear Lake Texas next to NASA.
In order to get a good connection, you must have the latest Iridium GO! firmware. Please check you have the latest Iridium GO! firmware, by opening the Iridium GO! App, log in, and go to the Help icon, click on the "About" menu. The firmware version should be 2.1.22. Please see installation instructions to upgrade if necessary.
It is rare, but we have seen a few cases where Windows/Mac installation files have been corrupted by the operating system. This step should be done as a last resort when you have completed all the other troubleshooting steps. Uninstall the Offshore App, and re-install. For Windows users go to Start > Settings > Apps & Features. Uninstall "PredictWind Offshore". Please make sure you have all Windows automatic updates installed before installing. Mac users are advised to upgrade to the latest version of Mac OS X.
The download speed is very slow in the Offshore App - is this normal?
The data speed is 2.4 Kbit/s which is very slow, about 20 times slower than dial-up speed, approximately 12KBytes/Min. However, to get this speed it is critical that you have 5 green bars of signal strength as any degradation in signal strength will dramatically decrease the data speed. Check all connectors between the Iridium GO! and the antenna to make sure they are 'finger-tight' and not loose. Please ensure the external antenna has good visibility of the horizon and no obstructions.
To be sure the Iridium GO! is working correctly, we recommend turning the Iridium GO! off for a few minutes, and back on again for a complete restart. It is good practice to do this procedure on a weekly basis.
Once the download has started, it is normal for the download to have periods where it is very slow. If the connection stalls for more than 90 seconds the PredictWind 'Smart Connect" technology will automatically restart the connection. It is important to be patient and not click on the download buttons. We recommend requesting a weather route & GMDSS text forecast which are available in a few minutes and are downloaded first. You can look at these forecasts results whilst the larger GRIB downloads are progressing in the background.
My Iridium GO! does not show any signal strength, even when the unit or external antenna has a good view of the sky.
This issue is usually due to the SIM card being deactivated or no SIM card in the unit. To get your Iridium GO! activated please follow the instructions here.
My Laptop Wi-Fi will not connect to the Iridium GO! Wi-Fi
Please note it is normal for the Laptop Wi-Fi connection to show an error symbol with "no internet access" - see picture below.
Please check that you have no other network connections on the laptop, no ethernet cables, USB devices, Bluetooth connections. Please disconnect all devices connected to the Laptop, and restart the Laptop.
The 802.11ac wifi protocol is not supported on Iridium GO! However, the 802.11 b/g/n protocols work with the Iridium GO!, as they are on the same frequency band. The solution is to buy a cheap USB Wi-Fi device that supports 802.11 b/g/n.
To check the details of your wireless adaptor on a PC - click on the Windows 'Start' > Device Manager. Search for Network adapters and right-click on your wireless adapter > properties > Wireless mode. See attached screenshot for an example of the Wireless Mode that works with the Iridium GO!
We have seen some cases where the Bluetooth has interfered with the networking connection to the Iridium GO! Please turn off Bluetooth on the Laptop.
In addition please check you have the correct drivers installed for your Wifi hardware. Windows 10 can sometimes install generic drivers that may not be suitable. Please consult with your PC supplier or technician.
When you click on the Wifi connection on your Windows taskbar, please ensure the internet connection is described as "open"
In addition, please try a reset of the Iridium GO!
How do I factory reset the Iridium GO! unit?
Turn on the Iridium GO!
Open the external antenna dust cover on the GO! unit.
Use a paper clip or similar point, and press gently inside the Restore buttonhole. This is next to the antenna adaptor port. Be careful not to touch/break the antenna adaptor.
Follow the screen menu prompts to reset settings to factory defaults.
Important: All previous settings will be lost, the SSID will be reset, and any new users will be deleted. The username will be reset to guest and the password will be reset to guest for logging in to the Iridium GO! unit. If you are using the GEOS global emergency response services as your SOS settings you will need to re-enter the GEOS activation code. If you choose not to use GEOS for your SOS settings, please ensure that the appropriate call and message recipients for SOS are re-entered. Resetting the Iridium GO! will not affect the operation of the Offshore App, Iridium GO! App or Iridium Mail & Web App.
We have seen the odd case where the Message (Service centre) number is not correctly set up after a system reset. Please check this by connecting your iOS/Android device to the Iridium GO! Wi-Fi, Open the Iridium GO! App, go to "Settings", then menu "Message".Please check the number is set to +881662900005
Then please do a full power off/on of both the Iridium GO! and the laptop/tablet/phone.
My Android device connects to the Iridium GO! Wi-Fi even with Wi-Fi turned off
If your Android device automatically connects to the Iridium GO! Wi-Fi, even if Wi-Fi is turned OFF, this is called "Wi-Fi wake up”. To disabled this feature:
Go to your Android Home > Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi Preferences> switch OFF the setting "Turn on Wi-Fi automatically"
My mobile device keeps connecting to another Wi-Fi Network
If your mobile device keeps trying to switch from the Iridium GO! Wi-Fi to another network, ensure that all of your saved network connections have "auto-reconnect"
set to not auto-reconnect/ not auto-join. Otherwise, if your device believes there is a "better" network available than your current network it may decide to switch to it.
On Android: Go to your mobile device > Settings > Connections > Wifi > (right menu) 'Advanced' > Manage networks > [NETWORK_NAME] > 'Auto reconnect' > Uncheck this box.
On iPhone/ iPad: Go to your mobile device > Settings > > Wifi > Choose a network > Ensure Auto -Join is turned Off.
I cannot log into the Iridium GO App
Make sure you are connected to the Iridium Wifi before opening the App.
The default login is guest & guest. There is no reason to change this.
Disable any safe web browsing software, such as Norton.
On Android: if you have tried to log into the Iridium GO App before being connected to the Iridium GO Wifi, it may not let you in even if you are using the correct login details. You may see ' Could not communicate with the Iridium GO' even though you are now connected to the Iridium Wifi.
Go to Settings on your Android device > Apps > Iridium GO App > select force stop.
Then trying logging in again to the Iridium GO App.
My Iridium GO! GPS position is not correct
Please check the Time Zone has been set to (UTC), you could check this by going to your Iridium Go! application under Settings > Time > Time Zone.
Please note the Iridium GO! displays the GPS in decimal degrees. Most Chart plotters show the GPS format in degrees & decimal minutes so the format needs to be converted.
I cannot make/receive a call on the Iridium GO!
Why is the voice calling not clear?
When receiving a call to your Iridium GO! do you have 5 bars of signal strength?
Make sure your iPhone/Android is connected to the Iridium GO! WiFi.
Ensure you are within 1 to 2 metres of the Iridium GO! when making the call.
We have seen instances where the Bluetooth and cellular connections on a mobile device can interfere with the network connection to the Iridium GO. Please turn your device into Airplane Mode, then turn on Wi-Fi only. Ensure Bluetooth is turned off. ** This is particularly important on an Android device.**
Ensure you only have 1 device connected to the Iridium GO! If you have multiple devices trying to use the Iridium GO! connection, this can be a source of issues.
In your Iridium GO! App under Settings > go to 'Call' make sure +881662990000 is entered, hit save or OK. Select 'Message' make sure the Service Centre number entered is +881662900005 > Save or OK.
Go to 'Audio', make sure notification is ON, audio is not muted and volume is on loud.
Please ensure the Iridium GO! App has microphone enabled in your device's App settings.
Check you have the correct international dialling sequence including country code. For example +1 or 001 for USA, +64 or 0064 for NZ. You can dial the Iridium test number 0014807525105 to make a test call - it’s a free call.
If you have the correct dialling sequence, but get a voice recording that the "number calling is no longer in service", then it is most likely you have turned ON the Captain/Crew Calling feature. To turn OFF the Captain/Crew Calling go to the Iridium GO! App > settings > Captain/Crew Calling and make sure it is disabled.
Please check you have the latest Iridium GO! firmware 2.1.22, by opening the Iridium GO! App, log in, and go to the Help icon, click on the "About" menu. The Iridium GO! firmware version should be 2.1.22. It is critical that you have the latest firmware for a reliable connection. Click here to update the firmware.
I cannot send & receive an email on the Iridium Mail & Web App
Please make sure you have carefully followed the setup instructions. It is easy to make a mistake with the username or password.
Please also do the following checks:
Please check the Wi-Fi of your device is connected to the Iridium GO! - not another network.
Check you have the latest firmware 2.1.22
Try a full power off/on of the Iridium GO! and your tablet/mobile devices.
Please check your iOS/Android device is upgraded to the latest operating system.
A lot of issues related to this program are due to an incorrect username/password. Can you please try resetting your password at https://www.iridium.com/mailandweb/password-retrieval/
Please note the username/password is case sensitive. Also note your username is not the full email address, if your email address is jon@myiridium.net the username is jon
Usernames must be 3-18 characters, all lower case, may contain periods(.), underscores(_) and hyphens(-)
Passwords must be between 6-18 characters, upper and lower case are allowed, numbers are allowed, punctuation marks allowed are as follows. , ? ! ; : - _ () {} [] “ ‘
Try connecting the Offshore App (PC or Mac with direct download on Iridium GO tab) to make a download to test the connection.
Check the signal strength on the Iridium GO! LCD display is at 5 bars at all times. Normally you will need to leave the marina where yacht masts and buildings can obstruct the view of the Iridium Satellites.
Ensure you only have 1 device connected to the Iridium GO! at a time.
For Android users please put your phone in flight mode and turn on Wi-Fi. Connect to the Iridium GO! Wi-Fi signal. Once connected open your phone internet browser. In the address bar type 192.168.0.1 see if you are able to access Iridium GO! advance feature page. If you are not able to then there is an issue with the application on your phone, delete the application and downloaded it again from the google play store.
For Android users, if the Mail App asks for you to attach a photo when sending a GRIB request, please do not try to send from the outbox, only send/receive from the main mail menu.
Please try another iOS/Android device for the Iridium GO!, and Iridium Mail & Web App.
Uninstall the Iridium Mail & Web App and XWeb, restart the device, install the Apps again and go through the setup process again. Please also reset the Iridium GO! with the instructions above, How do I factory reset the Iridium GO! unit?
How do I Purge emails and clear the mailbox?
Please open the Iridium Mail & Web App, and go to "Mail" then the "Big Mail" folder. On the iPad/iPhone click on the rubbish bin icon bottom right, then click yes. If on Android please click on the "Delete Big Mail" menu. Then please do another send/receive of email to delete the large emails that are blocking incoming emails.
If you believe your mailbox is blocked with too many emails and purging does not work, please try the following.
1. In the Iridium Mail and Web App start a download and then hit cancel. You will be given a series of options one of which is to halt the connection and delete all pending mail on the server.
2. Last resort is to send an email to datasupport@iridium.com with the myiridium.net account name and password that needs to be cleared out.
The unit is not powering up, what can I try?
Please try the following;
Please use another USB power source, for example, a USB port on your Laptop.
Remove the battery, reinsert and try recharging the unit again.
If the battery is defective, the battery icon will show dotted lines, not a solid line around the battery.
What do the status indicator LED lights mean on the Iridium GO?
The status indicator at the top of Iridium GO! has the following meanings:
Flashing green, the Unit is ON and registered to the Iridium network.
Flashing red, Unit is ON and not registered to Iridium network.
Red, Iridium GO! is powering ON or the antenna is down but charging.
Alternating red and green Call in progress; ringing, dialling or in a call.
Slowly flashing red SOS has been triggered.
Not lit, Unit is OFF.
The GPS position does not appear in the Offshore App?
Please power the Iridium GO! unit off/on, and check the set-up in the preferences of the PredictWind Offshore App.
The signal strength is often less than 5 bars?
Please check the external antenna has a good view of the horizon. If you are surrounded by buildings or hills, the signal strength will be degraded and patchy and may be unworkable. You will need to get 5 bars of signal strength to an acceptable data transfer rate.
The Offshore App does not fit on my display?
The minimum screen resolution is 1024 * 768. Please check you do not have the screen scaled.
On a Mac go to Apple icon > System Preferences > Displays > Resolution = Default for Display.
On Windows 10 go to Start > Settings > System > Display > Change size text, apps, other items = 100% Under advanced settings check you have the maximum resolution available.
If you cannot see the 'Next' button please press Enter on your keyboard. By default, the 'Next' button is selected so you can just click on the return/enter key to move to the download page.
Iridium GO! Default numbers:
The preset default numbers in Iridium GO settings should not be changed.
The default numbers in the Iridium GO App > Settings should be as follows:
Call (Voicemail) number: +881662990000
Message (Service center) number: +881662900005
Internet Call (Access number): 0088160000330