# Set up your Hungry Machines Smart Satellite

Get a Hungry Machines Smart Satellite online in a few minutes — mint a claim code, join the device's setup network, and connect it to your account.

A **Smart Satellite** is a small Hungry Machines WiFi device that reads the temperature and humidity in a room and connects with a mini-split or window air conditioner just like its original remote, but on an optimized schedule. There's nothing to wire and no app to install: you set it up from any phone's web browser.

The whole process is three steps: **mint a claim code** on your dashboard, **join the device's setup network**, and **enter your details**. It takes about five minutes.

> **Note**
>
> You'll need a Hungry Machines account first. If you don't have one, sign up at **[hungrymachines.io](https://hungrymachines.io)** and confirm your email — see [Getting Started](/getting-started/).

## Before you start

- The Smart Satellite, plugged in within a few feet of the AC it will work with (like a remote, it needs a clear line of sight to the unit).
- Your home WiFi **network name and password** (2.4 GHz — most Satellites don't join 5 GHz-only networks).
- Your AC's **brand**, so the Satellite knows which remote "language" to speak.
- A phone or laptop on that same WiFi.

## Step 1 — Mint a claim code

The claim code is a one-time secret that proves the device belongs to your account.
1. Sign in to your dashboard at **[hungrymachines.io](https://hungrymachines.io)**.

2. Find the **Devices** section and choose **Add a device**.

3. The wizard shows a **claim code** and a **15-minute countdown**. Leave this screen open — you'll type the code into the device in Step 3.
> **Caution**
>
> The code expires after **15 minutes**. If the countdown runs out before the device checks in, the wizard shows a **Generate a new code** button — mint a fresh one and continue. An expired code never silently "works"; the device will tell you it was rejected.

## Step 2 — Join the device's setup network

When a Smart Satellite has never been set up, it broadcasts its own temporary WiFi network so you can talk to it directly.
1. On your phone, open **WiFi settings** and look for a network named **`hm-satellite-XXXX`** (the `XXXX` is unique to your device).

2. Join it. It's an open network — no password.

3. A setup page should **pop up automatically** (a "captive portal", the same kind you see joining hotel or café WiFi). If it doesn't appear within a few seconds, open a browser and go to **`http://192.168.4.1`**.
> **Tip**
>
> Some phones warn that this network "has no internet" and ask whether to stay connected — choose **stay connected**. That's expected: the device's setup network isn't meant to reach the internet, it's just there so you can configure the device.

## Step 3 — Enter your details

On the setup page:
1. Pick your **home WiFi network** from the list and enter its **password**.

2. Type the **claim code** from Step 1.

3. Choose your **AC brand** from the dropdown, and optionally give the unit a **name** (e.g. "Living Room Mini-Split").

4. Submit. The device joins your WiFi, connects to your account, and **restarts**.
Within a few seconds the device disappears from your phone's WiFi list (its setup network shuts down for good once it's connected) and appears back on your **dashboard**, where the Add-Device wizard advances to a success screen naming your new unit. From here on, the Satellite runs on its optimized schedule and you can adjust it from the dashboard.

> **Tip**
>
> Rejoin your **home WiFi** on your phone after the device restarts — it won't switch you back automatically.

## If something goes wrong

The setup page tells you exactly which step failed, so you can fix just that one:

| Message | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Couldn't join WiFi / check the password | Wrong WiFi password, or a 5 GHz-only network | Re-enter the password; make sure it's a 2.4 GHz network |
| Invalid or expired code | The claim code was wrong or timed out | Mint a fresh code on the dashboard (Step 1) and try again |
| Already claimed | This device is bound to an account already | If it's yours, [unclaim it first](#selling-or-moving-a-device); then it's claimable again |
| Couldn't reach Hungry Machines | The device joined WiFi but couldn't reach our servers | Check your internet connection and retry |

## Factory reset

A factory reset wipes the device's WiFi and account binding and returns it to first-time setup — the setup network from Step 2 comes back.
1. **Hold the device's button** (the recessed **BOOT** button) for **10 seconds**.

2. Release when the device restarts.

3. The `hm-satellite-XXXX` setup network reappears — start again from Step 2.
Use this if you moved to a new home, changed your WiFi, or want to hand the device to someone else.

## Selling or moving a device

To remove a Smart Satellite from your account — before you sell it, or because you're replacing it — open its card in the dashboard **Devices** section and choose **Unclaim**.

> **Note**
>
> Unclaiming stops the old device from talking to your account and makes it claimable again by anyone (including you, on a fresh setup). The AC's **history stays** in your account — its readings, learned model, and past schedules aren't deleted, so a replacement device you claim to the same room keeps the learning. If you also want to delete that appliance and its history, remove the appliance separately from your dashboard.

Canonical page: https://docs.hungrymachines.io/satellite/