Local WiFi Changes in V4.826 and Above!

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Version 4.826 of the RV Whisper software that runs on all RV Whisper Monitor Stations (RVM1, RVM2 and RVM3) was released May 12, 2026.  It includes some big WiFi changes to improve reliability and performance of the WiFi connection.

If you are used to seeing your “RVMn-nnnn” WiFi network all the time and now you are wondering why it disappears after 30 minutes, this blog post explains how it work and why it helps with your WiFi speed and reliability.  And if you are wondering why your RV’s WiFi network may have gotten a little bit faster, this post also explains why that might have happened.

The big changes are:

  1. The “Local WiFi Network” (RVMn-nnnn) is now turned on for at least the first 30 minute after boot-up.  Before V4.826, the Local WiFi network would always stay on.
  2. With V4.826 and higher, If the Monitor Station has been successfully connected to your RV’s WiFi network and it has a good internet connection for at least 30 minutes, the Local WiFi Network is turned off.  Why was this done?
    • To increase performance of the WiFi connection.
    • To reduce interference with the RV’s WiFi network (the Local WiFi network uses the same WiFi Channel as your RV’s WiFi network – which causes performance issues for both)
  3. Every 10 minutes the status of the WiFi connection is checked.  If the connection to the RV’s WiFi network is not OK, the “Local WiFi Network” will be turned back on.
  4. A new “WiFiStatus” sensor is available to be added.  It logs the WiFi network status every 10 minutes making network troubleshooting much easier for customers and for RV Whisper Support.

If you are used to using the “Login over Local WiFi” feature of the iPhone or Android RV Whisper Launcher Phone Apps, you will still be able to use it when your phone is close to your RV Whisper Monitor Station (the Local WiFi Network is very short range) and:

  • For at least 30 minutes after boot-up
  • Or when your RV’s WiFi router has no internet access
  • Or when your RV’s WiFi router is turned off
  • Or after you perform a “Forget All WiFi Settings” -> “Save and Reboot” in the RV Whisper app.

You should be using the “Login Through Gateway” to connect to your RV Whisper system except when your RV does not have internet access.

NOTE: The iPhone and Android RV Whisper Launcher Phone Apps do not check if the “Local WiFi Network” is visible, they just try to connect and then fail without explanation.  If you really do want to connect to the Local WiFi Network, you should first check your phone’s WiFi settings to see if the RVMn-nnnn network is visible, then use the “Login Over Local WiFi” feature.

Surge Guard Firmware and RV Whisper Integration

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RV Whisper now (September, 2023) integrates with two different Surge Guard devices from Southwire:  the 34931 (for 30 Amp RVs) and the 34951 (for 50 AmpRVs).  For the integration to work there are 2 requirements:

  1. RV Whisper software version 4.803 or higher is required to work with Surge Guard 34931 and 34951 devices.
  2. The Firmware on your Surge Guard device needs to be compatible with the Surge Guard phone app.

Details about Versions and Compatibility

You can check the version of RV Whisper software after you fully login to your RV Whisper system:

The Footer displayed on the bottom of every RV Whisper page (after you are fully logged in) shows the version of RV Whisper software installed on your RV Whisper Monitor Station (RVM1, RVM2 or RVM3):

If you need to update your RV Whisper software and don’t know how, Click Here for details about how to update it.

 

Your Surge Guard 34931 or 34951 may need to have it’s software updated also:

If your Surge Guard device was MANUFACTURED before the the 32nd week of 2022 and it has not been updated yet with newer firmware, you will need to follow the instructions below to have your Surge Guard device updated to be compatible with both RV Whisper and the new Surge Guard phone app.

Note: If the Surge Guard phone app already works with your Surge Guard device, then RV Whisper should work with it also.

Note: the Surge Guard phone app only supports newer iPhones and Android phones.  If your phone cannot find the Surge Guard phone app on the apple or google playstore / appstore then your phone may not be compatible with the phone app.  Contact Southwire about that or try a new phone.

You can find your date code on the back of your Surge Guard unit:

SurgeGuard Date Code

In order to have your Surge Guard Portable device flashed with the version of Firmware needed to work with both RV Whisper and the new Surge Guard phone App, click here to contact Southwire.  They will get back to you within a day and give you further directions on how to return your unit to Southwire for them to flash the new Firmware.

Note the upgrade can take up to 45 days, so please let Southwire know if that timeframe is too long to go without your unit.

When you visit the link, you will find a form that looks like the one below.  Be sure to fill it out completely.

If you do not have your exact Purchase Date, you can estimate it based on the Manufacturing date code.

The Product Number is either 34931 (30 Amp) or 34951 (50 Amp), depending on which model you have.

The Product Date Code can be found on the back of your unit and is given in a 4-digit year/month format as shown above.

In the Questions/Issues section, write “Need to have my Surge Guard updated with the new phone App software.”

Your Surge Guard 40301 Remote Wireless Display may also need to have it’s software updated:

If you have a 40301 Surge Guard Wireless Display, you may also need to update the firmware on it to be compatible with a 349×1 with updated Firmware.

The Firmware on your 40301 needs to be REV 2.0 or higher to be compatible with the Firmware on 349×1 devices that work with the Surge Guard phone app and RV Whisper.   On the 40301 navigate the menu all the way to the right and it will show REV 1.0  or 2.0.

If you need new Firmware for your 40301 follow the same procedure as above to request a Firmware update.