Wahoo KICKR Direct Connect Update [March 2022]

What's New? Zwift Game
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We’re pleased to announce the long-anticipated support of Wahoo KICKR Direct Connect for most OS platforms. The hardware dongle allows a hard-wired connection between KICKR v5 (and newer) trainers to laptop or desktop computers using an Ethernet cable.

  1. See Wahoo’s support site for their requirements.
  • Be mindful of the section about firewalls, which talks about Windows, but also applies to macOS
  • A VPN running on the computer can also block your trainer from being visible.
  1. Check the Zwift Support Hub for detailed instructions on using it with Zwift.

Note:

  • Windows users - this feature is still being polished for PC. It will be supported in an upcoming release.
  • Zwift game app v 1.23.3 or newer is required to use KICKR Direct Connect. Download the latest version from zwift.com/download, the Apple App Store, or the Google Play Store
  • Mac (and PC when ready) computers can connect directly with an Ethernet cable.
  • iOS, AppleTV, and Android users will connect their KICKR Direct Connect with Ethernet to their local WiFi-enabled network. Mac and PC may also use this method to connect.
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Excellent stuff, @shooj. This kind of action and communication is going to make a lot of previously-frustrated users happy, Zwift.
(I write this as a zwifter with no use for or interest in a wired connection right now.)

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Great news!

Here’s the Zwift Insider post about it: Zwift Rolls Out Wahoo Direct Connect Support for Most Platforms | Zwift Insider

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An Android bug has been uncovered. If you are unable to connect to the Direct Connect from your Android device, please join us here: Can’t find Wahoo Direct Connect [Android] [March 2022]

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That’s great news! Thanks @shooj @Wes
It took a while, but finally it’s there! :smiley:

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Wow, this is great AND bad News! Good news is that it’s now supported, bad news is I have to buy a new KickrV5 + DIRCON … Or wait for KickrBike2 with integrated DIRCON? … :thinking: :wink:

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Mine first ended up in some kind of wtf state where I was able to ping it but it didn’t show up anywhere (including on RGT on a PC with a wired connection where I had used it before). After a series of turning things on/off and un/plugging cables (and a Kickr firmware update since one happened to be pending), I’m happy to report that

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(Now just waiting for PC support to actually start using this…)

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Is this freeing up a Bluetooth connection on AppleTV?

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What is the advantage of a direct connection! I think the cable would nerve me?

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Dropouts are a Bluetooth/ANT+ problem, wlan in itself is already much more robust (thanks to higher transmitter power and what else).

The Kickr already has one cable going to it from the power supply (detaches much more easily btw) so adding one more is hardly a big deal.

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Yes, but my power cable goes away in the back of my bike! The network cable instead goes in front to my bike to the MacBook on the desk. This would nerve me extremely.

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The good news is you don’t have to use it you can still use Bluetooth or ANT+.

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Just to be clear, you don’t connect the cable to the computer but rather to an ethernet switch/router. Also, an ethernet cable can be plenty long so you can run it all the way around the room if needed. There’s also the dongle-o-rama option of plugging a wlan adapter to the direct connect…

But of course if you don’t have any problems with your current setup, by all means just keep using that.

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Ha ha very good, you almost had me believing that you had actually released direct connect support but the jokes on you - April fools is tomorrow.

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Can’t get it to work:

  • Kickr Firmware: 4.2.8
  • Zwift Version:1.23.3
  • I can ping it on Network
  • Connected to a Router
  • Wahoo App says is can be found.
  • PC has Bluetooth

Turned on and off things several times. Also tried to turn off firewall completely and set a port forwarding on router.

On Zwift: nothing

Any suggestions?

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Did you by any chance miss the part where it says it hasn’t been released for PC yet…?

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Yes I missed that as on zwiftinsider I saw how to set firewall settings on PC.
Thank you for your answer.

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Oh, good. Yeah, the firewall prompt has been there for months already, let’s hope the actual thing isn’t too far away either.

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Since no one else answered you directly (and I was pretty ignorant about the implications of the DIRCON until now)… Yes, according to what GPLama states starting at around the 2:00 mark in today’s video, this seems to free up the ATV bluetooth connection(s) usually used for power, controllable and cadence.

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