it won't connect to the app, just stays on 'connecting to your robot' forever, i've tried resetting.

Diagnosis

The "Connecting to your robot" loop on the Shark AI Ultra AV2511AE is a classic Wi-Fi handshake failure, specifically occurring during the final stage of the DHCP assignment process. While the robot may have successfully received the SSID and password, it is failing to receive a valid IP address from your router, or the router is actively blocking the robot's request due to a security mismatch. This is most frequently caused by "Band Steering," where a single network name is used for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. The AV2511AE only possesses a 2.4GHz radio; when the router attempts to "steer" the device to the faster 5GHz band, the robot cannot respond, causing the app to hang indefinitely. Another common culprit is the WPA3 security protocol. Many modern routers default to WPA3 or a "WPA2/WPA3 Mixed" mode. The network card in the AV2511AE often struggles with WPA3 handshakes, leading to a timeout. You can confirm this is a network issue if your phone is connected to the 5GHz band while trying to pair, or if you have a firewall setting that blocks new MAC addresses from joining the network without manual approval.

How to Fix It

Follow these precise steps to force a successful handshake between the AV2511AE and your network:

1. Open your router settings via your web browser and temporarily disable the 5GHz band. If your router does not allow this, create a separate Guest Network that is locked strictly to 2.4GHz.
2. Change your router's security encryption from WPA3 to WPA2-AES (CCMP). This is the most stable protocol for the Shark AI Ultra's hardware.
3. On your smartphone, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and "Forget" your 5GHz network to ensure your phone is forced onto the 2.4GHz band.
4. Power the robot on and place it on the dock. Press and hold the Dock and Max buttons simultaneously for exactly 5 seconds. You will hear the robot announce "Wi-Fi reset."
5. Open the SharkClean app. If the robot is listed, swipe left to delete it and remove it entirely from your account to clear the cache.
6. Select "Add Robot" and choose the AV2511AE model. When prompted for the Wi-Fi password, double-check for capitalization; the robot is sensitive to case-specific characters.
7. Keep the robot and your phone within 3 feet of the router during the initial pairing process to prevent signal drop-off during the IP assignment phase.

If That Didn't Work

• Check for Special Characters: If your Wi-Fi SSID (network name) or password contains symbols like &, $, or #, the robot may fail to parse the string. Rename your network to use only alphanumeric characters and try the pairing process again.
• Toggle Airplane Mode: Turn on Airplane Mode on your phone, then manually re-enable only Wi-Fi. This prevents cellular data (LTE/5G) from interfering with the local handshake process, which often happens if the phone detects a "no internet" state during the robot's setup phase.
• DNS Adjustment: Access your router settings and change the Primary DNS to Google's Public DNS (8.8.8.8) and the Secondary to 8.8.4.4. Some ISP-provided DNS servers fail to route the Shark app's cloud authentication requests correctly.
• Hard Power Cycle: Turn the power switch on the side of the robot to OFF. Unplug your router from the wall for 60 seconds. Plug the router back in and wait for a full reboot. Once the internet is live, flip the robot's power switch back to ON and attempt the pairing.

Heads Up

• Avoid Mesh Interference: If you use a Mesh Wi-Fi system (like Eero or Google Nest), the "Fast Roaming" or "802.11r" setting can kick the robot off the network. Disable Fast Roaming in the Mesh app during setup.
• Signal Dead Zones: The AV2511AE has a relatively small antenna. If your dock is placed in a corner with thick walls, the robot may connect initially but drop off during cleaning. Move the dock closer to the router if you experience frequent "Robot Offline" messages.
• Firmware Updates: Immediately after a successful connection, check the app for a firmware update. Shark frequently releases patches that improve Wi-Fi stability and reconnection logic.
• Battery Level: Never attempt a Wi-Fi setup if the battery is below 20%. If the robot enters a low-power state during the handshake, the wireless chip may shut down to save energy, causing the "connecting" loop.