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GraceFromGoogle
Community Member

Issues with linking your Stadia Controller?

Linking your Stadia controller to a screen

You need to link your Stadia Controller to a screen before you can use it to play. In order to play on a TV with Chromecast, a mobile device, or on web with Chrome, you’ll need to use a linking code to link your Stadia Controller wirelessly.

What is a linking code?

To let your Stadia Controller know which screen you want to play on wirelessly, you’ll need to enter a linking code for that screen. The linking code lets you easily change which screen your controller is linked to. Each screen will have its own unique linking code that will rarely change. 

Enter linking codes from left to right, one button at a time. Linking codes are 4-5 characters long and consist of only Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B, X, Y.

Here is a sample of what a linking code looks like. The code for your screen will be different. 

 

GraceFromGoogle_0-1574126629952.png

How to link with a Chromecast

  1. Press the Stadia button for one second to turn on your Stadia Controller. The controller will vibrate. If you have not previously setup the controller with Wi-Fi, you can follow the instructions here.
  2. As soon as the status light blinks white, enter the linking code displayed on your Chromecast Ultra in Ambient Mode.
  3. It can take up to 15 seconds for the entered linking code to be recognized. If the link was successful, the controller will vibrate and Stadia will launch on your Chromecast Ultra. The status light on your controller will turn solid white when it is linked to the screen.

 

Note: If the status light blinks orange, it means the controller can’t connect to Wi-Fi. Open the controller menu in the Stadia app to set up the controller with Wi-Fi. If you need to change the Wi-Fi on your Chromecast, use the Google Home app.

17 Kudos
116 Replies
EonaCat
Founder
Founder

I have the same problem, but then with an TP-LINK archer.

Did you manage to fix your controller issue?

I can connect to my WiFi fine, but can't seem to connect to the Google Services.

0 Kudos
EonaCat
Founder
Founder

I solved my problem:

 

`The MTU size of my router was setup incorrectly. The default was set to 1500. but the optimal value for my ISP is 1472, therefore the controller could connect to the internet but wasn't able to connect to the google services. :beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes:

1 Kudo
EonaCat
Founder
Founder

1492*

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noobsaibot84
Stadia Player
Stadia Player

How do you check this? Where do you change it?

0 Kudos
Furyian
Stadia Player
Stadia Player

I cant seem to get two controllers to connect to play samurai showdown consistently. When I long press on the stadia button to try and exit the controller does not respond once the menu to exit stadia pops up. I'm thinking if just buying a PS4 and returning stadia. What good is all of this if my kids cant connect a controller to play and enjoy the game. Spent 40 minutes just going through the forum and reading posts and thinking if I had a console I could be playing with my kids right now instead of shutting down the controller restarting my phone app reconnecting to my chromecast and after 3 minutes of play the controller disconnects again. This happened 5 time so far Giving this device few more days until officially label this as either awesome or a POS and moving on.
1 Kudo
TomElit
Community Member

Hi all, Similar issue here. First of all, I restarted/rebooted everything (Chromecast, Pad, Apps, Router). All works according to manuals however after entering the linking code nothing happens. Did anyone come across this? At some point the pad goes to orange blinking but both the pad and the Chromecast are connected to the same WiFi. The manual does not really give any hints here (@Google: massive improvement potential).
4 Kudos
Dropkick
Founder
Founder

What seemed to work for me was connecting the Chromecast Ultra to the 5 ghz band and the controller to the 2.4 ghz band.
1 Kudo
Lilphish
Community Member

I'm still not able to link my controller to the Chromecast that came with it.  I'm using a Netgear Orbi wireless router.  I've tried chromecast on 5Ghz and wired and it makes no difference.  I'm able to see all devices connected when looking at my router including the controller.  I can ping the controller and chromecast as well and they are on the same network.  I'm not able to connect the controller to 2.4ghz band though.  I've tried lowering the 5ghz radio strength and hiding the SSID and it still connects at 5ghz.  In any event, my controller connects to wireless fine, but will not communicate with Chromecast still.  It is very frustrating. 

Anyone with a Netgear Orbi able to get this to work? 

1 Kudo
CHRomoSoiD
Community Member

I'm not sure what happened, but my controller simply won't connect. Let me explain:

I made sure to connect my controller to my Wi-Fi network, as well as my Chromecast Ultra. Then, I entered my linking code with the controller. Well, it started blinking white for a few moments, and then it vibrated and blinked orange for a few moments. After that, it just turned off by itself and wouldn't link. The odd thing is that I didn't have this issue until after I played Stadia on my laptop with a USB cable. 

I'm not sure what to do now.

Tags (1)
3 Kudos
Furyian
Stadia Player
Stadia Player

I'm having the same issue. I can't play any games because the 2 controllers I bought do not work at all. I don't even know what google is doing. The TV screen indicates that I need to link my controller and I have followed the directions but no matter what I do this POS says the same error over and over.
5 Kudos
MischelMichel
Stadia Player
Stadia Player

same issue here. yesterday i received the controller, evrrythink works fine. Today i wanted to play, but i can't link my Controller. Controller is connected to my Wifi - its blinking white, i tip in my Code. After this, thr Controller vibrates 2 times, and started to blink white. after few sendonds, it vibrates again automaticly and blinking orange.

I don't know what to do. i reset it, but nothing better. ATM i do not using a Chromecast, only my Smartphone (S10e). When i received my Chromecast, i i will test it again. i hope someone can help me

2 Kudos
Sibbe
Community Member

It starts to Link and shows the Stadia logo but shuts down after a cuople of seconds and shows linking code again. I have tried all of the tips and trix in this forum.
1 Kudo
Lilphish
Community Member

My issue was finally fixed today, and I received my Founder's edition the day after it was released. Save yourself the time and headache and ask Google for a replacement. I thought my issue had something to do with my Netgear Orbi router, but the new one showed up today and it worked first time like a charm. The return process is actually really nice as well. They ship out a replacement and then you just send the old one back after you receive it within 21 days. If you have the Founder's edition, they still replace it with a brand new Founder's edition. I'm so relieved to have this issue resolved.
3 Kudos
Furyian
Stadia Player
Stadia Player

Can you please tell me where I go to return the controller 

0 Kudos
Myafaye
Community Member

May I asked the process to change the controller.  Can't find customer service for Stadia unless is through Google itself. Thanks in advance. 

1 Kudo
Lilphish
Community Member

I just used the online chat for customer service which can be found here: https://support.google.com/stadia/contact/stadia_chat They then sent me an email with a pre-paid shipping label and RMA for the replacement.
1 Kudo
N0N1337H41
Founder
Founder

This is one of the biggest pains I deal with on Stadia. I have to link my Controller randomly. And there are times when the code just isn’t accepted at all. I have to power cycle the CCU, phone, and controller to get the code recognized, and sometimes I have to go through multiple power cycles. 

Linux Pro Tip:
sudo rm -rf /etc




Disclaimer: While this works, it’s generally better to just login as root for normal use. This prevents the need to place ‘sudo’ at the beginning of every command you really need to run.
8 Kudos
le_avion
Founder
Founder

I agree. I have spent the last 30 minutes chatting with Stadia support in an attempt to get my controller reconnected to my Chromecast Ultra. After weeks that it worked fine today none of my two controllers managed to connect. I tried to reset my Ultra, reconnect the controller to the WIFI, etc. but I was still unable to connect to the screen. Eventually I rebooted my router and the Ultra and the controller and Ultra managed to see each other. What a pain. Let's hope that a future enhancement will make it foolproof and easier to achieve. 

3 Kudos
Bamberger
Community Member

Hello together,

i`ve a little question/issue and i hope, you can help me.

It happens now every weekend, that the controller isn`t connected to the stadia anymore and i`ve to put in the code once again, because the controller blinks white. After this all is working fine and i can start stadia and so on, also the next day. So only when i don`t use stadia for round about one week, this situation happens. Is this normal and why it happens?

Thanks for your support!!

Best regards


Micha

0 Kudos
Bamberger
Community Member


@Bamberger wrote:

Hello together,

i`ve a little question/issue and i hope, you can help me.

It happens now every weekend, that the controller isn`t connected to the stadia anymore and i`ve to put in the code once again, because the controller blinks white. After this all is working fine and i can start stadia and so on, also the next day. So only when i don`t use stadia for round about one week, this situation happens. Is this normal and why it happens?

Thanks for your support!!

Best regards


Micha



Hello,

my issue is solved. Looks like, there was a update or so and now Stadia is starting every time and switches to the right channel on my TV, also when some days are gone. I don`t need to enter the Code once again.

 

Best regards

 

Micha

0 Kudos

This has been my experience as well to the t. Hopefully the controller issue will be better when it can be paired via Bluetooth or something 

0 Kudos
Von
Community Member

@Lilphish did you contact Google support to replace it? I've been waiting since April 29th for a reply email from them regarding my unlinking issues. 

0 Kudos
Tieskuh
Stadia Player
Stadia Player

I have this exact issue. Did you find any solution?

0 Kudos
Deebo6142003
Stadia Player
Stadia Player

What type of equipment are you using for your network? Ex. Router, switch, etc.

If you are using a home router, I would start by temporarily disabling any security features such as firewalls, security tampering features such as port blocking software on the router then try to connect the stadia. Also, I would reboot the router, phone and stadia

Tags (1)
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Luis
Community Member

Thx 4 this info @GraceFromGoogle
0 Kudos
Khzhak
Stadia Player
Stadia Player

I've been using it wired and playing in a browser window because it runs more smoothly when I do that. I plug in the controller, it flashes orange for a minute, then turns off. Even plugging it into the wall to charge it, it does that. I have no idea what's happening to it.

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I am on Xfinity xFi platform and I want to say it works well until we have xFi Pods installed. Now my controller is having trouble linking to the Chromecast Ultra even though both are on same WiFi network. Is this issue a known issue with xFi Pods interfering with the functionality of the Controller?

If so, what are the workaround to have the controller successfully link and hold the link during the game.

0 Kudos
cappy
Community Member

Hello,

 

I have 2 stadia controllers a chromecast ultra and an applie time capsule running on 5Ghz. For the life of me I cannot get either of the controllers to connect. I have tried rebooting the accesspoint, the chromecast and even my phone, but nothing works. The setup app gives sometimes "Service connection error" or "No internet connection". I have many other devices connected to this network and none of them has any problems. It is only these controllers that give issues. Google, can you please rethink how the controllers are connecting or give me some indication of why a wireless network that works for everything else does not work for the stadia controllers ? I am losing my patience here.

1 Kudo

Following up on my scenario where I had experienced issues with pairing the controller on my wifi network. Turns out my home network somehow had two separate wifi routers (one for telephone and one for xFi). Which created conflicting SSID broadcasts, causing some devices to show up on one network and not the other. Ever since we found out our telephony one has deactivated causing our phone line to cease working, we relocated the phoneline to xFi, then returned the telephony router. Ever since, we now have one SSID broadcast (2.4 and 5.0) from one source, allowing all devices to find each other on the same network. this resolves my Stadia controller not finding CCU correctly.

It does work fine on xFI as long there  identical SSID for both 2.4 and 5 gHZ if you're using pods, or pair the CCU and Stadia controller to the same SSID to keep them together if you;re not using the Pods.

 

Hope this helps others. Cheers

0 Kudos
Valynor
Founder
Founder

Hey guys/gals,

 

I had huge issues with my Stadia controller not linking wirelessly to PC Chrome at all, neither on my desktop nor on my Chromebook.

The solution was this:

 

I am using uBlock+uMatrix (like all of you should :-p) and there is some sort of hidden domain that needs to be allowed for uMatrix so that wireless pairing works.

The uMatrix rule is:

stadia.google.com cloudcast-gmsg-prod.googleapis.com * allow

 

This took me quite a while to figure out because uMatrix did not show "cloudcast-gmsg-prod.googleapis.com" as a 3rd party domain most of the time, even when I tried to do the pairing. Once it showed up I allowed the domain and now pairing works flawlessly all the time.

 

Hope that helps someone :winking_face:

1 Kudo