What do I do if I can't find my BACnet devices?

Updated 11 October 2026

Short answer

Work through the same four checks the app shows: are you on the right network, is BACnet IP turned on in the device, can you ping it, and is it on another subnet? The most common cause is that the phone is not on the same network as the controllers. Compare the phone's IP address (shown in the app) with a controller's; on most sites the first three numbers should match. If they don't, get onto the controls network, usually with a USB-C Ethernet adapter into the controls switch, and scan again. For a missing device, an empty point list or a blank value, see the matching section below.

The scan finds nothing at all

You tapped Scan for Devices and got the red No devices found banner. The app shows the same four checks on that screen.

Are you on the right network? This phone has to be on the same network as the controllers. Building controls usually have their own network, not the office or guest Wi-Fi. Ask IT which one, or plug into the controls switch with a USB-C Ethernet adapter. The app shows your phone's IP address; on most sites the first three numbers should match a controller's (phone 192.168.10.20, controller 192.168.10.50).
Is BACnet IP turned on in the device? Many controllers ship with BACnet IP off, or set up for MS/TP only. In the device's setup (web page, display or the manufacturer's tool), check that BACnet IP is enabled on port 47808 and that it has a Device ID.
Can you ping it? Type the device's IP address into the ping box on the No devices found screen and tap Ping. If it answers, the network path is fine, so BACnet IP is probably off in the device or set to a different UDP port (step 2). If it doesn't, this phone probably isn't on the same network as the device (step 1), or the device is off. If it answers but is on a different subnet, the app says so; go to step 4. Is my BACnet device online? explains each result.
Another subnet or a BBMD. For a controller on another subnet, use Add device by IP… on that screen (or in the menu). If the site has a BBMD, enter it once with BBMD for remote networks… and every scan will use it.

If the phone isn't on Wi-Fi or Ethernet at all, the app doesn't scan; it tells you to connect to Wi-Fi first and has a button straight to Wi-Fi settings.

Work down the list; most empty scans stop at the first question.

For more background, see why can't I find my BACnet IP devices?

It finds some devices, but not the one I want

Look at the Device ID, not just the name. Every device shows its ID and IP address under the name. The unit you want may have a default name like the controller model, with the right ID.
Check it is powered and connected. A controller with no link light on its Ethernet port can't answer.
It may be on another subnet. Devices near you answered; this one is behind an IP router. Add it by IP, plug into its switch, or use the site's BBMD.
It may be an MS/TP device whose router isn't passing it through. MS/TP devices only appear via a BACnet router. If a whole trunk is missing, that is a controls question (router config, a trunk wiring fault, or a bad device dragging the trunk down). See does Easy BACnet support MS/TP?
Two devices may share an ID. Easy BACnet lists both and flags them duplicate ID, but the head-end and other tools often show only one and talk to whichever answers first. See duplicate Device IDs.

I opened a device but it shows no points

Give it a minute. The app reads one property at a time, so a large controller takes a while. Watch the Loading points counter.
Back out and open it again. A run of dropped replies can stop the load; reopening starts it fresh.
Small devices have few objects. A thermostat or a meter gateway may expose only a handful. That is the device, not a fault.
A big controller shows only part of its list. The app loads the first 2,000 objects and says so. Reach the rest with the device screen's menu → Add object by number.

I see a point but no value

Tap Refresh. Values are read live; one missed reply shows a dash until the next read.
If every point on the device shows dashes, it has stopped answering. Scan again to confirm it is still there.
Some objects have no Present_Value. Trend logs, notification classes, programs and files hold configuration or history, not a live reading.

Who to call

In short: if you can't reach the equipment on the network, call IT / network and have the phone's IP address ready. If you can reach it but the points, IDs or values are wrong, call the controls / BAS contractor and send them the exported spreadsheet. If the point reads correctly but the equipment isn't doing what it says, call the HVAC / mechanical contractor. The full breakdown, with what to have ready for each, is in who do I call — IT, HVAC, or controls/BMS?

Check it on your own network. Easy BACnet is a free Android app that finds BACnet IP devices and reads their points in a couple of taps.

Get it on Google Play