Configure VOCOM Tough in access point mode

Configuring a VOCOM Tough in Wi‑Fi access point mode means the VOCOM device creates its own wireless network (SSID) that your computer directly connects to.

Access point mode is the default wireless connection mode for VOCOM Tough. If a device is currently configured in infrastructure mode, you can switch the mode back to access point mode while keeping the device connected to a vehicle using one of the methods below:

Use the device reset button
Reset VOCOM by pressing the button on the device. This restores access point mode.
Use VOCOM Configurator (start via USB)
- Connect VOCOM to the computer using the USB/ECTA‑12 cable. USB mode always overrides other connection modes.
- In the VOCOM Configurator, go to: Configuration > Access point > Save configuration > Restart device.
- Disconnect the ECTA‑12/USB cable from the computer. The device will then operate in access point mode.

Configure access point mode via the Windows notification

What you need

VOCOM Tough – new or recently reset (for information, see Reset configuration).
Wireless USB adapter.
Windows computer with the VOCOM driver version 4.5.0 or newer installed.

OBD connector
ECTA-26/OBD cable
VOCOM Tough
VOCOM’s Wi-Fi network
USB adapter
Windows computer
Internet access
Router
Internet/Central System

How to configure

1. Plug the wireless USB adapter into a USB port on your computer.

2. Connect the VOCOM Tough to the OBD connector on the vehicle. After the VOCOM Tough has powered up (normally less than 30 seconds), a VOCOM notification should appear on your computer. If no notification appears, see No VOCOM notification appeared during first-time setup.

3. Open the VOCOM Configurator application. Click on the “CONNECT” button in the VOCOM notification.

4. Another way to connect to the VOCOM in access point mode is by clicking on the “Select device” dropdown button and then choosing the VOCOM device from the list.

5. If you are using a VOCOM 2+ Tough device, you will be prompted to enter the device-specific password (printed on the back of the unit) as an additional security measure. So, enter the device password and click on "CONNECT". For VOCOM II Tough, this prompt is not shown.

Each VOCOM 2+ Tough has a unique password that is found on the label at the back of the device.
The password is saved securely on your computer. Next time, the VOCOM device will connect automatically.
The password prompt window will appear for a newly reset VOCOM.

6. Rename the preferred device with a unique name so that your computer can easily identify it in the future. Click on the "SAVE" button.

7. After clicking on save, the device will restart. Please wait until the device is restarted.

8. The VOCOM Tough is now paired with your computer. The next time you connect the device to a vehicle, it will connect automatically.
You will receive a notification each time the device is connected. To disable these notifications, see Turn off the VOCOM notification.

9. Look for information in the VOCOM configurator application indicating that the device is configured in access point mode.

10. Also, look for indicators marked in red in the image below that show a successful pairing.

Check Wi-Fi adapter connection

Your computer will automatically use the available Wi-Fi adapters (Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi 2).

If you wish to know which adapter is connected to which device, click the network icon in the Windows taskbar. In the list of networks, you can see which adapter is connected to the internet and which is connected to the VOCOM device.

Typically, the computer’s built-in Wi-Fi adapter (Wi-Fi) is connected to the internet router, while the USB Wi-Fi adapter (Wi-Fi 2) is connected to the VOCOM device. However, the vice versa also holds.

For easier identification in the future, we recommend renaming the “Wi-Fi 2” adapter to “VOCOM”.

Open Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network Connections.
Right-click on Wi-Fi 2 and select “Rename” to rename the adapter.