Altec Lansing produces quality speakers that rival other players in the field. They pride themselves in making everything-proof speakers, i.e., waterproof, sand-proof, and shockproof speakers.
The speakers come in different models, each equipped with unique features such as NFC connectivity, and some models can connect to each other. I have a Mini Lifejacket Jolt that has been challenging to get into pairing mode.
After a deliberate search, I got the instructions on how to connect the speaker to a source device.
Below are tips that will help you pair any Altec Lansing speakers, even the Mini Lifejacket Jolt.
Key Takeaways
- When you power the speaker on for the first time, it automatically goes into pairing mode.
- You will know the speaker is in pairing mode because the LED will flash blue and red or blue and white.
- Always ensure the speaker is adequately charged before pairing it to a source device or another speaker.
- There are different models of Altec Lansing speakers, and they follow different steps when getting them in pairing mode depending on the buttons on the speaker.
- If your model has a Link or Bluetooth button, press it to get the speaker in pairing mode. For other models, press and hold the power button for seven to ten seconds until the LED starts flashing.
- If prompted for a PIN during the pairing process, use 0000.
- Speakers that use True Wireless Pairing can connect to one more compatible speaker to improve the audio output.
- Altec Lansing speakers that use the House Party pairing protocol can connect to up to 50 other speakers that support the protocol.
Pairing Altec Lansing Speakers
You can pair Altec Lansing speakers to any Bluetooth-enabled device. To do this, you must get the speaker in pairing mode and complete the pairing process on the source device.
Some models of Altec Lansing speakers also use NFC to pair to source devices, and if none of these options are available, you can use a 3.5mm AUX audio cable to establish a wired connection between the speaker and source device.
Below are the steps to pair different Altec Lansing speakers to a source device and each other.
Getting Altec Lansing Speakers into Pairing Mode
Power on the Speaker
When you power on an Altec Lansing speaker for the first time, it automatically goes into pairing mode.
Press and hold the power button to power on the speaker for three to five seconds. You will hear a ‘powering on’ voice prompt an LED on the speaker will start flashing.
The power button is labeled with the power symbol, a circle with a straight line partially cutting into it.
However, some models, like the Soundrover Wireless Party Speaker (IMT7002), have a power switch instead of a power button.
Enable Pairing Mode
The speaker will automatically go into pairing mode when you turn it on. You will know it is in pairing mode because the LEDs will flash red and blue or blue and white, depending on the speaker’s model.
If devices previously connected to the speaker are nearby and have Bluetooth enabled, they will automatically connect to the speaker. You can prevent this by disabling Bluetooth on all devices connected to the speaker before and leaving only the device you want to connect to.
Press the Bluetooth/pair button to enable pairing mode manually.
On some models, like the IMW449 Jacket H20 4, the link button also acts as the Bluetooth button.
The Bluetooth/pair button is labeled with the Bluetooth symbol, while the link button is labeled with the link icon.
On other models that have only three buttons, press and hold the plus and minus buttons until the LED starts flashing blue and red.
However, other models like the IMW258 Mini H2O 2 get into pairing mode by pressing the power and plus buttons for two to three seconds.
If the speakers do not go into pairing mode, you can reset them, and this will automatically get them in pairing mode.
Enable Bluetooth on the Source Device
After getting the speaker in pairing mode, go to the source device and continue the pairing process. Different source devices follow different procedures for enabling Bluetooth, but you can always find Bluetooth settings under the device’s settings option.
To enable Bluetooth connectivity on Android devices, go to Settings > Connected Devices > Pair New Device, and Bluetooth will automatically turn on and start scanning for available devices.
On iOS and iPadOS, go to Settings > Bluetooth and turn it on if it is off. The phone will start scanning for available devices, which will be listed under ‘Other Devices.
On Windows 11, select the Start Menu, then navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Add devices > Bluetooth, and the laptop will search for available devices.
If you have a source device that uses an Operating System not mentioned above, consult the device’s user manual or the manufacturer’s website for instructions on enabling Bluetooth and scanning for available devices.
The Altec speaker’s name will be the model’s, e.g., ‘LifeJacket Jolt.’
Select the speaker from the list of available devices to complete the pairing process. Suppose you are prompted to enter a pairing PIN; use 0000.
The speaker will play a distinct tone, and the LED will stop flashing to show pairing is successful.
You can also pair Altec speakers to source devices using NFC connectivity if your Android device and the speaker have the feature. Just enable NFC on your phone, then tap the NFC contact point on the speaker on the back of your phone.
Paring an Altec Lansing Speaker Without a Dedicated Bluetooth/Link Button (H20 Mini)
Pairing an Altec Lansing Speaker with a Dedicated Bluetooth Button (Super Lifejacket)
Pairing an Altec Lansing Speaker with a Dedicated Link Button (Jacket H20 4)
Connecting Altec Lansing Speakers Together
Some models of Altec speakers can be connected to each other to output stereo audio. The steps to do this depend on which connection protocol the speakers use.
Those with the House Party feature can pair to up to fifty compatible speakers, while those that use True Wireless Pairing can connect to only one more speaker.
Below are instructions on how to pair Altec Lansing speakers together depending on the connection protocol
True Wireless Pairing
You can use this feature to connect two compatible Altec Lansing speakers together. The steps are as follows:
- Pair the first speaker with a source device. This will be our parent speaker.
- Power on the second speaker, which will be our child speaker.
- Press the parent speaker’s power and minus (-) buttons simultaneously for two to three seconds. Or press and hold the Link button until it starts flashing green.
- Press the Bluetooth/pair or Link button on the child speaker to get it in pairing mode. If it does not have any of these buttons, press the power and minus or plus buttons, depending on the model.
- After a few seconds, the two speakers will pair and output audio in stereo mode. The LED will also light solid green.
Some of the speakers that support feature include:
- IMW258 MINI H2O 3
- IMW269 BABYBOOM
- IMW448 JACKET H2O 3
- IMW478 MINI LIFEJACKET 3
- IMW578 LIFEJACKET 3
- IMW888 SUPER LIFEJACKET
- IMW458 OMNI JACKET MINI
- IMW678 OMNI JACKET
- IMW778 OMNI JACKET ULTRA
- HYDRAJOLT
- IMW1400 HYDRABOOM
- IMW1500 HYDRASHOCK
- IMT7002 SOUNDROVER
House Party Pairing
Enabling house party mode is the same as enabling True wireless pairing.
Just pair the first speaker to a source device, press and hold the Bluetooth/ Link button until the LED flashes green, then power on the second speaker and quickly press the Bluetooth button. Both speakers’ LEDs will light solid green once they are paired.
To add another speaker to already paired speakers, quickly press the Bluetooth button on the new child speaker.
The advantage of this mode is that you can pair more than two speakers, up to fifty speakers; however, the speakers should belong to the same model.
Speakers that support this feature include:
- LIFEJACKET XL IMW789
- SONIC BOOM IMT802
- SUPER LIFE JACKET IMW888S
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: How do I put Altec Lansing in pairing mode?
- Answer: Different models follow different procedures for getting them in pairing mode. Therefore, you must consult the manual or Altec’s YouTube page for the correct process.
- However, if the speaker has a Bluetooth/pair or Link button, simply press it when the speaker is on, and it will go into pairing mode. If the speaker is already connected to a source device and you want to initiate pairing mode, press and hold the Bluetooth/pair or Link button until the LED starts flashing Blue and white or blue and red.
- Question: What is the pin for the Altec Lansing Bluetooth speaker?
- Answer: You might be asked to enter a pairing PIN when pairing an Altec Lansing to a source device. Use 000 as your pairing PIN.
- Question: Why is my Altec Lansing speaker blinking blue?
- Answer: The speaker blinks blue to show it is in pairing mode and ready to connect to a source device.
Conclusion
Always refer to the quick start guide to get your speaker into pairing mode, as the methods differ depending on the speaker’s model. The quick start guide will also help you understand whether the speaker supports NFC connectivity and show you the NFC contact point on the speaker.
You can also use Altec’s support website to access information about your speaker, like the quick start guide and customer support contacts.
