> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.themeatstick.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.themeatstick.com/v-forge-set/v-forge/set-up.md).

# Set it up

Your V Forge Set has three pieces: the **Stick**, the **WiFi Hub**, and the **Wired Ambient Probe**. First-time setup takes about 15 minutes.

## 1. Charge the WiFi Hub first

Plug the included USB-C cable into the Hub and let it charge for at least 1 hour before first use. The Hub has its own rechargeable battery so it can stay on the side table during the cook without being tethered to a wall.

## 2. Charge the Stick

Place the Stick on the WiFi Hub. The contacts on the Stick's base seat into the Hub's cradle and start charging automatically. Leave it for about an hour before first use.

> **Important first-charge note:** New Sticks ship from the factory in a low-voltage protection state. Lifting a brand-new Stick off the charger before its first charge will look like it's dead — that's normal. After \~10 seconds on a powered Hub, the protection state clears and the Stick will wake when you remove it.

## 3. Download and open the MeatStick App

Get the MeatStick App for iOS or Android. Sign in or create an account.

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MgEcvddRfNg36oCI9AD" %}
[Where do I download the App?](/the-meatstick-app/app/where-do-i-download-the-app.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## 4. Pair the WiFi Hub

In the app, tap "Add device" and follow the on-screen pairing flow. The app will find the Hub over Bluetooth and walk you through connecting it to your home WiFi network.

> **WiFi note:** The Hub connects to **2.4 GHz networks only**. If your router runs both 2.4 and 5 GHz on the same name, your phone may need to be on the 2.4 GHz band during pairing.

## 5. Plug in the Wired Ambient Probe

Find the small square port on one short end of the WiFi Hub. Plug the connector from the Wired Ambient Probe into that port. You can leave it plugged in permanently — the Hub powers the probe; no separate battery to manage.

## 6. Position the Hub

Place the Hub somewhere off the cooking surface, on a side table or stuck to the smoker's side panel using the Hub's magnetic back. **Keep the Hub within about 6 feet of your Stick for reliable signal — closer is better.** When your Stick is enclosed inside a smoker, grill, or oven, the metal walls weaken the Bluetooth signal significantly, so the rated range you see on the spec sheet is for ideal line-of-sight conditions, not real cooking. Once the Hub has the signal, it sends cook data over WiFi to your phone — so you can leave the yard after that, but the short Hub-to-Stick distance is what keeps the connection solid.

## 7. Insert the Stick, clip the ambient probe, start the cook

* Insert the Stick into the thickest part of your meat, up to the line on the steel shaft.
* Clip the Wired Ambient Probe at grate level, **6–12 inches from the meat**. Don't let the tip touch the meat or sit directly over open flame.
* In the app, choose your cut and target temperature, then tap "Start Cook."

You're cooking. Check the app from your phone anywhere with internet — the WiFi Hub keeps the data flowing.

***

### Related

{% content-ref url="/pages/zkG9NbTGH8XpYuzqcA63" %}
[Using the Wired Ambient Probe](/v-forge-set/v-forge/wired-ambient-probe.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/cw5zUCrUrTK2Vbef2pIg" %}
[Your V WiFi Hub](/v-forge-set/v-forge/wifi-hub.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}