This guide will help you solve the most common connection problems between your BitBox02 and MyEtherWallet (MEW).

Start with these simple checks

Before diving into more specific errors, please try these four simple steps first. They solve the majority of connection issues.

• Close the BitBoxApp: The BitBoxApp and MyEtherWallet cannot communicate with your BitBox02 at the same time. Ensure the BitBoxApp is completely closed.
• Check the USB connection: Unplug your BitBox02 from the computer, wait a few seconds, and plug it back in firmly.
• Update your firmware: Open the BitBoxApp and check if a firmware update for your BitBox02 is available. Out-of-date firmware can cause compatibility issues.
• Hard refresh MEW: Press Ctrl + F5 (on Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + R (on Mac) in your browser while on the MyEtherWallet page. This clears your browser's cache for the site.

Common error messages

If MyEtherWallet shows a specific error message, find it in the table below for the correct solution.

How to fix BitBoxBridge issues

The BitBoxBridge is a small background application required for MyEtherWallet to securely communicate with your BitBox02. If it is not running, the connection will fail.

Check if the BitBoxBridge is running

1. Open a new tab in your web browser.
2. Navigate to this address: http://127.0.0.1:8178/
3. If the bridge is working, you will see a simple status page with text like BitBoxBridge v.... If the page fails to load, the bridge is not running and needs to be restarted.

BitBoxBridge v1.1.0  
GET /api/info  
GET /api/v1/devices  
GET/WS /api/v1/socket/:socket  

How to restart the BitBoxBridge

Windows

1. Open the Windows search bar (or press Win + S) and type services.
2. Find bitbox-bridge in the list and check its status.
3. If the status is not "Running", right-click on bitbox-bridge and select Start.

macOS

1. Open Activity Monitor and search for bitbox-bridge.
2. If it is not in the list, it is not running.
3. To restart it, open the Terminal app and run these two commands one by one:

sudo launchctl unload /Library/LaunchDaemons/ch.shiftcrypto.bitboxbridge.plist
sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/ch.shiftcrypto.bitboxbridge.plist

Linux

1. Open a terminal and run this command to check the status:

systemctl status bitbox-bridge  

2. If it is not active, run this command to start it:

sudo systemctl start bitbox-bridge

How to fix issues with Brave browser

The Brave browser includes aggressive, built-in ad and tracker blocking called Shields. While useful, this feature can prevent MyEtherWallet from detecting your BitBox02.

To fix this, you can disable Shields just for the MEW website:

1. Navigate to https://www.myetherwallet.com in Brave.
2. Click the orange Lion icon on the right side of the address bar.
3. In the panel that appears, click the big slider at the top to turn Shields DOWN for this site.

4. The page will automatically reload, and MEW should now be able to detect your BitBox02.