Systems and methods for pairing of wireless control devices with a welding power supply

A welding power supply comprising:

• power conversion circuitry configured to convert an input power into an output power for a welding operation;
• and
• control circuitry including one or more processors and configured to:
• control operation of the power conversion circuitry;
• pair a portable electronic device with the welding power supply in a wireless communication network;
• coordinate loading of instructions onto the portable electronic device to configure the portable electronic device for operation with the welding power supply based on determining that the portable electronic device possesses requisite security keys to access a mesh wireless communication network;
• and;
• wirelessly communicate with the portable electronic device via the mesh wireless communication network, wherein the pairing and the wireless communication are secured using security keys stored in both the portable electronic device and the control circuitry, and wherein the security keys are not shared between the portable electronic device and the control circuitry via the mesh wireless communication network during the pairing or the wireless communication.