I connected the bridge into a hub, vice directly into the router and it worked.

I don't understand how this helps, but it immediately connected. Previously I had tried
multiple ports on the router and multiple Ethernet cables with no success. It will only work plugged into the D-Link hub that is connected to my Netgear router.

It could be something on your network is blocking the connection to our bridge and server.
Here are the ports that we use with the Caseta app and servers:
Outbound to Internet: 80 (TCP), 123 (UDP), 443 (TCP), 8883 (TCP), 7443 (TCP)
Inbound from Internet: None; no port forwarding required.
Local Network (inbound from app): 22 (TCP), 23 (TCP), 4443 (TCP), 4548 (TCP), 5353 (UDP multicast), 8443 (TCP)
Note: These may change with future updates.
To ensure proper network security and functionality we recommend contacting a network professional if requiring assistance in changing your routers
settings.

I figured out my issue in particular was because the Lutron App actually connects to the Internet to connect to the bridge, rather than connecting over the local network. I
had to open up additional ports on my firewall to allow outbound communication to lutron servers on a bunch of ports. It would be nice if Lutron used standard
ports/protocols so we didnt have to open up a bunch of ports out to the internet...

I got mine working by disabling spi in my router firewall settings. Fortunately in only took a few extra minutes to try that and it worked great. Lucky because I also got
my last caseta dimmer to finish off my three room install.

Try holding the button on the bridge for 20 seconds (until the LED bar on the bridge flashes rapidly). This will clear any network settings on the bridge.
These are the ports that Caseta uses to communicate to our server:
Outbound: 80 (TCP), 123 (UDP), 443 (TCP), 8883 (TCP), 7443 (TCP)
Local Network: 22 (TCP), 23 (TCP), 4443 (TCP), 4548 (TCP), 5353 (UDP multicast), 8443 (TCP)
You may want to check them on your network.

Below are some frequently asked networking questions we receive about Caseta Wireless. This thread will be updated periodically with new information.

Q: Do I need to open any ports or configure my network to

use the Smart Bridge?
A: No. The Smart Bridge makes outbound connections and
does not need any special configuration on most networks.
Q: I have an advanced network and need to setup special rules for every device. What types of connections does
the Smart Bridge make?
A: Outbound to Internet: 80 (TCP), 123 (UDP), 443 (TCP), 8883 (TCP), 7443 (TCP)
Inbound from Internet: None; no port forwarding required.
Local Network (inbound from app): 22 (TCP), 23 (TCP), 4443 (TCP), 4548 (TCP), 5353 (UDP multicast), 8443
(TCP)
Note: These may change with future updates.
To ensure proper network security and functionality we recommend contacting a network
professional if requiring assistance in changing your routers settings.

Added a rule in our firewall to log all outbound connections from the bridge. Here is the list of IP, ports, and protocols to which it is connecting:
50.73.144.123:123 UDP
8.14.172.115:7443 TCP
4.2.2.2:52 UDP (DNS server)
107.170.224.8:123 UDP
208.67.220.220 ICMP
38.229.71.1:123 UDP
4.53.160.75:123 UDP
23.88.235.114:123 UDP
I've uploaded a filtered snip of the firewall log as well.

Did more digging on the allocations for those IPs. Here is the info:
50.73.144.123:123 UDP WATERFROPROPANDCLUB, Jupiter, Florida
8.14.172.115:7443 TCP Level 3 Communications, Inc.
4.2.2.2:52 UDP (manually configured DNS server)
107.170.224.8:123 UDP Digital Ocean, Inc. ("Cloud" host)
208.67.220.220 ICMP OpenDNS (seems to be checking with this DNS server regardless of its IP settings)
38.229.71.1:123 UDP Cogent/PSINet, Inc.
4.53.160.75:123 UDP Level 3 Communications, Inc.
23.88.235.114:123 UDP Enzu Inc ("Cloud host")
The first one is troublesome, as it's a small 8 IP allocation to "Waterfront Properties and Club Communities"
http://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET-50-73-144-120-1/pft
http://www.waterfront-properties.com/
I'd really like to hear from Lutron why this device is making connections to what looks like a business entirely unrelated to Lutron.

Anyway, found a workaround. Network fu required.

1. Start the wizard without connecting the ethernet cable.
2. After a try to 'add a smart bridge' (obviously failed) - or a few?, you will be presented with an option to use 'advanced options'. Tap that. And tap 'use IP address' or
similar.
3. Now you need to find your hub's IP address.
3a. Connect the Eth wire to the bridge, wait a bit
3b. Make note of the MAC address written on the back of the smart hub, e.g. MAC address 20:CD:xx:yy:zz:ww
3c. Go to a computer on the same network. Type 'arp -a' and find the entry corresponding to the MAC above.[...]
? (192.168.1.96) at 20:cd:xx:yy:zz:ww on en1 ifscope [ethernet] -> this is the bridge's IP address
3d. make sure you can ping this IP address: ping 192.168.1.96
4. Enter the IP address in the dialog box on your lutron app, and voila! - past the dreaded update.
Let's see when I'll actually have to update the FW, but for now I have a working hub.
Hope this helps someone...

It gets better.
The tech support person I spoke with told me how to get into "Demo Mode" in the iOS app. This allows direct to IP connection to the bridge. Any bridge on the same
subnet. And the demo mode password for all the bridges is the same, and doesn't appear to be changeable. So if you have this bridge, anyone who can get onto your wifi
network can, with a bit of readily available info, connect to and control the devices on your bridge.
And despite telling me there was no interface to the IP settings on the devices, this quasi-secret demo mode not only shows the settings, but allows them to be manually
set. So tech support either withheld that info from me or is ignorant.
The good news is that in demo mode the app connects to the bridge directly and I can switch apps and come back to the Lutron app, or even close the Lutron app and reopen it without having to sign in again, which makes using the app as an in-house remote control far less clunky and more reliable (with the notable exception that
anyone else in my house with the app can turn my lights on/off). Really, the app needs to be redesigned with "local" and "remote" options. People who don't need or want
to control their lights remotely would be far better served using a "local" mode.

I don't remember his name and he didn't open a ticket. He told me how to send diagnostics info using the app, which I did. This apparently opened a ticket with Lutron,
because I got an email with a case number.
For now I've blocked the bridge from all Internet access. After I did that it tried to connect to four new IPs:
208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
74.125.20.147
108.59.2.24
Three are DNS servers that I have NOT programmed into it (it has only our internal DNS server showing in its config), so it seems to have an internal list of them. The
108 address is "Leaseweb USA, Inc."
The irony of all of this is that because their crappy firmware update mechanism is so broken, I found all this out and actually have the app in a mode where its
functionality matches what I wanted in the first place. No password, fast access, local remote control.

Hey guys! I clicked on the support link in the app and reported it to Lutron so that they have another record of the issue. I got an auto reply with a case number and
within 10 minutes had an email from Zach at Lutron. His workaround included downloading FING to get the SmartBridge IP and it worked great. Within about 5 mins I
was back up and running and re-setting up my wall switches, plug in dinners and Pico controls. A pain for sure, but not too bad in the end.
Here's Zach's reply:
"A number of firmware update issues have been reported and we are currently looking into the cause. We are working to have this resolved ASAP, but here is a
workaround that should allow you to bypass the firmware update and connect to your system in the meantime.
If you have an existing Caseta system, please follow these steps:
1.) Please download FING, a free network scanner
2.) Use FING to find the IP address of the Smart Bridge (Texas Instruments)
3.) Force close the app if open
4.) Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the Smart Bridge
5.) Restart the app and select "Sign In"
6.) This should get you past step 4 (the firmware update) and cause the bridge to not be discovered on Step 5
7.) Failing on Step 5 with no Ethernet connection should prompt a window to open that gives you the "advanced" option
8.) Enter the IP address of the bridge and reconnect the Ethernet cable before continuing
9.) Wait 30 seconds and then continue
10.) A successful connection should be made without ever needing to firmware update
If this is a brand new system, please follow these instructions:
1.) Connect the Smart Bridge to the home's network
2.) Download FING, a free network scanner
3.) Find the IP address of the Smart Bridge (Texas Instruments) using FING
4.) Write down the IP address
5.) Force close the Lutron Caseta app if open
6.) Set up a new system in the app
7.) On step 3 the app will ask you to make sure the bridge is connected to the network...DISCONNECT the Ethernet cable from the bridge and hit next
8.) This should get you past the firmware update but fail when trying to connect to the bridge
9.) A popup should appear that gives you the "Advanced" option
10.) Enter the IP address of the Smart Bridge and re-connect the Ethernet cable
11.) Step 5 will ask you to press the black button on the back of the bridge
12.) Press the button after being physically re-connected to the network
13.) The app should go through the rest of the set-up (date/time, etc)
This is obviously not a long term resolution and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. The issue has now been reported to the appropriate group and as mentioned
before we are working to get this resolved ASAP. We will contact you as soon as we have an update and feel free to contact us with any questions."

The Smart Bridge connects on port 123 to an NTP Pool to get time, and does so in the same way as millions of other devices around the world. There are thousands of
NTP Servers in the NTP Pool, and the servers are not related to Lutron as you noted. What you saw is expected and safe behavior.

In case someone else runs into the same problem, support had to disassociate my email address with my account on their end. We worked for several hours trying to
correct it. Back and forth with Lutron and Brighthouse Cable. Once they removed my email from my account I was able to log in and acces my bridge.

Problem solved.
I went and picked up a basic d-link switch, plugged the smart bridge into it and it into the modem.
Reset my bridge to factory settings and had it set up in 5min.
Working great now.

Just regarding this -

You can do a 'reset' of sorts, which is similar to most Lutron products.

The BLACK button on the back - you can perform the standard 3-press-hold-3-press reset.

I have had success with this method after speaking with Lutron regarding a few issues we were having.
Procedure:
Press the black button on the back of the Smart Bridge Pro 3 times, holding it for 10 seconds on the 3rd press.
After 10 seconds has passed, release the button and press it 3 more consecutive times.No, this is not in any official documentation, but is a method we found out through
Lutron support as some of our contractors were initially having some weird issues with their Smart Bridge Pros.

TylerHoffarth,
You can default the Smart Bridge with the Triple Tap Hold, Triple Tap sequence. This was added with the last release of firmware for version 1.2 of the Lutron App.
If you default the Smart Bridge all the programming information will be removed from the Smart Bridge. Please be aware this will not remove the Smart Bridge from your
account. You will need to create a new account in the Lutron App to reassign your Smart Bridge.
Another procedure is to press and hold the button for 20 seconds. This will return the networking information of the Smart Bridge back to DHCP. This is useful in case a
someone set the wrong Static IP on the Smart Bridge.

Yes - That is what I was trying to get across to the OP.

It will only default the unit, not remove it from your account.

As far as I know as well, emailing support to remove your email from a SBP is also available - We have done this in the past, as well.

Check whether the Lutron Smart Bridge is connected to the network using the UPnP or Bonjour browser.

Some routers have Wireless isolation, AP Isolation, Station Isolation, or Client Isolation setting, which prevents devices on the wireless network to communicate with Ethernet-connected devices.
Make sure that this setting is turned off.
have an EA 8500 linksys router and i have disabled the Filter for the multicast but it still cannot see the lutron smart bridge

It is unfortunate that you're unable to add Lutron. I'd recommend you to check the following.
Make sure that mDNS/Bonjour is enabled on your Wi-Fi network.
If you're using dual band router, ensure that Hub, Lutron & Phone/Tablet are connected to the 2.4GHz
If both bands are in same SSID's, change the SSID for 2.4GHz to a different one and try connecting your devices to that.

Some routers have Wireless isolation, AP Isolation, Station Isolation, or Client Isolation setting, which prevents devices on the wireless network to communicate with Ethernet-connected devices.
Make sure that this setting is turned off.

to troubleshoot further, please check the following:

Upgrade the firmware on your router which may help address connection issues.
Ensure that the router does not block multicast packets between the Hub and the Lutron Smart Bridge.
Please make sure that the Harmony Hub and the Lutron Smart Bridge are connected to the same router and are on the same subnet.
If you're using Wi-Fi repeater, extender, etc. on your network, ensure that Harmony Hub & the Lutron bridge are in the repeater/extender or both are in the main network.
Check whether the Lutron Smart Bridge is connected to the network using the UPnP or Bonjour browser.

Caseta does not use any inbound connections, so usually it does not require any special configuration or any ports open. However, if your firewall prohibits outbound connections, then you
need to make sure Caseta bridge can talk to outside world on ports 443 (HTTPS) and 8883 (MQTT).