topic Re: EE Wifi showing as open network in Broadband & Landline

EE Wifi showing as open network

qucharsky — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 23:00:27 GMT

Hi,

I have read a few articles but none really answered my question. So my router is transmitting the open EE WiFi channel - I have opted out of EE WiFi but it’s still here despite opting out and resetting the router etc - there’s no physical settings in routers firmware to disable it. It’s really frustrating as I have opted out immediately yet it’s back again. Any advice?

Thanks

Adrian

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

Mustrum — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 23:16:07 GMT

@qucharsky which router do you have and how long ago did you opt out?

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

qucharsky — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 23:21:31 GMT

Hi, it’s the smart hub plus and I opted out ages ago but repeated about 72 hours ago again when it returned.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

Mustrum — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 23:57:10 GMT

@qucharsky seems there was a recent firmware update to the router wich has addes the EE WiFi again, but not sure how long it takes to switch it off again.

That said is it causing any issues? If you have a log on it is a very handy service if you travel.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

qucharsky — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 00:00:52 GMT

Thanks, didn’t notice an update. I think it says it should deactivate within 48 hours. I have just tried again and we will see if that works. I don’t travel really and when i do I must admit i rarely go places with poor signal so 4G/5G seems to be all i need. It doesn’t affect me as such but just don’t like the fact someone can piggybank off my home connection however little they use it if that makes sense. Thank you for your ideas i will report back if still showing in 2 days.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

JimM11 — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 08:54:37 GMT

@qucharsky You have it correct, nasty of EE to throw it local on the Router without the ability to get it NOT on the local, welcome to the BT 10M hotspot's sit outside and suck the user's dry, neighbour had it the other day, always the same person drives up parks outside his house, jumps on the FREE EE WiFi and off he goes, BT user the neighbour but he fully understands, WOULD not have it myself....

Needed for the User to do when Supported Hotspot is required BUT you do not want to be a Hotspot supplier on YOUR router....

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

qucharsky — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 11:20:13 GMT

I really think this should be clearer when people sign up and also there should be some simple on/off switch in router settings or EE app to disable this. It’s all about being informed and consent to it. I would get my own router but so far I found that the extenders they supply are the best solution for me.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

JimM11 — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 11:36:59 GMT

@qucharsky As far as i can see, this has been pushed over from the BT side, was never in the EE Smarthub+ and i think also on the Pro, but it has been set about with this NEW FW that EE has pushed out to the Routers now. Cannot look and see if there is a switch off to disable the EE WIFI on the Router as NO longer a EE Customer, they told me to go so i did, if i could then i would have web linked http://192.168.1.254 and had a look to see if there was an easy way to disable, may be you can take a look see on your Router!

Edit:- Do not rely on the app for anything, was the biggest waste off space and NEVER worked reliable when you needed it!

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

qucharsky — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 11:40:46 GMT

Believe me I did - this was the first thing I tried. There’s never been an option in my router (Hub+) as far as I can tell. From other articles and help posts it seems you have to opt out of the EE WiFi service which will remotely disable the router broadcasting EE WiFi signal. Just as an update it seems to work for me today! It has disappeared! Thank god!

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

JimM11 — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 11:47:24 GMT

@qucharsky That does appear to be the instructions from the BT side as regards there routers, so at least gone from yours, which is the perfect result, as you DO not want to ever see it local on your Router, the final part and as you say you never use it would be to find one off the recommended EE/BT Hotspots and see if you could in fact get online with a wireless wi-fi connection. That would mean disabled local on your box, but in fact you can connect anywhere that is transmitting!!!!

That's another story if it ask's for you to pay for the pleasure stuff that!

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

XRaySpeX — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 06:34:19 GMT

At which f/ware update is your Smart Hub Plus?

My SH+ recently updated it f/ware to the latest Firmware version: r3.8.11-R-1414606-PROD-83002. However EE WiFi is present in list of visible SSIDs whether the router is ON or OFF & it was there before the update when the SH+ was at a much earlier level. Therefore it must be emanating from 1 of my neighbour's routers.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

bobpullen — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 07:14:19 GMT

3.8.11 introduced 'EE WiFi' on my SH31B however, it was quickly disabled by using the controls in the 'Manage Broadband' section of the EE website. Not immediate but happened within a day from memory.

I think this is exactly how the older EE Smart Hub / BT Smart Hub 2 devices work too i.e. there's no local control and opt-in/opt-out is done via your account settings on the web.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

XRaySpeX — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 08:06:42 GMT

@bobpullen : How do you account for the same EE WiFi SSID at weak strength still being there when my latest f/ware updated SH+ is switched OFF? I am opted in to EE WiFi.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

bobpullen — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 08:16:44 GMT

@XRaySpeX - can't see how it's possible, unless like you say, it's the signal from a neighbouring device.

Using one of the available Wi-Fi scanning apps in smartphone stores should expose the BSSID of the access point (read: MAC address) which would likely offer some clues for anybody reporting that the SSID is still visible with their hub switched off i.e. if the BSSID differs to what is seen with the hub switched on, then it's pretty conclusive that it's a different access point.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

XRaySpeX — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 09:01:58 GMT

@bobpullen : Thanks, I have already been over this with inSSIDer & Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector.

EE WiFi is registering -91 dBm while the SH+ SSID is at -27 dBm. A distant neighbour has an SSID BT-FMAnnx at same strength. Both have BSSID nn:CC:22:39:22:nn with bytes 2-5 in common. Therefore it must be him & not my SH+! In fact there are 2 neighbours with BT- SSIDs & separate but similar patterned BSSIDs, but sometimes 1 or other of their EE WiFi disappears while their BT- SSID remains, which is a bit confusing.

For this reason I cannot concur with the idea that the latest f/ware SH+ is broadcasting EE WiFi by default.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

bobpullen — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 09:59:54 GMT

@XRaySpeX wrote:
For this reason I cannot concur with the idea that the latest f/ware SH+ is broadcasting EE WiFi by default.

I'd expect it to respect whatever the EE WiFi opt-in/opt-out state is for your account. The SSID definitely appeared for me when moving from 2.x > 3.x (until I disabled it). If somebody has previously opted out, then I'd like to think that they wouldn't see the emergence of the EE-WiFi SSID on upgrade to the latest firmware. Whether or not that's the case though...

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

JimM11 — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:10:03 GMT

@bobpullen At the end off the day, when it appeared on yours and others that are reporting the sudden appearance of the EE WiFi on there EE Smarthub+ Routers, at least it does appear that there is a method off getting it off the router if indeed it is irksome, that router has enough to do without at least transmitting another band out for EE users to jump on...

Hope that it does follow, very misleading the actual EE text for the whole EE WiFi out and about free hotspot feature!

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

XRaySpeX — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:44:42 GMT

@bobpullen : I'm opted in for EE Wifi according to my MyEE a/c, yet it is not appearing for my router's BSSID, only for 2 distance neighbours'. Therefore in my case it is not showing any respect for the opt-in/out state as you aver. So I'm doubtful that it does for others who are also opted-in. I accept that it will respect those who opt-out.

So the only area of doubt that remains is the idea that the latest f/ware SH+ is broadcasting EE WiFi when user is in opt-in state.

An idea: Now you've opted out, please try opting in & see if the EE WiFi for your router's BSSID reappears. Then you can opt-out again.

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

bobpullen — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:57:16 GMT

@XRaySpeX wrote:
An idea: Now you've opted out, please try opting in & see if the EE WiFi for your router's BSSID reappears. Then you can opt-out again.

Will give it a go...

Re: EE Wifi showing as open network

XRaySpeX — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 11:00:56 GMT

@bobpullen : Thanks.