topic Re: EE WiFi7 Router Pro device power usage in compatible mode in Broadband & Landline

EE WiFi7 Router Pro device power usage in compatible mode

tnj — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 08:24:36 GMT

I noticed that whenever I was using compatible mode with battery powered devices the batteries ran out quicker than when using other WiFi access points. I really noticed this with the Ring doorbell when I changed its WiFi from my old BT Hub to the Router Pro WiFi7 Compatible Mode in mid February and the battery life halved. When I switched to the TP link access point in March the battery life extended again. I captured this in the graph below. The signal strength was just under -60dbm in both cases.

Re: EE WiFi7 Router Pro device power usage in compatible mode

XRaySpeX — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:42:12 GMT

Could it be diff Security levels, WPAn? More crypto, more power usage?

Where do you get that graph? Is it part of the Ring app? I don't see it.

Re: EE WiFi7 Router Pro device power usage in compatible mode

bobpullen — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:37:07 GMT

@XRaySpeX - looks like Home Assistant.

@tnj - interesting observation. I wonder if Compatible WiFi is missing some of the power saving attributes the other access points you tried are using 🤔

Were you forced to use the Compatible WiFi feature with the Ring doorbell or was it a choice? Would be interesting to see how things compare with the main SSID.

Re: EE WiFi7 Router Pro device power usage in compatible mode

XRaySpeX — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:27:23 GMT

@bobpullen : What's Home Assistant? Linky please.

Re: EE WiFi7 Router Pro device power usage in compatible mode

tnj — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:40:27 GMT

Home Assistant details can be found at: https://www.home-assistant.io/

I tried the Ring Doorbell with Compatible WiFi as I am not running the standard 2.4Ghz band on my Pro router and extenders as it will not cope with my 90+ devices. I have a set of older TP-Link basic access points connected via Ethernet to my EE Pro Hub to cope with most of my IoT devices.

I am using the Dnsmasq-DHCP server on my Home Assistant rather than the Pro's DHCP.

The security on the TP-Link is very basic and is very vulnerable to deauthentication tools and I thought the Compatible WiFi might be more resilient for the one or two security devices I have. I gave up as the battery consumption on the Ring Doorbell was too high.

My guess is that devices on the Compatible network keeps losing internet connection and keep reauthenticating as whenever I connect to it using a mobile I keep having a WiFi connection but losing internet access. (connected but internet not available warning).

My 5Ghz & 6Ghz work well on the Pro router and extenders but this could be as there are never more than five devices connected to WiFi on these bands.