topic Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid in Broadband & Landline

EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

huggons — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 19:22:10 GMT

I have set my 2.4 GHz WiFi to channel 6. Does anyone know why my router is also displaying 2 hidden ssid's on the 2.4 GHz band alongside the one set to channel 6, that I named as 2.4ghz.

Have factory reset router. Always done this and has been the same on each of the firmware updates that EE released.

I have spoken to EE, but they don't know what to say or do.

TIA

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

pip11 — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 19:47:25 GMT

Those hidden SSID's could be close mobile phones which are NOT connected to your SSID. They could also be smart meter connections, again NOT connected to you. They are nothing to worry about.

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

Mustrum — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 20:03:54 GMT

A quick way to check if the are associated with your router is to switch iy off. If the are still there it is another device transmitting them. If one or both go it could be part of a possible firmware upgrade - it is common until recently on the PN Hub 2, and I beleive the BT Smart Hub 2 uses it as part of the smart WIFI disc/mesh.

Still nothing to worry about though.

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

XRaySpeX — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 20:50:59 GMT

Please post the form of these 3 SSIDs involved obscuring any personal names & all the digits. Do they contain 'EE'?

What shows on the Home > Advanced Settings > Advanced Wireless page, again obscuring any personal names & all the digits?

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

huggons — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 20:20:42 GMT

Thanks both.

They are coming from the router, disappear when I switch it off and reappear once power fully up again.

Need to get to the bottom of it, as our underfloor heating controls are being affected by the signal.

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

Mustrum — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 20:39:20 GMT

@huggons in what way are they affecting your heater controls?

Have you tried the other channels? Or moved the router/heater control or even a bit of tin foil in between them?

PS, to be sure it is just the router, you would need to switch off your other Wi-Fi devices - printers for example also transmit on the same channel as the router, although do also have their own SSID.

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

huggons — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 20:43:26 GMT

Hidden ssid's interfering with the channel wireless controls run on, according to Heatmiser, the manufacturer. Channel 6 is set for this purpose, but the hidden uds can move around the channels.

Hidden ssid's definitely coming from th EE router. Have you got one yourself?

Added screenshot

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

Mustrum — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 21:02:29 GMT

I am happy to say I don't have one, I prefer to use my own. Which may be a way forward for you.

I will tag in @bobpullen who may have some info regarding any updates due on the EE router.

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

huggons — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 21:07:58 GMT

Thanks. Interesting thread here https://community.bt.com/t5/Archive-Staging/Smart-Hub-2-Firmware-glitch-and-sneaky-networks/m-p/2004778

Seems to be the same issue. Looks like was "resolved" by a firmware update, however seems to be that this was only to address the issue of the hidden ssid's still showing when WiFi was disabled. I would suggest that you should also be able to stop these additional hidden ssid's being broadcast alongside the SSID that you actually want. Shame EE tech support are not able to understand the issue

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

huggons — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 22:34:23 GMT

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

XRaySpeX — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 22:41:29 GMT

Thanks! I now see what you mean. It must be as that BT Community article describes.

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

bobpullen — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 08:43:49 GMT

@huggons - the hidden SSID's are used for the wireless backhaul of EE's Smart WiFi product.

The firmware update you linked to concerns the disappearance of these SSIDs when Wi-Fi is completely disabled on the hub.

If your desire is to have Wi-Fi enabled but switch of just the hidden SSID's, then you're out of luck I'm afraid.

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

huggons — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 16:36:29 GMT

EE now sending out a new router, as they think my router could be faulty!

They think that the hidden ssid's are for the EE WiFi discs.

I did say that the router wasn't faulty, but working as designed. Still sending out a replacement though.

Does anyone think that the new EE router due out, may solve the issue of broadcasting unwanted hidden ssid's?

TIA

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

bobpullen — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 17:38:05 GMT

@huggons wrote:
Does anyone think that the new EE router due out, may solve the issue of broadcasting unwanted hidden ssid's?

No. Assuming the same model, it will exhibit exactly the same behaviour.

Re: EE white FTTP router hidden ssid

huggons — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 15:43:14 GMT

The new smarthub plus EE router also has the same hidden ssids on 2.4 and 5Ghz. Again seemingly no way to disable them and it seems that the hidden ssids still show, when the 2.4 and 5 GHz channels are switched off.

Do you think that these maybe addressed in a firmware update for this router too?