topic Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs in Broadband & Landline

New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 20:50:11 GMT

I haven't been able to connect my smart plugs to my new EE router since I got it over a month ago. I previously had 7 smart plugs and switches with my old BT hub but the new router has been a nightmare to comnect.

I have tried switching off 5Ghz temporarily but can't connect to any plugs whatsoever. I could get the plugs to connect if I switched off 5Ghz AND set WPA security to 'none' but when I turned the router back to default settings everything stopped working again.

An older post mentioned switching off 5Ghz and turning the firewall off but there's no setting for the latter in the EE hub menu.

Any help would be really appreciated, this has been so much more difficult than with my old BT router.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Mustrum — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 22:07:46 GMT

@Dreamnought which EE routre do you have?

You should not turn the firewall or WPA security off.

Turning off the 5Ghz band, and trying each mode normally work.

But also changing the SSID and password to those on the BT router can save lots of changing lots of devices.

If you still have the BT router you could connect the WAN port to a LAN port on the EE roter and carry on using that for the plugs - you may need to change toe IP range on the DHCP settings, or turn DHCP off on the BT router - all depends on the routers and devices you have.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 13:15:35 GMT

@Mustrum wrote:
@Dreamnought which EE routre do you have?
You should not turn the firewall or WPA security off.
Turning off the 5Ghz band, and trying each mode normally work.
But also changing the SSID and password to those on the BT router can save lots of changing lots of devices.
If you still have the BT router you could connect the WAN port to a LAN port on the EE roter and carry on using that for the plugs - you may need to change toe IP range on the DHCP settings, or turn DHCP off on the BT router - all depends on the routers and devices you have.

Thanks for your interest in my issue.

It's the Smart Hub SH31B.

I understand that usually just turning 5Ghz off should work but it doesn't. I've tried both quick and slow blink methods with all 7+ smart plugs and switches I own and none are connecting to the hub despite working first time with my old Hub.

I don't have the old BT router or its details.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

XRaySpeX — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 13:26:20 GMT

In Using & Configuring a Third Party Router you'll find everything you need to set up your router incl. the BB creds. which are now the same as BT's.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 16:23:25 GMT

Thanks for your reply.

I'm not setting up a third party router, it's the router I got with my new EE package last month. I was with BT previously but that router has now been returned.

The router is already setup and working for broadband, the issue is that it can only pair with my smart plugs by turning security off completely, which then makes the plugs go offline again once I turn the WPA back on.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

XRaySpeX — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 16:57:50 GMT

I know but they obviously apply to any router incl. EE's own & you said you did not remember the BT details which @Mustrum suggested you use.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 04:33:14 GMT

Ahh I see.

You mention that those settings also apply to EE routers but I've went through every menu in my Hub Manager and can't change anything such as Modulation / Multiplexing / VPI etc. only broadband username and password which were already set correctly.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

XRaySpeX — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 13:49:14 GMT

Yes, with the SH+ most of the settings are hard-coded in the router or the ONT (modem). For Full Fibre the only settings of relevance are the BB username and password which is all I really wanted to point out to you as @Mustrum suggested them.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 18:10:04 GMT

Thanks for taking the time to reply anyway, it's appreciated.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 18:10:43 GMT

Any other ideas? This has stumped me and I've spent weeks pulling my hair out trying to sort it.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Mustrum — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 18:49:44 GMT

@Dreamnought you could get a cheap wifi extender, 2.4Ghz only and use that for the smart plugs. I had to do the same for my son when he got some outside lights!

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 19:46:48 GMT

I'll give that a try.

It's a shame I'm having to resort to this though, I expected better from EE and I thought that a new hub would work with no issues.

I'm just after trying my plugs in another household (Sky is their ISP) to check they were still okay and they connected to Smart Life within 20 seconds. Disappointing.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:17:25 GMT

This is almost definitely an issue with WPA2-Personal. As soon as I turn my Wi-Fi security off and wait for the router to reboot, everything comes back online and all plugs and switches are responsive with Smart Life, Google and Alexa. Obviously this isn't a solution though.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Mustrum — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:43:49 GMT

Is there another WiFi security option available on the router?

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

XRaySpeX — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:49:57 GMT

Yes:

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Mustrum — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 21:26:29 GMT

@Dreamnought so have you tried the WPA - RPA Personal ?

Don't bother with the ones higher up, your devices are too old.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 06:31:23 GMT

I've tried all the settings in that list individually and the only one that worked was "None".

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 22:08:08 GMT

Can someone who works for EE please chime in on this issue - I've yet to resolve this and it's seriously making me consider moving provider.

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

chistery — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 22:23:29 GMT

Have you got a complicated wifi password? Try changing it to something simple and around 8 characters, and see if that works?

Re: New EE router not working with Smart Plugs

Dreamnought — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 22:29:54 GMT

My password is the same default one that features on the plastic pull-out card on the router. It auto-saves on Smart Life anyway so I don't need to keep entering it.

As mentioned, my smart plugs paired within 20 seconds on my in-law's Sky router that also features a similar length password (and is also the default) without an issue.

However, if you really think this will work I can certainly give it a go.