topic Re: WiFi Extender Usage? in Broadband & Landline

WiFi Extender Usage?

TeraGrapher — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 09:57:52 GMT

I now have two EE WiFi extenders (the second one added at EE’s suggestion), however I don’t believe they are being used. I say this because when I look at the Hub Manager, it shows the two extenders with nothing connected to them.

I have even used my mobile phone to check this by being in very close proximity to one of the extenders (and much closer than the hub), deleting the network connection from that phone and reconnecting. Connected OK but still not showing up in the Hub manager other than connected to the hub!

Anyone know if this is expected behaviour?

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

Foiled — Thu, 02 May 2024 17:49:02 GMT

My new hub is exhibiting the same problem, the extender is connected to the smart hub, but no device appear to connect to the extender.

Did you get this sorted?

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

TeraGrapher — Thu, 02 May 2024 17:55:09 GMT

No, no response at all.

Regards
Kevin Smoker

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

englishmike — Mon, 20 May 2024 20:07:23 GMT

I have same problem with new set up. Is it perhaps that the hub itself is emitting a strong signal and I didn't need the extender at all?

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

JimM11 — Mon, 20 May 2024 20:20:28 GMT

@TeraGrapher @englishmike @Foiled Not sure how the newEE hub would display this info as i do not have the EE extender's to compare what is happening, but if you were to use a wi-fi analyzer it shows you which MAC address is associated with the connection that it has ssid or bssid values, you need to work out the mac for the hub, and the mac for the extender. That may help to be sure where you device has latched onto.

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

englishmike — Tue, 21 May 2024 14:27:16 GMT

Thank you JimM11 for response. I don't have the wherewithall to do as you suggested but have found this:- I have tested devices next to the EE extender both wireless and using the ethernet connection. The extender is definitely paired wth the hub and is effective with wifi and ethernet in that it greatly improves the signal. I determined this by switching the extender on and off. However, at no time does the hub manager on my laptop show anything connected to the extender. I don't use the app on my phone as it seems poorly designed and the web version is better. So in answer to the original query, it does seem as if the system works but the hub manager is misleading?

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

JimM11 — Tue, 21 May 2024 14:49:29 GMT

@englishmike Seems that your conclusion to working is good method also, as i don't use the EE extender's then it is possible that they do not show up on the web interface, hopefully someone has some and can confirm if they see devices attached, next time you are on, you could see if the device you suspect is connected to the extender shows up on one of the other device tabs, as you say you know its connected but were is it? Agree, web interface could use some improvement's and as far as i am concerned, mobile app is NOT the way to go....

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

englishmike — Tue, 21 May 2024 15:01:27 GMT

Sorry, didn't make it clear. The web manager shows everything as connected to the hub even those devices that are definitely benefitting from the extender!

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

englishmike — Tue, 21 May 2024 15:02:15 GMT

The extender shows up but with nothing connected.

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

JimM11 — Tue, 21 May 2024 15:12:28 GMT

@englishmike So wi-fi extender devices shows 0, Ethernet Connection devices does it show what you would expect, including your missed devices, Hub would generally show everything, but do the devices slip into the 2.4g or 5g tab's. Was trying to work out if they showed up anywhere in any tab, that could be useful, hoping someone with more kit sometime can confirm the operation incase it's just a FW oops.?

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

englishmike — Tue, 21 May 2024 15:26:21 GMT

Everything that is connected shows up as connected to the hub most 5g a couple 2.4g and some I have on home plugs as ethernet. In the advanced section of the hub manager the extender can be seen (and I have switched the light off.) It shows that nothing is connected to it but by elimination there is a laptop, a tv, a DVD player an ipad and sometimes a mobile phone all improved by it but not shown as connected. The original poster is presumably experiencing the same thing.

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

JimM11 — Tue, 21 May 2024 15:36:14 GMT

@englishmike Got it, should have probably asked which hub was being used, new EE superhub+ has them on first page.

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

englishmike — Fri, 24 May 2024 11:26:38 GMT

Curiouser and curiouser.I finally have an entry on the extender which is my printer which is about as far away from the the extender as it is possible to be and just over the hall from the hub itself???

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

JimM11 — Fri, 24 May 2024 11:51:48 GMT

@englishmike There can be problems at times when devices try to latch onto the appropriate signal, and sometimes you think logically it should go there, i have seen it many times, and also happens to my devices, ie why has the laptop not gone to the router but decided that the Asus repeater is better, if it can ever be worked out someone will make a fortune, but really who cares as long as it works....

For me i am more interested that the devices show up were you can expect them, and not using EE mesh have a better idea now for answered approach. Thanks for replying everything helps...

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

Esfmango — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 21:06:18 GMT

I have the same problem. I've recently been moved from BT to EE and had all my kit replaced with the new EE kit. The EE network devices (Smart Hub+ and extenders all in white) are very different to the BT ones (the black ones) in how I see my home network. I have simply replace all the BT devices with the EE devices in exactly the same locations. I always saw which devices were connected to which extender or hub with the BT kit, even when I connected a network switch with several devices into the back via ethernet. Now with the EE equipment it displays as all devices connected to the hub. The devices connected to the connected to a switch or directly into the extender just show up as if they are wired directly into the back of the hub. It all seems to works but if I was trying to find a fault on my home network it could be very misleading. I'm tempted to take out the EE devices and put the BT ones back into place.

This really needs fixing EE.

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

JimM11 — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 06:22:10 GMT

@Esfmango The hub manager interface struggles a bit to correctly ID the devices attached and were they are attached to and sometimes excludes if it gets confused. But there are 4 Lan Network ports and devices/port, connected via lan extenders and the Hub always has everything. Highlighting what you wish to see should sub below and show what it is connected, so ie if you know were your switch is connected on which port, then when selected it should show you number of devices connected to that switch. Which method of connection do you use to see what is going on?

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

Esfmango — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 09:07:31 GMT

I've used the EE App on iPhone and the browser based hub manager via 192.168 etc from Safari on Mac. Neither method seems to tell the true story of what is connected where. On the hub manager via Safari I can see 5 ethernet connected devices connected to the hub. none of those are plugged into any of the ports on the back of the hub. They are actually plugged into a network switch, which is plugged into the port on an extender in the lounge. There is nothing at all displayed as connected to an extender although I know that there is a cctv system and a printer also plugged into another extender. Nothing has shown up as being connected to an extender so far although everything seems to work fine. On the BT kit and black extender discs I could see all of this from the front screen before I drilled down to look at the details of which device was which.

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

JimM11 — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 09:31:43 GMT

@Esfmango Understand what you are saying, i am (100% not a fan of app) in any way or format, and the web interface although better, does have some quirks with regard to display, and i use windows 11 via laptop and even desktop with direct network only connection. It is what it is unless you wish to contact EE CS and report your findings, as you say makes it a little harder to work out what goes where and when. Just had a look at EE in home customer summary report hub summary and it does seem to get what the hub thinks it is doing, My ring doorbell completely working fine, via a powerline interface (4) devices connected, but it really seems to confuse the EE router virtually ALL of the time, just does not know how to handle it correctly and not to mention samsung phones. BT software obviously did a lot better job at getting it displayed correctly!!!🤔

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

englishmike — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 10:14:37 GMT

Isn't it just the case that the EE kit works but the extender either doesn't report correctly or the app doesn't process correctly.

Re: WiFi Extender Usage?

JimM11 — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 11:50:50 GMT

@englishmike Any one of those, also could be the EE router FW, its all working as you say, i do not use the EE mesh so cannot compare to tell you, How is your system doing, last post you said printer was now showing up on the extender, is it still the same for you? OP that jumped on was more concerned about fault finding and how good the BT system was compared to the EE side of things. If you plug a device into the Ethernet port of a smart wireless device, you would expect it to show up correctly in all of the places associated with the the hub manager so if it does not show correctly then unlikely that the app will indicate where it is! My default is ethernet lan port 4 has the powerline and it reports either 3 or 4 devices, the fourth is my ring doorbell, its either there or not, so the hub manager is struggling, most of the time the 2 samsung phones will/will not show up, but they are working fine...