Device unable to connect to new Smart Hub 7 Pro

[MarkO21]

I received my new Smart Hub 7 Pro, connected it all up and started to add devices to the new hub. It was going great but my Samsung Smart TV (which is over 5 years old) could see the network but wouldn't connect.

I did some searches on the internet, rebooting, manually adding IP address, etc but nothing was working. Then I found out, possibly on this forum, about devices running on WP2, the new Hub runs on WP3. So to make the Samsung TV work I had to create a compatible Hub name on WP2, so......

1. Open new URL https://192.168.1.254 to manage the router via the dashboard

2. Click on Advanced settings and log in with the admin password

3. Click on Wireless which takes you to the Advanced Wireless page

4. Near the top you see Main and Compatible Wifi options (Main is the one open), click on Compatible Wifi

5. You need to switch the Compatible Wifi button on. 

6. The Wifi name is shown as [Hub Name}-Comp, I think you can change the name but I left it as that. Security Type is WP2-Personal which is what you want. I also copied the password form the Main page and added it to the Compatible Wifi password, you possibly can use your own.

7 Then go to the top of the screen and press the Save button.

8. Then go down and press the Start WPS

When you search for networks you should see this new Hub name as an option, my Samsung TV could see the network and was able to connect to the new Hub.

I suspect this will work with all older kit.

[JimM11]

@Dez1uk You can only try, the 7 Plus is fairly new EE Hub out 10 Months now with just so many issues on it 💩 at times, the 6+ has been about longer, slated for a FW update as indicated on the pinned post. Good luck with it all you will need it!👍

EE Hub firmware versions - The EE Community

When you search the network you are seeing two, would be like EE-123456 and the other EE-123456-Comp?

[bobpullen]

@Dez1uk - what do you mean by 'won't work'? What are the exact symptoms?

FWIW, I have two 3rd Gen Nest thermostats and they work fine with the 7 Plus. I also have LG and Samsung TV's; the latter aren't Frame devices though - again, no issues.

What exactly has been tried when attempting to resolve the issue?

[Dez1uk]

Thanks for the response. I’ll provide technical detail, as this affects
multiple devices rather than one failing to connect.

Symptoms

Since switching from a Sky router to the EE Smart Hub 7 Pro:

- Samsung The Frame TV sees the network but fails to connect properly,
repeatedly showing Samsung error 152.
- Our LG TV also has connection problems.
- A Samsung phone and iPhone intermittently lose Wi-Fi.
- A TP-Link extender connects to the hub but reports “connected without
internet”.
- The Samsung TV works normally over Ethernet, confirming that the
broadband connection is working and the issue is Wi-Fi-specific.
- Devices from several manufacturers are affected.

Troubleshooting

We have already:

- Rebooted the hub and affected devices.
- Forgotten and re-added the Wi-Fi network.
- Re-entered the password.
- Tested different bands, Compatible Wi-Fi, WPA/WPA2, 2.4 GHz and WPS.
- Reset network settings.
- Tested beside the router.
- Reset and tested the extender.
- Confirmed the TV works over Ethernet.
- Reconfigured affected equipment where appropriate.

We have also completed troubleshooting with EE, but the issue remains.

Why this appears to be a hub issue

Samsung, LG, Apple/Android and TP-Link devices are affected, despite
previously working reliably with another router. Ethernet works
immediately, so the broadband service and TV internet functions are
operational.

The common factor is the EE Smart Hub 7 Pro and its Wi-Fi configuration.
Devices can see the SSID but either fail to authenticate or connect without
internet access. The TP-Link issue also suggests this is not limited to
Samsung devices.

What I need to establish

Could this be a known Smart Hub 7 Pro issue involving interoperability,
security, DHCP, IPv4/IPv6, band steering, WPA/WPA2, Wi-Fi 6/7 or firmware?

The service initially worked, so I’m particularly interested in whether a
firmware or configuration change affected compatibility with older Wi-Fi
clients such as TVs and IoT devices.

I have exhausted the standard troubleshooting steps and would appreciate
information on any known SH7 Pro firmware or Wi-Fi compatibility issues,
relevant fixes, or recent changes to its Wi-Fi behaviour.

Thanks

[JimM11]

@Dez1uk The EE Smart Hub 6+ have you got it yet and if so tried with or without the same effects happening? you may even have to go back further equipment wise.

[Dez1uk]

Hi Jim, 

The Smart Hub 6 had exactly the same issues, currently awaiting the arrival of a smart hub 2 !!!

Stuart 

[JimM11]

@Dez1uk Thought it might do, the 6/7/+ and the 7Pro virtually follow each others footsteps, SH2 is very much like your older SR203. EE might send you there equivalent the SH20A but it is a SH2 BT version in an EE casing.

Just keep them all, you never know EE FW updates may just get it all right one off these day's in the Future and then all your system devices might connect as expected. Remember to tell EE that it is not your problem and the 7 Plus is were you want to and need to be if you do have a reason for it.

You did say earlier in the thread you were EE Smart Hub 7 Plus?

[bobpullen]

@Dez1uk - sounds like you've tried most of what I'd suggest.

When coming from the Sky router, your WiFi security has almost certainly changed from WPA2 to a WPA3 variant. Some devices don't like that if the name of the WiFi network has been carried over; it's a problem that typically sorted with a 'forget' and reconnect on affected devices though, which you say you've done.

The other thing I would be eyeing up is the TP-Link extender. Granted, it may have worked on another hub, but there's quite a lot different in these newer hubs where the WiFi config is concerned. The TP-Link could be doing something daft with DHCP (bad), could be broadcasting the same WiFi network name as the EE hub but using a different security mechanism (bad), or could simply be struggling to connect back to the hub due to a failure to 'understand' the newer WiFi capabilities (bad).

Wouldn't be the first time we've seen some interop issues with TP-Link extenders. There was a recent example here.

Would recommend temporarily sacrificing some WiFi coverage by shelving the extender for a period of time to see if the problem persists.

[JimM11]

@bobpullen Also for you, the SR203 was limited 5Ghz on CH36 80Mhz wide, wifi 5 device, think you could make on change and drop it back to 40Mhz wide and push it too CH42, never worth doing, but you could split the bands if you wished and not tie it all together, both way's always worked split or combined at least i never found any issues both with the Hub or the SE210 sky's form off mesh extender....

Not wanting to go into all off the detail the OP has so just trying hard get back to square one stability and go from that point onward. Have NO EE equipment, no longer an EE customer and never will be ever again.