EE Smart Hub 2023 number only password

[oliversharp]

Hey EE community,

We just received an EE Smart Hub (2023).We're looking to integrate it fully into our smart home setup with around 100 connected devices. The issue is the new hub's password requires letters and numbers, unlike the old one, which was just numbers. Any hacks to stick with numbers only for the SSID password?

[David-M]

Hi @oliversharp and thanks for the post.

The minimum password length is 8 characters. 8 numbers or longer will work (even 8 zeroes). If you see a warning pop up just click Accept and the changes will be applied.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

David

[AlastairMcI]

Hello EE, I just got set up with EE 150 Mbps today, moving from Vodafone. I have 2 TP Link extenders. When I try to connect them, I cannot because the EE hub requries a 16 character password and the TP Link RE220 can only handle a password up to 15 characters. Your helpline was unable to help. Is there a resolution? I am considering leaving EE within my 14 days if I cannot get this fixed. 

[JimM11]

@AlastairMcI Login to the EE router 192.168.1.254 and change the wireless password to the length suitable for your requirements just remember to keep a note of it as will be different to the card on the rear of the router. Save when done, you can ignore any warning messages... HTH You can also check out the 2 (two) pinned posts if you require.

[AlastairMcI]

Thank you Jim. Two factors had confused me. One, is that I was mixing up the Admin password on my TP link extenders and the WiFi password. Two, the requirment of the EE default network to have a 16 character password for WiFi access is not something I wanted for ease of passing on to guests visiting the house. I hit on a workaround, which is to set up the Guest Wifi as that allows any or no password. I'm therefore now running everything off Guest and with the extender's name changed to same so it slips from one to the other as I move around the house on the same short password. There appears to be no fall off in performance using Guest. The default, I will use only for admin to access hub settings. A friend in IT said he sees no problems with this provided I don't try transferring files between one network and the other, he said that could cause problems - not an issue for me. I hope that might be useful for any others who have had this problem, the key learning point being that you can bypass the need for long WiFi passwords by setting up Guest. If you see any problems in what I've said please say, so I don't lead others astray! Go well. Alastair.

[JimM11]

@AlastairMcI No nothing wrong with what you are doing, i just have the preference of changing all at the start, SSID, Wireless and Admin password, it is more secure, even fooled the EE Tech team when i had a problem they just grabbed the card, then looked at me and said none of the details match, correct i said why should they. Don't you have your own special one to get in? No answer to that question. If they only had the switch to hide the SSID would be better, but it is easy to get past with the right tools. Don't use or need many of the features, not an app person believe phone is for making calls and texts and getting e-mails on the road. Good you are not seeing any performance issue's but do keep the forum posted if any appear.👍

[bobpullen]

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@AlastairMcI wrote:

Two, the requirment of the EE default network to have a 16 character password for WiFi access is not something I wanted for ease of passing on to guests visiting the house.

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This is a 'soft' requirement. The hub does not force a 16 character password on you; I am using a ten character password on my EE Smart Hub. It throws a warning that it's 'insecure' when changing it, but it allows it nonetheless.