EE smart wifi plus

[GreenFields1]

EE smart wifi plus

Just switched from BT to EE.  On BT we had 4 x white discs to try and cover the house, its a long house and old with thick walls often made of cob which really impacts signal.

I’ve setup the new EE smart hub - all good

1st wifi plus extender setup, put in position and have stable aqua light.

2nd wifi plus setup and moved to next position, it’s light is orange once in position. The app tells me it’s not got a strong signal back to router.  My question then is don’t they link to each other, like the BT white discs did?  If all they do is try and connect back to the router then it’s not going to extend my network far.

Have I got this right? Thanks.

[JimM11]

@GreenFields1 Do check on the labels of the extenders that they are all the same model numbers, there was an instance of mixed types which are not compatible with each other, they are a mesh so should connect to each other but i do not have any experience of them. Your BT disk's the white ones also should work fine on the EE Smarthub+ system, its only the black type which don't. When you set them all up next to the router take it that they were all fine until you moved to position?  

[GreenFields1]

Good call, I’ll check the labels on them.

Yes to your question, setup fine when next to router, solid aqua light, it only went orange when put in position.

Interesting about the white discs, that might be useful to extend all the way down the house.

Thanks for taking to time to comment.

[JimM11]

@GreenFields1 @Robbie-Mac With the OP post setting up new EE Router/Smart Wi-Fi, problem regarding layout, if possible the OP is going to return to using the BT WholeHomeWifi in a temporary measure as they have the ability to work in Star/Daisy Chain operation. If possible can the question be asked regarding the latest Smart Wi-Fi if they have similar operating feature, i do not use any EE mesh so not 100% sure of the operation mode. Regards....

[bobpullen]

@JimM11 - the Smart WI-Fi Plus devices do work in a daisy chain operation. Not sure how the underlying logic determines when to do this though. @GreenFields1  - maybe worth a few reboots of the 'orange' extender when it's in situ to see if you can get it to come back up with an aqua LED?

[GreenFields1]

Thanks for the info, that’s useful to know.  It does now render the system totally useless for my house,  our house in extremely long and there is no way extender 3 & 4 that I am yet to install will ever be able to get a signal back to the router.

seems a major step backwards in tech.

[JimM11]

@GreenFields1 @bobpullen The wholehomewifi app does look like it does a good job for the setup and control, but you sure wont find the same for the EE App as it is similar to the complete wifi that BT does. You may have to get some free wifi analyzer tools if the new EE is to work to ensure device is latching onto the correct nodes. Netspot for android is good, as it lets you know were connected, but its at the mac level, so you would have to find those and note against the Router which is which. Hopefully the new EE app lets you see what is attached to were if it is working for you. Keep the forum posted to how its working out!👍  

[JimM11]

@GreenFields1 Just had a thought, the new EE Smart Wi-Fi is a bit different with respect to the first unit, once paired then you move it to the first position 1/2 way from signal to the router and trying to keep the Aqua indication, then second further about same distance, they are setting up a seamless mesh using the SSID/Password of the Router, so just a bit different to the wholehomewifi system. Just in case the 1st unit is swamping the Router wireless transmission with them both sending out the same signals, just something else to try!

[GreenFields1]

Really useful info, so here is what I’ve done.

moved #1 to where I originally put #2.  Has solid aqua light (for reference #2 in same spot had orange light)

moved #2 further away.  It had orange light.  Moved it even further away and it has solid aqua light. Although does flash aqua every couple of mins before going solid again

Speeds

#1 switched on, #2 switched off - 90mbps when connected to #1

#2 switched on the speed on #1 drops to 20mbps

Speed at #2 20mbps

[JimM11]

@GreenFields1 If you can let us know what the package speed is that you have, also the speed of the router itself when doing the wireless testing, what device you have when testing the speed, and if you have a PC/Laptop with ethernet port if possible test by plugging in to Router/unit1/unit2/etc as you go on. Ethernet takes away the wireless factor and pushes the connection through the unit and out to the router, also just incase the device is bouncing about the mesh and not taking the shortest path. In theory speeds do drop on a unit to unit basis, but looks like you already got that knowledge. When i test wi-fi device, normally try to be about 6' away from each device, mesh can be hard to track what's going on.