Last few days smart plugs go offline in the evening

[PaulB2005]

Seen a similar story here but not sure if its the same - https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Broadband-Landline/Phones-suddenly-dropping-off-the-Wi-Fi-why/td-p/162...

We have EE 1GB fibre BB with a Smart Hub SH32B (Model: F5394-P EE) and its been great for 18 months or so.

Suddenly in the last 4-5 days we've noticed in the evening many (not all) of our TP-Link smart plugs, smart bulbs and WiFi repeater in the house, go Offline.

The only thing that fixes it is to restart the hub and everything is back online until the following evening.

From the hub

App version: 3.14.5

Firmware version: r4.26.1-R-1860948-PROD-83002

Is there a possible issue with the hub / firmware?

Edit to add - 2 x iPhones, 1 x EE TV Pro box, 1 x iPad, 3 x Amazon Alexa's, 1 x dishwasher seemingly unaffected by this. Noticed today there is a 2.4 and 5Ghz Compatible Wi-Fi setting. Would I be right in thinking that switching on the 2.4 Comp and getting the affected devices onto that might help?

[JimM11]

@Cliff_G Anytime you want to see all your post's. just click on your name anywhere on any post and that will take you there. 

Got an older WiFi 4 Asus laptop that supports dual band and did have a few issues on EE with it, went to the properties for the wifi nic and changed the Roaming Aggressiveness down and that cleared it flipping about 2.4/5Ghz when it was on EE Hub, have always separated the bands out apart from those that want combined ssid's and you cannot do so.

[JimM11]

@Cliff_G Did this answer separate so if the phones on the Randomized Mac does turn out to be the issue, then EE may be trying to implement a change for the Hub for Parental Controls as that is a major to block kids out and they all know how to get past it, been one off the Hot topics at times on the Forum from upset parent's.....

Edit:- hopefully and fingers crossed for your mobiles, EE is the only one that knows what the FW update is all about and what was done to it, never published is the reasons why....

[Cliff_G]

Good point, and if so, their solution works but only after getting on for 24 hrs! 

If the random MAC proves to be the issue, I'll recontact the Guides so they can hopefully put the issue in their knowledge base.

[PaulB2005]

Wow. Whilst i appreciate the input this is getting way to technical for me.

All i can say is that over 24 hours after turning the Smart feature off on the 2.4ghz channel and no offline devices 🙂

[Cliff_G]

Good news.  And thanks for this, you've reminded me that I also changed to a fixed channel (6) on 2.4 GHz. So my solution could be either the fixed MAC or the fixed channel.  I'll go back to Smart on 2.4 GHz again tomorrow, if the phones are still on tomorrow morning.

[JimM11]

@PaulB2005 You fixed the 2.4Ghz channel to one off the 3 good values, CH1,6,or 11. That's taken care and your devices are now holding on to the wifi. It's whatever it takes to get it done, that is all that matters....

[Cliff_G]

Ok, interesting final? finding last night and this morning.

The 2.4GHz was on fixed channel 6 all yesterday and last night, and the phones were fine this morning. Both were also on fixed MAC addresses, mine was on the Comp. 

This morning I switched the 2.4 GHz back to Smart channels and immediately my phone saw a much reduced signal - and could no longer detect the Main signal (?!).  Back to channel 6, reboot everything for luck, and back to perfect operation.  No idea why Smart 2.4 GHz seems to affect my phone's ability to see the Main network, presumably Smart was affecting both Main and Comp 2.4 GHzs and they were interacting. 

So it does look like the Smart 2.4 GHz was my problem as well as Paul's.  Good spot.

I'm not going to bother retesting the random MAC address, I'm now thoroughly Router-ed out.

[JimM11]

@Cliff_G Copied as two threads running from the other posting.

""

It's as per your findings, unfortunately i have nothing to look at EE wise, but i will say without a doubt in my mind when i was using the EE Smart Hub 6 Plus, it sure was fixed channel on the 2.4Ghz band for me, CH1 was the EE, CH6 was my TP-Link wifi powerline, and CH11 was all my Asus nodes (4). 5Ghz pretty much held it's own as a CH36 80Mhz wide and on auto smart as fixed is not allowed never drifted, nothing to cause it to do, Asus 5Ghz/5Ghz two were tucked up on CH42 and 100.

Just keep it on the CH6 and see how it all performs.... Will have to be aware for the next couple weeks asking if OK before/previous and not Auto telling to use the Compatible Feature as it was always a good get out of jail when stability was poor....

""

[JimM11]

@Christopher_G and @Leanne_T If either can take a read when you get some time if anything reported or aware since the round of FW updates affecting 6Plus and 7 Pro...

[Siricko]

Just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone trial and erroring on this thread over the past week.

I was experiencing exactly the same issues with my Ring cameras and Wiser wireless thermostat hub (all reliant on 2.4Ghz signal) disconnecting every day (started at around 09:30-10:30 on Friday 22nd May, I know as that’s when my Ring camera first started dropping off). As cliff has described, bringing a ring camera within a meter of the router reconnected it, but it was like something is throttling the 2.4Ghz signal strength. Verified this by forcing my iPhone onto the Compatible 2.4Ghz network and then experienced the exact same behaviour (needing to be within a meter or 2 for connection)

Simply selecting a fixed channel (I went for 1) for the 2.4Ghz signal in the Router settings has resolved things for me, back to a stable connection on all older devices. Hopefully the timings provided above help narrow down the cause and end up with a fix in a future router patch. Most people won’t be confident messing about with router settings so I have no doubt there will be a lot of frustrated EE internet customers out there right now!

Thanks again all.