Smart Hub 3 and Smart Wifi Discs

[JamesBlonde]

I upgraded my EE fibre broadband from 500mbps to the 1gbps just before Christmas, which resulted in an upgrade of my router to the Smart Hub 3  (SH31B). 

When I agreed to take the upgrade, I specifically asked about compatibility with my 2 Smart Wifi Discs which I've got dotted about the house - we've got a listed property with thick walls, so these cover the dead spots.   I was told that the Smart Wifi Discs were compatible, but might not work until my service was fully enabled.  However I've not been able to configure them since the service was enabled.  I get that they're Wifi 5, so technically "old tech" but they're perfectly good enough for my needs, and they're compatible - I've been told so!

I phoned EE yesterday, and was told to call a specific technical helpline - Called today and turned out to be a BT tech helpline.  Whilst they did try, they weren't able to help, but did confirm that the smart discs were compatible, and confirmed that the way to reconfigure to the new SSID was to connect to the new smart hub with an ethernet cable, and hit the WPS buttons on both the hub and the disc.  Which is what I'd been trying without success.  they suggested doing a factory reset as well, which I tried, but that also didn't work.  They did try to pass me to an EE Guide, which was initially refused by the EE agent, but they transferred me directly which I think surprised the EE Guide, but they did also confirmed that the Smart Disc should be compatible, however they were unwilling to provide any support to help me connect them.  Don't know why.  

So.... anyone know how to connect the Smart Discs to the Smart Hub 3 to extend / boost my wifi?

The Guide did "very helpfully" pass me to the sales team to try to sell me the Wifi 6 version of what I've already got, for the sum of £5 a month (rather than the one-off fee I paid for the smart discs).  Given that I feel a bit cheated that EE won't support the existing hardware they already sold me, despite repeatedly telling me it was compatible, I'm also not really inclined to move to a subscription rather than a one-off payment.  I'd probably be more inclined to buy a third party Wifi 6 Mesh kit.  Anyone got any suggestions?

and.... what is going on here with EE?  It's the first time I've ever had a seemingly deliberately obstructive / unsupportive support guide, which has got me a bit concerned.  I've been worried about the BTification of EE since the merger - I swore off BT many years ago.  But to find the BT agents more helpful than the EE agent is a first.  Genuinely confused! 

[XRaySpeX]

Which Smart WiFi discs are they? What colour are they? Do they have a label giving their name & model no. (SW... ?)? Who did you get them from, EE or BT?

[JamesBlonde]

They're the white EE smart wifi discs, will get the model number tomorrow as the photo I took of the back isnt sharp enough, but look like this. 

 

[XRaySpeX]

As far as I know only the latest white EE Smart WiFi extender (SW30A) is compatible with the SH+. Most generic mesh systems should also be.

[JamesBlonde]

(Product Number was WE410443-0T)

Thanks @XRaySpeX, that's not an unexpected answer to be honest.... but.... why?  I'd have thought it would just act as a Wifi 5 extender once it has the right SSID?  And I thought different WiFi protocols were generally cross compatible? 

I guess a related question is, are my own Powerline (from the house to the garage) and TP-Link WiFi extenders (in the garage and the summer house) no longer going to work either?

And why was I told repeatedly that they were compatible?  

[FCM75]

any update on this - i have exactly the same issue now. If id known i would have probably just moved my broadband elsewhere.  EE have been less than helpful

[XRaySpeX]

Those white round EE Smart WiFi discs are not compatible with the EE SH+.

[FCM75]

Thanks for clearing that up. XRay. Its good to know some people actually have a definitive answer.

so EE provide a smart hub that’s not backward compatible with their own product hoping I’ll be duped into parting with £240 over 2 years to fix a problem that I already had addressed. And the broadband sales team said they would be compatible.

I’ll get a mesh system from Argos. 

losing faith in EE by the day.

[Chris_B]

@FCM75     Just because it’s a product sold it doesn’t mean it is or even can be made compatible.    Thats your assumption that it can be made to work together.     EE don’t manufacture these products themselves and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s two different manufacturers of these products.    

Thats like saying an Apple Watch can or should work with a Samsung phone just because EE sell them.    

[FCM75]

Sorry. Chris - that’s not a correct analogy at all. Yes,  EE don’t make them, but they are EE BRANDED and part of the EE family. They are made for EE to EE specification.

Apple don’t make Apple Watches compatible with Samsung, but they do make Apple Watches backward compatible for older model phones and phones compatible for older model watches. That keeps people brand loyal.

Ee took the decision to make a new hub not compatible with an EE mesh system that is only 2 years old. That was either deliberate gouging or just incompetent product marketing.

if EE have product manufactured for them with EE brand and architecture, then EE as the brand are responsible for its compatibility or not with the rest of EE products.

if it were a Tp link or Asus sold by EE, I would understand.

Also, don’t forget when they sold the new package I asked if I could keep the existing set up as it was fine, and then being told I had to have the new hub I asked specifically if the existing EE discs would work.