To everyone having Wi-Fi dropouts & other problems - please **report**

[Cliff_G]

It is now pretty much confirmed that the recent (circa 25/5/26) firmware update on EE Smart Hub Plus (with Wifi 6) to version r4.26.1-R-1860948-PROD-83002 is causing a lot of problems around wi-fi dropouts, probably all on the 2.4 GHz frequency (and probably on both Main and Compatibility). The update was something to do with aligning BT and EE routers, no other details given.

Many people are suddenly getting random dropouts which were not there before, which temporarily stop after a reboot, particularly by powering down for at least 5 minutes.  I personally also found our phones could not even see both Main and Comp networks when the problem was occurring.  Almost universally, the fix is to go into the router Wi-Fi configuration page (Change Settings) and change the 2.4 GHz channel config from Auto to Fixed (many are using channel 6).

I have also seen a laptop reconnect every 6 seconds (to the 2.4 GHz Comp network) where I have tried all the usual - update Wifi adapter driver version, back off certain adapter sensitivity settings - and I even bought a new USB Wifi Dongle, which also would not connect stably. This laptop was absolutely fine before the update (as were the phones that were dropping off the wifi). We're now using that laptop on Ethernet-over-mains, somewhat less convenient but totally solid (and Amazon have refunded the Wifi Dongle 🙂  )

Today I had an excellent conversation with one of the EE Guides (using their callback system which imho is a pretty good way of getting hold of them) and he agreed I'd already done pretty much everything I or EE could do, and will escalate this.

He indicated that any sort of routine firmware update is unlikely very soon, but that they are aware of these wifi problems, and implied (or maybe I read into it) that an update can sometimes be rolled out to fix specific problems.

So I think the best thing to move this forward positively is for everyone to report the problem to EE. Text GUIDE to 66033 and they will call you back in usually less than an hour.  The more who report, the stronger the case.

Before doing this it may speed things up if you do a Factory Reset on your router (under Advanced Settings / System) and then reconfigure it the way you had it before (e.g. turn Comp on, etc.) then check the issue is still there.  We pretty much know this reset does not work, but the support team do have a sequence they need to go through and a Factory Reset is one of those steps, so doing this before will speed things up.

Thanks everyone - fingers crossed.

[AG-Bell]

Thanks Jim and Xray, you are probably right about the DV port on the PN Smart Hub2, although it seems odd BT/PN would go to the expense of having 2 production runs of virtually identical routers?

Anyway it’s still playing up and EE are sending out another engineer on Friday when I will be there. If he has a spare Smarthub 2 I may try to persuade him(or her) to set it up for us to try for a few days.

I’m more convinced the main fault is losing internet connectivity to webpages ( despite the BB staying in sync to the router) and while that is occurring it’s also stopping you reconnecting to WiFi if you have come off it in an attempt to reset the connection.
However from past experience I know this type of fault does not show up in any logs so the help desk staff can’t see its lost webpage connection they just see the circuit has been n sync for X hours or days.

[JimM11]

@AG-Bell Do not put any hope in an Engineer carrying a spare hub to give to you, is it an EE Engineer visit you are getting?

Best they can do is report what they see back and try to arrange getting what is needed to you. You can look at the logs yourself when the condition occurs, just https://192.168.1.254 to the hub and go to advanced / logs section. There is zero doubt about the ATA port, if not would have told you to throw the old PN on, change the user credentials on the Hub away from PN and use it.

All the symptoms you describe may be down to the Main WiFi, would fire up the Compatible network on WPA2-Personal and connect to that wireless wifi and see if the device with the issue holds better.

You jumped on a posting that was all about the latest FW update that EE pushed out to the hub with some oops in it that affected some others more than normal, at this point was getting way hard to recommend what was the best plan off action, this is all over with now until the next time it happens.

[James475]

Adding my case, as requested. Since a recent hub firmware update my 2.4GHz band has stopped serving clients entirely. Hub Manager shows ZERO devices on 2.4GHz and 13 on 5GHz. Four 2.4GHz-only devices have been offline all day: two smart relays, a smart plug and a smart TV hub. Everything capable of 5GHz is unaffected, which is what pointed me at the band rather than the devices. Hub firmware r4.27.1-R-1862254-PROD-84001, app 3.14.5. Network name and password unchanged throughout. Tried without success: hub restart, fixed 2.4GHz channel (both 1 and 11 instead of Smart), and WPA3-Personal-Transition instead of WPA3-Personal-Compatibility. 2.4GHz shows as Enabled throughout, yet still zero clients. Can EE confirm when this firmware was deployed to my line, and advise on a rollback or a replacement hub? One of the affected devices controls lighting I cannot easily reach physically.

[JimM11]

@James475 The version you are quoting for the EE Smart Hub 7+ all sorted out as below. 5 weeks ago now and not scheduled at all i think for any updates, will link below. Not on the list for any updates currently and do not remember any 2.4Ghz issues with that unit.

FW: r4.27.1-R-1862254-PROD-84001 and the gui is at App version 3.14.5 13/07/2026

EE Hub firmware versions - The EE Community

You should try Compatible wifi with WPA2-Personal on the 2.4Ghz band.

Edit:- Have you analyzed that the 2.4Ghz band is being transmitted from the hub, you cannot just assume it is unless you have another device that can drop back on the band.

[XRaySpeX]

@James475 : Sometimes older or weaker devices may not be compatible with the default WiFi settings of EE Smart Hubs. Try setting up Compatible WiFi on the router under Advanced > Wireless Settings > Config > Compatible WiFi (it defaults to 2.4 GHz only & WPA2) & connect your problematic 2.4 GHz devices to that.

[James475]

Thanks both - @JimM11 you were right on two counts. My firmware is r4.27.1 on a Smart Hub 7+, so not the version in this thread, and I had indeed assumed the 2.4GHz band was transmitting rather than testing it. So I tested it properly, and it is not. I enabled Compatible WiFi exactly as you both suggested: 2.4GHz only, WPA2-Personal, password set, saved successfully. Hub Manager shows it as ON, 2.4GHz enabled, Channel 11. The SSID does not appear on any device - not on an iPhone, and no client has joined it. The main network's 2.4GHz shows enabled with zero clients while 5GHz carries thirteen. So the hub reports 2.4GHz as enabled while broadcasting nothing on that band. Already ruled out: hub restart, fixed channels 1 and 11 instead of Smart, WPA3-Personal-Transition and WPA3-Personal-Compatibility on the main network. Given a 2.4GHz-only SSID will not broadcast at all, this looks like a hardware fault rather than configuration. Can EE arrange a replacement hub? Four 2.4GHz-only devices remain offline, one of which controls lighting I cannot physically reach.

[JimM11]

@James475 Does look like your 7+ Hub has failed, either call EE CS and explain it all, or go for the Home Network test just send a text from a Mobile that EE knows registered on your account HELP to 66033, EE will test and call you back once they examine it all, may be a little out off whack though as it may say 2.4Ghz is working but they should be able to see the devices are all offline and not connected.👍 You may just be asked to do a Factory Reset on the Hub by the EE CS Guide as it possibly may just rock it all back into operation, so may be worth getting it all over and done with before the call, hopefully not too much changed before that etc but do treat that as a seriously bad way for getting operation back... Not an easy get out off jail.

@XRaySpeX has posted the numbers to dial above on the thread.

[AG-Bell]

Hi All, Latest update.

EE sent an “engineer” out, turns out he was from a third party contractor and only seemed interested in doing a line and speed test which did not achieve much.

We pestered EE to send us a Smart Hub2. Since installing it we have, touch wood, had no problems what so ever! Even when the pub garden was packed and people could have been latching on to the EE Public WiFi channels.

Interestingly when the heatwave diminished last week and temperatures dropped, the Hub6+ did seem to get slightly better but still had occasional  dropouts so could be they are very heat sensitive compared to previous BT routers?

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

[JimM11]

@AG-Bell You can disable the EE WiFi if you wish on any EE/BT Hub that has it transmitting, Never found any heat issues when using the 6+ at all, but does not get that hot in Scotland at the best off times, and it was in a cool place anyway. Again below if you need it, takes a couple off day's to get rid of the signal though.

Solved: Opt Out EE Public WiFi - The EE Community

[Martyh1234]

Hi Iv the very same problem with the smart plus hub, very unstable across multiple devices especially my windows 11 laptop. EE have replaced the hub a couple of times and the most recent replacement, they said they had fixed the firmware issue u mentioned. But unfortunately the new hub has the very same issues. 
I’ll report is as an issue again as you note above. 
but I’m seriously going to to have to leave ee and return to virgin media, as I run a small business from home and can’t have unstable Wi-Fi.