Unable to see 2.4Ghz wifi network in normal or "compatibility mode"

[felciano1]

Hi all,

I'm trying to set up some smart home devices (e.g. LED light strips) and have been having trouble getting them to configured and connected via HomeKit (Apple). The manufacturer’s instructions recommend connecting to a 2.4Ghz wifi network. We have all 3 bands turned on (2.4Ghz, 5Ghz, and 6Ghz), so in theory that should work, but it doesn't.

I wanted to test this explicitly by turning on the "compatibility mode" network on the router. I gave that wifi network a different name and turrned on only its 2.4Ghz band. After the router rebooted, I still can only see my main wifi network; the new network never appears for connection. Tested on 2 different Macs + iPhone + iPad.

To debug this, I turned the compatibility mode wifi network off again, and turned the 5Ghz and 6Ghz bands on our main network OFF. Now after a reboot, I can't see our main wifi network at all (!).

This is a fresh install in a new house, no extenders or other network devices involved.

Any thoughts on what's going on here? I'm not used to networking hardware failing, but the fact that 2.4Ghz doesn't show up in either configuration does suggest that it isn't a sofware config issue and thus possibly hardware related.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

[JimM11]

@felciano1 Which EE Hub are you doing it all with? See the link below if you are not sure. Should be the EE Smart Hub 7 Pro as this is the only one that supports the 6Ghz band so just making sure. Edit what you are doing is right but the Compatible Mode should show up with the name you have set once enabled, and do check the wireless operation is set as WPA2-Personal that is what it is aimed at. Watch also for NO Special Characters in the SSID name for the Compatible WiFi, just in case.

https://ee.co.uk/help/broadband/getting-started/compare-our-range-of-broadband-hubs

Connect your devices using Compatible WiFi | Broadband Help | EE

EE Hub firmware versions - The EE Community The current pro update and below where it has went from and to with the latest version.

FW: r4.29.1-R-1930437-PROD-1 and the gui is at App Version 3.14.5 27/07/2026
FW: r5.16.1-R-2011329-PROD-1 and the gui is at App Version 3.17.5 20/08/2026

Use also the web manager to the hub ideally Ethernet connected if you can, https://192.168.1.254 to get to it.

[felciano1]

Thanks @JimM11 . I can confirm:

• We have the EE Smart Hub 7 Pro
• WPA2-Personal on the compatible wifi is enabled. The main wifi is on WPA3-Personal-Transition.
• The wifi names are a single word, with an extra digit on the compatible one (e.g. main = "horses" and compatible = "horses2"). 
• Firmware version is r5.16.1-R-2011329-PROD-1

Does anything stand out as a problem?

[JimM11]

@felciano1 No you are all good settings wise, you will have to look now and see that the Pro hub is actually transmitting the 4 bands you are using, 3 for the main, 1 for the comp, and then all off the Free wifi that is displayed as EE WiFi only and any hidden ssid.

If you were on Android i would say use Netspot by ETWOK Inc, but for ios Apple cannot help that way NONE fruit flavoured user.

There was a user last week, the EE Hub had stopped transmitting at all not sure witch Bands will go find it, new hub was ordered after EE checked there system. Here is that link.... Edit:- Still looking for the other one but will find it sometime, sure it was something to do with one off the bands not transmitting and EE were to ship a replacement hub.

Solved: WiFi disappears - The EE Community