When will engineers STOP changing router passwords

[MikeWilliams_UK]

Yesterday I was called a customer's premisis, as they could not connect a new device to their newly installed smart hub.

When I arrived they said that none of their devices could not find the SSID listed on the card at the back of the router. They said the old SSID was still showing, which it shoud not have done as the old router was taken away.

It turns out that the idiot who installed it had changed it's SSID and password to that of the previous hub (which was taken away). And did NOT inform my customer that they had done this, nor informing them what the SSID and password were set to.

I had no choice other than performing a factory reset using the button at the back of the router, this allowed me to get their new devices connected. Unfortunately this knocked out Digital Voice, which I have subsequently found out needs to be reset by someone from EE/BT remotely.

BOTTOM LINE

Any engineer changing settings of SSID and or password MUST write it down and let the customer know, otherwise the router becomes severly limited due to the custer not knowing the SSID or password.

Or better still not be lazy and set up all the customer's devices to use the new SSID/password.

PS: This trend is not only present in EE/BT engineers I have had a TalkTalk engineer give me the same grief.

[JimM11]

@MikeWilliams_UK If the option on connecting was to accept the original settings on startup process, then the system looks at what the previous SSID/Password is and changes the EE Router to match and make the install easier for customers. This stops them having to re-connect Not every customer has an Engineer Installed system. Opinion is open to what is best, hope that answers some of your questions. 

[MikeWilliams_UK]

@JimM11- How would the new router know what the old router's settings were?

If there is a system in process to look up the previously delivered router's details and set them in the factory, then the card MUST be changed to reflect the new settings and the factory defaults MUST be changed to the same otherwise you end up with a DOORSTOP if you have to do a factory reset for any reason.

This practice is very worrying and MUST be stopped as the customer no longer has the information NEEDED to connect new devices.

EE/BT Must ensure that the information on the pre-printed card matches the factory settings (and delivered NVM values)

If they want to make it easier for the customer then the factory settings must be changed to match their old router as well as the pre-printed card.

[Mustrum]

@MikeWilliams_UK  I am curious and not sure your assumptions are correct. This is a customer forum and not customer services, although there are a few EE members of staff on here they may or may not see this thread.

1. EE routers tend to be self install, and although there is an option to have someone (arguably not an engineer) install the router it does cost extra. So why would a customer call on you to sort an issue and not go back to the service provider?

2. Not all routers need to be returned and it is normally the customers responsibility to do so.

3. The process to set the new router to the old SSID is done via an app, which is normally done by the customer.

4. If the customer pays for an instal they would be shown their equipment and devices working before tech left.

[XRaySpeX]

If the router's WiFi SSID/pwd is not to your liking for any reason there is no need to factory reset it to get it back to default (as per label). You can login to its admin console & change the SSID/pwd manually yourself. Thus preserving DV if it was affected by factory reset.

[MikeWilliams_UK]

The customer was left by the engineer who installed the router with no means if connecting "new" devices, so I had no choice.

Customer did not have a device that could connect to ethernet, this unable to login to the router.

As I said earlier the engineer did not write down the changed settings.

Training required...

[XRaySpeX]

Yes, you'd need an Ethernet connected device to do what I suggested.

[JimM11]

@MikeWilliams_UK We are customers like yourself. Your no choice is wrong.

[MikeWilliams_UK]

My customer told me that it was an engineer installation. I have no reason to doubt them.

They don't have an EE/BT app on their phone.

Their phone was not able to connect to the router due to it not being able to see the SSID written on the card on the back of the router.

If the engineer took the dangerous short cut of setting the new routers SSID and password to that of the old router, they are simply cheating to save time. Especially as they did NOT inform the custom that the card on the back of the router no longer contained WiFi login details.

[Mustrum]

@MikeWilliams_UK  still not convinced.

If as you say the SSID and password were changed to that of the old one, then some but perhaps not all of the customers devices would have connected to the router.

And why did the customer let the engineer out if nothing was working and why would they not get back in touch with EE.