topic Re: Wifi signal dropping out after smart meter install in Full Fibre

Wifi signal dropping out after smart meter install

candell — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 10:52:12 GMT

I have been with Plusnet for quite a few years but using my old BT Home Hub 5 Type B as the plusnet router wouldn't reach many parts of my house. All has been great until yesterday. The power was switched off to install a smart meter, upon the power returning the router has failed to provide a stable wifi connection. The wifi keeps dropping, it disappears on the list of wifi available on all devices such as laptops, android phone and ios phone.

Do you think the power cut off has damaged the router? If so, can you suggest an alternative please? I had a look at modem routers and most are very ugly with antenna sticking out all over the place, now I guess that provides great coverage but there is no way the wife would allow that on the living room side table lol.

Re: Wifi signal dropping out after smart meter install

Owain_2 — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 12:15:42 GMT

There are many reports of smart meters affecting wifi.

Two things you can try:

- in Settings - Wireless change the channel used on the home hub - in the Hub settings try 'smart wireless' and 'refresh'

- in Advanced Settinsg - Wireless - 5 GHz Wireless

Sync with 2.4 GHz:	YesNo
	Use the same Wireless SSID and Wireless key as 2.4 GHz

Select No for Synch with 2.4GHz and change the 5GHz SSID to something slightly different.

Then on your devices try and connect at 5Ghz to the new 5GHz SSID.

You could also try turning off / removing the batteries on the smart meter portable display, as this uses wifi to talk to the meter.

Re: Wifi signal dropping out after smart meter install

candell — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 13:10:54 GMT

Thank you very much for your reply, I have switched off the smart meter display and in the 50 minutes since doing it I have had no drops in wifi.Fingers crossed that was it but I'll keep monitoring. If the problem returns I'll try your other suggestions. I googled smart meters and wifi drops and many say that only 2.4Ghz is affected but the main devices in my home are using 5Ghz which all suffered the drop. Even 2.4Ghz devices couldn't see the wifi signal during the drops.

Re: Wifi signal dropping out after smart meter install

Owain_2 — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 13:30:33 GMT

That's the point of separating the two wifis onto different SSIDs. Hopefully it will mean that 5GHz is unaffected even when 2.4GHz drops out.

Re: Wifi signal dropping out after smart meter install

Baldrick1 — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 14:25:54 GMT

@candell

I would definitely separate the wireless bands in case the Smart meter signal is somehow coupling from the 2.4 into the 5GHz one.

I would try different 2.4GHz channels. It's likely that the router smart channel selection only looks at other local broadband wireless transmissions and does not recognise the splurge being put out by the smart meter.

Locate the smart meter display as far away as possible from the router or where you use your devices.

If you want a replacement for your HH5 then get a BT Smarthub 6.