Hub One - 5GHz WiFi issue

[cshields]

That's interesting - I assumed you had made some progress. What does the test firmware do if it does not directly fix the issue?

[MKChris]

I tried changing DHCP leade time. 5g has gone again, up time 1d 21h. Wont even try to connect. I have BT Home Hub 6 due to be delivered today hopefully thst will be the end of wifi problems.

[blandyp]

1. Brief description of the problem, and how is masquerades itself. What are the symptoms? How frequently does it happen?
   Frequent drop out of internet. I then Split 5GHz from 2.4 and 2.4GHz is fine, but quite slow (5.9MB/s). 5GHz is advertised speed (36.4MB/s) but still drops out repeatedly, though it was initially OK after the change for a couple of months. Then recently devices won't connect again - router says password is wrong when it drops out (as was the case when the channels were originally merged). Changed lease to 21 days and reset router. It comes back for a while, but the problem hasn't disappeared.
2. Do the devices having problems appear to be connected or associated with the hub?  Is the hub status indicator normal/blue when the problem occurs?
   Hub status is normal. Devices show as not being connected to the router or internet when it drops out
3. Do you have the 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels merged (default setting) or split (different wireless network names)? If the networks are named differently, does the problem only affect the 5GHz network?
   Split. Only affect 5GHz
4. Once the problem occurs is it persistent?  Do you have any devices wired to the router and does the problem affect them at the same time?
   Yes, persistent. All devices drop off
5. Are you able to reproduce the problem reliably? Do you think you have a way of triggering it? [for example waking a specific device from power save mode]
   No. No.
6. Is the problem always resolved by rebooting the hub?  If so, how long does it take before problems recur?
   Yes. A few days.
7. If specific devices are always impacted when problems occur, please provide details of which devices are impacted and which aren't i.e. manufacturer, model, variant and operating system version.
   

   Sony tv

   Apple-TV 3rd Gen

   iPhoneXS OS13

   iPad OS13

   HP Win 7 Laptop

   MacBook-Pro Catalina

   Samsung S7 Android latest v.

8. Have the devices experiencing problems recently received any patches that might correspond with the time the issue first occurred?
   No. Problem has been present for months, but I've only found this page recently.
9. Please provide a description of your home network setup and all devices in use including whether or not you're using any additional switches, Powerline adapters or wireless access points. No additional adaptors or WAPs. Plusnet Hub One | Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.263 | Last updated 27/02/19.  Devices as above. Plus wired SkyHD Box.Basically paying for fast(ish) internet but only getting slow internet.

[SCam]

I decided to look back on this discussion now that (like most) I am working from home, remembered I was still running only 2.4GHz wifi as a stopgap solution, and thought it'd be nice to see if I can now use my router to it's full intended capacity. Nice to finally see a new thread dedicated to this issue -- but seriously -- is there still no solution? What the heck...

Looking back I first posted about experiencing this issue in May 2019. Looking back on that thread (my post here ) it seems the issue was already reported in March 2019. Considering this issue would be affecting most users 'out of the box' I absolutely cannot fathom how this has not been resolved yet. 

I'm not posting any of the requested 'useful information' and I'll admit I haven't read the entirety of this thread. I just thought I'd check-in, assumed rather blithely that a solution would have been posted (err firmware upgrade?) and wanted to get on with it. But still no solution, no firmware upgrade. Absolutely crazy...

[MKChris]

I'm now using BT Smart Hub from ebay,I need 5g bandwidth as I'm now homeworking, and everything is working perfectly.

[Iandfisher]

It certainly has been a disgrace that has been ongoing now for well over a year. As I have said before, the CV and lock down should have been PN's finest moment in delivering a reliable service. However, as PN has stated on numerous occasions that their responsibility ends with providing broadband to a router which turns on and can be hardwired to a device. According to PN the WiFi is a bonus and they are not responsible for this element of 'service'. How technically and practically are they out of touch? The vast majority of in-home devices use wireless. Working from home means that WiFi is ever more important - but not to PN. I only follow this thread out of morbid curiosity I have have spent my money on a BT HH6 which is doing for me what PN has failed to do since Feb 2019. I'm guessing that the DFS sale will end before this is solved

[briston]

@SCam I have put forward similar questions regarding the time scale of a fix and been private messaging on the subject.

I have come to a few scenarios based on the idea that the kit is not new and cutting edge so it's architecture is well known and how the internet works and requirements to access it are well known.

1. There is a fundamental problem with the kit that is not firmware fixable.

2. The kit, unbeknown to plusnet/BT as supplied by the manufacturers, exists in various versions differing subtly.

3. No one is actually seriously able to or in fact are working on it.

My course of action will be to ditch the hub1 and a recently given BT hub6 and get a 3rd party modern/router. If that shows an improvement I'll post.

Just got to wait for payday.

As an aside, when mentioning my course of action in a private message to plusnet I was advised to get a modem which has a Broadcom chipset. I did ask why, but no reply.
Also, as I have my son working from home and has learnt that he cannot log into work and the same problems have been encountered with other workers who's isp is plusnet or virgin.

[briston]

@landfisher yes plusnet do day that because of variable nature of delivering WiFi they cannot guarantee that. They are responsible for delivering the connection and I have to say, having had a couple of line problems they have reacted, albeit after a bit of pushing.

However, back to the WiFi. Their parent company BT do advertise about their guarantee to deliver WiFi to the whole of the house.

Interestingly read plusnet blurb on their own site.
'The Plusnet Hub One uses the latest Wi-Fi technology to give you the best possible connection speed.'
Does it not imply that WiFi is part of the level of expectation of service.

Read, a piece of kit replaced by their parent company 3 years ago was it?

I have been a plusnet customer for years and do not intend to ditch them and continue to try and get a connection and coverage I would like.

[Iandfisher]

Briston, the issue here is that the vast majority of PN telephone techies either don't know about the problem or have been told to 'correct' the problem with the turn-it-off-turn-it-on solution. As everyone agrees, this will solve the problem every time but only for a very limited period of time. The PN techie will, obviously, take the credit and gladly drop the call as a job done. Only those who can appreciate that there is a problem will voice their concern. There are probably 1,000s of PN customers who don't realise that they aren't getting 5GHz or blaming other kit for the problem. Plusnet could solve this by identifying the modems with the faulty chipset and replacing them with a modem known to work properly. Like me, those that have bought the BT HH6 know that this has nothing to do with the broadband service to the house - it's 100% the hub which PN is doing the square root of nothing about.

[Iandfisher]

PS - in one of my very early calls to PN and before I found this thread I was told by PN that there are better modems out there. I didn't understand the comment until reading other comments.

[mpatterson]

Totally agree anyone can go out and buy their own Routers which will be far better than those supplied by ISP. However i would expect an ISP router to at least work as expected/advertised. That is my disappointment, why not just invest in a new router for new customers and slowly start rolling them out for older customers with issues. (As i have had with BT in the past)
"Oh your contract is up for renewal we see you have router X we will send you Router Y as you have renewed with us"

[MKChris]

Cost

[Iandfisher]

The problem now is that BT probably won't let PN replace customer's routers. Let's be honest, the BT package will always be more expensive than the PN package - even though technically it's the same broadband. BT want PN customers to buy into the BT brand. BT's customer service is at the very best abysmal

[briston]

@landfisher I agree partly about the telephone support guys. However it does seem that they do not have access our don't know about access to diagnostics that Bob Pullen does.

Indeed as you say, some do not even know there is a potential problem with hub1. I was blaming my cheap but reputable supplied Chinese mobile for dropping connection until I got some Amazon echoes.

Just mentioning the comment about the broadband into the house, I know that this is nothing to do with the hub but a problem with my line was spotted when I did actually get a telephone tech guy looking at my hub1 who was a bit more observant resulting in an Openreach visit and an immediate 30% increase in line speed. That allowed further problems to be sorted.

[Iandfisher]

After the firmware update last Feb/Mar 2019 some of my Echos stopped working and my range extenders would connect to WiFi but wouldn't allow internet access. My daughters Nintendo Switch was forever displaying authentication errors and my phone would keeping dropping the 5ghz. Additionally, my wife's laptop would not connect to her company VPN unless joined to the network using ethernet. Since buying the BT HH6 I has not had a single problem with any device. The Hub 1 is 1,000% the problem (if it can be 1,000% ;-0 )