Hub One - 5GHz WiFi issue

[#1]

I appreciate the reply idonno and am thinking that buying a router is probably going to be the best long term solution, just not sure which one to get as I don't really understand all the technical blurb about them.

[#2]

Try the BT Hub 6 @danny1199 it comes highly recommended and is not expensive:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/urw/BT-Smart-Hub-Home-6-Wireless-Router/product-reviews/7031191274?pgn=3

[#3]

Just to remind people that in March 2021 this issue will be 2 that's two years old. Whilst there is a fix of sorts it should have been solved by now. I bought a BT HH6 in Nov/Dec 2019 after 8 months of suffering. My theory is that BT is just holding out for people to get frustrated and leave with the hope that they will join the more expensive BT service. Why else would you not come up with a fix after 21 months and counting. I've decided to resign up with Plusnet because my HH6 gives me no problems and PN is probably one of the cheapest broadband providers at the moment. So, for now, who cares that the PN customer service is down there with BT's appaling customer experience.

[#4]

Thanks Colin, I'll take a look at that one.  Several people mention TP Link routers but not any specific one so I was not sure which of the many they have to get.  After all of this I don't want to buy the wrong one and waste my money.

[#5]

I think your theory is wrong @Iandfisher , it's more likely to be related to the politics of market differentiation.  BT own Plusnet, between them they offer essentially two competing packages, you could say at either ends of the price spectrum.  There is no way PN could offer the same router as with the BT package.  I understand peoples frustration on the face of the facts documented in this forum, but if you get into the detail of the subject you begin to realise how complex it is.  Stalwarts like @bobpullen are doing their utmost to solve this problem, which is proving difficult to reproduce in the lab.  It's the marketing politics that's wrong, if anything.  I do sometimes wonder what the actual thinking is at the top management level because it's obvious this problem is tarnishing the PN brand.  Finally, on the subject of support, I've experienced BT also, I for me it's PN all the way.  No comparison.

My two cents.

[#6]

Hi @bobpullen,

I am a returning customer (for under a month). I have come back to plusnet after a year with another provider who I was disappointed with because of frequent internet dropouts. Prior to that I had been a Plusnet customer since 2014.

I am bitterly disappointed to have to dedicate so much time to try and fix the issues with the Hub One router. Why are Plusnet still issuing this router if there are so many users reporting similar problems?

Please could you issue me with the Firmware update that resolves this issue? My current firmware version is 4.7.5.1.83.8.263

Full details:

Brief description of the problem, and how is masquerades itself. What are the symptoms? How frequently does it happen?

Laptop (Surface Pro 7) often daily, loses internet when in online meetings, sometimes multiple times per day for 20 - 60 seconds. Other devices still OK

Laptop (Surface Pro 7) sometimes just loses internet. Have to reset router.

Every couple of days the internet connection speed drops from 40-50 mbps to 700ish kbps. Reset fixes this but results in several mins of loss of internet (affecting 2 home workers + 3 school remote workers). When resumes full speed is restored.

Laptop sometimes fails to connect to wifi altogether. When this happens, my phone fails to connect too with Authentication Error message.

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?

Yes, and hub status is always blue

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?

Yes. Have followed the guide to unsplit them and rename the network. Not yet fully tested this but from the many comments in this thread, I'm not hopeful.

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?

Depending on the which problem is happening, sometimes other devices are unaffected, sometimes they are.

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 way to replicate as of yet.

Is the problem always resolved by rebooting the hub? If so, how long does it take before problems recur?

Yes. Problem re-occurrence varies. Sometimes within the hour sometimes it's the next day.

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.

Surface Pro 7, Galaxy Note 10 Lite, Samsung 58" TV, Lenovo Yoga laptop.

Have the devices experiencing problems recently received any patches that might correspond with the time the issue first occurred?

The only common factor is the new Hub One router.

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.

Hub One with ethernet to Sky Q and TP-Link Power Line adapter; 3 x further powerline adapters connected to PC, 2 Xbox's and a Switch (switch connected to a media player PB). Many different WiFi Devices: 5 x Apple Phones; 2 x Samsung Phones; 3 x Laptops (Surface Pro 7, 2 x Lenovo Yoga); 3 x Samsung TVs; 2 x Amazon Firesticks; 4 x Amazon Alexa's.

One of the TP-Link receivers is also a WiFi booster. If I'm unable to connect to the Hub One, I can still connect to the other AP - internet is fine when this happens, so wired network seems unaffected, just the One Hub WiFi. Many of the devices listed above are connected to the additional AP.

[#7]

Hi @bobpullen , I just found this thread after months of frustrating dropouts which I have now established are related to the 5ghz band on my Hub One.  It took me the best part of a year to realise what was happening.

This really needs a proper fix from Plusnet.  It is outrageous that I should be expected to either disable 5Ghz (my current workaround) or buy a second hand BT router.  Seriously considering going to Virgin Media now.

Here are the answers to the initial questions:

1. Brief description of the problem, and how is masquerades itself. What are the symptoms? How frequently does it happen?  Devices lose internet connection but still appear connected to router via wifi. Happens frequently when 5ghz band is in use.
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? Yes devices appear to be connected and hub light is blue when problems arise.
   
   
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. The problem only affects devices connect to 5Ghz band.
   
   
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? Problem persists until either: a) router is restarted or b) devices are disconnected from 5Ghz and reconnected to 2.4Ghz.
   
   
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.  Problem appears to happen randomly any time from 1 minute to 2 weeks after reset.
   
   
6. Is the problem always resolved by rebooting the hub?  If so, how long does it take before problems recur? Yes but problem recurs.  Time for recurrence varies (see above)
   
   
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.  All devices connected via 5Ghz including Apple IPad Pro, Fire TV stick, Lenovo laptops, HP laptop.
   
   
8. Have the devices experiencing problems recently received any patches that might correspond with the time the issue first occurred? No.  Problem was there from day 1 with router but I just didn't realise what was going on.
   
   
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 switches, powerline adaptors or wireless access points.  Too many devices connected to list

Please could you push the Firmware update that resolves this issue? My current firmware version is 4.7.5.1.83.8.263

[#8]

Hi @bobpullen - A Quick Update for you:
Last August you updated us to .284 

The update was fine for a few weeks until 5Ghz started failing to connect again. To this i simply disabled 5Ghz and had a stable connection with this and tp-link range powerlines.
However, last night the orange wireless light started to flash for no good reason (orange with a flicker), i tried enabling and then disabling 5ghz, no change, then i switched off WEP. 
This was a mistake, the internet connection dropped, the home light going continuously from green, flashing green orange, blue, and repeat - btw, blue even after removing the dsl wire.
i couldn't log in to the router wirelessly or wired, even after a reboot and trying the reset button.

I've bought a router (tp-link vr2800) and am back on line, but do you want the plusnet router for any post mortem?

[#9]

Well Colin, I've done it and bought a BT Home Hub 6 so waiting to get it and set that up.  Did you remove your Hub One completely and just use your HH6 or did you piggy back the HH6 off the back of the Hub One?

[#10]

Hi @danny1199 , I haven't made the move to the HH6 yet, I just researched it in case I have to make the jump, but at the moment I'm working with Bob to try and help provide circumstantial data for the HH5 wifi problems with are affecting some people.  In your case I would just configure the HH6 with your PN account login and password, there is an article pinned I think at the beginning of this forum subject describing how to do that, but failing that I think PN support would talk you through it over the phone.  Hope that helps and good luck.  Be interested to know how you find life with a HH6 is, when you can. 

[#11]

Thanks for the reply, I’ll post here after having it set up for a few days. Just waiting for it to come now.

[#12]

Update from my last post. A couple of days on from splitting the WiFi signals I still see the odd drop out. This happens on the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz at the same time. Yesterday afternoon multiple devices lost WiFi simultaneously; at this point the big router light was flashing Orange - this is a first for me. I haven't seen the speed drops though which used to happen daily or every couple of days previously. 

[#13]

I was having problems with the hub1 and came to the same conclusion. I wanted a long term solution not keep messing around and as we stream all our TV even more reason.
Hence I ditched hub 1, purchased a secondhand bt modem, not a router, and a Deco mesh system. Brilliant!
What's the use of getting what is regarded as cheap broadband derived to your master socket if you then cannot use it when trying to distribute it around your house with an even cheaper router.

[#14]

Hello @bobpullen 

Firmware 4.7.5.1.83.8.263

After setting up the hub one and the switchover to Plusnet broadband, all was OK for about 24 hours and I started experiencing the 5 GHz connectivity issue. I had a few devices connected on 5 Ghz, some on 2.4 GHz and some off Ethernet LAN port 1 (through an 8-port switch).

All was well until 24 hours after the switchover when devices disconnected. First my Motorola G7, which was unable to reconnect then other devices.

I'd very much like to have this resolved so if a firmware update is available I'd be grateful if it could be pushed to my router.

For the record, my job as a software tester involves testing firmware, including that on Ethernet devices, so I might be able to assist you in reproducing the issue.

I have answered the questions you have asked below.

Brief description of the problem, and how is masquerades itself. What are the symptoms? How frequently does it happen?
Unable to connect to the router from a number of devices on 5 GHz. Devices such as mobiles report authentication errors or access point temporarily full.

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?
The devices are not connected. They are shown in the Home Network tree off 5 GHz but they are showing not connected.The Hub One status LED is blue.

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?
The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz are split. They both have different SSIDs and passwords. Only 5 GHz is affected. All devices connected on 2.4 GHz are fine. The devices that cannot connect on 5 GHz can connect on 2.4 GHz

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?
It is persistent. A number of devices (Yamaha receiver, PS5, Sky Q 1TB box amongst others) are wired to the router via a 8-port D-Link switch.

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]
It doesn't seem to be related to a specific device waking up or connecting to the router.

Is the problem always resolved by rebooting the hub? If so, how long does it take before problems recur?
The router was up and running on Friday 8th January for the first time and it was OK until Saturday morning 9th January. The devices were disconnected form 5 GHz and were unable to reconnect.

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.
This occurs with a Moto G6, Moto G7, Moto G8, Xbox One S and Google Nest Mini

Have the devices experiencing problems recently received any patches that might correspond with the time the issue first occurred?
I am not aware of any of the devices having been updated when the issue occurred.

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.

Below is a list of the network devices. It's not an exhaustive list but I can provide you with the topology of the network in full if you need it.

5 GHz

• Google Nest Mini
• Xbox One S
• Moto G7
• MotoG8
• Moto G6

Wired Ethernet devices
An 8-port D-Link switch is connected to port 1 on the Hub One. Off the D-Link switch I have

• Yamaha RXV-675 receiver
• Sky Q 1 TB box
• PS5
  
• Amazon Fire Stick

2.4 GHz

• PS4
• Google Home
  
• Google Nest Mini
  
• Echo Dot x 2
  
• Sonos Play:1 x 2

If you do provide the firmware i'd appreciate a way of being able to rollback to the one I currently have (4.7.5.1.83.8.263), despite its problem.

[#15]

Thank you so much for this article! I am here after weeks of fustration. We hit all 3 symptoms listed and software is 4.7.5.1.83.8.263

We've called tech support no end of times, had a new Hub One Router, you name it.

I've now disabled 5GHz in the short term to see if it helps. Wish us luck!