Hub One - 5GHz WiFi issue

[#1]

@bobpullen Hi Bob, I've been using a BT Homehub 2 as a workaround for the WiFi issue for the past 18 months, but it's now developed a problem working with my Sonos system after its last firmware update, so I'm going to switch back to the PlusNet router.

Can you send me the firmware update for my PlusNet One router and I'll swap them back over please? See below for a summary of my issues.
Brief description of the problem, and how is masquerades itself. What are the symptoms? How frequently does it happen?
Consistent device internet drop-off, while Wi-Fi is showing full strength and WiFi is slow, but when the router reboots, it goes back to full speed for a few days before beginning to drop again.
Do the devices having problems appear to be connected or associated with the hub? Yes. Is the hub status indicator normal/blue when the problem occurs? Yes, The Hub status is always blue when problems occur.
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?
Default settings

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?
Wired ok. Wireless rectifies itself for a while after a hub reset then problems begin again.

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

Is the problem always resolved by rebooting the hub? If so, how long does it take before problems recur?
Generally fine for a day or so after

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. My work computer, a MacMini would randomly log off the network, causing chaos and lost work. My Sonos speaker wouldn't recognize the app on my phone if it was on the 5Ghz network and the speaker was on the lower frequency band, so wouldn't work.

Have the devices experiencing problems recently received any patches that might correspond with the time the issue first occurred?
No. Haven't used the PlusNet router in 18 months.

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.
Two homeworker on laptops and an iMac / two phones / one tablets / smart home devices (TV, Sonos speaker, three games consoles)
Thanks for your support in advance.

Iain

[#2]

Dear Bob

You kindly sent .273 in January. Still having same 5ghz issues. Please can you do the honours with .289

Cheers

byheck

[#3]

I am having this issue and would like the update applied please.

see answers below:

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

1. iPhones stop connecting to WiFi or say incorrect password. Even when 100% certain it is the correct password being entered. Can usually be sorted by forgetting network and re-joining - sometimes needs to be repeated.
2. Laptop just stops connecting to WiFi. Nothing fixes this other than re-starting router.

1. 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?

1. They appear to still have signal to the hub
2. Hub indicator is normal.

1. 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?

1. I haven't split them but I have a Netgear WiFi extender that only works on 2.4GHz and it never has issues.

1. 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?

1. No devices wired to router

1. 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]

1. No

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

1. iPhones can usually be sorted by forgetting network and re-joining. When it is a laptop the router needs rebooted.

1. 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.

1. Apple iPhone XR iOS 14.5 - frequent
2. Dell Latitude 7390 Windows 10 - less frequent

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

1. Not that I am aware of

1. 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.

1. Multiple Sonos Speakers
2. Multiple Amazon Alexa devices
3. Multiple iPhones
4. Multiple Windows Laptops
5. Multiple Google Chromebooks
6. Sony Playstation
7. 1 x Netgear WiFi extender

[#4]

I have been advised by support to request a firmware update. Thank you for your time.

[#5]

Hi, I have also been advised to mention here about my 5ghz WiFi issue in the hope of getting hold of the new firmware.
Thx

[#6]

@DJ99 @InteraX @Jason5 @Hardlydan & @Slickbit - I've pushed an update to each of your routers. You'll need to switch them off/back on at your side to apply it.

@Mart5 - your router didn't look to be online when I checked?

@dav2021 - struggling to locate your router. Please drop me a private message containing your account username and hub serial number. Thanks.

[#7]

Bob has done a great job trying to keep things working - but the Plusnet Hub really is poor. Bob kindly pushed the update to me some weeks back and things were greatly improved - but not perfect. So, like many others I obtained a refurbished BT Hub6 from Ebay and followed the helpful setup instructions from the forum. Quite easy to do and is working fine. Speed has increased a bit and the WiFi is much more stable and the range is better it reaches my upstais without the large drop in quality I had with Plusnet hub. Given Plusnet have had problems with their hub for 2 years now it is perhaps time they gave up on this model of the router and begin a role out of another like the BT Hub6 wich has proved itself reliable and is able to have regular firmware updates.

Just to ensure good security I did a factory reset and also changed the admin password.

So my recomendation like a number of others on this thread is to give up and get at BT Hub6.

I feel so sorry for other Plusnet customers who are struggling, as I did, with the Plusnet hub and have not found this thread.

[#8]

@Graham007 

The problem is not with the hub one router hardware, which is why Plusnet haven't ditched it. The problem is a software/firmware issue which is what Bob and his team have been working so diligently on trying to resolve, and appear have made great strides with the .289 version of the firmware. Blaming the hardware is not the answer. If you install OpenWRT open source router firmware on the hub one it works perfectly with zero issues. The problem with that is it's not a straight forward install and requires some experience. Again...the issue is software based, not hardware.

[#9]

Yes I appreciate it is a firmware issue - was just using HubOne in a generic way. Also agree Bob has been doing a great job to try and get all this resolved. But I need a more reliable router now and just gave up on the Plusnet hub.

[#10]

Hello, I received the message below from support. Can the products team push a newer firmware out to me please?
Thank you so much. ツ 

“Thanks for that Michael. I suspect your issues are being caused by a known issue with this firmware version. If you post in this forum thread here https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Hub-One-5GHz-WiFi-issue/td-p/1696363 our products team can push a newer firmware out to you that should help resolve this -Matt“

[#11]

I've been having this problem intermittently for some time now, just found this thread.

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

Both my iPad and Android phone will intermittently lose internet access. They report themselves as still connected over wireless, but have no internet access. This happens once every 3-4 weeks.

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 say they're connected to the wireless network. The hub indicators are all normal

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 channels are at the default setting. Both devices seem to prefer to connect to 5GHz,

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?

Wired devices have no problems. Once the problem occurs the only solution is to reset the hub.

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, this happens intermittently. It only seems to occur when I haven't been using the device for a while, so there may be a relationship with power save modes.

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

Yes. After doing this everything is OK for 2-3 weeks.

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.

Pocophone F1 MIUI 12 (Android 10)

iPad 2016, iPadOS 14.5.1 (latest)

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

No

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

wired connections: Desktop PC, NAS, Settop box (generic Amlogic box running Coreelec), Macbook Pro

wireless: Pocophone F1, iPad, Toshiba TV, Roku stream stick, Old PC laptop (2.4GHz only)

No additional switches or wifi extenders/ WAPs

Current Hub firmware:

4.7.5.1.83.8.263

Another issue I would dearly like to see fixed is that devices on the 5GHz band don't seem to be able to see an http server connected on the 2.4GHz band. I have an old PC laptop whose wireless card only connects on 2.4GHz. It's running foobar2000, which has an http control interface. I can connect to this interface from computers that are wired in, but can't connect from my phone on the 5GHz frequency. If I hook up the laptop using wired ethernet, then my phone can see the http interface without problems, so it's not a firewall issue. The wireless settings are set to sync both bands, unchanged from the default setting. I realise I could solve this by splitting the two bands into different SSIDs then forcing my phone to connect on 2.4GHz, but would prefer to avoid this for obvious reasons.

[#12]

Thanks will check it later.

[#13]

Hi Bob. May I please get the firmware update. I left Plusnet 18 months ago because of this. I'm a little disappointed that it still hasn't been resolved.

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

I have a Xiaomi Mi8 and my partner a Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC. They both sometimes connect and sometimes just don't. We have 3 smart speakers and they often don't connect. They usually reconnect eventually. I have restarted the router a couple of times and that seems to work but I don't like doing that too often for the reasons you mention.

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 indicator light stays 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?

I haven't split them this time. I did last time. I'd rather not if I don't have to. I'm paying for a fast connection.

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 a persistent problem. No devices are wired to the router.

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]

I haven't identified anything that triggers the problem.

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

I'm not sure because I try not to reboot to often. Seems to fix every time. My phone seems to have this problem daily. It is an impactful problem because I stream a lot of services from my phone to the telly. We have 2 toddlers so all this messing around with settings really eats into very precious r and r time when they're finally in bed!

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.

As above.

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

Not to my knowledge

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.

Just the hub one wirelessly. We have a laptop, two mobiles, three smart speakers, a Chromecast, now TV and Amazon stick.

I'm frustrated but appreciate your efforts trying to sorry it out.

Many thanks,

Charlie

[#14]

Greetings all, just discovered this thread.

Now I understand some of the quirks of my wifi setup!

firmware 263 (can I have an update, please, @bobpullen ?), and having had awful random problems using some TP-Link AC600 dongles, I now know why they largely don't seem to connect on 5GHz, not reliably, anyhow.

Will look into a HH6 if all else fails.

[#15]

Hi,

Please can you push the latest firmware to my router. We are having constant issues with our router going from blue light to flashing red over the last few days making it impossible to connect for more than a few minutes at a time. Hoping its the issue detailed in this thread so it can be easily resolved. The router is running the .263 firmware.

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

Router connects and disconnects from Internet constantly. This has been happening intermittently in recent weeks but past few days it's constant. Seems to improve briefly when router is switched off and on again.

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?

It goes from blue to flashing red over and over again. When it's blue, as soon as any device tries to watch a video or load a Web page the red flashing starts.

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?

It's on default setting.

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?

It's been persistent for the last few days. No wired connections, just wireless.

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].

Not really, just happening all the time.

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

Sometimes but tends to recurr within minutes or an hour.

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 affected.

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

Not that I'm aware of.

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.

All devices connected wirelessly:
HP Desktop PC
Microsoft Surface laptop
2 x Samsung phones
LG TV
2 x Samsung tablets
2 x Amazon fire sticks
Amazon fire HD tablet
HP printer
Sony PS4
Nintendo Switch
Sonos speaker