Unable to connect devices to Plusnet Hub 2 wifi

[#1]

I have a number of devices including a portable air conditioner and lightbulbs that are all supposed to be connectable to wifi.

None of them do.  They are all 2.4GHz devices and the aircon specifically asked for 5GHz to be turned off during the wifi connection procedure.  This I did and the only other change to the Hub-2 is the admin password.

My old portable non-wifi aircon, installed in the bedroom, died and so I bought a replacement with great hopes of remote control through phone, internet, router and wifi.  My dog sleeps in the bedroom and she's been complaining bitterly on warm nights as we're both low temperature creatures and she loved the previous a/c.  I haven't hooked up the new a/c to its exhaust yet because I wanted to make sure that it and the router were fairly close together when attempting to set up the wifi link.

Dealing with just the aircon (as it's rather more expensive than a wifi lightbulb), I have followed instructions diligently and have also powered off/on the hub, to no avail. 

Following step-by-step guidance from the a/c distributor, I set up my mobile phone as a wifi hotspot, connected to it with a tablet and using the recommended Smart Life app, the a/c connected immediately, so the a/c seems to be OK but there's some incompatibility between the Hub 2 and a/c as well as various wifi lamp bulbs.

The a/c distributor said I was the first person to report a connectivity problem with a Plusnet Hub-2.  They say they've sold hundreds of the a/c units and they've never had a single complaint of wifi connection difficulties that have not been due to resolvable user finger trouble.  They have been very helpful throughout, but have run out of ideas.

In all honesty, details of routers,  terminology and meanings are long past my bedtime as a genuine crumbly; but I can follow step by step instructions, should any kind soul have a solution and the patience to walk me through.  I guess if the router ever got to work with the a/c, other devices would soon follow.  I'd be really grateful for some help.

Best wishes all and stay well.  DaveLanks

[#2]

When you set up the mobile wifi hotspot, were ALL the wireless settings IDENTICAL to your Plusnet router's 2.4Ghz wifi configuration, or did you do something different ?

Theoretically if the hotspot had IDENTICAL settings, then switch OFF the router's wireless, get the AC to connect to the hotspot, then switch off the hotspot, re-enable the router's wireless, hopefully the AC would then connect to the router's wifi.

[#3 · Accepted solution]

The Hub Two has hidden wireless networks (2.4 and 5 GHz) which are a legacy from the BT version, they (hidden wireless) cannot be disabled.

There is an option to change the wireless mode setting; I would try 2 to see of that helps

The setting link  http://192.168.1.254  Advanced Settings >Advanced Wireless. Don't forget to save any change.

Worth a try

HTH

[#4]

@Dan_the_Van 

"The Hub Two has hidden wireless networks (2.4 and 5 GHz) which are a legacy from the BT version, they (hidden wireless) cannot be disabled."

Didn't the ability to disable all WiFi signals get added to the Hub2 in the last, or previous, firmware update?

I use a BT Whole Whome WiFi mesh system, so have disabled all WiFi on my Plusnet Hub2. Whilst the WiFi Analyser app on my phone used to show the hidden networks in the past, (I used to set them to different channels to the mesh system before disabling the Hub2 WiFi), they no longer show up - and haven't done for a considerable time ISTR.

The attachment shows what my Home > Advanced settings > Advanced wireless > Configuration page looks like.

[#5]

@Mr_Paul 

The ability to disable ALL wireless signals was added in Firmware version: v0.08.00.08297-PN which was pushed out around 31-Oct-2022. 

Not that is relevant to the original post.

Dan