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question about how Complete home discs work

REMF — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 19:06:01 GMT

I just had full fiber installed today with complete wifi black discs to replace the wholehome white ones (because I was told by a BT rep that the latter were not compatible...)

While setting up the extras disc in the kitchen (disc no1. is right next to the router in the hall) it said that this was a poor place to put the disc. I assumes this mean that the disc is not getting much of a signal? Thing is the kitchen, and where I have put the disc, is about 20ft from the router and disc that are in the hall. This doesn't seem far away. How many do you need.

The kitchen is round a corner. Is this a problem?

Anyway I can't get a signal in my kitchen, which is a problem as I have a wifi security camera (to monitor 3 cats' comings and goings).

The whole set up worked fine with the white discs...

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

licquorice — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 19:13:08 GMT

The white discs will work fine with the hub, they just won't form a mesh, exactly as with your previous router. You still need to connect the first white disc by Ethernet as previously.

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

REMF — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 19:36:35 GMT

Hmm was missold the black ones and committed to a more expensive contract as a result. Not happy.

But that aside, re the black discs (since I have them and am paying for the privilege)... not sure what a mesh is. Is this like a relay (only in all directions)? A spider web...? (No idea how the white ones worked...)

I am lacking some basic physics here. How do the signals travel? If it's the wall that's stopping them travel from the hall to the kitchen then is there a way to work out where to position the discs or just trial and error.

Odd thing about this is that when I tested the signal without a disc, it said the kitchen was ok, but when tested in the process of setting up the disc, it said it was a bad place to put it.

If I need another disc in between the one in the hall and this one then I am going to need more than three for the whole house.... unless... final question. Does one of the black discs needs to remain connected to the router?

Sorry I am so clueless... the previous system just worked and I didn't look into how it worked.

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

licquorice — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 19:53:50 GMT

WiFi is not a precise science, it is a black art.

Positioning is a case of trial and error. Unlike the white discs, the black discs connect purely by WiFi to the hub.

It was probably a bad place to put the disc as it was too close to the hub and therefore not needed.

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

chrisjp — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 20:36:22 GMT

"I just had full fiber installed today with complete wifi black discs to replace the wholehome white ones (because I was told by a BT rep that the latter were not compatible...)"

The BT rep was talking nonsense. The white discs can operate with any hub - there are no "compatibility" issues.
The first white disc is connected by ethernet cable to the hub and the other discs connect to it wirelessly. This may not strictly be a "mesh" but it does have one of the main features of a mesh which is that every disc has the same SSID and password, so your devices connect seamlessly, as you move around, to which ever disc is providing the strongest signal.
If you can't get your black discs to work properly and the white discs did, then go back to them.

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 21:30:54 GMT

@REMF

"disc no1. is right next to the router in the hall"

Why have you got a disc next to the SmartHub? You have effectively got two WiFi Access Points right next to each other and they could be interfering with each other.

The first thing that I would do is switch off the disc next to the SmartHub and try setting up the kitchen one again.

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

VeteranISPUser — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 21:56:34 GMT

Hi @REMF Unlike the whole home discs, you need the WiFi turned on, on the SH2. The router is now the parent, with the complete WiFi discs as child nodes on the mesh.

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

REMF — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 18:53:13 GMT

Thanks all for your replies.

The disc is next to the router because I thought it had to be. If I can move it that will help in various ways.

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

REMF — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 18:54:14 GMT

"WiFi is not a precise science, it is a black art." I did suspect magic was involved 🙂

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

Krisb60x — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 22:56:30 GMT

I think the new router forms part of the mesh with the black discs. But the old router with the white discs; the router is a different network name.

Re: question about how Complete home discs work

REMF — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 00:04:32 GMT

Thanks, yes that's the case with the white ones. And I think I get the mesh thing now.

So I unplugged the black one from the router and put it further away. Now just need to set one up upstairs. Hopefully that will work.
I also have some things you plug into the wall that are supposed to boost the signal via the house wiring??!? Have had them for 16 years. Not sure if they are doing anything...🙄 but I guess time to experiment!
In addition to the fibs from the sales person about the white discs, when I contacted BT to say that things weren't connecting in the kitchen, after I got the new black disc (just one at that point) but before fiber was installed, I was told that it would all work fine once the fiber was installed because it was faster... Not sure about that...
But hey ho. I just want it to work and it seems to be doing so, now.