Premium BT Whole Home - Schrödinger's Wi-Fi

[mikehubber]

Hi.

Recently my Premium BT Whole Home Wi-Fi has started to act up. I have factory reset them all + tried various "turn it off and on again" strategies with no success.

What I've observed :

• I have blue light on the main disc connected to the router but all other discs are red.
• If i do connect the above disc by cable to another disc, the other disc goes blue.
• The connection to the main disc (from my phone, laptop etc) keeps dropping every minute or less. 
• I cannot view the discs via web browser (http://btwhole.home/) - Chrome Page = "This site can’t be reached"
• I cannot connect via the BT WiFi App - I get error code = "NO_RESPONSE"
• I can, however, get online via the disc - checked by looking at a few web pages.

What I would like:

• for all discs to link up to form a mesh
• to be able to review connection via web UI

Anybody seen this issue and con advise? Is it possibly borked due to some dodgy firmware upgrade? No way of knowing as I can't see firmware details.

Thanks,

Mike.

[infinitywaiter]

In the box for WHWP (Whole Home Wifi Premium), it should have given you instructions on how to set it up, you just need to follow those again.

Get pdf of setup instructions here:

https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/legacy-ug/others/Premium%20Whole%20Home%20Wi-Fi%20Twin%20and%...

Simple video from BT to setup:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5GnIu7GZTFU

You can use Bt Whole Home Wifi app.

Download the Whole Home Wi-Fi app
Set up Whole Home Wi-fi easily with the app - available for:

Android version 5.0 and above
iOS version 9 and above

To download the app, go to the app store for your device and search for "Whole Home".

(If you are downloading to an iPad and cannot find the app, click the "iPhone Only" option).

I've had the white BT WHWP since being on trials for it, along with the black WiFi 6 versions of it too.

If you are having issues, simply turn off all existing discs apart from the one attached to your Smart Hub or other router.

Install the app and use that to install each disc one at a time.

Reset the one attached to your hub or router with ethernet cable and wait for that to go blue and follow instructions on the app.

Once the main one is sorted, progress onto the next disc, just making sure that you reset each one as soon as you turn it on.

When you have all discs back on with blue lights etc, go back to the app and check for firmware updates to make sure that you are on the latest version.

I have mine set up with a WiFi 6 disc first as main and the additional two WiFi 6 discs from that, so that most of the property is using WiFi 6.

Then I've used the three WHWP discs to extend right to the furthest unused black holes of the property!

With this setup I've got two firmware versions showing on the app, one for WiFi 6 disc version and one for WHWP disc version, as they will obviously be different.

This is what I'm on currently as early adopter/beta...

https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Devices/Premium-amp-Whole-Home-Wi-Fi-6-SGAB-C208426-Early-Adopter/td-...

WiFi 6 is SGAC and WHWP is SGAB.

I'm also using the beta version of the app as mentioned here, however setup will still be same...

https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Devices/App-v3-15-Open-Beta-Release/td-p/2262758

[mikehubber]

Thanks. The app doesn't work - this is where i stuggled last time.

I will uninstall / reinstall the app and see if i get anywhere.

Thanks for the advice.

Thanks,

Mike.

[DavidM]

Hi @mikehubber and welcome to our community.

Thanks for posting about your WiFi discs, sorry you're having a few problems. I'd be interested to know how things go with the uninstall / reinstall of the app so please keep us updated on your progress.

Cheers

David

[Kev2021]

I’ve had previous similar problems in that after a while the web server in the disc seems to stop working.  Often a reboot resolves this, or as you tried, a factory reset.  But I’ve also previously got to the stage you’re at whereby the discs appear to provide a working internet/wi-fi service but still can’t be accessed via the web ui or app even after a factory reset.

There is a solution:

In turn, factory reset each disc with only that disc powered on.

Remove your current master disk connected to the router and replace it with a different one, try one from the same pack when purchased.

Perform a new installation, just do the one disc though then cancel out of doing successive discs.

Once your new master disc is up and working as a single disc system, turn on the option to receive and use beta firmware.  Check for updates and install the new beta, it’s relatively new and seems very stable (for me anyhow).

Now, one by one, add extra discs, proceeding to the next only after you’re all blue and checked it’s on the latest firmware.  You may find the master reboots after adding each new disc, this appears to be a bug.  As each disc is added, it’s firmware will be upgraded automatically, so expect a little flashing of lights and slower process than for just a normal disc add.

I did this 2 weeks ago to resolve the exact same issue and all is well now.

That should be it!  Good luck.

kev.

[mikehubber]

Thanks @Kev2021 .

I tried following your guidance and feel it is probably the winning formula - my only snag is the app/disc connection.

I deleted the app off my phone and went through the sets as per the app guide to set up the disc - unfortunately I couldn't make  a connection. I keep getting an error in the app (image uploaded).

I think the disc keeps dropping every minute or (a lot) less so i can't get the app to proceed.

I tried this process with all 3 discs - none worked. My guess is some dodgy firmware has bricked them all 😞

  

[Kev2021 · Accepted solution]

Hi @mikehubber ,

I also did a clean app install for my re-setup, so you’ve very much done exactly as I did.  I didn’t however receive the message you got.  I’m assuming here that you’ve got the steady blue light on the master disc, and not flashing or red - the disc needs to show steady blue for the app setup to work.  My alternate master disc allowed me to set up using the app, and installing the latest beta forced subsequently added discs to be re-flashed with new firmware too, correcting whatever corruption was present.

If you’ve not already done it, try deleting the Wi-Fi network settings from your phone and re enter or re-scan the disc QR code on the back of the disc.  Possibly clutching at straws here, I know.

A long shot, but, your screenshot looks like Android, I am using iOS, perhaps if you know anyone with an iPhone or iPad it would be worth offering them a coffee and biscuit while trying the app on an alternate platform, just in case your issue is connected to with the version of app in use.  Like I say, this suggestion is a long shot.

My only other thought is to try browsing from a wired device such as a PC or laptop to the replacement master disc using its ip address and logging into it that way?  Your router will assign the disc an ip address, log into your router’s admin page, and depending on model it should be there in one of the menus somewhere.

Good luck, if I think of anything else worth trying in the mean time then I’ll post it here for you.

Kev.

[mikehubber]

@Kev2021 : Thanks for you guidance and support.

I've finally gotten round to having another go at fixing the Wifi. I went though the motions in terms of all of the advice/steps provided but to no success.

I bit the bullet and factory reset the router and hey presto! Back online.

I've got some reconfiguring to do given i've lost all previous config but at least the discs are back up.

Thanks again bud.

[Kev2021]

@mikehubber, you’re welcome, it’s good to hear all is finally running.  Do make sure all your discs are running the latest early adopter beta firmware SGAB208426/SGAC208426 which is just so very stable.

[stuartlloyd2000]

First discovery failed is a long time bug in the app. The app is incapable of either

A/ spotting a working mesh and just connecting

Or 

B/ moving between networks

As a small business IT pro, this was a deal breaker and I gave up in these a long time ago. I've just been to look and see if the app is updated but no such luck.

Google mesh all the way.

---