Whole Home Wi-Fi - setting up 3rd disc but not from an add-on pack?

[Thorn]

Successfully set up discs 1 and 2 from a pack of two.  Bought an extra pack of 2 while they were on offer, intending to use the two extra discs as add-ons to the one system.

However I try with the third disc, though, all I get is solid red.  I guess the problem is with using the two discs in the pack of 2 rather than an add-on disc, but there must be a way round this.

Can anyone help, please?

[Dan-O · Accepted solution]

Have you tried the following?


1. Reboot all of your current disc setup

2. Once all discs are back solid blue, connect the new disc with an Ethernet cable to your router (alongside the current disc plugged in)

3. Once the new disc shows solid blue, press the factory reset button (wait for the LED to go off and then solid purple). If this doesn't happen, try again in 10 seconds

4. Wait for the disc to turn solid blue again. Within 30 seconds, the disc should flash purple which means it has synchronised the details of the existing network. You can now add the disc with the app.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 with the 4th disc.

[Thorn]

Thanks.  Have just tried that, but sadly it didn't work.  What happened was this:

Rebooted two working discs.  Disc 3 connected to router, along with one of the two working ones.  Solid blue light after a short while, factory reset button pressed, solid blue again after going through purple.  Disc appears on app.

Then the problem - disconnected disc 3 from router and moved to suitable location.  Flashing blue then turns to red.

This is what I was getting before, and I'm wondering whether it's because the disc isn't from an add-on pack, but one of two discs in a 2-disc pack?

[Dan-O]

How long did you wait before unplugging the disc after resetting? You need to see flashing purple before unplugging.

[awhpcooper]

Just a comment by way of feedback but being colour blind, blue and purple is very hard to differentiate.

Maybe something BT need to think about when designing these things!

[Thorn]

I think you've cracked it!  The solid blue (after reset) didn't turn to purple flashing for a couple of minutes, but after that the third disc worked as I presume it was intended to work.

I did notice that this disc was already showing in the app (even though it would only produce a red LED whenever it was separated from its direct router connection) and removing it before starting the above procedure may also have been relevant.

Thanks so very much for your time!

A couple of other points, if you wouldn't mind?

1  Presumably each new disc added takes its signal from the nearest existing disc, rather than the router, like a daisy chain?

2  Is it possible (because my router isn't in the best of positions and I have thick walls) to connect discs during the setting up process to an ethernet wall outlet, rather than the router itself?

[Dan-O]

Glad you're working now!

1 - It depends, they will connect to the master disc next to the router if possible but will connect to another disc if the router disc signal is weak or not visible at all. You can see the topology in the app on the 2nd menu screen.

2. Yes you can connect more than 1 disc by Ethernet if available. This will help reduce the number of Wi-Fi hops which preserves the full speed you can get.

Thanks,
Dan

[keyboardwarrior]

Hi Dan-O,

Thanks for your very helpful support here and in other threads. I was struggling to add a 4th disc as I kept getting a red light after removing the ethernet cable. Your solution worked although it took me a while to work out exactly what the required sequence was.

Can I make a suggestion to clarify your solution below?

Under point 4 it might be helpful to stipulate that it is essential to wait for the light to go solid blue, then flash purple then wait until it goes solid blue again before removing the ethernet cable.

Thanks again.

[Nacros]

Hi I’m having a similar problem as above. I have 3 discs all connected and working. When I try and add the fourt disc, it changes from purple to blue for a few seconds and then turns red. I have tried the suggestions already posted but doesn’t work. Any help would be appreciated.

[keyboardwarrior]

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@Nacroswrote:
Hi I’m having a similar problem as above. I have 3 discs all connected and working. When I try and add the fourt disc, it changes from purple to blue for a few seconds and then turns red. I have tried the suggestions already posted but doesn’t work. Any help would be appreciated.

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Have you tried connecting the 4th disc to the router with ethernet (while the rest of your network is connected), then after a solid blue light, factory resetting it while still connected. Then leave it connected while it goes through the sequence of solid blue, then flashing purple, then solid blue again. Only after you have seen this sequence you can unplug the ethernet and it will join your existing network. You can then finish disc set up in the app.

Apologies if you have already done this but it took me a while to realise that I had to maintain the ethernet connection through the full sequence.