Devices randomly disconnecting

[snakehollywood]

using the discs won't help, as you will still have the same number of devices connected, so if you have over 30 devices, same issue. the discs only provide a mesh network for better coverage.

You can find more on the wireless modes here

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/what-is-the-wireless-mode-feature-on-my-bt-smart-hub-

this might help if you are having stability issues, but not if you have the too many connections issue that I have. The only solution to that is you use a different WIFI AP as I eluded to above, which supports more connections/devices.

A couple of months ago, I purchased a cheap mid range Tenda Nova MX6 mesh network, but sadly it caused other issues, so had to send it back. 
The wifi connectivity did improve, and I think nobody had connection issues while I was using it, but It has very limited config/settings, it is obviously intended for more IT illiterate types who just want a plug and play system and never want to login to any admin or change any settings, and so lacked things I need.
It also couldn't take over DCHP from the BT home hub, just wouldn't work, so we ended up with duplicated NAT subnets, unless I put it into bridge mode, without DCHP, which then disabled even more useful features.

Some devices (amazon fire TV's for example) just wouldn't connect either, and I had to plugin an old powerline adaptor with AP extender for those.

I also couldn't get it to work independently, plugged directly into the FTTP box, so I could take the BT home hub out of the equation.

So basically I needed to spend a lot more money on a more expensive mesh system.

I would just use powerline adaptors with WIFI access points, but the wiring in my house obviously is not great, and I get worse speeds this way.

[snakehollywood]

@countrypaul yes I have done this also a couple of months, using a Nova MX6, see my reply to @Mickyboy06 Mickyboy6 below for what happened. At the time I didn't know about the connection limit of the home hub+discs, so now that I do know about this, it seems I have no choice but yo spend a lot more money on a better setup.

[Mickyboy06]

I would say that there is only 10-12 and no more than 15 devices at any one time in our household.

Smart TV's (Toshiba, Bush), Xbox, Laptops, Mobile phones, 

[snakehollywood]

did you check connected devices in the BT app/admin?

as was mentioned above, any devices using mac randomisation will keep reconnecting as a new device and getting a new lease.
I have this issue with my kids friends, went they visit and connect to our WIFI, it shows as a new device each time. This has easily added 10 more devices to the list. And they will continue to use up a connection until the lease expires.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@snakehollywood 

The DCHP leases never expire, that is the bug in the firmware. Eventually the home hub runs out of IP addresses. A factory reset is then needed.

One way to avoid this, is to disable the DHCP server in the home hub, and use your own DHCP server. Many network devices like wireless access points have a DHCP server that can be enabled. 

You simply configure the DHCP server to use 192.168.1.254 as the gateway, and define a suitable IP range, like 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.199. You can make the lease time 24 hours, you will never run out of allocations.

[snakehollywood]

ok, but even if you used your own DCHP server, that wouldn't solve the issue with the WIFI-connected devices limit if you do have > 30 devices, which I probably do a lot of time.

I have a firewalla which can I use as the DCHP server, so I am going to give that a try and see if that helps.

the other issue I have is that the DISCS regularly lose connection to the hub, but I guess this is the same issue, since etheya re also assigned IP addresses as well.

[snakehollywood]

since I factory reset the router, no-one has complained of their devices not being able to connect, so at least that is solved for a while, but I now have the issue that one of the wifi discs won't stay connected.

If I set the disc up again from scratch, it may stay connected for a while, but then will eventually disconnect again and won't reconnect. Re-syncing and rebooting doesn't help.

Yet again BT have replaced both the router and the disc, but still the same issue.

The engineers they send clearly have no idea and just do exactly what I have done, set the disc up again from scratch, and say everything is fine, which of course it isn't, a sit just disconnects after they have left.

[snakehollywood]

alas still having this issue. Factory resetting seemed to only be a short term fix. I have factory reset again, but this time it did not help, my phone still kept disconnecting.

So I turned off wifi for a couple fo days, and then it was fine, but then my wife phone started having the issue. It seems there it always some devices having the issue.

Afte the factory reset, I was sno longer able to access the router admin, even after multiple resets,

[Troubled_Talent]

I was having exactly this issue from the newest hub, fewer connected devices and no discs. It seems to be related to interference.  It would vary with no rhyme or reason day or night. somedays it would kick devices off and allow one to work, or allow everything and disable one.

After disabling wifi on the hub and using it as a passthrough device for a TP link AX3000 wifi 6 router, everything is connecting flawlessly and stable.
TP link also have a meshnet system that works like the discs, unfortunately you will have to shell out for your own equipment to get the service you're paying for from BT.

Customer service told me there is a new EE wifi 6 hub that has been back ordered and delayed for 6 months and they wouldn't let me place an order for it.

[snakehollywood]

Since BT were unable to help me and all their engineers are clueless, they cancelled my contract, allowing me to change provider.

So I am moving to Zen Internet, hoping their hardware will not have these issues, beating the need for me to buy my own expensive mesh network.