Smart Hub 2 Wi Fi devices are dropping connection and reconnecting

[stereohaven]

Just looking at TP-Link now on the rainforest website, so turn off the Wi-Fi on the Smart Hub 2, ethernet to first Deco, set them up in access point mode and start reconnecting WiFi devices?

[gg30340]

@stereohaven

Just so that you are aware, you are allowed to mention Amazon and any other e-commerce site on the forum, you are just not allowed to post links to any of the products that they sell.

[Keith_Beddoe]

so turn off the Wi-Fi on the Smart Hub 2, ethernet to first Deco, set them up in access point mode and start reconnecting WiFi devices?

@stereohaven 

You have it exactly. The app is actually very good, but you have to do the initial setup in the modem mode, then you used the advanced setting to swap it to access mode.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1842/

All of my devices connected right away, and even dual band devices did not appear to swap bands.

It also has the capability of using all wireless channels, and automatically checks each channel for traffic level, before selecting the best channel and staying on it. Mine selected channel 8, and has stayed on it

The network optimisation can be manually triggered if you suspect a performance drop off.

I have the three node version, but added an additional node in the garage at the end of the garden as the signal was marginal there.

[stereohaven]

Thank you @Keith_Beddoe, very helpful. 

I don't really want to have to do this, but I am in contract until late 2024 and I have zero faith in BT fixing these WiFi issues.

[licquorice]

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@pmosb wrote:

@cmcc 

So this is interesting. Effectively BT have found the problem, but not confirmed to anyone that they have bodged a workaround by disabling 5G channels for Apple devices. Very poor.

Of course it couldn't possibly be that the problem lies with Apple!!

[Keith_Beddoe]

Of course it couldn't possibly be that the problem lies with Apple!!

@licquorice 

Its difficult to say, however my wife has an iPad and all of our visiting family members have iPhones, and I have not had any reports of  disconnects when they are here. They will initially swap to either band, but then stay connected unless they move to a different part of the house, or out to the garden.

I do make sure that MAC randomisation is turned off on Apple devices.

I suspect the SH2 probably tries to change wireless channel and wireless band at the same time as it has "Smart" wireless.

The Deco stays put on the same channel.

[pmosb]

Apples problem?  I doubt. The Smarthub worked with Apple devices ( all my devices) fine until a SH firmware update 15 months ago. 

[yellowforce]

which port on your smart hub 2 do you use for the Asus router? There are 3 LAN ports and one WAN port.

Also which port on the Asus do you use? Do you give your Asus router a static IP and turn off DHCP?

Thanks!

[yellowforce]

In my case not only Apple devices but also Google Nest hub and Alienware laptop are jumping between 2.4G and 5G bands..

[jennisheppard]

Request for a little help.... My mom lives in the UK, and is having this issue but is not techy at all, age 72 - I am much more techy, age 42, and am trying to solve it for her, but I live in Canada, so can't just go round to her place to fix this.

It seems from this amazing thread that the best way to solve this issue is to stop using the Smart Hub 2 and use a different router instead. However, she has DV, so I know this complicates things.

Could someone who has dealt with this issue please list out the step-by-step for setting this up, so she doesn't lose the DV, but doesn't have to use the Smart Hub 2 for wi-fi anymore? Or point me to a website that explains how to do it?