Forum Discussion

cadde's avatar
cadde
Joining in
11 months ago

Any tips for connecting a Virgin Media Hub 5 to a Mitsubishi air-conditioning/heat-pump unit

Apologies if this is a bit obscure and convoluted.

At hiome we have VM broadband delivered via a Hub 5 router. There are also a couple of VM's mesh repeaters for coverage.

We've had a Mitsubishi SRK25ZSW air-conditioner/heat-pump installed. It's in a part of the house which is covered by the repeaters and there is a decent signal in there (ca 300Mbps).

The Mitsubishi unit is supposed to be able to connect to WiFi so it can be controlled remotely. We have been unable to do this. When I spoke with the air-conditioning company they asked "Ah. Are you on Virgin Media by any chance?" and told me that they had this problem elsewhere with VM networks. Currently they don't have a solution.

So, has anybody successfully managed to get one of the Mitsubishi units successfully connected to the VM wifi?

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    11 months ago

    Some customers find it helps to turn off the 5GHz Wi-Fi from the Hub 5 for a period just leaving the 2.4GHz band running, this ensures your mobile and the 2.4GHz A/C unit will be on the same Wi-Fi band during the setup process.

    • Tudor's avatar
      Tudor
      Very Insightful Person
      11 months ago

      This may not work as the pods require both bands I believe and you are trying to connect to one of them. The best long term solution I can think of is to buy a cheap Wireless Access Point, wire it into the hub, disable the 5Ghz band, set the SSID name different from the hub and then connect to this new SSID. Just during the set up of the ac/heat pump you may have to join this new SSID on your phone, but afterwards you can forget it on the phone.

  • monet208's avatar
    monet208
    Dialled in
    7 months ago

    just having the same problem today with a new Panasonic air con unit fitted today!!

    • Matthew_ML's avatar
      Matthew_ML
      Forum Team
      7 months ago

      Hey monet208, thank you for reaching out and I am sorry to hear this.

      What type of issues are you having?

      Does it connect or is intermittent? 

       

  • monet208's avatar
    monet208
    Dialled in
    7 months ago

    i asked a similar question as cannot connect the Panasonic air conditioning to my iPhone via the VM hub

    Panasonic say as said below too change the 5ghz- whatever that is to 2.4

    i have no idea how to do this and if that’s done so I can use the Panasonic app will it affect my 8 WiFi security cameras inside and out and my hive heating, both of which I control with their apps on my phone

    I already have 3 VM pods around the house and that ensures the wireless cameras and hive apps work perfectly 

    thanks for any offered help as my individual post about this has got no replies yet and I am a 77 year old non techie

  • legacy1's avatar
    legacy1
    Alessandro Volta
    7 months ago

    Everyone get your own wifi router with 1Gb ports and use hub in modem mode

  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    7 months ago

    It does seem odd spending hundreds/thousands of pounds on domestic equipment, and then trying to control it with VM's cheapest possible Wi-Fi.

    Do the job properly with your own wireless access point. 

  • pete_at_home's avatar
    pete_at_home
    Superfast
    7 months ago

    There are lots of appliances with the same problem.   My step-son's washing machine also had issues.

    Simple fix . . . . . . . change the 2.4Ghz WiFi SSID so it's different to the 5Ghz.    Then 2.4Ghz devices don't get confused.

    • Client62's avatar
      Client62
      Alessandro Volta
      7 months ago

      VM have gone to a lot of trouble to prevent use of split SSID's with VM Pods.

      I believe the VM Pods may be operable in single band mode i.e. with the 5GHz signal disabled on the Hub,
      but this will need to be done from the Hub menu.

      Plus the VM Connect app must be kept out of away as it will attempt to interfere with the change of settings.

  • Sephiroth's avatar
    Sephiroth
    Alessandro Volta
    7 months ago

    The Pods (and the associated wretched CONNECT app) are the source of so many problems.  It is seriously suggested that you return the Pods to VM as not fit for purpose (simple use cases not covered) and buy your own mesh equipment.  You can then dump the CONNECT app and control WiFi bands from the Hub's GUI.

    • legacy1's avatar
      legacy1
      Alessandro Volta
      7 months ago

      Fix it at the source not patch it with something VM can stop working at some point