Time VM published the work around for SMART devices

[AET1960]

OK, 1st the engineer has been to fibre my telephone, in doing so he has inserted a splitter so Modem and TV come out of same wall box. Now Alexa can't turn tv on and off, or find it. I want to install a SMART light bulb, Internet said no problems with Virgin. I disabled 5ghz on my Hub 3. The bulb couldn't attach to Virgin broadband. After 5 or 6 tries I gave up. The bulb works fine on my Dad's EE broadband! And the VM Community says yes there are problems, but no solutions except we'll send an engineer.

[Client62]

"I disabled 5ghz on my Hub 3" -  I wait to read one coherent explanation as to why this could ever help !

We have a Hub 3 in Router mode.

Using these Hub 3 Wi-Fi settings we have not found any current 2.4Ghz only or dual band devices that fails to connect and to remain connected ...

[Sabrina_B]

Hi @AET1960 👋. 

Thanks for your post regarding the issues you are having. We would never advise to switching off any of the WiFi channels, if you are having communication issues between alexa and your TV that is down to them both being on separate WiFi channels and Alexa is required to be on 2.4ghz and the TV specification will be on the 5Ghz. It is preferable for the WiFi channels to be running under one unified network name and the Channel Optimization to be switched on.

If you are using any boosters, WiFi extenders then you cannot split the WiFi network into 2 names. There are devices that are designed to be on a 2.4ghz network and some that are either Dual banded or by design to be on the 5ghz.

2.4Ghz devices can include: Alexa's, Google Hubs, Apple Home Pod, Printers, Smart plugs, bulbs, switches, some Laptops depending on age and older generation mobiles and tablets.

5Ghz/Dual banded devices can include: Games consoles, newer Laptops, PC's, TV's, set top boxes, newer tablets and mobile phones.

I hope this helps. 

Sabrina

[Adduxi]

The Hub 5 uses the latest WiFi 6 ax protocol and some IoT will not connect to this. That’s progress for you. However you can get a simple wireless extender running the older ac protocol and your IoT should connect.  One like this should work

 https://www.argos.co.uk/product/2801939?clickSR=slp:term:wifi%20extender:5:8:1

[Client62]

The one Wireless Extender that needs Channel Optimization Enabled is a VM Pod making it a Worst Buy in my book.
No other Brand or Model of Wireless Repeater / Extender suffers the same limitation.

I would happily use Channel Optimization BUT on a Hub 3 the outcomes are as follows :-

1) The Hub 3 will repeatedly select channels that clash with our fixed channel APs than to avoid them.

2) At random we suffer up to 2 mins of Radio Silence from the Hub's Wi-Fi during its channel changes, causing dropped Zoom / Skype calls lost VPN sessions and frozen screens on Streaming TV services.

For stable performance our Hub 3 remains with Channel Optimization and Auto channels Disabled. 

[AET1960]

Because as advised by Virgin both 2.4 and 5 ghz are registered with the same  everything. All internet advice, once connection doesn't take place , is to disable 5ghz so that only 2.4 is in play. However this hasn't fixed it. I have the Hub 3 and 2x Virgin pods which I have to say seem to be a total waste of money, but we're in an attempt to get WiFi to my garden office. ( former Virgin Ally Netgear couldn't connect to Hub 3). 

Basically I expect my Virgin Media to support SMART, I have even sought out any info on Virgin recommended compatibles- no answer general Internet ( not the community) says all should work. Mine is not. 

[AET1960]

No it doesn't, Alexa will not talk to TV after being unplugged and reset.

Lamp will not. After factory re-set. Internet pairing with Virgin Media is still not working. After trying to help it by disabling 5ghz - not working. After trying 15 times not working with Virgin. So OK maybe like with adding a Netgear ( former equipment partner of Virgin) router ( doesn't work anymore, which led to the expenditure for 2x pods instead) maybe Virgin only likes one or 2 brands? OK just tell us what will work.

Lamp in question is Tapo 510E.

[jbrennand]

What will 100% work is sticking any VM hub into modem mode and using your own router and wireless equipment - or a Mesh.  £40-100 will sort it permanently for most average users - and be yours to own and play with forever.

[Client62]

What puzzles is many homes have a Dell / HP / Epson printer or whole bunch of IoTs that when new they followed the out of box instructions and previously successfully connected their kit to a dual band Router from BT, Plusnet , Sky or TalkTalk.

Yet when a change of ISP occurs to VM, and connection to a new Wi-Fi is required, just point blank refuse read and follow the maker instructions for deleting and old Wi-Fi connection and configuring a new one. Or resetting the device and proceeding as they did in the first place.

We have yet to find a single device that has not readily detected and connect to the Hub'3 Wi-Fi.

With a Hub 5 and 802.11ax there are compatibility issues that some older devices are unable to detect / connect to the Hub 5's WI-Fi. As the Hub 5 does not permit "ax" to be disabled an additional or alternative Wi-Fi "b/g/n/ac" AP of some form is the technical workaround.

[Adduxi]

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@Client62 wrote:

<SNIP>  We have yet to find a single device that has not readily detected and connect to the Hub'3 Wi-Fi.

With a Hub 5 and 802.11ax there are compatibility issues that some older devices are unable to detect / connect to the Hub 5's WI-Fi. As the Hub 5 does not permit "ax" to be disabled an additional or alternative Wi-Fi "b/g/n/ac" AP of some form is the technical workaround.

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Many moons ago, I did have to return some cheap "smart" plugs that just refused to connect to my kit.  These are the only ones I've ever had a problem with.

As for the additional AC Access Point, fully agree.  As often happens with technology, things progress and the older IoT kit is no longer fit for purpose.  Sometimes we need to accept this and move to newer IoT.