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Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems

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On 02/06/2026 17:07, Woody wrote:
> On Tue 02/06/2026 16:26, Andy Burns wrote:
>> Clive Page wrote:
>>> Well we have now completed our forced move from Plusnet to EE.  It's 
>>> taken me all morning to set things up but all finally all devices 
>>> except one appear to be working.  Even the phone and two extensions 
>>> are operational, to my surprise.
>>>
>>> The exception is a Lenovo Z51 laptop.  It's quite old, still running 
>>> Win10 and not upgradeable, but we still use it from time to time for 
>>> odd jobs, e.g. because it has a memory card reader and lots of USB 
>>> ports.
>>>
>>> It has been happily connecting via wifi to the old Plusnet router, 
>>> but simply fails to see any wifi access point on the new EE hub - 
>>> even using their compatibility mode.  They both appear to speak WPA2- 
>>> Personal but the compatibility access point that I've set up simply 
>>> does not appear in the list of access points when the laptop scans 
>>> for wifi points (only a few low strength ones almost certainly from 
>>> nearby houses)
>>>
>>> I've spent an hour on the phone to EE tech support who eventually 
>>> admitted that there were other former Plusnet customers with very 
>>> similar problems.  They were quite knowledgeable and as helpful as 
>>> they could be without actually solving the problem at all.  (You may 
>>> well think that, I couldn't possibly comment).
>>>
>>> In principle I could rig an Ethernet cable from the EE hub to the 
>>> area where I most often use the old laptop, as it works fine that 
>>> way, but that's an awkward bit of domestic rewiring that I hadn't 
>>> expected to have to do.  But if anyone has any other suggestions they 
>>> would be gratefully accepted.   I find the large number of different 
>>> wifi security protocols still something of a mystery.
>> So it's definitely a case of "not seeing" the new SSID, rather than 
>> seeing it, but being unable to connect?
>>
>> Has it picked a high channel number on 2.4GHz that the laptop might 
>> not support (e.g. some devices can't see ch13 unless you assure them 
>> it's in a part of the world where its allowed)
>>
>> if it's WPA2, I assume using PSK?
>>
>>
>> any choices between tkip/aes?
>>
>>
>> if the EE router has a WPS button, does pressing it help (gives you a 
>> short period of connecting without entering credentials)
>>
>> Does it have anyway to force it between 802.11b, g, n modes or 
>> combinations of them?
>>
>> if you can find the MAC addr of the laptop (ipconfig /all) does the AP 
>> show any sign of having seen the laptop, even if not connected?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
> Even sillier point: if the old machine uses 2.4GHz have you checked that 
> the router is radiating 2.4GHz or has it been left as only 5GHz 
> operating? Its spec suggests it can handle 1Gb network speed but it says 
> nothing about whether 5GHz is on board.
> 

Try temporarily disabling 5GHz on the router. You may find that the 
laptop is then able to connect at 2.4Ghz - and stays connected when you 
re-enable 5GHz. I had to do that with my Plusnet dual band router to get 
things like a front-door camera to connect.
-- 
Cheers,
Roger

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Thread

Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Clive Page <usenet@page2.eu> - 2026-06-02 16:04 +0100
  Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 15:23 +0000
    Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 15:28 +0000
  Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-06-02 16:26 +0100
    Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Woody <harrogate3@ntlworld.com> - 2026-06-02 17:07 +0100
      Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Roger Mills <mills37.fslife@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 23:34 +0100
    Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Clive Page <usenet@page2.eu> - 2026-06-02 18:56 +0100
      Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2026-06-03 14:25 +0100
        Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-06-04 00:11 +0100
          Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> - 2026-06-04 03:34 +0100
            Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2026-06-04 11:21 +0100
          Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-06-04 07:38 +0100
    Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Bob Pullen <me@privacy.net> - 2026-06-08 08:24 +0100
      Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Clive Page <usenet@page2.eu> - 2026-06-13 09:56 +0100
        Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> - 2026-06-13 09:34 +0000
          Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Clive Page <usenet@page2.eu> - 2026-06-14 11:44 +0100
            Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> - 2026-06-14 10:50 +0000
              Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Clive Page <usenet@page2.eu> - 2026-06-14 14:56 +0100
                Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> - 2026-06-14 14:54 +0000
  Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Clive Page <usenet@page2.eu> - 2026-06-23 12:11 +0100
    Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-06-23 18:26 +0100
      Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Clive Page <usenet@page2.eu> - 2026-06-23 19:04 +0100
        Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-06-23 19:26 +0100
    Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems Clive Page <usenet@page2.eu> - 2026-06-29 15:09 +0100

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