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Re: Plusnet ==> EE brings WPA problems

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On 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?

I've seen this before with some older WiFi NIC's, typically Realtek 
ones, where they outright fail to detect SSIDs broadcasting using AX/WiFi 6.

That's a problem with the newer EE kit because, despite having 
compatibility modes that use 'lesser' encryption mechanisms, it still 
uses WiFi 6.

The replacement card/dongle route is a sensible approach.

-- 
Bob Pullen

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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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