Is the wifi max hub terrible or is it me?

[Grub2000]

I've just had to get the new wifi max hub as it was the only way that Sky would send me any extenders/pods  I previously had the extenders on the older/black router, but had wifi dead spots throughout.  Given that there was supposed to be a guarantee to provide a level of coverage throughout the house (albeit minimal, according to the small print) I asked for some more extenders.  Apparently these aren't provided any more but they offered me the new wifi max hub, with the option to get the new "pods" in place of the extenders, which will not be compatible any more.  

Given the lack of real option and assuming all would be well - it's the same principle after all - I agreed and although I informed the advisor that I'd need some pods sending, they toldme that I couldn't get any until I had the new router in place, at which point I'd have to call back if I continued to have dead spots.  Predictably, this was as soon as I installed the new router.  At this point, then, I actually had LESS coverage than before, when I had the old router and extenders.  I've since been told I qualify for one pod, but that if I continue to have dead spots, I'll need to get an engineer out.  I suspect I know what the results will be.

On top of all this, I have several devices on my network that I need to keep to a static IP (security cameras) due to the way they're configured.  Unfortunately, when I did manage to get on to the router admin page (which took several attempts and phone calls as I got an error message and a blank page at the point the 192.168.0.1 redirected to https://myrouter.io/.) I found that rather than the devices being listed according to any naming convention, they're all just listed by mac address in the "host name" column, where before they had names.  I can't even edit them as I get an error when trying to save the comment field.

I was advised that I should be using the My Sky app to do router admin, but there isn't full capability in there, and the device naming convention is equally terrible, mostly comprising of "generic brand android" for most of them.

Oh, and I can't get on to my router if I'm on my VPN.

So yeah, although I appreciate I have a slightly more niche use case than the average user, it still seems pretty terrible all round to me?

[Addie15]

Hi there, I’ve escalated your post to our Community Messaging team who will invite you to a private chat shortly and help you with this. 

Just look out for the colourful bubble to start the conversation.

Here's more information on how Community Messaging works - https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Did-you-know/Escalating-a-post-to-a-Sky-expert/ba-p/3711147 

[Grub2000 · Accepted solution]

I'm going to mark this as "resolved", although the resolution is that I'm going to BT for my broadband.

I spoke to a very patient Sky representative on the team, who confirmed that the new iteration of the Sky router had reduced admin functionality.  In addition to this, I'd spoken to another person who confirmed that I only qualified for up to three pods to combat the black spots, and that I could only expect a minimum speed of 10mbps rather than the 25 that the original Sky rep had stated to me on the phone when they suggested I go for Sky Wifi Max.

As such, I've cancelled my new 24 month Sky broadband contract, arranged to send the pod back (which, by the way, wouldn't work when it arrived as until they show as "delivered" by DPD, they don't actually activate - this, I'm told, can take up to 24 hours) and have instead invested in an expensive but better solution in the form of a mesh.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Grub2000 wrote:

In addition to this, I'd spoken to another person who confirmed that I only qualified for up to three pods to combat the black spots,

That's correct, and written into all the descriptions of the WiFi Max product.

and that I could only expect a minimum speed of 10mbps rather than the 25 that the original Sky rep had stated to me on the phone when they suggested I go for Sky Wifi Max.

Minimum wireless speed under the 'Enhanced Wall to Wall WiFi Guarantee' differs depending on the broadband product in use: 

10Mb/s in every room if you have Sky Broadband Superfast 35, Superfast, Full Fibre 75 or Full Fibre 100.

25Mb/s in every room if you have Sky Broadband Ultrafast, Full Fibre 150, Full Fibre 300, Ultrafast Plus, Full Fibre 500, Gigafast or Full Fibre Gigafast.

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[Grub2000]

Thanks for that.  

I'm aware on both fronts and I'm not suggesting that I've been promised something I can't have, although I will say that the original adviser did indeed say I could expect the higher minimum speed repeatedly, even when I said I couldn't see how that would be the case - this is one of the things that ultimately led me to agreeing to "upgrade".  I'm saying that in this particular use case of mine, the three pods aren't going to cut it and the speed in each room is unlikely to be sufficient for our circumstances.