Unable to change SSID on the Sky Max Hub, Model:SR213

[yoa1]

Hello,

I have the Sky Max Hub Model:SR213 and I need to change the SSID of the 2.4GHz and 5GHz WIFI network.

I need to separate them from the single SSID provided.

The issue is that in the local admin interface on 192.168.0.1 with the admin account, there is no possibility to separate the 2 frequencies.

And in the Sky App, there is no possibility to change the SSID name per frequency neither, it is only possible to rename it or to disable 2.4GHz or 5GHz.

Thanks for your help.

[Chrisee]

@yoa1 to change the settings on the SR213 you use the My Sky app not the web interface. It is quite simple to edit the SSID and Wifi passkey using the app go to Wifi Settings and click on the pencil icon. Occasionally Sky miss updating thecapp when you first get Wifi Max if thstvapplies give them a ring.

[JimM1]

@yoa1 @Chrisee And with the Sky Max version of operation, i believe that it is not currently possible to have a seperated SSID for/and AX wifi compatability were bands are combined to ONE ssid for a more complex operational requirement. But you can temporarly disable the 5Ghz band if having problems getting older equipment to connect to the router.

[Chrisee]

@JimM1 you are correct regarding the recommended way to connect devices that wont connect to the dualband SSID the SR203 normally produces is to temporarily disable the 5GHz band then connect the device and then switch the 5GHz band back on. Most devices seem to stay connected. 

We are told by Sky that is unlikely to change but they have recently added means to post forward and to use the hub's DMZ 

[yoa1]

Thank you,

Actually with the Sky App you can't change the SSID for the 2.4Ghz and the SSID for the 5Ghz frequencies. 

The name is the same unfortunately.  

I have shut down the 5GHz frequency.

The reason is that all laptops kept changing from 2.4GHz to 5GHz randomly, while I had old equipment only working with 2.4GHz.

My previous three router could let me decouple the SSIDs based on the frequency and thus letting me controlling the speed on the connected devices.

It's annoying to have a brand new router that can't be used with the fastest speed, as ultimately the bandwidth with the 5GHz frequency is way higher than with the 2.4GHz. So I feel like wasting quite a lot by having to shut it down because we can't separate the SSIDs per frequency.

🤨

[JimM1]

@yoa1 It is incorrect too the operation with respect to wifi frequency as the new AX client requires a single ssid for faster through put of speed. But the way you had set previous and i fully agree, that is the way i have mine set also, but do not have any new AX clients so dont have to address that at present.

With your laptop's though i would have a look at the advanced Network settings of the device, it is possible that there is a setting there for operation which will make it connect to the 5Ghz band only.

You should NOT have to turn of the 5Ghz band and is detrimental to the operation of the router and your client devices.

The operation, lower freq is more powerful and goes further, but little more sensitive to interference, higher frequency more restrictive for distance, but certainly way faster.

The new Sky Max product, is being adjusted and upgraded all the time and fixing out the "teething problems" with the hub, it will come good, but it is unfortunate in the early stages of "getting it right" that is were it is at present.

[Chrisee]

@yoa1 the SR213 like all Sky hubs are heavily locked down which limits customisation by users. The new router supports wifi mesh networking where the router can uuse multiple connections to maximise connectivity so some of the "rules" you may have used before no longer necessarily apply. Unless you have specific issues letting the hub do its thing will give you better speeds.. 

As pointed out its the way Wifi 6 (aka 802.11ax) works as it uses multiple bands to maximise speeds. Unless your laptop is truly ancient and only supports Wifi4 (802.11n) you will get better performance as the 5GHz band is used by all devices equipped with Wifi5 (802.11ac) disabling that band forces Wifi 5 equipped devices back to using the far slower Wifi4 standard. The 2.4GHz band has a longer range but is slower and far more likely to be affected by interference than the 5GHz band. 

To connect equipment that wont connect initially to the dualband SSID you can temporarily turn off the 5GHz band while making the connection then re-enabling it once the device are connected and they should stay connected. 

[yoa1]

@Chrisee thanks, that makes sense.

In my case the mac book was switching from 5Ghz to 2.4Ghz.

Mac does not let you choose the frequency , you need to use the cli to pin a specific band into the 5Ghz frequency, making it cumbersome. 

The reason for the laptop to constantly switch between the 5Ghz and the 2.4Ghz may be linked to the distance to the router. In my case the router is based on the ground floor, while the laptop is on the second floor.

I am trying a TPL link router wired to the 1gbps port and connected   through the electric wire and ankther TPL link delivering 5GHz WiFi close to  the laptop. I have a bit more latency but it seems to work fine.

Thks

[Shocked+Friend]

Is your Mac Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) or higher? I'm having the same problem connecting my work laptop which is only Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Sometimes it connects on the 5GHz band and sometimes on the 2.4GHz band, massively reducing the internet speed.

[David+Cottam]

I joined Sky broadband last monday after moving from BT. received HUB 6 WiFi max router.

When the hub arrived I configured it by directly accessing the hub admin pages.

I set up two SSID for 2.5 GHzand left 5GHz set as it came to stop machines fliping between the networs.  all worked graet until last night.  Sky hub config has been chagned so now I am not able to change wifi config on the router and am forced to use the my sky app.  This must have been done by sky.

Complained this mourning and was told sky have not changed anything.. machines refusing to connect and some not even seeing the SSID.  I reset the routerer as guided It reverted back to a single SSID  whichj i know now need to configure  via the  my sky app. and It now works now but I only have a single SSID.  Hoever I have  completely lost my confidence in Sky Broadband WiFi Service.

I will give it a few days to see if it stable 

I am an IT professional...

Next call is to BT to see how easy it is to move back to them as I am well within the cancelation period.

[TimmyBGood]

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@David+Cottam wrote:

Next call is to BT to see how easy it is to move back to them as I am well within the cancelation period.

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I'd note that the EE Smart Hub+ also doesn't permit unsynchronized and renamed 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands because doing so is not compatible with the WiFi 6 standard.  As BT is transitioning over to EE for domestic branding it's possible they won't now offer you a subscription on a Smart Hub 2.

[jamesn123]

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

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@David+Cottam wrote:

Next call is to BT to see how easy it is to move back to them as I am well within the cancelation period.

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I'd note that the EE Smart Hub+ also doesn't permit unsynchronized and renamed 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands because doing so is not compatible with the WiFi 6 standard.  As BT is transitioning over to EE for domestic branding it's possible they won't now offer you a subscription on a Smart Hub 2.

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Which is odd because there are plenty of routers that support WiFi 6 with the bands unsynchronised 

[David+Cottam]

Thanks for the info. 

I am moving back to BT and BT offered me a choice of EE router or BT Hub 2 which I have used with BT fibre 900 for the last few years with no issues. Only reason I moved was to use one provider for TV, Phone and Braodband to reduce costs.  I have still managed to reduce costs and I opeted for BT HUB 2. router.

The issue I have is an  unstable WiFi network from sky smart hub six  I only get a 5 GHZ network upstairs from time to time although the 5 GHz signal is very strong.The SSID vanishes from my WiFi network list and I lose connection then it  comes back as 2.4 GHz some times.  After I power cycle  either the router or the Wifi Card on two of my desktop computers then it comes back as 2.4 GhZ and then somtimes swiches to 5GHz. Same machiners and network dongles worked on 5GHz on BT Hub 2 for years without issue.  I am using the same SSID for both now as it if forced in the sky router config.  I have now seen this happen to one of the iPads  and the only way I could get internet access on it was to switch my Vodaphone hotspot on and connect to that as it wouild not connect to either 2.4 GHz or 5GHz when it did the day before in the same location.

I have found similar posts on the web relating simiolar issues with other providers WiFi 6 routers so I will stay with WiFi 5 for as long as I can as it is fast enough, or until I see less issues from other WiFi 6 router users.

Moving back to BT was easy enough as I am in my fourteen day cancellation windows.  Prive agreed and a move date too abbout 30 minutes.  I will see how smooth it actaully is on the swich day.

I still love the Skly Q TV so will be keepiong that.

[David+Cottam]

I should add I did try to resolve the issues for almost a week I finally admitted defeat yesterday.

[fusky1]

Thank you for your posts detailing exactly my problems with the router.

I now know I'm not going mad, and this tech is just garbage. I'm out of the 14 day window so think I'll be putting this router into dumb mode and using my own that I can control from a browser without some stupid app which restricts my choices.