topic Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App in Internet

Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

ihab_sal — Sat, 07 Jan 2023 23:10:40 GMT

Hi,

How to turn on or off the WiFi guest network via Bell WiFi App? I have android mobile phone.

Thank you.

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

dks — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 20:56:16 GMT

Interesting question. I believe you have to go into the modem console itself through a web browser on your smart phone. You can't use the app to enable guest access.

I log into the modem through a browser http://192.168.2.1/?c=dashboard on my smart phone. Enter your *modem* password when prompted and enable guest Wi-Fi or do anything else you need to do.

I have the modem hub access as a bookmark in my browser so I can quickly access the modem when needed.

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

ihab_sal — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 11:36:38 GMT

Thank you dks for your feedback. What if I want to enable or disable the guest WiFi access remotely while I am outside? I can use the link you provided in your feedback while I am home. My children they are calling me sometimes and ask me to enable the quest WiFi access to allow their friends to connect their devices to the internet. I also give them the Guest password and not the main WiFi password. I can enable/disable the guest WiFi while I am at home using the modem console via browser but I can't enable the guest WiFi while I am outside.

I hope Bell will integrate this feature in the mobile App. Bell mentioned that the mobile App gives full control to the WiFi but that is not the case.

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

ZaneP — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 16:20:17 GMT

HI @ihab_sal

According to Bell's support pages for the wifi app, you can manage guest access as follows:

"Share your Wi-Fi network name and password with guests.

Open the Bell Wi-Fi app and log in with your MyBell username and password.
Touch Control centre at the bottom of the home screen.
Touch Share Wi-Fi.
Select the method of sharing you want to use."

Wifi app support is here: https://support.bell.ca/internet/connection-help/what-is-the-bell-wi-fi-app-and-how-do-i-use-it?step=6#step6

My problem with the app: "Control centre" isn't on my installed version. Do you see it?

Cheers,

ZaneP

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

dks — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 17:09:14 GMT

I just checked myself. There is no "Control centre" on my installed version, either. iOS 16.2 - app version 2.87.0 I don't see it at all.

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

dks — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 17:11:50 GMT

I happened to be out of the house this morning and tried to log in to my modem. As you discovered and as I expected, there was no connection. The Wi-Fi app does not appear to deliver a feature which Bell says it has.

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

ZaneP — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 21:35:53 GMT

Hi @ihab_sal

Last month Community Manager @BellAlexander blogged on how to create a guest network, with the steps below. Note what I bolded. It's not wifi-app-based obviously, but it could work if Bell allows a remote login to the Home Hub dashboard (it should). Also should work if you know your HH's public IP address.

________________________________________________________________________________

"Before beginning, make sure you know and/or have your Modem Administration password on hand."

"1. Open a web browser

2. Enter into the address bar:

a) If connected to the internet, enter: “bell.ca/mymodem”

b) If you’re not connected to the internet, enter: “192.168.2.1”\

3. Click on “Manage my Wi-Fi”

4. Ensure the “Guest Wi-Fi network” is toggled to the ON position.

5. Next, input the name and password you wish your Guest network to have.

6. Click the Save button near the bottom to save any changes.

That’s it! You have now set up a Guest network – separate from your network and devices, for all your holiday visitors to connect to."

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Let us know if this works.

Cheers,

ZaneP

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

ihab_sal — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:41:05 GMT

Hi ZaneP,

Thank you for your feedback and I appreciate your help to resolve this issue.

I also I appreciate @dks contribution in this thread.

Unfortunately, bell.ca/mymodem is not accessible remotely outside my home local network. I tried accessing it using the browser on my mobile while connected to mobile (4G/LTE) network but I received "This site can't be reached". I was expecting that because bell.ca/mymodem is translated to 192.168.2.1 which is a private local IP address and can't be reached remotely.

Based on my tests, the only way to enable/disable the guest WiFi access is via the modem console using laptop/mobile browser and I only can access it while I am connected to the modem directly via WiFi (Local network). The modem management/console can't be accessed remotely via browser.

Bell WiFi App does not show the guest WiFi at all. I hope Bell can allow their clients to fully manage their WiFi network (main WiFi and Guest WiFi) remotely via the Bell WiFi App.

Kind regards,

ihab_sal

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

ZaneP — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 01:46:23 GMT

Hi @ihab_sal

It's too bad that connecting to the Bell Home Hubs from the WAN isn't easier. You definitely can't connect to a non-routeable IP address (192.x.x.x.), but remote login isn't overly complicated to implement. Perhaps Bell doesn't want the support needs that will arise, even though a small fraction of the subscribers would want to do this.

The lack of a robust wifi app may have more to do with the software written for it by Plume (the company from whom Bell gets the pods). https://www.plume.com/. The Wifi app is first and foremost meant for pods connectivity.

Bell may not be inclined to engage on the remote access issue until a lot more customers complain.

Cheers,

ZaneP

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

GK — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 10:58:27 GMT

I totally agree. I have the Gigahub and I was able to setup custom restrictions on devices using a weekly calendar using the web console with the previous hub but that function was removed in the Gigahub so I enabled the guest network to enable and disable devices but not supported in the app. The app has restriction schedule but not that great. So how do we complain to have Bell add the guest network feature in the app?

Wifi app

Fletch2 — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 18:25:16 GMT

Are we ever going to be able to manage guest devices on the guest network via the app? Currently, can only remotely manage primary network devices in the app

Re: Wifi app

Cement — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 16:45:54 GMT

Unfortunately its not going to happen. As we all know, Bell wont do a thing even if we have to gather some signatures of subscribers.

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

Dinesh — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 21:20:21 GMT

I agree. It’s a very strange oversight. Does anyone from Bell have an explanation why guest wifi is not controllable from the app?

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

Vanadiel — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 21:38:26 GMT

While I don't use the app:

Sharing your Wi-Fi network with guests - expanded

Share your Wi-Fi network name and password with guests.

Open the Bell Wi-Fi app and log in with your MyBell username and password. Get help logging in to the Bell Wi-Fi app.
On the Adapt section of the home page, touch the Share icon beside the hidden Wi-Fi password.
Select the method of sharing you want to use.

Not sure if that addresses the issue or not.

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

Dinesh — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 22:00:10 GMT

Thanks Vanadiel, but no - I’m hoping to switch the guest network on or off from the app while I’m not at home. Seems like it would be straightforward to add to the app since it’s possible from the web console (which can’t connect to the Gigabit Hub from outside the house).

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

dks — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 13:52:39 GMT

I am not from Bell, but I use the WiFi app to keep an eye on my pods. To be clear, the app is not a Bell app. It is rebranded for Bell by the pod manufacturer, Plume or possibly by the hub manufacturer, Sagemcom. Any app changes are not done by Bell but by the third party. I lean towards Plume. Plume also supplies pods to other providers globally. Some may want a particular feature while others may not. Thus any changes to the software have to take that into consideration. My point is that the app is not Bell's and changes will most likely take time.

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

tipada — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 19:15:40 GMT

yeah I had service from Cogeco and they give ALOT MORE access inside the app to manage EVERYTHING. Using the same app from the same vendor (Plume) so Bell just didn't ask Plume to enable all those features when they bought the app... cost? non-technical procurement? who knows, bottom line is Bell needs to tell Plume to enable all that stuff for us to see it in the app...

Re: Guest WiFi control via Bell WiFi App

dks — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 19:35:49 GMT

Bell isn't Cogeco, obviously. Bell does tend towards minimalist as it means less support calls and less cost with more profit, but it frustrates those who want a more granular access. Bell does monitor these forums, but any change decisions are made far up the chain and are often slow to happen, if they happen at all.