Multiple devices not connecting to modem

[thedude]

A few devices, but not all, are not connecting to my modem no matter what I do (Android phone connects, mac, iPhone, and Xbox do not). Tried rebooting, resetting the network, changing the SSID and password to make sure it was right, but still no change.

Best guess I can make is it's a WPA2 handshake issue since one of my devices is asking for a WPA2 password when it refuses the connection. Doesn't seem to be an option on the app to change the security config to WPA3 or anything else. Any new suggestions appreciated.

[WelshTerrier · Accepted solution]

Good Day & Welcome to the Bell Communirty Forum.

Which Bell modem do you have?

WPA3 is supported on the Giga Hub modem. It can be set up by doing the following:
 

1. Log into your modem GUI (192.168.2.1 into a browser).
2. Select "Manage My Wi-Fi".
3. Ensure "Whole Home Wi-Fi" is toggled to "off" and save the changes *please note Wi-Fi pods will no longer work with this off*.
4. Select "Advanced settings".
5. Under the 2.4Ghz, select the drop down for Security Type and put it to WPA3.
6. Should you wish to have all of your bands set to WPA3, please select the "Keep a common network name (SSID)..." at the top and you will be able to change all the bands to the WPA3 individually.

Thank you for posting your question.

Take care.

[thedude · Accepted solution]

Ahh, I see now. I was trying to access the modem's admin page on my phone and the mobile version of the page omits certain features such as the "whole home wifi" option and, by extension, the advanced settings you were referring to. I followed your instructions on my laptop and things seem to be working again. Thank you!

[Konadian]

Just wanted to share my experience in case it helps anyone. After I got an email saying our internet speed was boosted, a couple of my devices suddenly couldn’t connect to wifi anymore. I ended up doing 3 chats and one phone call with support, and only thing they did was restarted the modem each time, where the devices would connect again temporarily - but only until we left the house and came back. Support kept saying it was a problem with our devices, not the modem, since some devices were connecting fine, but didn’t make sense to me because there were multiple devices that could not connect to the internet.

Modem:

• Home Hub 4000

Devices that couldn’t connect:

• Samsung Flip 3
• iPad Air 5

After messing around with the modem's settings, I found that turning off the Whole Home Wi-Fi feature fixed the problem. I’m not totally sure why, but I did find that those device don't support wifi 6e and I’m guessing the speed upgrade somehow started broadcasting 6e to those devices.

If anyone else is dealing with the same issue, hopefully this saves you some time!

[WelshTerrier]

Good Day & Welcome.

Thank you for sharing this with the community.

When specific devices fail to connect to your HH4000 hub, the issue is often related to device incompatibility with newer Wi-Fi standards (like Wi-Fi 6), incorrect modem settings, or a temporary network glitch.

Here are the steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the connection issues:

1. Reboot Home Hub 4000. Unplug the modem's power cable (and disconnect the backup battery, if applicable) for about 30 seconds, then plug it back in and wait for it to fully restart. This simple step resolves most temporary connection issues. You can also reboot the modem using the My Bell app.
2.  Some older devices or specific network adapters may have compatibility issues with Wi-Fi 6, which the HH4000 uses. The device may not see the Wi-Fi network at all, even while other devices connect fine. You should verify that the network/Wi-Fi drivers on the affected device are up to date. If an update isn't available or doesn't work, splitting your Wi-Fi bands. for older devices may solve your problem
3. If a device still won't connect, separating the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks may help, as some older devices require a dedicated 2.4 GHz network.

To split your Wi-Fi bands, you will need to access the settings in your modem:

1. Open a web browser and navigate to http://192.168.2.1. You'll need the modem's admin password, usually found on a sticker on the device itself.
2. Go to the the "Manage my Wi-Fi" section, disable "Whole Home Wi-Fi" by toggle the "Whole Home Wi-Fi" option to off. (Note: Bell Wi-Fi pods will not work if this feature is turned off.)
3. Once this is turned off, an "Advanced settings" button should appear. Click on it.
4. Change Network Names/Passwords: You can now set a separate name (SSID) and/or password for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
5. Save Changes: Save the new settings and try connecting the problematic device to the specific 2.4 GHz network name.

If you have Bell Wi-Fi pods, you can try temporarily disabling the Whole Home Wi-Fi until you get the device set up on your network and then re-enable Whole Home Wi-Fi so you can continue to use your Pods.

This will allow you to connect to the band of your choice and then turn whole home Wi-Fi back ON afterwards so that you can continue to use your Bell Wi-Fi pods. Take a look at the helpful reply in this thread for a step by step:

Split 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz bands on the Bell Home Hub 3000/4000/Giga Hub

Splitting SSID for IOT device configuration - Bell

Take care.