What a mesh: BT Whole Home Wi-Fi users moan over update

Three weeks after a firmware update to BT’s home mesh networking solution, customers are still complaining that they have to constantly reboot their devices, with some being unable to connect at all.

One Reg reader who alerted us to the issue said the patch had "borked [their] Whole Home Wi-Fi mesh solution".

BT’s customer forums have been alive with complaints about the telco giant’s v1.02.04 build10 firmware update to its Whole Home Wi-Fi, which began rolling out at the end of February.

The Whole Home Wi-Fi system, launched in 2017, promises to blanket a customer’s house with gloriously strong internet connectivity through a mesh of white plastic discs.

The complaints were initially focused on the delay of the roll-out, with updates being staggered due to demand. Customers were hoping the new firmware would correct some longstanding stability issues, with user spiderlane commenting: “Fingers crossed, this update is the last chance saloon for WH [Whole Home] - if it's not stable now with my laptop and Nest cameras I'm going to have to look for another solution.”

While BT has yet to publish a detailed change log, the solitary BT employee on the forum, Dan-O, summarised the content of the upgrade: “With the new firmware, the discs are checking the best connection more often and will also prefer daisy chain in more cases.”

Delight when the update finally arrived soon turned to anguish with users such as acemsell reporting: “Since this latest updated applied itself on 28/02/2018 I've had to reboot [my] entire network five times a day.”

As of this morning, and despite advice from BT to, er, turn it off and turn it on again a few more times, the problems are continuing, with the same user reporting: “I remain utterly astounded by this whole fiasco. My discs have now been out of action for three full weeks.”

Other customers have taken to Twitter to ask the telecommunication business for help:

@BTCare since the latest update to my whole home Wi-Fi firmware. My @amazonfiretv won't stay connected to Wi-Fi. Any ideas. Tried resetting my bt hub and all the disc's

— Adam bennett (@Cryingaxe) February 28, 2018

Although some punters are reporting the system is behaving, BT has acknowledged that there is a problem and posted:

“We're working our hardest on a fix for the issue you and some other customers are experiencing and to release an update as soon as possible, following our release process.”

It likely won't be in time for the Easter weekend, however.

“There is no definitive answer on timescales at this stage but it will not be in days.”

Scant comfort those who have updated their expensive new hardware and have no way to downgrade again.

A BT spokesperson told The Register: “We’re aware that a small number of customers have been having problems with their Whole Home Wi-Fi. We’re working to fix the issue as quickly as possible.” ®