Wireless channel selection missing in expert mode?

[Jayach]

OMG again. It's now not working for me in any browser on PC or Linux, but is still working on Android phone in both browsers (Chrome and Opera tried) and also the app (and I powered the phone off/on just in case something was cached). Weird.

Edit: That was my error, it was still working in all browsers, see my later post.

[MickJ]

And it's March the 1st not April the 1st  😉

[_rik_]

@Jayach

if I were you I would be a bit scary living with such router around... I think it's gaining consciousness! 😱 😁!

One of these days while you are trying to change some settings, you could hear the router saying: "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that!" 🤣

https://youtu.be/ARJ8cAGm6JE

[Jayach]

@_rik_

It possibly knows I've already got another ready to replace it. I quite like the hardware of this router so I got a Technicolor DGA4231 off eBay as it appears to be the same hardware in a different box which I prefer the look of, it's got twinkly green LEDs!!. I opened them up and it's exactly the same motherboard but with Technicolor firmware.

Any way I booted up my other THG3000 (firmware 19.2.0203-3261005) and it behaves the same, no channel selection on PC but there is when using an Android browser (Silk on Fire tablet this time).

Don't know it anyone else could try using a browser on Android?

Edit: Ignore that, it was me being dumb!

[MickJ]

Thanks @_rik_   one of my favourites,  I can remember when HAL was seen as a one letter step from IBM

who I hear you say............

[Cynric]

We used to say the same of ICL too 😁

[_rik_]

@Jayach

Maybe the older firmware has the channel selector hidden and the developers forgot to set the "hide" class when the media query triggers the css modifications. If that's the case, with such older firmware, try to resize the desktop browser to the size of the android browser. If nothing happens, press F5 once resized. Try also CTRL+F5.

Could also be a matter of User Agent.

With the newer firmware I've tried all the size from 200px to 1920+. No result. I've also tried 20 different User Agent. No useful result.

However in the new firmware there isn't any channel selection field, not even hidden, so there is no chance to see it coming up from nowhere unless server side the router uses the UA to alter the HTML (very low probability because I can see some UA management client side.... by the way I can see they manage some UA except Firefox and maybe it's the reason it's the only browser with problems  in the wifi general tab not allowed to save the settings  https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Other-broadband-queries/Vodafone-Wi-Fi-Hub-bug-in-web-GUI-cannot-cha... ).

In the newer firmware I can only see hidden:

- the "Periodic autoscan" (off or selection of minutes) 

- the "Auto mode" with values "All channels" or "Compatibility".

Both are not working. I've tried to force them in any way possibile, via css, via JS, resending changing values in the http post header. The values are received, the nginx return the json success reply, but the router ignore them and goes on on channel 64.

I've also removed the list of channels over 48, even from the list of high channels (so the compatibility and "all channels" were identical),  and sent it back to the router server: no difference, still on channel 64.

So, I think they have disabled the function completely, server side. To override the server side code the only way is to obtain the firmware source code, modify it, compile, upload it back to the router. Too much work for a thing that should be there in the first instance!

The ridiculous thing is that in this firmware you can read this message in the id="auto-compChannel-info"

The Compatibility Mode will find the best channel from 36, 40, 44, and 48.<br>
It is possible to use All Channels Mode or manually configure one of the other available channels using the Channel dropdown.<br>
Note: Not all client devices support channels above 48.<br>
If you're unsure of what these options do, we recommend you maintain the default settings.

Such message is 100% gold, but what they call "default settings" is what they have just removed and I'm just facing the problems such message was talking about! 😣

[Jayach]

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@Cynric wrote:

We used to say the same of ICL too 😁

---

I worked for them (before and after) for 42 years, we said it meant "it comes later".

[Cynric]

I had the pleasure of using 1903 (George), various 29xx (VME), series 39 (VME), DRS 6000 (SVR4) and all the little DRS ones. Happy memories.

[Jayach]

@_rik_

My earlier confusion between desktop and mobile browsers was due to the desktop opening on WiFi general and the mobile version opening directly on WiFi settings. I have no excuse other than stupidity.

So it is actually working in all browsers and the app on both firmwares. I attach pics as proof.

Why it works here I don't know and it can't be something done server side as the router with the older firmware hasn't been online for at least 2 weeks.

[Jayach]

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@Cynric wrote:

I had the pleasure of using 1903 (George), various 29xx (VME), series 39 (VME), DRS 6000 (SVR4) and all the little DRS ones. Happy memories.

---

I came from the English Electric side so LEO's, System 4, 7502's and other comms kit followed by DRS's and Fujitsu servers.

[_rik_]

Full of young people here!😄

By the way I was developing software at the time of cp/m on Z80 CPUs...

[manutdot78]

I cant get to the channel settings through the browser or vodafone broadband app

[Amanda]

Hey @manutdot78 

Our Wi-Fi team can help with your settings 👍 You can speak to them via 191 from a Vodafone phone or 03333 040 191 from a landline. 

This isn't something that you're able to do via the Vodafone Broadband app. 

[MickJ]

Yea,  some of my old equipment won't connect to Voda's choice of channels !! 

as @radumamy  I downloaded and use an old version,  read the whole thread for solution.

Old version app here:

https://vodafone-broadband.en.aptoide.com/versions

You need version 4.1.0    this is an Android app

For some reason Vodafone refuse to see this as a problem.

[manutdot78]

I tried this with the "Xperts" this morning and was advised that there is nothing you can do to enable the settings at my end or access them remotely. Furthermore they advised that the router is best placed to automatically figure out which channel to use, which gien my poor connectivity isnt really the case! They also advised that it was because I have other WIFI enabled devices (Arlo and and House alarm) which was causing my issues.

It's a basic feature that many laymans can implement themselves, yet it has been taken away. I will be leaving Vodafone at the earliest opportunity as it is unusable currently.

[manutdot78]

phoned them this morning and they said "nothing can be done" the router automatically chooses the best channel to use... 

[mark_newbs]

There really needs to be some joined up thinking between the social media team and the technical team. I had the same message from the social media team a year ago and then when I called I had what you have been told from the technical team. 

hardware wise I think the THG3000 is a great router, one of the best on the market at the moment (for an ISP provided device) but the software seriously lets it down. 

i have turned off WiFi completely on my router and I’m using an openwrt access point co-located with the router for my WiFi requirements which solves many of the problems with selecting channels etc.

[MickJ]

seems mummy knows best 🙄

[radumamy]

Guys, the solution is simple. Please use the Android App and keep the existing router, it works flawlessly. If not, get a BT Home Hub 5 Type A / Plusnet Hub One router, flash openwrt on it and you'll have full control of everything.