EE 5G home broadband: set-up, signal and fixes

• It's for one place, indoors. EE's sales terms say the Smart 4G Hub and 7 Pro are for indoor use only, and the safety notices for both 5G hubs say not to use them outdoors or let them get wet. EE describes its plans as mobile internet in a fixed location, so ask EE before taking the hub to another address.
• Coverage decides everything. EE's coverage checker shows signal strength by postcode, but EE says results are only a guide, and that without 5G where you live a 4G device may be better. Still deciding whether mobile can be your only broadband? Read whether 4G or 5G can replace a fixed line first.

EE's 5G hubs use WPA2/WPA3 Transition mode. WPA3 is the newer Wi-Fi security standard and WPA2 the older one; transition mode lets both join the same network. Some older gadgets still refuse to connect.

For those, EE's fix is a separate compatibility network. Hold the WPS button for 5 seconds until the light flashes blue four times. A network ending in -Comp appears, and the older device can join that. EE recommends keeping newer phones, laptops and tablets on the main network.

On a connected device, open a browser and go to http://192.168.1.1 (both 5G hubs also answer at http://smart5g.hub/).

• Log in with the admin password from the Keep Me Card or the label on the base. You'll be asked to change it at your first log-in; the Smart 4G Hub guide asks for at least 8 characters.
• EE recommends changing the Wi-Fi name and password after your first log-in too, under Settings > WiFi > Basic on both 5G hubs. The 7 Pro guide recommends a Wi-Fi password of at least 12 characters mixing numbers and upper and lower case letters; the 7 Plus guide recommends at least 16.
• The home page shows the connection status, signal strength, wireless details and connected devices, with links to check and top up your data.

EE's own documents pull in two directions here. The safety notices for both 5G hubs say to keep all parts, including the power adapter, away from heat and sun, for example away from a radiator, a window sill or other electrical equipment that can get hot. So the sales terms recommend a window sill while the safety notes name it as a spot to avoid. EE gives an operating temperature of 0-45°C for its hubs.

A sensible reading of both is near a window, but not on a sill that gets direct sun or sits over a radiator: a table or shelf beside the window is one option. If the sill is the only spot with usable signal, check it isn't in full sun or above a heat source.

Two more placement rules from EE's guides: keep the hub at least 20cm from your body, and at least 15cm from medical devices such as pacemakers, hearing aids or insulin pumps.

The status bar on the hub's settings page shows the network type (4G or 5G) and a signal indicator, and Status > Internet gives the SIM, connection and network details, including signal strength.

1. With the hub in your first-choice spot and the light solid aqua, note the network type and signal strength from Status > Internet.
2. Run a speed test on a device near the hub, ideally plugged in with an Ethernet cable if you have one, so Wi-Fi isn't muddying the result (the 5G hubs come with one; the Smart 4G Hub comes with a USB cable instead). Our broadband speed test works for this.
3. Move the hub to another window, side of the house or floor. Wait for solid aqua, then repeat.
4. Repeat your best two spots at a few different times of day, because EE lists the number of people using the network around you as one of the things that affect signal, and that changes through the day.

Note the results down: they're useful evidence if you later need to tell EE the signal isn't good enough.

EE lists the things that can affect your signal: thick walls and windows, distance from a signal mast, more people using the network around you, thick tree cover and bad weather. A window on a different side of the house may put fewer walls between the hub and the mast. If you're curious why masts sit where they do, see the planning rules for mobile masts near your home.

The Smart 4G Hub has antenna ports for optional external TS9 antennas, which aren't supplied and are fitted with the hub switched off and unplugged. Before adding any extra signal kit, read which mobile signal boosters are legal in the UK.

On both 5G hubs, Settings > Setup > Network settings lets you choose a network mode. EE recommends 4G/5G, which lets the hub use whichever is available. The 4G only and 5G (SA) modes are there for advanced configuration. SA stands for Standalone: 5G radio connected to a new 5G core network, rather than used alongside the existing 4G network. Our guide to 5G Standalone at home explains what difference it makes. Both 5G hubs list 5G bands n1, n3, n7, n28, n77 and n78 and no millimetre-wave band; our guide to 5G frequency bands explains what those mean.

If the light is solid aqua and only one device is struggling, restart that device, as EE suggests. Then, if you have an Ethernet cable, plug a laptop into the hub and run a speed test. If the wired result is fine but Wi-Fi is poor, the problem is Wi-Fi around the house, not the mobile signal: see the extender tips above. If the wired result is poor too, carry on below. Without a cable, test on a device right next to the hub instead.

EE's coverage checker page says logged-in customers can check the status of their services and any planned works in their area. Worth a look if the hub was fine yesterday.

The hub's home page links to check and top up your data: some EE plans have data caps. Unlimited plans have a fair usage policy: they're for personal, non-commercial use, and EE treats more than 1000GB a month as non-personal. In that case it may deprioritise your traffic at busy times (give other users priority over you when the network is busy) or move you to a business plan. To estimate your household's use, see how much data home broadband uses.

Under Device > Restart & reset on the settings page there are two different options:

• Restart turns the hub off and on and keeps your settings. Try this first.
• Reset returns everything to factory defaults. EE suggests backing up the configuration file first, so you can restore your settings afterwards.

EE warns not to power off the hub during a reset, a restore or a firmware update.

Firmware is the hub's own software. Choose Check for updates, then Download; the internet drops while it installs, so pick a quiet time. Ticking Allow automatic updates lets EE update it for you.

On the 5G hubs, put network mode back on 4G/5G and connection mode on Auto. In Manual mode the hub only connects when you press Connect on Status > Internet, which can look exactly like a drop-out. An orange light is the clue.

A flashing red light points to the SIM or the signal. Check the SIM is pushed fully home, then repeat your signal checks at the time of day the trouble happens. If the SIM ever asks for a PUK code (it does after three wrong PIN attempts), EE's user guide says customers can call 150, or 07953 966 150 from a UK landline, 8am to 6pm, Monday to Sunday.

If the signal stays weak wherever you put the hub, contact EE with:

• your hub's model code (HH70C, HH72C or HH10E) and the light colour when it goes wrong
• the network type and signal strength from Status > Internet in each spot you tried, with times
• wired speed test results, so EE can see it isn't a Wi-Fi problem

EE's legal note offers the Smart 4G Hub and 7 Pro on either an 18-month minimum term or a 30-day contract (it doesn't mention the 7 Plus), so your options depend on which you chose. If a mobile connection simply won't work at your address, our EE broadband deals page covers EE's fixed-line options, our guide to UK broadband providers shows who else is out there, and you can compare broadband deals at your postcode. Our guide to cancelling BT, EE or Plusnet broadband covers EE's fixed broadband terms rather than its 4G/5G plans, so check your own plan's terms before giving notice.