Why did my Samsung smart washing machine & fridge stop working after I installed mesh Wi-Fi?

The short answer

Fixed in place and slow to change boxes. New mesh systems change the network name, the bands and often the address range. Fixed-position gadgets don't cope with all three at once.

What's happening underneath

A mesh box in the hallway outside the kitchen usually works better than one in the kitchen itself.

Source: Manufacturer documentation

Try these, in this order

• • Set one Wi-Fi name for both bands before starting setup.
• • Stand next to the appliance and check your phone's signal there.
• • Move the router out of a kitchen cupboard if that's where it lives.
• • Check the signal where the gadget actually lives, not where you're standing.
• • Move the router off the floor and out of any cupboard before buying anything.
• • Put the gadget and your phone on the same Wi-Fi name.
• • Restart the gadget before the router — it is quicker and it fixes more.

Setting it up again properly

• • Stand next to your router while you set it up, then move the gadget to where it lives.
• • Put your phone on the 2.4 GHz network name for the setup, or use one name for both bands so the phone can follow.
• • If your router splits bands into two names, turn the 5 GHz one off for five minutes rather than fighting it.
• • Turn mobile data off on your phone during setup — some apps quietly use it and never find the gadget.

When it's worth spending money

A mesh box in or next to the kitchen, only after the signal check.