Reviewed September 2026
TP-Link Tapo smart plug + Virgin Media Hub 5
Known to be awkward — worth setting up carefully
Independent WiFiXpert score. No sponsorship, no shopping link, no manufacturer input.
This is one of the pairings people write to us about. Nothing is broken — the Virgin Media Hub 5's defaults and the way a TP-Link Tapo smart plug finds the network simply don't suit each other until you change a setting or two.
Known issues with this pair
- • TP-Link Tapo smart plug can struggle with today's stricter Wi-Fi security settings.
What it looks like when it goes wrong
- The gadget says the password is wrong even though it is right.
Do these, in this order
- 1
Ask your provider's support to set the hub to the mixed security mode — you usually can't change it yourself.
- 2
During setup, turn 5 GHz off on your phone or temporarily switch the phone to the 2.4 GHz network name.
- 3
Stand next to the router while pairing, then move the plug to where you want it.
Settings we'd recommend on the Virgin Media Hub 5
- • Use the Virgin Media Connect app to check which band the gadget landed on.
- • If a slow-band-only gadget can't see the network, set it up within a couple of metres of the hub.
Good to know about this router: Both bands share one name and the hub steers devices, which some older gadgets dislike. In modem mode the hub stops doing Wi-Fi at all — worth knowing if someone has changed it.
If none of that works
- Leave the provider's hub doing the broadband and add your own Wi-Fi on top of it — that gives you the settings this hub hides.
- If the gadget only ever sits in one spot, a wired connection is always the most reliable answer.
What owners tell us
No confirmed reports for this pair yet. Yours would be the first.
Reports are counted together and checked by a reviewer before they change anything we publish. One report on its own never becomes an official WiFiXpert conclusion.
Sign in free to add your own reportWhere this comes from
- TP-Link — Tapo device won't connect
- WiFiXpert cases and moderated owner reports for this pair, reviewed September 2026.