[despairingcustomer]

Well having struggled with getting my SmartView 4 to connect to the SmartMeters, see many posts on here!

I thought I'd do a test of the range of the meter and IHD combination by taking the IHD outside and basically just walking away from the meter.

First remember we've been told that thick walls, foil backed insulation etc etc impact the effective range.

I can now confirm that following my limited testing, the range of the Comms hub communicating with the IHD drops off linearly. The further you are from the comms hub on the Elec meter the weaker signal. It becomes unusable at about a 11M range.

For me this is the distance from the meter / comms hub to our house so the IHD was never going to be usable!

A dual band comms hub has been fitted although I've got no way of knowing whether its been enabled or not - apparently our electricity supplier can do that or not do that remotely. All I do know is that the fitting of the DBCH made no difference at all to the signal strength shown on the meter.

[DebF_EONNext]

Hey @despairingcustomer,

I am assuming from your post that the meters are outside and it's just too far to communicate? Have you tried any of the apps @theunknowntech has recommended in THIS thread, I don't know if they will be any use to you but worth a try maybe?

Does the IHD ever work, is there a part of the house where the signal is stronger perhaps. I have a friend who has her IHD in her bedroom as it seems to work better from there she thinks it's because it has thinner walls being an extension (I have no idea if she's right or not 😂)

[theunknowntech]

The SmartView 4 claims to have Dual-Band capability, but I've seen little evidence of it actually working to date. TBH I can't wait for AltHAN so that there's more options...

If a DBCH is fitted, it'll always be Dual-Band enabled 24/7. It doesn't need to be turned on

[despairingcustomer]

Originally Posted by DebF_EONNext

Hey @despairingcustomer,

I am assuming from your post that the meters are outside and it's just too far to communicate? Have you tried any of the apps @theunknowntech has recommended in THIS thread, I don't know if they will be any use to you but worth a try maybe?

Does the IHD ever work, is there a part of the house where the signal is stronger perhaps. I have a friend who has her IHD in her bedroom as it seems to work better from there she thinks it's because it has thinner walls being an extension (I have no idea if she's right or not 😂)

Hi the IHD is as near as it can get to the meter without going outside.

Is EON NEXT now suggesting that their IHD won't work and I spend my own money ~£60 on fixing their problem? Given the excess profits utility companies are making that is a bit rich (in all senses of the word)

[meldrewreborn]

@despairingcustomer

If the IHD is over 12 months old then you are on your own. Despite appearances, the energy companies consider them more of a free gift, rather than an integral part of the smart meter installation. Outside meters pose additional problems to an IHD as the wall thickness limits the transmission/reception of the required signals.
This I’m sure is not what you want to hear, but considering other options for meeting you need might be the best way to go.

[despairingcustomer]

Hi the IHD is 'brand new' as apparently they are matched to the smart meter pairs and I'm now on my third set of meters since 30th Nov 2022.

At the moment it's with EON to sort - it looks like it is either ALT-HAN or they refit old style meters.