I am just a beginner and thought its probably will be better to go for a mesh wifi hub. Thus I ordered the below mention product from eBay. However now I have doubts if that will work in the UK. Can someone please shed some light on this.
Item ordered:
I think thatās the discontinued āSamsung Connect Homeā product. Donāt think it was ever released in the UK.
Power plug will probably be US. More importantly, the Zigbee and Z-wave radios will be on the US frequencies and wonāt be legal in the UK.
Tagging @jdroberts for his wide-ranging expertise
It is the 1st generation WiFi model, but if the model number is correct, itās the UK version, so the radios are fine for the OP. 
https://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Hubs
It is still a current model for the UK.
The US model was 525.
Thank you so much for your replies. Already feeling good to be a part of this community.
Well, by the link that you shared it looks like this is indeed a UK model and does come with the Plume tech (which is really good). I am not clear what you meant by first-gen Wifi. isnt its US counterpart: 525 the latest wifi hub? And if that is so then 523 is also the latest.
Also my original question: is the āHubā part of this wifi the latest V3Hub or its the V2 Hub?
- Samsung WiFi (UK), model numbers ET-WV523
- These models are both a Wi-Fi router and a SmartThings hub. Note that āSamsung WiFiā is the second generation of the router model and includes Plume technology. The Samsung Connect Pro and the Samsung Connect models use the same firmware.)
Ok so i finally got it delivered just now.
It does say āRoHS compliant,ā¦ Samsung UKā
Hope all goes fine
Neither. Itās a separate model developed specifically for WiFi mesh. Different hardware, different firmware from other models.
Did you find (like I did) that this model, whilst UK specific, is locked to a V by Vodafone subscription plan? Ā£8.99 a month for the privilege of using your routerā¦
Two separate issues. Itās the same hardware, but different firmware. There is a version sold by Vodafone which is locked to their cloud. But there is also a version that you can buy directly from authorised sellers and is not locked to Vodafone. If you buy one used, then it might be locked.
Yes we had to return it.
Can you give me a link to the version that is not locked?
The one I bought was new but was locked to Vodafone
Iām sorry, I donāt know whoās carrying it now. Itās still on the smartthings UK website, but I donāt know a vendor.
https://www.smartthings.com/gb/products/-/filter/categories/hubs-and-kits
I think you might be right. and what you mean here is the Samsung connect (which does not come with Prune Tech mesh AI).
But by now I have already decided to go with a dedicated Mesh router and Separate Hub V3
Yes, The original Connect version. The newer one with Plume was never certified in a U.K. model, only US. So it does not have the right frequency radio for U.K. zwave.
I bought 4 devices on eBay - 3 were contract locked to Vodafone, 1 was not. All were the exact same model number ET-WV523. Vodafone explained to me that they are the same physical device with the same firmware but are contract locked to Vodafone and DO NOT include a Plume license. Plume confirmed this for me when I tried and failed to get Plume working. Plumeās database excludes Vodafone serial numbers.
So, after escalating a complaint to Vodafone, theyāve unlocked my 2nd and 3rd hubs to act as mesh repeaters (subs) and are all working without having to buy additional V-Home subscriptions, so I do now have a 3 hub Smartthings Wifi mesh network. Unfortunately Plume is not licensed to these models so wonāt work.
Just as an experiment, I bought a US ET-WV525 model (with Plume support) to see if I could either hook it into my existing Vodafone Smartthings Wifi mesh as a sub or as a primary Hub with my existing 3 hubs as subs - unfortunately neither combination worked, they are identified as distinctly different models and wonāt co-exist together. Interestingly, I couldnāt get Plume to work in the UK on the US model, it may be region lockedā¦
Interested in knowing the route you went to get the hubs unlocked. I have a 2nd hub as well and only recently found out you could potentially extend the wifi with it.
Iāve attempted to via the app but as it begins to set up it asks to set up a v by vodafone subscription.
hope i can get the devices unlocked as wellā¦
I lodged a support ticket with V by Vodafone and then got a load of standard nonsense back about it ānot being supportedā despite the mesh functionality being advertised all over the box. When that went nowhere, I started a complaint which after nearly 6 weeks ended up with them agreeing to unlock them without additional subscriptions. Itās a painful and long winded processā¦
I know this is a very old thread but there are dozens of Vodafone locked ET-WV523BWEGGB out there for sale.
I was able to retrieve the serial number from the barcode of the one I was about to buy and the Vodafone smart devices chat line was able to tell me it was an un-activated Vodafone locked hub. Near miss.
Hello Rudyk
I have the issue as you i have ET-WV523 Locked to vodafone can i know how did you Complaint to vodafone to get it unlocked
I have 3 if you can let me know that will be really appreciated
Best regards
