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How to set up a Wi-Fi socket on 2.4 GHz and the app

Updated: October 2026

The plug is in the wall, the app is open, and the phone still cannot see a network the socket will join. That is the usual stall with these 2.4 GHz devices, and with the British General plate when the password is very long. This page is how to set up a Wi-Fi socket you already own from the [Wi-Fi socket comparison](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/wifi-socket): a Tapo P100, an ANTELA, UPXNBOR or QUEENWEN plug, the NOUS A10, or the BG 822/HC-01. Peter F. used the listings and the British General smart FAQ. There was no lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The plug is in the wall, the app is open, and the phone still cannot see a network the socket will join.

Our top picks

Tapo Tapo P100, 2-pack

Best overall

Tapo Tapo P100, 2-pack
9.5/10about £14.99
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NOUS NOUS A10 dual-band, 2-pack

Alternative

NOUS NOUS A10 dual-band, 2-pack
6.3/10about £24.99
View offer
British General BG Nexus 800 smart double

Alternative

British General BG Nexus 800 smart double
6.8/10about £14.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Get the phone onto 2.4 GHz
  2. 2.Add it in the right app
  3. 3.When the BG socket still will not join
  4. 4.It drops offline later

Get the phone onto 2.4 GHz

Put the phone on a band the device can join before you create an account. Tapo, ANTELA, QUEENWEN, UPXNBOR, and the BG plate are 2.4 GHz only. The NOUS A10 claims 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, and reviewers paired it on Virgin broadband without splitting the name. That report does not make the other seven dual-band. If both bands share one name, the phone sits on 5 GHz and a 2.4 GHz plug never appears. British General’s smart FAQ says to split the names and keep the phone on 2.4 GHz during setup. The UK P100 page uses Bluetooth only to get the plug onto Wi-Fi. If the house has no 2.4 GHz network, the choice is the NOUS claim or a router change, on the Wi-Fi socket buying guide.

Add it in the right app

Install the maker’s app. Tapo packs use Tapo. ANTELA uses Smart Life. QUEENWEN uses Smart Life or Tuya. UPXNBOR’s bullet says Smart Life, then Third-party Control, then Alexa. One review found Tuya instead, so search both names. NOUS uses NOUS Smart Home. The plate uses BG Home. A Tapo login will not list an ANTELA plug. Name the socket, such as table lamp, before you open Alexa. The UPXNBOR path is Third-party Control, then Alexa. Reviewers of the ANTELA 4-pack held the button until it flashed. Do not reuse that step on a Tapo or a NOUS plug. Once it is online, install updates.
Tapo Tapo P100, 2-pack

Testsieger

Tapo Tapo P100, 2-pack
9.5/10about £14.99
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When the BG socket still will not join

The BG plate is not a plug you can move to another socket. If it will not join, you are in the app, not in the terminals. Reviews say the direct method fails and AP mode works better. British General’s FAQ says to use AP config if the first method fails. One report says a password longer than 32 characters would not connect. That is a review, not a line in the manual. Try a shorter password on the 2.4 GHz name. If you cannot, and AP mode still fails, return the plate. Do not pull the socket off the wall to fix Wi-Fi. Isolating the circuit is on smart plug vs smart wall socket.

It drops offline later

A plug that worked for a week and then shows offline is often the router. British General’s FAQ says to power-cycle for 30 to 60 seconds before you delete the account. On the Tapo 4-pack, every device has to be reconnected. If it still drops every day after you have split the bands, return it. The NOUS pack is the only dual-band claim if you replace it for that reason. Stop if the plate is warm, the cables look wrong, or you are about to work in a bathroom.

Common questions

Why will it not see my Wi-Fi name?
The phone is usually on 5 GHz, or both bands share one name, and the plug is 2.4 GHz only. Split the names, join the phone to the 2.4 GHz name, and stand near the router. The NOUS A10 is the only listing here that claims 5 GHz as well.
Do I turn 5 GHz off?
You do not have to turn 5 GHz off. You do have to put the phone on 2.4 GHz while the 2.4 GHz-only device joins. British General’s FAQ says to split the router names. After setup, the phone can go back to 5 GHz. The plug stays on the band it joined.
Which app do I install?
Tapo for a Tapo P100. Smart Life for ANTELA. Smart Life or Tuya for QUEENWEN. Smart Life for UPXNBOR, though one review saw Tuya. NOUS Smart Home for the A10. BG Home for the 822/HC-01. Alexa is the second step, after the device has a name in that app.
What is AP mode on the BG socket?
It is the fallback when the direct join fails. Reviews say AP mode works better, and British General’s FAQ points you to AP config if the first method still fails. It does not change the 2.4 GHz limit, and it does not replace a password the socket will not accept.
What if my Wi-Fi password is very long?
On the BG plate, one review says a password longer than 32 characters would not connect. That is a review, not a printed limit in the manual. A shorter password on the 2.4 GHz name is the check. If you cannot shorten it, and AP mode fails, return the plate.
The plug is online in the app but Alexa cannot see it. What next?
Link it from inside the maker’s app. On UPXNBOR that path is Third-party Control, then Alexa. Give the socket a short spoken name first. Opening Alexa before the plug exists in Tapo, Smart Life, NOUS, or BG Home is the step that leaves the speaker empty.

Related pages

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Smart plug vs smart wall socket: fitting and Part P

Sources

Public UK sources on plug-in electrical safety, smart-product security, and Part P. Listings checked 15 October 2026. Prices on amazon.co.uk move.

  1. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  2. Silentnight Smart Wi-Fi Plug recall 2602-0174 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  3. GOV.UK, consumer connectable product security (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  4. Electrical Safety First, plugs and fuses (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  5. Electrical Safety First, garden (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  6. TP-Link UK, Tapo P100 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  7. British General smart FAQ (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  8. IET Part P FAQ (retrieved 15 October 2026)