Smart Meter Comms Hub WAN Flashing Every Second – What It Means
If the WAN light on your smart meter communications hub is flashing every second, it usually means the hub is in a distressed state.
This is a known issue that affects some smart meter communications hubs in the UK.
In most cases, the problem cannot be fixed by resetting the meter and will require an engineer visit.
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What the WAN Light Does
The WAN light on the communications hub shows the connection between your smart meter and the national smart meter network.
WAN stands for Wide Area Network.
This connection allows your smart meter to:
• send automatic meter readings
• receive commands from your energy supplier
• update tariff settings
• support smart energy services
When the WAN light flashes normally, the meter is communicating with the network.
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What It Means When It Flashes Every Second
A WAN light flashing every second usually means the communications hub has entered a distressed state.
This can happen when the hub has experienced a failed firmware update or internal software fault.
When this happens, the hub may no longer be able to communicate properly with the smart meter network.
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Signs Your Comms Hub Is in Distress
You may notice:
• the WAN light flashing rapidly every second
• your supplier cannot read the meter remotely
• your smart meter stops sending readings
• your in-home display stops updating
Customers often assume the problem is with the meter itself, but the issue is usually with the communications hub.
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Can the Problem Be Fixed by Restarting the Meter?
In most cases, no.
Power cycling the meter rarely resolves this issue because the communications hub firmware has already failed.
Once the hub enters this distressed state, the most reliable solution is to replace the communications hub.
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How the Problem Is Fixed
Your supplier will normally arrange for an engineer to visit.
During the visit the engineer will:
• remove the faulty communications hub
• install a replacement hub
• reconnect the smart meter to the network
• test the communication signal
Once the new hub is installed, the meter should reconnect to the smart meter network and resume sending readings.
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Why This Issue Happens
Several years ago, some communications hubs experienced problems during firmware updates.
If the update failed or became corrupted, the hub could enter a distressed state where it could not recover.
Although these issues are now better understood, many of the affected hubs are still in service today.
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The Good News
Once the communications hub has been replaced, the smart meter usually returns to normal operation.
Customers typically do not need to replace the electricity meter itself.
The engineer will simply install a new communications hub and reconnect the system.