How to change the DNS server setting on a Hub One

[#1]

Hi @DocDelete

My own post seems to have disappeared from some reason.  But anyway that link had a bit too much at the end - if you delete /page/2 it works, I think...

[#2]

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@Alan3 wrote:

@bobpullen?  In reality is there any chance at all of this getting sorted out?

Yes, we fixed a load of accounts last month. The script responsible for this focused on a particular issue that was known to us though (now fixed). Hearing your's and @DocDelete's experiences, it seems there may be something else awry that we haven't yet realised 

@DocDelete wrote:

It's rubbish, isn't it? I'm prepared to accept that no service is perfect, but when snags are acknowledged then not actioned - and the customer is expected to remind people to get things done like some sort of remote diary - I wonder what reality Plusnet exists in? One where customer service means very little, which is a shame as it used to mean so much to them.

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I'm sorry you're still experiencing problems, however to accuse us of not doing anything is simply unwarranted. We've invested a lot of time into identifying and rectifying these database mismatches, and as mentioned above, we fixed a lot of them last month. To be fair, I was fairly confident it would fix your problem too! The reason I asked you to remind me, is because the deployment of the fix needed to be aligned with our software release cycle, and my memory is terrible.

@DocDelete wrote:

It's interested you saying you have the same problem. I wonder how many people out there are actually using Safeguard and how many gave it up without question because it doesn't work?

For the majority, things are working as intended. Although that said, we don't actually understand what's wrong with your account yet. We're not hearing much noise from the front line support teams though, which suggests these instances are isolated.

@DocDelete wrote:

... but also the viewpoint of Plusnet being unwilling or unable to fix it.

Neither of those things are true. Our engineers have been made aware that there are still customers experiencing issues, and your account identifiers have been forwarded to them. This is a team that's pre-occupied with some fairly high priority work at the moment though, so I wouldn't like to say when the issue will be resolved.

It may seem on the face of things that this is a trivial thing to fix - but it's not - and whilst I'd love nothing more to get things working for you, it's going to take time. 

[#3]

bobpullen wrote:

and my memory is terrible. 

@bobpullen please forgive me, but it's comments like that which are guaranteed to illicit a negative response.

You state your case well when you refute things by saying 'that's simply not true' - but to react in such a way is to ignore the customer's point-of-view. Our perspective is one of a lot of silence, waiting and very little information. What else are we to assume? Of course the criticisms are warranted given the lack of updates.

A customer-facing person who falls back on saying they have a terrible memory is wrongfooting himself surely? No-one expects you to personally and individually remember one problem among many. A customer does, however, expect his supplier to operate a diary system, no?

This is a team that's pre-occupied with some fairly high priority work at the moment though, so I wouldn't like to say when the issue will be resolved. 

Which is the point - I'm keenly aware that you seem to have been 'landed' with this problem by participating in this thread. I'm more than willing to take up this discourse with someone who /can/ say when the issue will be resolved.

[#4]

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@Alan3 wrote:

Hi @DocDelete

My own post seems to have disappeared from some reason.  But anyway that link had a bit too much at the end - if you delete /page/2 it works, I think...

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That's odd @Alan3 - I can't see your post now, so I can't try editing the link.

[#5]

@DocDelete, we do have diaries of course, but my input here is largely in my own time, and quite often from a mobile device where I don't have access to our internal systems i.e. it's not a part of my day to day role.
The fact your account has been 'broken' for so long is admittedly poor. I'll continue fighting your corner, but I, and any front line support staff that take your issue under their wing, are going to be bound by the same challenges I'm afraid.

[#6]

Hi, I too am suffering from the Safeguard not working bug. I raised the call March 17 and was given the run around until September 17 when I was told a fix was available and all I have to do change my DNS settings! Unfortunately no one told me that this fix had been posted (i didn't get an email) so after 14 days the ticket was closed. When I did check in to see how it was going I pointed out that I don't have access to the DNS settings on the router but was told I need to raise a new call and that Safeguard is not a guaranteed Plusnet service and as such I shouldn't complain if it doesnt work. What really annoys me is that Plusnet continue to push it to customers like it's their unique selling point!

Today, having given up on Safeguard and about to change service provider I thought I'd look into the problem one last time. I did speak to a helpful tech a and have a new ticket and a promise to call me back. And the very bored sounding options team member knocked £10 a month off to try to keep me sweet. But I find it shocking that Plusnet are fobbing off customers with fixes that are impossible to implement, rolling out services that don't work on thier own hardware and continuing to push products that don't work. Clearly the support staff are under pressure and a few good ones like @bobpullen have gone the extra mile to sort out customers prepared to make themselves heard but it shouldn't be that way. Something has gone very wrong here and I hope Plusnet will acknowledge thier fault, put it right and change things so it doesn't happen again. I would be happy to discuss this further with any senior management in an effort to improve your service.

[#7]

Thanks for your comments @bachelor1970 - sadly, the only solace I get however is that I'm not alone. £10 per month discount rather than get behind a fix for a number of users? Sounds like the definition of the right hand doesn't know what the left is up to.

I used to rave about Plusnet to friends. Over the last year or so that's turned into 'rants'.

I, too, would welcome the opportunity to escalate this problem, and present it at the feet of someone who isn't being sheltered by other hardworking staff.

[#8]

Thanks to all of you who have put in the work here it has only taken me two hours (as opposed to several months) to reach the conclusion that in order to use Safeguard in my home I am going to need to buy a third-party router.  (Even my friendly Plusnet customer services assistant agreed with me on this.)

Can any of you recommend a router that will 

a) allow me to manually set the DNS settings required by Safeguard, and

b) have a range equal to or better than that of the Plusnet Hub One?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[#9]

Just not right is it though? A Plusnet-provided router unable to use a Plusnet-provided service, presumably because, like me, your account database is out of kilter, with no fix in sight. "We'll do you proud."

[#10]

I've found the netgear nighthawk, ac1900, D7000v2, VDSL/ADSL router to be really good

Also from the login page of the router it is very easy to get to parental controls (what plusnet calls "safeguard" but is really just openDNS) (for which you create a separate login)

[#11]

I would also suggest that you ask plusnet to contribute towards the cost of the router

[#12]

I like someone with a sense of humour  

Shall we all try that approach?

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): Full quote of preceding post removed as per Forum rules.

[#13]

Yes! Definitely.  You and anyone else affected should definitely have the conversation. 

[#14]

There is definitely a precedent on another similar thread to this one of someone who was partly or fully compensated.

[#15]

After nearly a year of chasing I've been offered £50 towards a router. Trading standards are stepping in now to bring a case against them under the trades description act for promoting and offering a service they cannot deliver. If you have the same issue would suggest you report to trading standards as Plusnet aren't letting on how many people this affects. I can only summise from their reluctance to cough up for new routers it could be many hundreds. Worryingly so many people won't even be aware it doesn't work as the dashboard says it's on when it isn't.