Hub 2 question

[#1]

Hi,

I am having to consider a new contract, and the Plusnet one on offer requires that I get a Hub 2. Aside from the fact that as I understand it I can’t separate bands (I’m not sure that that is an issue for me), is the Hub 2 definitely an improvement on the BT Business Hub 6 that I use now? Many thanks.

[#2]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Full Fibre to My Router

[#3]

and the Plusnet one on offer requires that I get a Hub 2

I'd be pretty sure that it doesnt actually require you to use a Hub 2, PN have never insisted on using their supplied equipment. Having said that, its worthwhile getting one ( it only costs £6.99 for P & P ), as its useful for remote diagnosis.

is the Hub 2 definitely an improvement on the BT Business Hub 6 that I use now?

Yes.

There's a good thread here https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Smart-Hub-6-Variants-and-Performance/td-p/1504366 which discusses the various Hubs and their capabilities. Be aware that some versions af the Bus Hub 6 are not compatible with FTTP (no WAN port). The performance is going to be down on the Hub 2 so if youre going for one of the higher speed FTTP products you maye not be able to achieve the speeds with the Bus Hub 6.

[#4]

@Ben1 

How do you judge 'imrovement'?

I don't think that there's any significant difference in wireless range.

FTTC Business Smarthub 6 advantages:

You can split the bands. Not possible on either BT Smarthub 2 of Plusnet Hub 2.

Has 4 LAN Ports. Hub 2 only has 3.

Plusnet Hub 2 advantages:

Username and password self configures.

Can be configured as a Bridge Modem

Both FTTC and FTTP compatible

Is newer being based on a BT Smarthub 2

You can designate your own DNS resolvers on both hubs.

[#5]

Many thanks for your replies. I am pretty sold on the Hub 2, which seems to fit my needs well.

[#6]

Hi - I wanted to ask a question about what Baldrick said about the Hub 2 self configuring. I can confirm that it did that when I received mine a few months back when re-contracted to FTTC. It was out of the box, plug in and away I went. No issues. 

Slightly separate from what`s being discussed above though, (and I may be answering my own question here!) but I was wondering if I was to unplug my Hub 2 for a future electrical testing on the entire house to be carried out, is it the case that I can just plug it back in again when this has been done and it will again reconfigure/recognize itself and I won`t need to reset it or change anything? I was just curious whether unplugging the Hub 2 to allow this electrical testing to be done and plugging it in again afterwards will be the same scenario as mentioned when I first connected it? Will it just recognize itself/my laptop again? 

[#7]

I was wondering if I was to unplug my Hub 2 for a future electrical testing on the entire house to be carried out, is it the case that I can just plug it back in again when this has been done and it will again reconfigure/recognize itself 

It will not need to reconfigure itself, the configuration is saved in non-volatile storage, so will survive a power off.

The initial configuration is different, on initial connection it configures to your account details which are then saved.

Only if the router is factory reset, does it repeat the initial configuration.

[#8]

Thanks for replying MisterW. So do you mean if I need to unplug the Hub 2 for this electrical testing on the house to take place, it should just recognize the settings again without me having to manually reset or find that something is amiss once switched on again?

I think I understand what you meant by `initial configuration` and the router not needing to reconfigure again as those details are already saved. Which is reassuring. I just didn`t know if unplugging it for say 4 or five hours would result in having to press the back button on the router or get myself in a muddle if the blue circular light turned orange on me! I rarely turn my router off so I just wanted to reassure myself it wouldn`t create any downtime if I found an issue. 

[#9]

@plusmouse  I think @MisterW has made it perfectly clear that the username/password details are saved in the router and when powering it on again you don't have to do anything. The amount of time that it is powered off doesn't matter.

[#10]

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@plusmouse wrote:

I think I understand what you meant by `initial configuration` and the router not needing to reconfigure again as those details are already saved. Which is reassuring. I just didn`t know if unplugging it for say 4 or five hours would result in having to press the back button on the router or get myself in a muddle if the blue circular light turned orange on me! I rarely turn my router off so I just wanted to reassure myself it wouldn`t create any downtime if I found an issue. 

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When you switch the hub back on it will go through the power up sequence including green, orange and flashing orange whilst it reconnects itself to the service. Thsi can last about a minute before it turns blue. However this is just the start up sequence using the previously saved credentals. It is not immediate as in switching on a light.