Using the BT Smarthub 6 on a Plusnet Account

[#1]

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@robbsafc wrote:

I know that there will be several variations of the BT Smarthub. It was just that my particular variant allows me to specify DNS servers.

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Fair enough but if you read my original post it does include a section on setting DNS servers on the Business version.

[#2]

Hi all

I've had line and router issues lately and I'd like to try a different modem/router. Long and short of it is I now have a HH5 and a brand new PlusNet Hub 1 that both do 30Mbps down and <1Mbps up. When I change to an Openreach modem and a HH4 I get 32Mbps down and 5.5Mbps up. Weird that 2 routers one brand new do the same really slow upload speed.

Unused BT Home Hub 6's are available for not a lot of money on eBay, question is are any BT Home Hub 6's locked to BT as an ISP or are they all configurable for PlusNet?

Thanks

[#3]

There could be a few reasons why you're seeing low speeds

The first one being the hub 5. Did you change the broadband username and password. By default BT hubs have a 'locked' username of bthomehub@btbroadband.com and no password is needed. For you to use it on a Plusnet connection, you need to change it to yourusername@plusdsl.net and your password.

The other issue could be that your Plusnet Hub One might not have authenticated correctly, thus if this is the case, it'll revert to setup@plusdsl.net. Again you may need to manually input these details.

It does sound like the Openreach modem did connect correctly, thus you saw the better speeds.

(just my thoughts, I could be wrong)

No, the BT Hub 6 is not locked to BT's network, you do need to put your username and password in. If you're on FTTC (or ADSL) you need a FTTC H6 and not a FTTP H6.

[#4]

Thanks DS

I'm FTTC, I live approx. 0.5m from the cabinet and its pretty much overhead lines to my house.

18 months ago I transferred back to PlusNet after a few years with BT. I was using a HH5 with BT and rather than change all my WiFi keys I configured it to use with PN (Entered username and Password) It worked great until I had line issues in Feb (Offline altogether for a week due to storms and fallen trees) When the line was repaired I noticed upload speeds were really bad. An openreach engineer changed the main faceplate in my house but that only improved things for one evening. I'd never used the PN supplied Hub One but when I tried it upload speeds were identical to the HH5. I didn't think 2 routers (One previously brand new and unused) could possibly be faulty and PN seen a high resistance on my line during their tests.

Another call from the openreach engineer followed and he couldn't find a high resistance on my line but said his test equipment was doing 7Mbps from the test socket in my house. 

So I dug out my old Openreach modem and HH4 and blow me but it does 5.5Mbps up. I don't like the separate modem/router setup so would like to get back to one unit and HH6's seemed like good value. 

DS said: "The other issue could be that your Plusnet Hub One might not have authenticated correctly, thus if this is the case, it'll revert to setup@plusdsl.net. Again you may need to manually input these details"

I'll check the above as I just plugged it in (Many times during testing and swapping out with the HH5) 

DS said: "No, the BT Hub 6 is not locked to BT's network, you do need to put your username and password in. If you're on FTTC (or ADSL) you need a FTTC H6 and not a FTTP H6"

Ok thanks, I'll be look out for that.

[#5]

If it turns out they were both set correctly, then my only thoughts are that both internal modems aren't happy with your line condition. These don't come with the best built in modem.

I know what you say about a separate modem, but what happens with both the H5 and H1 plugged in via the OR modem, do the both then jump?

As a comparison, at the router

H1
dl 29.65
ul 5.77

H6
dl 34.02
ul 6.25

So the hub6 does appear to connect at a faster rate

[#6]

Dear all could you please help me, I have bought SMARTHUB 6 ( NEW) off   eBAY and am tryning to install it and have the following problems

When reset using reset hole the green light never goes out but changes to flashing orange and then solid orange, I under stand from Baldricks guide that it should change to flashing purple

When selecting Broadband and editing broadband user name, I don't get a Save box and when I return to the edit screen the BT information is stiil there.when I try to connect nothing happens other than being told there is afault

Although I am told the internet is connected I cannot connect to anything

Ihave checked and double checked over the last 2 hours but still cannot connect

Any Help woud be appreciated

[#7]

see post  3 here and

Ensure you do not have odd symbols like    &*(%^$@£ in your  plusnet log in password,  If so change it . The BT Hub will not accept them

https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Using-a-BT-Smart-Hub-on-Plusnet/m-p/1632934#M11677

[#8]

For some reason my details have now been accepted without changing anything.But still can't access the onternet although it shows I am connected

Thanks for your reply

[#9]

to add

When reset using reset hole the green light never goes out but changes to flashing orange and then solid orange, I under stand from Baldricks guide that it should change to flashing purple

I set mine up without it being connected to the line. Press and hold for 15-20 secs until the light changes colour, then release.

When selecting Broadband and editing broadband user name, I don't get a Save box and when I return to the edit screen the BT information is stiil there.when I try to connect nothing happens other than being told there is afault

Neither did I. After putting in my username and password I moved away from that page (without saving) and the details were retained - so to clarify, I had no save option

Although I am told the internet is connected I cannot connect to anything

Disconnect the dsl cable, reset, hopefully it should start to then flash purple, then make the changes, then either leave it like that and connect the cable, or power it off, connect the cable and switch it back on.

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edit. Note to self, refresh page before typing a reply to make sure there are no recent replies

[#10]

Thanks for your reply. Still no success, other than the fact that it is saving my login details. Still get the message that internet is connected but am unable open anything.. I am so fedup with trying to get this to work that I am going back to my HUB ONE for a few days before i try again.

Thanks to all for the advice given

[#11]

So, was the light on the hub 6 blue?

It could be an IP address clash, but being as the H1 would have more than likely have been powered off by you, the h6 should still have allowed a connection.

You might have actually bought a dud router. It's hard for us to diagnose as we can't see it

(was it listed as brand new?)

If you want to revisit this, just try the h6 and one device via ethernet

(but reboot the device after disconnecting the h1)

[#12]

@Toby1971 

If you are in sync but have no internet then that's generally an indication that you have a problem authenticating with Plusnet's servers.

Try checking that your user name and password are correct by logging in to your Plusnet account. These details are not needed to connect the Hub One so this is a useful check.

Check that your password only uses alpha numeric characters. If necessary change your password.

Disconnect the DSL cable and re-enter your log in details being sure that you have entered them correctly and in the correct form. Plug the DSL cable back in whilst the router is indicating connecting.

[#13]

Solved

Let me first thankyou for all the help given. The problem was solved as follows;

On Thursday I had an intermittent connection which failed completley(Hub 1) I contacted PN who carried out a line test and reported that there were a large number of errors on the line and  advised that they would send an engineer on Friday.When he arrived he carried a number of line tests and found that there were very few line errors, and I was still unable to coonect to the internet although the computer showed I was connected. He then carried out further tests, and found that there was an intermittent fault with the master socket. He changed the socket and  contact with the internet returnd.

This morning I thought I would try and install Hub 6 again for the last time and this time everything worked.

The problem it would appear was caused by intermitent connections by the Master socket.

Thanks again for all the help and advice

[#14]

Nah, thank you for letting us know

(you'd be surprised how many others fix their issue and never let us know what the fix was)

Enjoy the H6 (now)

[#15]

Hi
Very interesting read of your hh6 setup on Plusnet, my question for clarification is this. Is the hh6 serial number 088315? And is there any way of telling other home hubs apart? Thanks