BT Infinity without Home Hub Wi-Fi

Looking at getting BT Infinity. Is the purpose of the Home Hub just to provide wi-fi or does it do anything else? I want to use powerline networking and switch off the wi-fi element (paranoid about security). Would I still need the HH as well as the BT modem?

The Home Hub is the router and switch part of the system, as well as the wireless access point.

It is possible to connect a single computer by ethernet cale to the modem, so I see no reason why that ethernet from the modem shouldn't go into a powerline adapter with the computer connected to the matching one elsewhere. But if you want to connect more than one computer to powerline then you will have to use the Home Hub, so modem >> HH >> Powerline >> Multiple powerline adapters plus attached computers.

There is no problem in turning off the HH wireless.

Edit - typo.

Edited by RobertoS (Tue 11-Oct-11 23:23:34)

just to provide balance how secure are powerline adapters? As for WiFi I really think if you use proper encryption then it as much as you can do, other than don`t use the internet! Powerline adapters however are good for when wifi does not reach areas of the household!

Most offer encryption

and the point for OP is they all have their own weakness!

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

It is possible to connect a single computer by ethernet cale to the modem, so I see no reason why that ethernet from the modem shouldn't go into a powerline adapter with the computer connected to the matching one elsewhere.

I think it's a non-starter for most people, as the hub provdes the NAT, DHCP and DNS services.

No problem with turning off wireless if not wanted though.

In reply to a post by shtu:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

It is possible to connect a single computer by ethernet cale to the modem, so I see no reason why that ethernet from the modem shouldn't go into a powerline adapter with the computer connected to the matching one elsewhere.

I think it's a non-starter for most people, as the hub provdes the NAT, DHCP and DNS services.

No problem with turning off wireless if not wanted though.

Plenty of people have done it.

With only a single computer NAS is not required, and setting the DNS servers on the computer is no big deal. Username and password for BT are well known. Are they even required in fact, other than to keep the HH, or more likely the alternative, happy?

Wasn't saying it can't be done, just meant that most folk would find the fiddling about (and the limitations of having one machine hardwired) to be a PITA.

Persoanlly, I think the OP is being overly paranoid. Turn off wireless if you must, but thre's really no major problem in using a router. For most people, I would have thought that the difficulties of keeping a PC (or whatever) patched and configured to be secure to be more trouble than putting in a router with a firewall, and letting it get on with 90% of the work for you.

It's almost a religious debate.

I agree with you. I tried gently to suggest using the HH in my first post .

In reply to a post by melita:

Looking at getting BT Infinity. Is the purpose of the Home Hub just to provide wi-fi or does it do anything else? I want to use powerline networking and switch off the wi-fi element (paranoid about security). Would I still need the HH as well as the BT modem?

Use the home hub, might swell. Then turn off the wifi if needed.

On the wifi, WEP can be cracked in under a minute (so do not use this)
Whereas WPA2 is very hard to crack and if you use a long passphrase with randomly generated characters it's virtually impossible to crack.

If you use a 64 digit code from here https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm it would take years to crack.

Powerline adaptors are arguably just as unsafe.