BT router vs Plusnet router

Hi,

BT renewals just scoffed at me for thinking the BT router and PlusNet routers were the same.
"Haha of course ours is better" she said.

She waffled something about the BT one having more aerials.
I asked what concrete difference I would see with the BT one, she said the Wifi would be better.

Is any of this true?

Cheers,

Zebs

Edited by zebsyzebs (Mon 08-Jan-24 16:22:23)

In reply to a post by zebsyzebs:

Hi,

BT renewals just scoffed at me for thinking the BT router and PlusNet routers were the same.
"Haha of course ours is better" she said.

She waffled something about the BT one having more aerials.
I asked what concrete difference I would see with the BT one, she said the Wifi would be better.

Is any of this true?

I "thought" the Plusnet Hub 2 had the same hardware as the BT version but with customised firmware. When you're paying around £9+ more a month for BT/EE they want to make you think you're getting something more even if you're not.

That is basically what I thought - complete flannel.

I listened to my call recording and she also said "ours is 4 better".
She didn't say what the 4 referred to, and it was before she started talking about antennas/aerials.
So this felt a bit "spinal tap" to me!
She said theirs had 6 or 7 antenna and plusnet only had 4 - that's Numberwang!!

I can't tell you if she is telling the truth or not about the antennas, maybe someone more technical here can but how it would affect you at your home address would be a pure guess for anyone.

Plusnet Hub 2 vs BT SmartHub2 - WiFi Performance

In reply to a post by zebsyzebs:

Hi,

BT renewals just scoffed at me for thinking the BT router and PlusNet routers were the same.
"Haha of course ours is better" she said.

She waffled something about the BT one having more aerials.
I asked what concrete difference I would see with the BT one, she said the Wifi would be better.

Is any of this true?

Cheers,



Zebs

Only the firmware and the look that is different, in fact I think the plusnet routers are better than the BT ones, they are not full of rubbish like the BT routers.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

Only the firmware and the look that is different. . .

So would you characterise the difference between a Mini and a Rolls-Royce as being that only the engine and the body are different?

PS i meant to say that the price diff is £4 per month, so maybe that's what she meant by "4 better" ;]

Both have 3 x 3 (3 send 3 receive) on 2.4 &
4 x 4 (4 send 4 receive) on 5ghz
7 in total.

Sounds like she’s heard about plus net having 3 antenna on their 2.4ghz and been like “ours has 7 antennas” which is the total on both.

Thanks for that info
I would have been OK if BT had said they could not tell me about the PlusNet router, as it's not their product!
That is what I would expect them to say.
Instead, I think she made something up, which is poor.

But standard fare in the UK because the majority of people that ask don't know either.

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed shall be king.

In reply to a post by GonePostal:

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

Only the firmware and the look that is different. . .

So would you characterise the difference between a Mini and a Rolls-Royce as being that only the engine and the body are different?

No because the Rolls-Royce should still be more comfortable and will go faster. The BT router is not going to make your broadband any faster or make a difference to Wi-fi. the only difference it will make to Wi-fi is if you use the mesh system which BT will take great advantage in charging you extra for.

Sadly they are not the only ones who will charge extra, even the provider I am with will charge extra for a mesh.

In reply to a post by zebsyzebs:

Thanks for that info
I would have been OK if BT had said they could not tell me about the PlusNet router, as it's not their product!
That is what I would expect them to say.
Instead, I think she made something up, which is poor.

Vote with your feet.

Especially given it can be detrimental to a competitor.
Many users eg my parents wouldn’t question it. Given their hub struggles to go through 4 walls already, the way the agent worded it, I’d be thinking plusnets only gonna cover one room 😂

Let’s just call it for what it is.

The agent is either a dumb * (I will let your imagination insert an appropriate word), who’s desperate for a sale even if that means telling lies all day. This happens.

Else and more likely, such a culture probably stems from these very people who talk nonsense gaining recognition for making a great number of sales and overtime this sets up a dynamic where succeeding means lacking in integrity. I have a great problem with that as it’s both exploiting their own employees who are potentially afraid of being unable to put food on the table, but also preventing informed and fair decision making. Vicious downward cycle. Anyway I digress…

(*typed on mobile excuse spelling / grammar).

Found a video of the inside of a couple of BT hubs, sadly can't find any for the plusnet hubs, I suppose less people have them.
The aerials or aerial, looks like just a bit of wire around the top of the board, which is it is the same in the older hubs and the older Plusnet hubs, explains why the Wi-fi on my plusnet hub was not great, and would not work well in certain directions. External aerials are always the best way to go I think, but I presume it adds cost and some people don't like sticky up things

Video below,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3IFiMomsks

I've found a lot depends on house construction. My neighbours' houses are dry lined and router signals pass around the house no problem. Ours built 1968 is concrete and brick which stops a cheap masonry drill never mind radio waves. Solution is TPlink powerline extenders, worked fine since installation six years ago. Of course the purists will prefer the wifi system but I'm quite content if it works!

Newer houses incorporate aluminium foil covered plasterboard for insulation. This may block wifi signals, as may rockwool insulation.

In reply to a post by Malwaremike:

Solution is TPlink powerline extenders, worked fine since installation six years ago. Of course the purists will prefer the wifi system

The purists will prefer separate CAT5e/CAT6 cables run to each wireless access point. It's *way* more reliable than any sort of wifi meshing, especially if there is heavy RF shielding between rooms.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

The purists will prefer separate CAT5e/CAT6 cables run to each wireless access point. It's *way* more reliable than any sort of wifi meshing, especially if there is heavy RF shielding between rooms.

The purists will prefer Ethernet full stop, sadly it is not always possible,

As far as I am see the two have the same PCB Footprint, but may be a different revision of the exact same design as you can see here:
Plussnet Hub Two and BT Smarthub 2

As you can see they look almost the exact same but different colour and the odd differences like on the Plusnet one has those what I think might be braille on the ports and buttons.

But like I said, the PCB layout looks to be the exact same thing, but could be a different revision so may or may not contain the same hardware as the BT one, plus the firmware will differ to suit Plusnets needs.

---
Paul

Certainly the same board, makes sense not to produce different boards, just change the firmware. as I have said I prefer Plusnet routers, they don't have that stupid smart Wi-fi in. they never used to, so I doubt they have now..



what is it with routers these days that they are using one of the lan connections for Wan or reducing the amount of Lan connections?
The one that Zzoomm supplied has two, okay three if you count the 2.5Gbs Lan.

The way it is going, we will be down to one soon. i know Wireless is the thing, but some of us prefer to use Lan. I know we can get a lan switch, I have three myself, but that is not the point.

It's a paint job... that's the difference. Ones black and ones white. Sales agents will tell you anything to boost commission and keep their managers off their backs. Their calls are recorded and remotely listened to

My router has 4 wan ports and 2 lan ports
fortunatly my 48 port switch stops it being a problem