BT Smart Hub and BT Home Hub 5 Type B Sync Speeds

Hi guys,

Has anyone noticed any major difference in sync speeds between the BT Smart Hub and one of its predecessors, the BT Home Hub 5 Type B? I think the Smart Hub is great, amazing WiFi etc, but I've found that the sync speeds aren't brilliant, compared to some modems. I want to stick with BT hardware for various reasons. I have heard that the BT Home Hub 5 Type B uses a "better" BDCM chipset than the BT Smart Hub, is this true? Struggling to find if they use different chipsets.

Edited by deleted (Mon 05-Feb-18 16:04:36)

See at the bottom.

Thanks, Michael. Yes, they're different. I wonder why BT took a backwards step with the chipset, in the BT Smart Hub? Is it so they could invest more in the WiFi side of the device?

As it happens, I've been having trouble with my Home Hub 5 type B disconnecting randomly 4 or 5 times a day and before complaining to BT thought I'd change to a BT Smart Hub which I've had in a drawer for 6 months to see if the disconnects stopped

Too early to know if it stays connected but the speed has dropped from the 5 home hub rock solid 52Mbps to 49Mbps.

Connects via IVp6 instead of IPv4 unless IVp6 disabled.

Pictures from Amazon 4k via smart hub wi-fi seem worse than Home Hub 5. Is this just me or is that possible?

Hmm, depends if the line was dropping, or the Hub was actually rebooting. Yeah, I think IPv6 is disabled by default on the HH5, but it is IPv6 compatible. Yeah, could be possible, WiFi is a very unreliable thing. You're best connecting the TV box via Ethernet directly to the Hub or a powerline adapter, if possible.

Edited by deleted (Mon 05-Feb-18 17:43:21)

In reply to a post by WilliamGrimsley:

Hmm, depends if the line was dropping, or the Hub was actually rebooting. Yeah, I think IPv6 is disabled by default on the HH5, but it is IPv6 compatible. Yeah, could be possible, WiFi is a very unreliable thing. You're best connecting the TV box via Ethernet directly to the Hub or a powerline adapter, if possible.

Looking at the log I think the line is dropping but I was anxious to eliminate in house faults before going to BT.
Computer testing speeds on Thinkbroadband tester is connected via cable to hub
Interested to hear of different (poorer?) chipset in smart hub
May revert to HH5 type B if drops continue with smart hub as performance was good all round apart from disconnections

Yeah, it's definitely poorer, shame really. Think it's due to more emphasis on WiFi speeds in the latest model.

Just an update. There have been no more disconnections since the smart hub was installed

The home hub 5b had firmware dated Feb 2017 and nothing could persuade it to update

Ooo, ok. Did the disconnects on the HH5 start just after the Feb 2017 firmware was installed, or just randomly out of nowhere more recently? I wonder if it was a lot of noise that was causing disconnects, that's now gone... I would be surprised if it was the Hub/its firmware if the line was dropping, not the Hub rebooting.

Edited by deleted (Thu 08-Feb-18 12:53:26)

Well a week after installing the smart hub the connection has remained rock steady with no disconnects and a stable speed around 50Mbps

The problems with the home hub 5b started about 6 weeks ago. Before that there had been the usual reboot every 13/14 days over a period of 18 months and a stable speed of around 52Mbps, but then a period of 5 or 6 disconnects every 24 hours let me to test line for noise (none) and do a factory reset on the home hub.

All sorted