BT Broadband NIGHTMARE

After just over a week with BT Broadband I have finally had enough.
Prior to the changeover I had a perfect service from IDNET.
Since the changeover I have had constant dropouts, sites freezing, email constantly failing and the "Bad Boy" router is probably the worst I have used.
There has been a catalogue of errors ever since signing up. Even the email address that I was given on registration did not work and after hours on the phone I was told it was my fault because I didn't complete the registration properly.
I have spent hours on the telephone to their very helpful but not too expert technical people. Eventually I could not go on, I was spending hours every day to try and keep the service running.
I decided to cancel the contract on the basis that it was not fit for purpose.
BT disagreed and urged me to keep trying to sort things out. No, my nerves could not take any more.
So for 9 appalling days with BT Broadband it is costing me OVER £300 to get out.
Absolute highway robbery, but worth it.
I'm told it will take up to 5 days to get a MAC code.
I had to tell them to send it to my domain email address because theirs does not work.
If anyone who reads this is thinking of transferring to BT Broadband. Think again!
ANYONE WANT A "BAD BOY" Home Hub 4?

I'd love the homehub 4, but my HH3 is chugging along nicely...
I've been pleased overall with BT. Never had a reason to complain. I do prefer my sky line though...

It could be that your line developed a fault during the changeover period and it was all purely coincidence or just some BT specific equipment at fault.

I wouldn't be shocked if the fault followed you unless you go for LLU (still might follow you, just a tad less likely)

Really without seeing stats etc its hard to determine.

Just wondering. Are you in the master socket?
I would strongly strongly suggest you try the following
Plug the router into the test socket
This is behind the faceplate of the master socket
See here https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=test+socket&ie=UTF...

Give it a go with just the router plugged in here via a filter.
Also to rule it out use a different filter

This MIGHT solve your issue & would indicate poor extension wiring.

BT might have used ADSL 2+ whereas IDNET may have used D.gmt (I can't tell as obviously you're no longer with them). Adsl 2+ picks up interference more. IDNETs setup was probably just masking the fault.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Thu 25-Jul-13 12:29:11)

Hi,
When I changed over I just swapped my Netgear for the Homehub.
Nothing else changed.
I'm plugged into the master socket with no extensions.
I just use this line for broadband as the speed round here is so slow I didn't want anything else on it to slow it down.
I only get 4.34Mg download, so you can see if the slightest thing happens I get stuff all.
Used their supplied filter and switched back to mine. No change.
Just waiting for the MAC. Unsurprisingly I have had no confirmation from them.
I will probably have to do the cancellation several times if past experience is anything to go by.

You can just use the Netgear, no need for the Homehub. No need to cancel, no need to lose £300.

Used their supplied filter and switched back to mine. No change.

You swapped the filter back to yours? Or back to your filter and the Netgear?

Edited by RobertoS (Thu 25-Jul-13 12:39:17)

Originally fitted their filter, then changed to mine, then back to theirs.
Fair suggestion to just change back to My Netgear router but I also have other issues with BT Broadband
They advertised BT SmartTalk, which I thought was a really good idea.
Unfortunately, as usual, BT misled me by default.
When I tried to download the app I discovered that THEY DON'T SUPPORT BLACKBERRY. Can you believe it? The essential phone for business and they don't support it.

I can believe it, a quick google gave the answer months ago http://community.bt.com/t5/BT-SmartTalk/Will-The-BT-...

Just looked and it is fairly clear on the smart talk pages it is only available for android and the iPhone

So unless they told you for sure it would work on the Blackberry then little to do, if they did state it would work on a Blackberry then you have a get out of contract winner there.

On the broadband side, checking the connection data is worth doing, as since others have suggested entirely possible you have had an upgrade from ADSL to ADSL2+ and this can affect the stability of the broadband.

If the HomeHub is the issue, then http://community.bt.com/t5/Other-BB-Queries/Setting-... has a guide of what to do

.

Fair suggestion to just change back to My Netgear router but I also have other issues with BT Broadband

Just give it a go. Might as well.

They advertised BT SmartTalk, which I thought was a really good idea.
Unfortunately, as usual, BT misled me by default.
When I tried to download the app I discovered that THEY DON'T SUPPORT BLACKBERRY. Can you believe it? The essential phone for business and they don't support it.

What business? Blackberry really isn't what it used to be. The app store is missing a large share of apps. I can completely believe it. Any business looking to provide a phone for it's users will be looking away from blackberry now.

This in itself is no reason to lose £300. I'm sure IDNET don't offer this service.

Try the netgear before jumping ship. You may have just got a faulty HomeHub.

The settings you need are here.
http://btybb.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/74...

If you have a DG834G router, this could be masking a line fault as these routers are good at holding onto extremely low SNRs, where most routers would just keep disconnecting.

If it still drops on the netgear it's possible you are on ADSL 2+ which is not so good at masking a bad line. I think on the netgear you can usually force it to D.GMT which might be better on your line.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Thu 25-Jul-13 12:59:39)

In fact, I think all of your issues could be resolved if you posted in the correct place http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/bt.html

Thanks for that. It didn't occur to me that they wouldn't support the Blackberry.
Everyone I know has one.
Bit more background.
Desktop Help crashes from time to time when a fault occurs, like when the email doesn't work. A little message appears to start it up and it just goes to a blank page.
If I start it up I get some error message and am invited to restart my computer.
When I first opened it up I allowed it to check my network.
Classic. It lost my printer and lost two of the three items I have on a cabled switch. TV, Sky and DVD.
Whatever I did I couldn't get them back until I did a restore.
I hasten to add the my PC is in perfect order, or was, I have no problems with it, bang up to date, all drivers updated, the latest software etc.

Or it was, until you installed Desktop Help. First thing I'd do is delete that.

And delete all the other BT bloatware.

And do not use their DNS servers, use someone else's like Google or http://www.opennicproject.org/

Edited by deleted (Thu 25-Jul-13 13:08:19)

I'm pretty sure that I am not on ADSL2+ on the Norwood Hill exchange.
We've barely got electricity.

If you are definitely on that exchange you will be on d.gmt on both ISPs and every ISP is basically via BT wholesale.

In this case the only thing that's really changed technical wise is the router.
Try the netgear.

No ADSL2+ available via your exchange.

Can you post some line stats from your router? > http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/frogstats.php

Yes, Norwood Hill only has ADSL Max (G.DMT) and no LLU ISPs.

Therefore you are on exactly the same system as you were with IDNET.

The only things that have changed are:

• The router (& filters)
• The DNS servers
• The unnecessary BT bloatware you installed

It must be one of these that is causing the issue. You can change any, or all, of them, to get back to how you were.

From the symptoms, my money's on the DNS. Change them to Open DNS : 208.67.222.222 & 208.67.220.220. Next the router. Certainly uninstall the BT bloatware.

Try out the netgear. Once you've done that come back.
We have all asked you to give it a go.

I think you're not looking at this logically. Any ISP on your exchange is basically via BT wholesale using the same equipment at the exchange. BT isn't going to be any worse than post office broadband etc.
You are using the exact same equipment as you were on IDNET. Nothing has been changed by BT other than your router and possibly the filter.

Everything is the same at the exchange. If you move isp all you will do is try out another router. Nothing more or less.

The only thing that's really changed is the router and its the most likely culprit. Especially as you've had weird issues with the homehub which honestly 99.9999% of people do not have. It does point to that as being faulty.

Also there's no need for the BT software. Didn't even need to plug the disk in. That's easily uninstalled anyways.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Thu 25-Jul-13 13:42:46)

I made that point to one of the techs that nothing should change since I was on BT Wholesale.
He put me right and said I was on BT Retail, whatever that is.

Yep you are on BT retail.
He thought you were referring to the ISP as BT wholesale. It's not.

BT retail is the BT company you signed up to.

BT wholesale is the connection used at the exchange.

It's like saying IDNET isn't called IDNET, it's called BT wholesale. That's wrong, IDNET is IDNET but uses bt wholesale to deliver the connection at your exchange.

In the same way BT is BT retail, which also uses by wholesale to deliver the connection at your exchange.

BT retail = the company that offers Internet phone and tv
Bt wholesale is the technology used to deliver the broadband at the local exchange.

Small details.

ADSL Line Status
Connection Information

Line state: Connected
Connection time: 7 days, 10:52:03
Downstream: 5.469 Mbps
Upstream: 448 Kbps

Well if I have been connected 7days, how comes it keeps freezing.
I have changed the channel to 11 and connect on the 2.4Ghz since wifi has a fair distance to go in the house.

I will try the Netgear when I can, but I've made my mind up to leave.

In reply to a post by woodroyd:

I will try the Netgear when I can, but I've made my mind up to leave.

Does anyone know the settings/passwords etc. when I connect up the Netgear.

The next time you have a freeze connect to the router and check the same stats.

if you cannot get to the router and are using wireless, then try an Ethernet cable and if that works, then issue is something to do with your hardware and the HomeHub not getting alone.

Another thing is to try connecting via Ethernet normally and see if you get the same problems.

Wi-Fi is renowned for problems, e.g. I just had to restart one of my routers (have several) as it had crashed to some extent.

Please include attenuations & noise margins whenever you post stats.

Router up for 7 days shows you are not getting any discons on the ADSL.

Your issue must be with wireless or DNS.

I would if I could find them on the hub but I can't.

Oh, this is the 'Bad Boy' HH4 that dumbs down by hiding the useful stats from the inexpert user.

there are some known issues with the hub4, using the same ssid for both bands confusing certain devices.
http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/44798...

Yes, thank you.
A tech advised me to do this so I renamed one BTHub4-2.4ghz.
It did help to a certain extent. Still get the freezing from time to time though.

In reply to a post by woodroyd:

In reply to a post by woodroyd:

I will try the Netgear when I can, but I've made my mind up to leave.

Does anyone know the settings/passwords etc. when I connect up the Netgear.

The username is [email protected] and there is no password. If your Netgear needs a password, use BT for example, or anything.

The link given earlier should walk you through the changes

http://community.bt.com/t5/Other-BB-Queries/Setting-...

In reply to a post by woodroyd:

I will try the Netgear when I can, but I've made my mind up to leave.

If you do as requested here, you may at least find you have a stable, usable connection while you get a MAC and wait to migrate . Isn't that worth a few minutes, instead of all the frustration?

Don't sneer.
I don't service my car either.
People in overalls do it for large sums of money.

In case you misunderstood, I wasn't 'sneering' at you but at the HH4.

We are the peeps in overalls, but we don't charge a penny .

In reply to a post by woodroyd:

ADSL Line Status
Connection Information

Line state: Connected
Connection time: 7 days, 10:52:03
Downstream: 5.469 Mbps
Upstream: 448 Kbps

Well if I have been connected 7days, how comes it keeps freezing.
I have changed the channel to 11 and connect on the 2.4Ghz since wifi has a fair distance to go in the house.

It's funny because your lines perfectly stable and not even faulty. 7 days uptime without a single drop out. The issues are clearly your setup, probably due to your devices being at the edge of wireless range. You do realise that 5ghz generally gives around half the range of 2.4ghz?

It's laughable that you're going to move isp when all of the problems are ones with your own setup clearly not being sufficient.

An ISP move will do nothing. The lines perfect to begin with.

It's funny that the lines been up for 7 days. That's not overly indicative of somebody doing diagnostics. I think you've immediately assumed its BTs fault and nothing at your end. Fact is that connections rock solid. You don't have a problem with the connection, perhaps an issue with your wirless setup. Every routers slightly different - the homehub was probably on the limit of its wireless where's the netgear was probably just pumping out slightly more (enough to make it stable).

From the other threads by the OP, they decided to switch to save a tenner per month, had misgivings about using their own email domain, got cold feet, and now decided to write off £300 - i.e. 2 years odds worth of savings.

On 23rd July BT admitted there are problems with wireless and some HH4
I have a rock solid BTW connection ( 1 down and 4 up margin) with another provider. However my internet has dropped connections and freezes intermittently with more than 1 router., Like most ISP support, they do not have a clue and nor do they care IMO. I will never move to a provider with more than 30 day notice.
Like OP, I believe problem lies with BT and most likely the HH4. I would not look for a problem my end when problem only applied with new provider.

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

In reply to a post by woodroyd:

ADSL Line Status
Connection Information

Line state: Connected
Connection time: 7 days, 10:52:03
Downstream: 5.469 Mbps
Upstream: 448 Kbps

Well if I have been connected 7days, how comes it keeps freezing.
I have changed the channel to 11 and connect on the 2.4Ghz since wifi has a fair distance to go in the house.

It's funny because your lines perfectly stable and not even faulty. 7 days uptime without a single drop out. The issues are clearly your setup, probably due to your devices being at the edge of wireless range. You do realise that 5ghz generally gives around half the range of 2.4ghz?

It's laughable that you're going to move isp when all of the problems are ones with your own setup clearly not being sufficient.

An ISP move will do nothing. The lines perfect to begin with.

It's funny that the lines been up for 7 days. That's not overly indicative of somebody doing diagnostics. I think you've immediately assumed its BTs fault and nothing at your end. Fact is that connections rock solid. You don't have a problem with the connection, perhaps an issue with your wirless setup. Every routers slightly different - the homehub was probably on the limit of its wireless where's the netgear was probably just pumping out slightly more (enough to make it stable).

In reply to a post by flippery:

On 23rd July BT admitted there are problems with wireless and some HH4
I have a rock solid BTW connection ( 1 down and 4 up margin) with another provider. However my internet has dropped connections and freezes intermittently with more than 1 router., Like most ISP support, they do not have a clue and nor do they care IMO. I will never move to a provider with more than 30 day notice.
Like OP, I believe problem lies with BT and most likely the HH4. I would not look for a problem my end when problem only applied with new provider.

Is there a link for this claim of an admission on wireless and the HH4?

One of the issues with wireless is the problem of interference. This is outside the control of the ISP, however, they can access your HH4 remotely and optimise the settings for you.

The issue almost certainly poor range to the new router.

If not - faulty hub.

Either way both a simple fix and not worth literally throwing £300 away.

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

It's funny that the lines been up for 7 days. That's not overly indicative of somebody doing diagnostics.

Good point! Not since the start of this thread has OP rebooted router, tried other wireless channels. tried the test socket or tried swapping filters (tho' we all thought he claimed he did).

I guess the OP is not interested in helping himself. The only point of this thread seems to be to whine against BT, shrug aside any of our help and waste £300 (?) in leaving BT to go to another BTw-based ISP where his issues are bound to recur.

Thanks for letting us know.
Not just me then.

Yes, I have changed wireless channels. Now channel eleven.
Yes I have tried swapping filters.
Yes I have rebooted router several times.

Do you have any wireless-N devices?

Just put the old router back in for petes sake. There's nothing wrong with the internet connection. For whatever reason the wireless side of things is letting you down.

Any ISP is going to be the same, most ISP supplied routers have even worse range than the BT HomeHub, so chances are if you switch ISP and use their router it'll be even worse.

I think on IDNET you probably were using an old wireless G router or a draft N device. Some of these had a much higher output wirelessly than the newer N routers, especially the US models which got sold by some ISPs back in the day... There is strict enforcement on output power and regulation by the EU so the newer N devices can have less range than some of the older G kit. In the US wireless equipment is allowed to broadcast much higher output, hence why in the US you see their big houses, yet 1 router covers it nicely.

As far as the new routers go, the HomeHub is very good and is above average range wise. It's quite possible though that the netgear is putting out much more than the new HomeHub which is restricted under regulation. That's my only real explanation for an older device being better.

You could spend £100 on a router, I doubt the range would be much better than the HomeHub. Output is restricted ultimately. If you got a US device it's likely to be better range, but then you're going against the EU enforcement.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Fri 26-Jul-13 08:42:24)

I have 2 iPads, 1 Blackberry Playbook, 1 Blackberry phone.

I have just removed the Home Hub 4 and connected my NETGEAR N300 DGN2200.
The result is amazing. I'm now connected at 6176 Mbp instead of earlier at 5469Mbps. The Wi-Fi is clearly stronger and faster.
One job done.
My BT email address still doesn't work though.
Invalid password.
Thanks for the input from various people.
I am now out of this forum
Goodbye.

Fantastic man. So you still going to leave BT? You have put me off the HH4 somewhat! I have a DGN2100 (not 2200) and my HH3 outperforms it a fair bit. I had my doubts about the HH4, just because most 5Ghz routers seem to lack on the range side, even on 2.4ghz. I found this in experience. The only one which seems to maintain good range that I've tried is the ASUS RT-N66U (which I returned as I couldn't justify the cost when my HH3 was giving the same range).

Also with regards to the BT email, do you really need it anyway? I find ISP specific emails are frustrating long term. They often move from google, to Yahoo etc. When you leave the ISP they sometimes get removed by accident. Just don't like them.

The 5GHz range issue is simple physics and our router reviews from last year show the pattern, higher speeds but shorter range on 5GHz but less channel congestion too

No I don't use it, but it is required by BT to log in sometimes.
I use my own domain email.

Give them a call, they can sort that out pretty quickly I should imagine.

I'm stuck in the old days with BT. They send me out the paper bill (although it's usually zero for me to pay, as it's a work paid connection). I still keep a separate Sky Line nonetheless for the house to use.

Glad you're a bit happier about everything now.

Password reset: https://register.btinternet.com/cgi-bin/load_page?pa...

It would not surprise me if the HomeHub 4 was buggy. It's new, so there's bound to be a fair bit of firmware upgrading over the coming months.

It really frustrates me when ISPs send out bad hardware. Virgin did it with their superhub. I have a lot of respect for Sky as I've had every router but their first ever and I have never had a single issue with them.

Test before you send them out. These things really should be perfect, afterall most of us leave them on 24/7 so they need to be rock solid.

I'd be interested if another router solves your troubles.

Yes, done that.
The next morning it's still enter password or invalid password

I'm not sure what you mean - it sounds like you did it in the past and some application returned an error message. Which application returned that error message?

You can always set up another BT ID in case you did it wrong the first time. You can have up to 5 https://www.bt.com/reg/consumer/displayPage.do?journ...

In reply to a post by woodroyd:

Yes, thank you.
A tech advised me to do this so I renamed one BTHub4-2.4ghz.
It did help to a certain extent. Still get the freezing from time to time though.

when you renamed the 2.4ghz did you also uncheck the 'sync with 2.4GHz' for the ssid in the 5GHz setup? - else it will have changed both.
http://community.bt.com/t5/BB-Speed-Connection-Issue...

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

Or it was, until you installed Desktop Help. First thing I'd do is delete that.

And delete all the other BT bloatware.

And do not use their DNS servers, use someone else's like Google or http://www.opennicproject.org/

Talking of DNS servers, thanks to Namebench I have just found BT servers are 400% faster that the ones I was using. A bit like phone signals it depends on individual location. It even allows to include a censorship filter option.
http://code.google.com/p/namebench/