Smart Hub 2

I am in the process of moving to BT's Fibre 1 product. They will supply a Smart Hub 2.
Is this router any good?. Will I be able to access line stats?
If I want to use another router will I be able to lookup the connection settings, password and configuration or will this be hidden out of sight without unlocking it as has happened in the past.

Yes they are OK. Yes, you’ll see line stats if on VDSL/ADSL.

Connection details are simple.

In reply to a post by jaba:

I am in the process of moving to BT's Fibre 1 product. They will supply a Smart Hub 2.

Normally they do, but if they don't you can ask for one, normally this just costs £9.99 postage, BT owns the router so if or when you leave BT you may / will have to send it back to them.

In reply to a post by jaba:

Is this router any good?. Will I be able to access line stats?

Well I had a few issues with the first Smart Hub, but I have heard the second one is a lot better, I have one still in its box, I know with the first one you could see some line stats, so I assume the second version will be the same.

In reply to a post by jaba:

If I want to use another router will I be able to lookup the connection settings, password and configuration or will this be hidden out of sight without unlocking it as has happened in the past.

Yes, I use my own router, but I keep the Smart Hub 2 in case I have issues with our connection and BT wants it connected to run tests.

Getting the login info is easy to find.
I use the following:
name: [email protected]
pass: (leave blank)

You can find this all over the BT Forums.

Paul

As already mentioned line stats are there, data rate, max rate, line atten, signal atten, SNR ...

In addition there is, at least on the business version, an Event Log containing thousands of events since the last reset. I have seen 800 or so pages with 25 events on each! It can be filtered by type!

Thanks all. It seems that I will be able to get into the router to see the required info.
I just have to hope that the lockdown does not hold things up should there be problems on the day of the switch..

Are you going from ADSL to self install VDSL (FTTC) on the day ?

If so you *should* get a call from the engineer before their work commences.

Chuck the new router on, and await the ‘blue light’

Are you with BT for ADSL ? Then you could just put the new router on as soon as it arrives , the rest will go automatically.

Do you have a faceplate filter, or maybe just a single NTE ? You might as well have it set up right and save later hassles.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Are you going from ADSL to self install VDSL (FTTC) on the day ?

Yes thats the plan ADSL to VDSL

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Are you with BT for ADSL ? Then you could just put the new router on as soon as it arrives , the rest will go automatically.

No not with BT a BTW reseller. So your idea of preinstalling the new router would be possible I suppose by switching logins. I will think about that while I am waiting for V day.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Do you have a faceplate filter, or maybe just a single NTE ? You might as well have it set up right and save later hassles.

Yes I have a faceplate filter in place already, so no problems

I am now a bit mystified by what is happening with the charges made. I am moving to BT who are not making any charges at all for migration ADSL - VDSL or activation. But my current provider have just made a Cease charge of £32.

Is this cease charge right ? As I am moving from one BTW provider to BT itself which presumably is a notional BTW reseller as well.

My current ISP explains the charge as follows;
"The cease notice is just what we received from BT Wholesale as the service is leaving them and going to another provider. Whilst that service with us is ceasing, it would be re-start by another provider based on the order they've placed."

I read on this forum posts all the time from people who change ISP for one reason or another but they don't seem to mention often the various charges involved. And the word cease is a bit ambiguous when what is really happening is a cease and reprovide.

I am really happy to pay any charges of course but it seems very unclear before placing an order what you will have to pay and to whom. Perhaps this is an area OFCOM could take on so that we would know in advance of placing an order what the total one off charges would be to inform the financial decision.

Should be outlined in the existing providers terms and conditions.

There is no 'cease' charge levied by the big providers where people are migrating.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Should be outlined in the existing providers terms and conditions.

There is no 'cease' charge levied by the big providers where people are migrating.

Unfortunately, the terms and conditions can be sufficiently vague to give little warning of whether a cease charge will be be imposed.

In my case my FTTP service was out of contract, and I took out a new contract with a different provider for a rather better price. Usual practice is for this to be treated as a migration, but my soon to be former provider insisted on treating it as a cease, and charging for the privilege ... not happy, but I couldn't budge them.

Fortunately, the new provider's price still offered a cheaper annual cost, so I came out ahead. The catch is that with a cease, it can take several days for Openreach to make the switch to the new provider, leaving you internetless in the meantime. Fortunately again, my new provider (Aquiss) was very hot off the mark and got me up and running within 15 hrs ... happy!