topic Re: Smart hub plus issues in Broadband & Landline

Smart hub plus issues

scallydeejay — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:43:50 GMT

Hi all. I upgraded to 900mbps fibre the other week and moved from BT to EE and all was well for the first few weeks. But this past week, the signal from my smart wifi hub has been awful. Places in the house where unused to get a good signal, I get next to nothing with a drop off to mobile data a lot. Has anybody else noticed any issues?

my hub is in the same place and my home set up hasn’t changed at all.

Re: Smart hub plus issues

XRaySpeX — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:43:16 GMT

Are you using the Smart WiFi Plus extenders?

Re: Smart hub plus issues

scallydeejay — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:47:50 GMT

No, just got the hub itself

Re: Smart hub plus issues

XRaySpeX — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:58:23 GMT

Maybe you need 'em!

Re: Smart hub plus issues

scallydeejay — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 13:04:49 GMT

But I’ve never needed them. When I had the BT smart hub I used to get signal in these areas. And the first few weeks using the smart hub plus from EE I’ve had strong signal until last week.

is there a firmware upgrade needed?

Re: Smart hub plus issues

XRaySpeX — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 13:15:29 GMT

I think you'll find the router is set to WiFi-6 and/or WPA3. Maybe your devices can't cope with that. Change the router down to WiFi-5 and WPA2.

Re: Smart hub plus issues

roachn — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 19:35:56 GMT

The Smart Hub Plus is the dumbest bundled router I've had the misfortune of owning full-stop. I can't comment on the speed and range, but the sheer lack of any advanced configuration options beggars belief. No ddns, proper vpn setup or usable dhcp configuration options.. I'd switch back to my 8 year old ASUS router if I could, but unfortunately my land line is now tied to the thing. Maybe, I'll just use it in "modem only" mode and hook it to a decent router, oh wait.. it doesn't have that option either. I've just wasted 20 quid on a digital landline adapter in the hope I can unchain my phone from the thing, but doubtfull.. EE, please finish the firmware and make this box usable!

Re: Smart hub plus issues

roachn — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 19:37:59 GMT

... and why is it soooo fugly!

Re: Smart hub plus issues

RachT123 — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 20:58:23 GMT

Honestly, it's THE worst router i've ever used. I don't care about advanced configuration settings, but what I certainly care about is that my connection isn't constantly dropping. For the first time ever, I'm trying to get a third party router (but a bit lost, tbh)

Re: Smart hub plus issues

JimM11 — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 08:26:25 GMT

@roachn You can use the Asus if it permits connected from its wan to EE router Lan, turn off the EE wi-fi if you need to and still maintain your landline connected to the router on its physical connection, Adapter for voice may have to go if you do turn of the EE wireless, not sure if it would function but you will not know until you try. Would not hold out on the FW updates improving as App method seems to be the preferred method for whatever reason. You should have asked for the adapter for free.

Re: Smart hub plus issues

JimM11 — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 08:35:01 GMT

@RachT123 Let us know if you require further help, where you are at presently, there has been a few suggestions so don't know where you are standing just now with ALL of the issue's.

Re: Smart hub plus issues

roachn — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 09:26:02 GMT

Thanks for the suggestions, this is one of the things I've already tried.. However you end up with "double-NAT" and ddns and port forwarding won't work this way. I hoping I can get a third party router connected straight to the line and still use the phone adapter box. Guess this depends on whether the adapter box talks to the ee router or directly to something on the ee end of line..

Re: Smart hub plus issues

JimM11 — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 09:36:05 GMT

@roachn You can forget about the phone working, If you do not use the EE router as the primary then you will have NO landline phone from EE. And port forwarding is back on the Latest Router with the Latest FW upgrade.

Re: Smart hub plus issues

roachn — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 13:26:56 GMT

Cheers Jim, won't try that then. Okay, seem to have it all going now. Workaround was to run the ddns client on my NAS, not the router. Still despise the Smart Hub Plus for limiting my options 😒

Re: Smart hub plus issues

Davidcrosby — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 13:24:50 GMT

Hi, I have just taken delivery of the smart hub plus and several other devices, I have been a customer for quite a while, but I originally binned a very old bt hub (because it was very naff) and I replaced with a DrayTek wireless router, which worked well, but unfortunately it failed. As I have had it several years, I thought I would upgrade to the EE/BT latest hubs etc, which I thought it must have improved a lot over that time, of course the sales guy said it was much improved. There was also a visit from a so called expert technician to set it all up, I thought I could get some useful technical input, especially as when I searched for a detailed user guide, there wasn’t one!!! Well the chap arrived, I quickly realised this guy was just here to plug in some stuff and push a couple of buttons, he knew absolutely nothing. I asked how I could configure things for my existing network, he just said I don’t know about any of that. Then said there are guides online, which there isn’t. So he left, I proceeded to tackle it myself. In my working life I was a lead solution architect, so I have good IT skills. I quickly realised this so called smart hub plus, is quite the opposite. I attempted to configure the DHCP settings, which quite honestly is not fit for purpose, how this is released to consumers is surprising. I tried to use the custom configuration option, basically it doesn’t save, so the configuration just flips back to what it had before. I also amended the tcp/ip address of the hub and the subnet mask, if you ever dare to select one of the DHCP tcp/ip preset allocation ranges, this also changes the tcp/ip address and subnet mask, which seriously screws you up. There is no capability to configure any DHCP variables. With these initial limitations, I proceeded to call the so called technical support, well they haven’t a clue either, the first chap didn’t even know what DHCP was!! He proceeded to talk to others there, who equally had no idea, they are basically trained in very simple broadband connection issues, speed tests etc and that is it!! I asked don’t you have a 3rd line or 4th line support and he didnt know what that was and said there is no other further technical support!! Somewhat shocked at this, I asked to speak to his manager, who was nearly as clueless, but did elude to another technical group, they would only look at a problem or issue, if the order was fully complete which apparently mine wasn’t, I am almost speechless with the apparent lack of proper support and the quality of the product, which has no proper user guide. So realising the support people knew nothing and really were unable to help at all, I said I would attempt to get back to their other technical group, which is probably their 3rd or 4th line support (we hope). I have looked at some of the other configuration of the hub and tried to work round some of its limitations, my view is they shouldn’t call this a smart hub, it has some of the most primitive capabilities, if you have a very simple home network, with very little in it, this hub maybe ok, i certainly wouldn’t recommend it for anything else, most configuration facilities are dumbed down, i didn’t see any proper firewall configuration, the is no local dns, you can’t add any meaningful labels to anything, there is no syslog configuration, you can’t independently configure the SID names for 2.4ghz and 5ghz, they have to be same ( I have three other devices and they all can be configured independently if you choose) the dhcp configuration is terrible, basically all the things a decent smart wireless router would have, I am in two minds if I attempt to try work round it, or throw it out.

Re: Smart hub plus issues

JimM11 — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 20:26:11 GMT

@Davidcrosby The ISP Supplied router the EE Smarthub+ is 100% aimed at plug and play for little, and excel's at not allowing any user with knowledge to do anything meaningful to change what little there can be, you will also come across many other little oddities on your journey with it, so do search the forum first and save you wasting your precious time trying to get any fruitful answers, more than likely posted somewhere, or ask the question and get a answer here. Good luck with it all.👍

Re: Smart hub plus issues

Davidcrosby — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 22:51:44 GMT

I basically get that, although it is not sold as pure plug and play, certainly looking on here gives some incite to the issues and some answers. I’m just surprised that the smart hub plus, is so poor, I have seen fairly reasonable basic setups which allows additional advanced configuration which actually work well on other devices. Having spent 40+ years in IT and engineered sizeable systems and solutions. I am fairly confident, they could have done much better without costing the earth and being able to provide a far better supportable service. I unfortunately fell into the trap, that over several years, the router etc, they would have learnt some lessons. I kind of wonder what they provide for their business service, as you wouldnt expect them to tolerate this, surely it must be better ??

Re: Smart hub plus issues

JimM11 — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 00:03:06 GMT

@Davidcrosby Just not sure you are getting it, 99% of user's, want to plug in the router, and as long as they get internet or streaming etc and are happy they get so then that is it. The real simple solution as you put it is to buy your own router with the spec and functions that you need, and you will not look back. The EE Smarthub+ is not a bad router, it is heavily locked down to keep prying fingers away and in that feature alone will probably reduce cost's of support. If ISP routers were so good then there would be no need for Third party routers that DO a far better job in ALL respects.

Re: Smart hub plus issues

Davidcrosby — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 08:17:49 GMT

yes I’ll accept, a large number of users have very simple environments and therefore have far less need for something too sophisticated. The point of plug and play, is it all works at the end, it didn’t!! it wasn’t sold that way either! If they had made clear it’s limitations, I may have gone elsewhere, they didn’t. The so called visiting engineer, had no knowledge and had no mandate to ensure it all worked or advise appropriately, the support organisation is also inadequate and doesn’t seem to comply with industry standard support structures. Is it a poor router ! I argue it is, if it offers functionality which doesn’t work, that’s bad engineering and/or bad testing, or bad documentation (if there was any) I would also argue the way some of the functions have been engineered could be done better. Home users are generally getting more, such as home automation, voice controlled lighting, heating etc, that makes more demands of a “plug and play” capability.

You seem to be very keen to defend BT/EE, I really don’t care how the product is positioned, as long as all limitations are clearly identified at the point of sale so I can make an informed choice. If you know what all the limitations are, pass on some of that knowledge.

Re: Smart hub plus issues

JimM11 — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 08:44:29 GMT

@Davidcrosby Let's start by saying there is NO defence of BT/EE, as a user just like yourself. You as one who had there own DrayTek router, which in it's own you can classify as a real router with loads of flexibility in its configuration, you do seem to have extensive knowledge of what to do, why would you even think that someone from outside would be able to put a network router in and configure it for your own network off the bat. Support is generic and unfortunately being directed further up the food chain is hard, this can also be said for any technical aspect for most companies. Lack of manual documentation may help some, features or limitations where you look.

https://ee.co.uk/help/broadband/getting-started/compare-our-range-of-broadband-hubs