topic Re: Smart hub external ping response in Broadband & Landline

Smart hub external ping response

Jaggies — Tue, 19 May 2026 22:25:01 GMT

I set up a new BQM on Thinkbroadband when I migrated from Plusnet (where I had a static IP address), but the Smart Hub doesn't respond to pings from outside my network, or at least I haven't found a setting where this can be activated.

I was going to try opening a firewall rule to direct inbound pings to my TP-Link router, which is now working as a WiFi and Ethernet extender, but setting up the rule requires Port numbers to be specified, and I don't want to open random ports.

Has anyone tried and succeeded (or failed...) and if so, what Port numbers worked?

Or can the Smart Hub be set up to respond to external pings and I've just missed the setting(s) I need?

TIA...

Re: Smart hub external ping response

XRaySpeX — Tue, 19 May 2026 22:38:58 GMT

EE Smart Hubs Pro & Plus can't be made to respond to pings.

Re: Smart hub external ping response

JimM11 — Tue, 19 May 2026 23:03:53 GMT

@Jaggies There is no ICMP response on any off the EE Hubs/Routers or the BT versions, you will need to get a real hub if you wish to do a BQM from thinkbroadband.... Is there a reason that the hub from EE is connected, ie landline for digital voice , old fttc connection that the TP does not do?

Your on a FTTC connection and require to use the EE supplied hub for your digital voice,

Broadband Quality Monitor FAQ | thinkbroadband

Not Supported*

BT Home Hub or Smart Hub
PlusNet Hub Zero / Hub One (aka BT Home Hub 5a)

* These routers do not support responding to ping packets on the WAN port, however you can configure a Default or DMZ host which can respond to pings directed at your public IP address; we strongly advise you to only do this if you understand the security implications of running a publicly accessible host on the Internet.

Re: Smart hub external ping response

Jaggies — Tue, 19 May 2026 23:16:50 GMT

Thanks both @XRaySpeX & @JimM11

I'm using the Smart Hub in order to use Digital Voice, which is the reason I joined EE.

The TP-Link router worked fine with the BQM on Plusnet, and when I set up a new one for EE. I'll look in to adding it to a DMZ if I can't get the required ports to simply add a firewall rule.

Thanks again.

Re: Smart hub external ping response

JimM11 — Tue, 19 May 2026 23:21:38 GMT

@Jaggies IP assigned from the EE to the TP, that is all you need to place in the EE hub's DMZ.