topic Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing in Broadband & Landline

Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

richard837 — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:56:29 GMT

New customer, here and after having FTTP installed I've opted for EE.

On the package I bought I was given the Smart Hub Plus (some may call it the Smart Hub 3 or SH31B)

I'm unable to use the USB Sharing and after checking various forums/community chats it appears that most other comments relate to older devices.

Has anyone else have the SH31b and was planning on utilising the USB port to share with the devices on their network?

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

XRaySpeX — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 15:09:18 GMT

You need to enable SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support. In Windows this is to be found in Windows Features. I dunno what it'll be in Unix.

I believe the router currently supports only NTFS, FAT16 or FAT32 formatted drives.

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

richard837 — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 20:21:13 GMT

SMB 1.0 Features enabled (tried on 2x different laptops, and rebooted after enabling the feature)

I've tried both a 32Gb and 64Gb Drive, formatted in both FAT32 and NTFS

Mapped network drive to \\192.168.1.254\(Disk Name) and also usb0 & usb1

Still no joy - unlike my previous Hub from Vodafone I don't even have an option with the Browser Config Page

Reading online - supposedly the SH31B has a different Firmware, so it appears that it has been disabled, or (fingers crossed) just missed and not yet enabled.

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

XRaySpeX — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 03:28:23 GMT

What are you actually doing to know it doesn't work? On previous routers, on Windows, the router would appear as a Computer under Network. The SH+ doesn't!

Nor do I find USB anywhere in the SH+'s own Network map.

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

bobpullen — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 10:19:09 GMT

@richard837 - SMB is not an option with the Smart Hub Plus and the USB port can't be used for file sharing at all as far as I know.

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

XRaySpeX — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 06:37:05 GMT

Then, @bobpullen , what can it be used for?

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

bobpullen — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 10:38:17 GMT

@XRaySpeX - it will work as a power source e.g. you could power a small USB switch if you wanted more LAN ports.

Outside of that though, my only other thought is that it may have some purpose for the hub engineers/developers.

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

SteveinIoW1 — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 22:59:44 GMT

Yes it was SO incredibly handy being able to store mp3 and other non important files on our old BT Hubs USB flash stick and to then share or stream them across the network to our phones, pcs and other devices. It worked flawlessly.

We just 'upgraded' ! from BT to EE's new SH31b Smart Hub 'Plus' ! and now we find that USB storage is not possible on this hub and worse still DDNS functionality has just been removed and disabled so now I cant gain remote access to our heating thermostats, a solar inverter and a number of older IP wildlife cameras.

I so wish we hadnt 'upgraded' ...what a joke! but unfortunately its pretty well forced on you at the end of your BT contract.

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

Zwicher93 — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 19:51:12 GMT

I have tried different methods too to connect USB flash drives to the EE router but with no luck. It looks like they took the feature away which is actually a let down. I have looked through many forums but could not find a single help as the router is new and also the browser is terrible to use in some point. I am thinking to find a workaround to use my External Hardrive so I can use it on the Network but at the moment I am not getting anywhere. Hopefully someone else can come with a suggestion or help.

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

XRaySpeX — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 19:53:36 GMT

@Zwicher93 : Ethernet to a router port?

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

SteveinIoW1 — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 23:38:21 GMT

Well I got around the hopeless SH31B not supporting USB storage by connecting an old BT Hub 4 (see ebay) to one of the Ethernet Sockets on the SH31b using a 10m ethernet cable.... I now use this Hub4 as a remote WiFi access point for some wifi stuff in an outbuilding and it has a 64GB flash stick on its USB. Google around for ' setting up old bt hub as wifi access point ' etc. (i.e set its DHCP off, give it a fixed IP address below the DCHP addressing range of the SH31b ...i.e say 192.168.1.60 etc). It works 100% fine, probably not the fastest network storage solution but perfectly useable and REALLY useful for storing / playing MP3z, moving photos, pdfs etc between devices etc. Android File manager+ works perfectly with it (use Add Remote location | local Network...BTHUB4 should appear). Windows 11 machines may need SMB1 enabled...again one to google.

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

XRaySpeX — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 23:48:57 GMT

@SteveinIoW1 wrote:

Windows 11 machines may need SMB1 enabled

So will Win 10 & below.

Re: Smart Hub 3 (SH31b) Smart hub Plus USB Sharing

Paul4AB — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 09:52:31 GMT

Just done exactly the same and very disappointed to find that the hub USB port simply doesn't function. I have spent the last few days back and forth with EE support and have not been able to obtain even a simple answer as to whether this is supposed to function or not. The only answer seems to be to change the hub or add a second one as described below.