2 week review of EE 1.6gbs

[Bluenose_Dave]

Having been on the new 1.6gb/s service now for 2 weeks, and here are my views,

i have the EE new smart router plus and 3 extenders, first off i know the EE smart hub plus only has 1gb LAN ports, speeds have been ok and stable WIFI rangers from about 650-820  what is not bad, i m running with them hardwired with a lan to them, i know WiFi 6 max speeds are 1200 but rarely get them in the real world 

this package feels like it been rushed out, my reason for saying this are,  openreach engineers laptops have 1gb Ethernet ports so they are unable to check speeds from ONT or any other Speedtest at your home if you are on the 1.6gbs package

the EE router having only 1gb LAN, also it comes with a cat 5e cable, this cat of cable does up to 1gb, so if you are on 1.6gb/s you will need to get a new Ethernet lead to connected the smart hub plus to the ONT

all the WiFi features like work and game mode and WiFi controls dont work, it say page not found, i have heard that the WiFi enhanced feature has been turn off so the team can look at it and fix it as it affecting a lot of users and should be back after a month, i am unable to check speed via the router page this time it asking for me to make an EE account

speeds and connection has been stable and good, but i did have a lot of issues getting the service

i know of people who have bought a 3rd party router so they can get full access to the raw 1.6gbs speeds, and they are having no issues on speeds as router has 2.5gb LAN on them unlike the EE smart hub plus

i have bought a usbc to 2.5gb Ethernet adapter so i can test the raw speeds at the ONT, plus if openreach do need to test speeds at my home they will be able too

so in short i hope you can see why i think this package has been rushed out from the fact openreach dont have the kit to test speeds at the customer home, to all the issues with the new smart hub plus

[SJPetter]

× Bluenose, I suspect the app isn't yet updated with Smart Hub Pro assets and handles. Best way to link the network is away from the EE app. The app just complicates a simple process, WPS button or a wired backhaul is all that is required. 

[Bluenose_Dave]

Cat 8 backhaul here, but wanted to see if it worked what with my history with the plus routers

[SJPetter]

Cat 8 is overkill for 2.5gbps 😅 why did you opt for cat 8? 

[Woggy]

So this helped thanks, now getting 1.4gbps on my iPhone and 1.3 wired, which is a better but strange result, still a ways off the 1.68 the app is claiming I’m getting, but I’ll keep working on it 

[SJPetter]

The hub is getting 1.68, however your on a 32 shared split on 2.5Gbps (30 is openreach limit) and your in peak time almost, so I'm assuming your speed will be throttling.. 

[Woggy]

Probably, I’ll use this connection as my back up and for family connection then, and the altnet for my private work connection 

[cliffy37]

@SJPetter  I dont know, i think if i had to do my cabling again i would go CAT 8. Not that expensive, future proof, can do longer runs if needed, less interference, better shielding. Not that CAT 7 isnt perfuctly suitable also mind

[Bluenose_Dave]

As a lot of electrical wires and price was decent so future proof the house 

[cliffy37]

Well i sent my third party router back as i wanted to save some cash, unfortunatley despite receiving the text on Tuesday to say despatch in 24 hours i still have no despatch confirmation email or tracking number. In teh mean time i have settled for the smarth hub 3 which is not doing a terrible job, getting 1.3Gbps right next to it and 1.1Gbps upstaiors so it will do for now bit i really hope EE pull there finger out and get my WiFi 7 Pro despatched soon, its getting beyond a joke

[Ewan15]

@cliffy37  How did you get hold of a BT Smart Hub 3?