Battery Backup for WIfi 7 Router

[oldbuffer]

Hi,

I have just renewed my Broadband/Landline contract with BT. (Still in the cooling off period).  I also requested a tech guy to check out my wifi  as it has a few issues. One of the things that came up was that my existing router may require upgrading to improve the wifi signal strength. This is EE's Wifi 7 Smart Hub. As I understand it, BT no longer supplies upgrades to their routers (namely their Home Hub 2 which I currently use). Apparently the only way for me to to get one of these new routers is to switch my broadband to EE.  This I don't mind as I believe it is BT's aim to eventually switch existing broadband customers over to EE to split the residential market and business market between the two.  Might as well do it now instead of later. However, having requested a switch of my existing BT broadband contract to EE, I have now been informed that since I have a Battery Backup Unit connected to the router, the unit is incompatible with the new Wifi 7 Router which would otherwise have been supplied to complete the changeover. So in theory, I cant switch my service to EE unless I either wait until the BBU is compatible (not holding my breath) or I switch to EE without the use of any  battery backup. Since this unit simply supplies a no-break power supply to the router, I cant see where the incompatibility exists, unless the router power supply is different, or the power connector plug is different. Apparently a one-for-one swap of BT Home Hub 2 with the Wifi7 Smart Hub wont work either. Anyone else experienced similar problems, as it seems crazy that EE cant supply either their own or BT's BBUs which I would consider an integral part of any home broadband system.

[JimM11]

@oldbuffer You may consider it to be an Integral part off the system but it is not, so how/why did you end up with a BBU from BT at the time? Also the wi-fi 7 advice you have got is all wrong!

[oldbuffer]

FIrst point - we tend to suffer more power cuts than normal (rural area)  so it's pretty integral to my system and secondly, I asked for one.  SInce the BBUs were effectively FOC,  one for the router and a second one for the ONT, (belt and braces)  I'm not going  to argue. So which advice are you referring to - the techy recommending a router upgrade or the EE help desk saying  I cant use their Wifi 7 router because I have a BBU attached?  (got my doubts about this since I have now discovered both BT Home Hub 2 and EE Wifi 7 Smart Hub are effectively the same except the casing is different).

[JimM11]

@oldbuffer The information that you need is linked below regarding what is, for you to see.

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

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/learn-about-broadband/different-types-of-bt-hub

[Northerner]

Hi @oldbuffer 

Do you have a fibre connection with a BT ONT box fitted now? 

Thanks 

[XRaySpeX]

I fear you are misquoting the model of your BT router. You won't have the BT Home Hub 2 but the BT Smart Hub 2. The BT SH2 is not almost the same as the WiFi7 EE SH Pro but almost the same as the WiFi5 EE SH (2023).

[oldbuffer]

You fear correctly and I stand corrected. Going back to my original problem. Is  EE correct or not, in their assumption that my BT BBUs are not compatible for use with their Wifi 7 Smart Hub and therefore BT cant switch me over to EE? Google AI not a lot of help. Depending on how I phrase the question, I get two answers - Yes and No! 

My current contract is BT Full FIbre 900  with Halo 3+ (incl. Digital Voice for my old landline).  I also read somewhere that the EE Hybrid Connect which I have on my BT Smart Hub , might not work with the EE Smart Hub. My reasons for change seem to be disappearing rapidly.

[JimM11]

@oldbuffer The new model DTB24U12V-BT3 has both the cables that are required, not sure how you can/would go about getting the correct one that you would need for the EE Smarthub (2023) that is required, Cable is labeled as Battery Back-Up one end and has Smart Hub Plus the other end, and i am making the assumption that the Plus and the (2023) have the same power connection barrel fitting....

The Smart Hub (2) cable fits the BT hub one assumes never tried that, and is the exact same connection for the ONT also used on it so for sure that applies.

Hybrid connect has been reported to work fine, BT/EE units.

[oldbuffer]

In answer to my question ref my existing BBUs connection to the EE router, I got this from Google AI

Yes, the CyberPower Battery Backup DTB24U12V-BT1 is designed to connect to the EE WiFi 7 Smart Hub. It provides backup power to the Smart Hub during power outages, ensuring continued operation of your broadband service. The specific product is compatible with BT Smart Hub 2 (SH2), EE Smart Hub (SH2), and EE Smart Hub Plus (SH3).

Given al the various responses, is this true?

[JimM11]

@oldbuffer I used 2 off the BB units, one for the ONT, and one for the EE Smarthub+ SH32A model, sisters home vulnerable status, the BBU's are the same, the cables 2 each in one unit, one fitted the ONT which is the same as the BT Smarthub 2, and the other fitted the EE Smarthub+, it has a smaller barrel connector so it is a 1.35mm (inner) x 3.5mm (outer) x 9.0mm (long). Positive tip/centre conductor. 12v supply other side is 2.1mm (inner) x 5.5mm (outer) x 9.5mm (long). Positive tip/centre conductor. 12v supply.

Same barrel / jack size is used across recent Openreach ONT whether Huawei or Nokia, ADTRAN (or indeed the long deceased ECI): 2.1mm (inner) x 5.5mm (outer) x 9.5mm (long). Positive tip/centre conductor. 12v supply.

You keep referring to EE WiFi 7 that would be the EE Smarthub Pro model, the only one that is 7 compatible, google is not always right whoever creates the reference. Link above shows the models for both BT/EE, but not all the finer details so that is the hard part to work out. No idea what the connector is on the Pro, never seen and highly unlikely i ever will.