Smart Hub Plus SH31B firmware observations

[juiceof2limes]

Moving over from BT to EE and have had one of the new Smart Hub Plus routers sent to me.
 Swamped the BT router out for the new EE one. Using as primary routet only because of Digital Voice/ EE equivalent  etc.

Some observations with the latest firmware (r1.21.0-R-910349-PROD-83002);

Prior to it updating itself with latest firmware, I saw Dynamic DDNS option under Advanced, Broadband. That is now gone.

I have WIFI/DHCP server turned off because I have a secondary ASUS router doing the real work.  Every time the firmware updates, it turns WIFI / DHCP back on. This needs to be fixed as I decided how I want it setup, not EE.

Under Phone and Contacts, you can import a VCF file from a previous hub, but there is NO option to export your contacts. So effectively if you hub is replaced for whatever reason, you loose any contacts you have added to phones. This is another flaw that needs to be fixed in the firmware.

The technical log hardly has any details in it. I know my the hub went down overnight for yet another firmware update (because of WIFI/DHCP issue mentioned above).  However there is nothing in the log to mention this. In fact is just has the 5 entries from when I powered it off/back on the previous day.  It's set on DEBUG/ALL so there should be a ton of info. So again looking like another flaw in the firmware.

And why is it so slow to move around the settings!

The old BT Smart Hub 2 is far better than this EE Smart Hub which should of been a step up.

I am probably whinging to the wrong crowd, as I doubt anyone of the EE Technical side would see this.

[SteveinIoW]

I have also just hit this lack of DDNS in the SH31B Hub.  Its almost unbelievable and extremely frustrationg that this functionality is not there.   The DDNS settings option was visible at the initial  power up ...however its now its gone following a firmware 'upgrade'!?

 DDNS has been a feature in every single router I can ever recall using.  SH31B - the Smart Hub   'Plus'   thats a bit of a joke!  It feels like a major retrograde step in terms of hub specs.   I have to say im already regretting upgrading from BT to EE . 

I plan to contact cutomer support tomorrow to seek  some answers.  I know BTs SH2 can provide digital VoIP  phone connectivity and has DDNS  for No-IP ,  maybe i have to insist on swapping to one of those? 

I have a an old BT Hub4 wired to into my network which acts as a remote Wifi access point to a nearby outbuilding. I tried running DDNS from inside that but it doesnt work - i'm not too sure why - Has anyone any ideas if  & how that should work? 

Leaving a PC on 24/7 to simpy update DDNS is just ridiculous, I can probably make some ESP32 device to do the updating,  but based on all previous experience and comments on here  i would have expect DDNS  to reside inside the SH3 router.

EE - Is this ever going to be fixed ??   

[juiceof2limes]

Agree with regards to the hub, it does seem like a retrograde when some important options are missing. I would have kept my BT SH2 if it were not for the request to send it back. Perhaps for the sake of £50 I should have, but to late now.

I have my ASUS router which is behind the SH+ updating DDNS now. It's intelligent enough to workout that it is in multi-NAT environment using a private WAN IP so somehow it is goes off elsewhere to get the external IP and updates NO-IP.com without issue.  This doesn't help you unfortunately with your setup.

Unless they bring DDNS back to the SH+ then your only option is via another 3rd party route.  Raspberry PI could be an option, cheap to buy, small device and consumes hardly any power.   Out of interest, I searched on "ddns on raspberry pi" and looking at "RaspberryTips" there is some tutorial.  Not posted links as not sure it's allowed. But there are options out there but really, why should you/others have to do this when the SH+ should offer this!

[SteveinIoW1]

So,  I called Customer support today who know nothing about Dynamic DNS ...so they passed me to Tech support who seemed to know a bit more...

The lady at Tech support knew that DDNS has been removed from SH31B Smart Hub 'Plus'  ...(ha  'Minus' )? and also suggested from the firmware released to later SH2 models!!?. 

She has escalated my enquiry and will call me on Monday. Fundamentally it would be nice to know what is EEs view and strategy on this :- is it going to be fixed in a Firmware upgrade? Do I need different hardware..if so what HW?   What do they suggest people do about it? ...or do they think EE users should not have solar systems,  thermostats, IP cameras etc??

It seemed the support data base contained a number of comments about DDNS being removed, and the understanding was that this and some other features have been removed as some people may have got in a security mess with it and that  'messing around with settings in the hub can make it difficult to resolve support problems'.   That seems bizzare, services such as NoIP, DyDNS, DuckDNS exist for this very reason to support  the changing of IP addresses from ISPs. 

Maybe its me but this seems to be a frustrating backwards step, dumbing the router down to the bare minimum. 

I have been able to cobble together some Arduino DDNS code on an ESP8266 and it does work HOWEVER its a bodge,  this service SHOULD be in the router, even if the functionality needs unlocking on request or something. 

My suggestion is everyone facing this should go via customer support to Tech Support and lodge a complaint. 

In times gone by I've needed remote access to environmental monitoring instrumentation whose remote access (i.e UK from H.Kong!) depended entirely on DDNS services.  If some 'un controllable' router firmware upgrade from an ISP had broken communications, customer support would have been impossible and a costly disaster. 

And now I find the hubs USB port is not supported on the SH31B, A networked flash stick used to be so useful to store and share streamed MP3s etc! ...Wow,  this is the most dumbed down router ive seen and have you tried the EE app to setup the routers accessibility!  umm..

[bobpullen]

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@SteveinIoW1 wrote:

The lady at Tech support knew that DDNS has been removed from SH31B Smart Hub 'Plus'  ...(ha  'Minus' )? and also suggested from the firmware released to later SH2 models!!?. 

Fundamentally it would be nice to know what is EEs view and strategy on this :- is it going to be fixed in a Firmware upgrade?

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It hasn't been removed from the SH2 firmware so not sure why you were told that. My understanding is that DDNS will return to the Smart Hub Plus via a future firmware update.

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@juiceof2limes wrote:

Raspberry PI could be an option, cheap to buy, small device and consumes hardly any power.

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I've switched to using ddclient on a Raspberry Pi to send updates to DNS-O-Matic (which in turn is updating some hostnames on NoIP and a Cloudflare hosted domain). Working well but obviously requires some effort.

[SteveinIoW1]

This morning EE tech support called me back regarding my questions of DDNS being removed in SH31b and they stated....

"DDNS functionality will not be available in any any residential Broadband hardware going forward.

It has already  been removed from new firmwares released to the SH31b Smart Hub Plus, AND from firmware on newer revisions of the SH2 (I had previously asked about chance of having an SH2 instead). Some existing SH2s will support it and those will 'probably' continue to do so but new shipped SH2s will not support DDNS. "

Also, it was confirmed to me that the access to the USB socket for network storage will also no longer be supported on EE BB router hardware.

My view!

BT sold the move to  EE an 'upgrade' upon the BT contract expiring. My backside is it's an upgrade!  "You will get a new SH3 PLUS"

Speed is completely irrelevant in our usage. I'm now left with no DDNS to remotely access our heating thermostats, Solar equipment and IP wildlife cameras.  I have enough skills to mess around, get other hardware and code ESP32s etc. BUT this is a completely ridiculous backwards step. Some people use DDNS services and will still have to use DDNS. It would be far neater, more convenient  and expected IN the router.  

And then going forward (backwards?)  EE and the SH31  will not longer support the connection of shared  storage via the hubs USB socket.  For years we have used the USB and a flash stick  to share non important files and music etc across all our devices, flawlessly and  so useful.

No doubt this is driven by corporate security and litigation paranoia. People will still use DDNS services, still share files across the network. It sounds like Hardware functionality will be dumbed down to the lowest and safest level.  What is the 'Plus' in this hub exactly ?? 

[juiceof2limes]

I am astounded that DDNS is not coming back. All routers usually offer this service and many people have a need for it. I guess if you do not have Digital Voice etc then ditch the EE/BT router and get something that is far superior.  There is nothing smart about the SH+, I  also don't get why they also want to push some of the config (WIFI) onto the EE app. 

I've never used the USB setup on SH+ so cannot comment.

Sadly I've got a way to go into my contract but when I get a chance, I will port my number out (yes it will cease BB) but then I can simply take out BB only and ditch the EE router and the double NAT I currently have (not that double NAT has caused any problems for me).

[XRaySpeX]

@SteveinIoW1 : Many smart home devices don't require to be unsolicitedly accessed from outside & hence no DDNS. They "phone home" regularly & their masters may thus make solicited responses. I have Echos, Ring Doorbell & IP Camera all online OK & I can also access these remotely from smartphone apps without any need for DDNS. It all goes into how these devices are designed in the 1st place.

[Neil-O]

Hi Everyone,

DDNS will return in a future update, see my post on this thread for more info Solved: Re: DDNS on new black EE router - Page 2 - The EE Community

Thanks

Neil

[SteveinIoW1]

Hi Neil.

Many thanks for your update, your reply was perfectly timed...

I had just come off of another call to  tech support  (Sean).  I wanted to know how to escalate my enquiry beyond support level (thinking DDNS removal would be more of a strategic issue beyond tech support)

I was categorically told on Monday that DDNS was removed from SH31B (and newer SH2s) and there was no sign or plans of it coming back.  It was a lengthy call and I questioned what I was being told numerous times.

Today I explained the conflicting comments from several people on this forum say that it will return in an update.  I wanted to clarify the confusion as I'm thinking about  what best to do. 

Cancel?  

Bodge?

Or Spend money? - i.e purchase  a new router to sort out DDNS and USB shared storage? ( But I understood today there isn't a third party router to solve those issues  AND support an EE VOIP digital phone so it would be a second  router downstream of the smart hub 3)...a power consuming mess. 

Today's support chap spent some time looking through his support data base and concluded exactly the same as what I was told on Monday!  He understood the issue from changing addresses ,  IP cameras etc and admitted he was surprised/baffled.  I then requested escalating my complaint to clear this confusion.   A) is DDNS coming back?  B ) if not, I wish someone at a higher level to review the strategy of that decision.

I saw your other posting mentioning that you had spoken to the hub team so I'm hoping and thinking your feedback is the correct one. There is clearly some confusion going on here and maybe the tech support system still needs updating. I've heard two different things again in the last hour!

Let's see what feedback I receive from my complaint......

Cheers Steve

[MMills]

Why do you have it on channel 6?