Smart Hub Pro: Hands On - The good, the bad and the ugly

[ChicChoco]

Hi all

Just going to summarise my early findings after receiving the new Smart Hub Pro and Smart WiFi Pro kit today. It’s been an awkward and frustrating journey and I’m sure some user error along the way… But I might now finally be seeing the brilliance of it. It’s here to stay but could be so much better.

Placement:

Smart Hub Pro - Front door entrance

Smart WiFi Plus - Two stories up (Town House)

The good:

After finally getting both devices running and doing some tests, my WiFi 6 speeds are much better than on the SH+ with my iPhone 14 Pro Max and Rog Ally (WiFi 6E) which for the first time hit 930mbps over WiFi with this new kit.

Now for the magic, I tested WiFi 7. I don’t currently have a native WiFi 7 device so my test case was using a laptop via Ethernet cable into the Smart WiFi Pro (as this is a WiFi 7 device right, so I thought let’s test the raw speed available over the mesh) and to be fair it’s quite a distance from the Hub. 10ms ping. 940mbps/110mbps - on fibre essentials 900. It maxed the connection over the wireless bridge with minimal latency. This is brilliant stuff and now my priority is WiFi 7 card upgrades. Not losing any speed what so ever, so impressed!

The admin panel now includes DDNS which is a welcome addition.

The kit is well designed and build quality is good, again the packaging is eco-friendly and well presented.

The bad:

It’s disappointing that the included Ethernet cables are still 5e and are actually thinner [wire] than the included cables with the SH+ (26awg on the SH+ vs 28awg on the Pro). I feel as it’s a premium product it should come with a decent network cable (at least the same thicker wire from the SH+ generation or a cat 6). Feels like a cost saving measure that just ruins the overall setup, the cable is noticeably thinner in your hand.

The admin / advanced web settings is still heavily locked down and provides little customisation for more advanced users. Would really like to be able to set custom DNS servers, and have a better UI which is quicker. If you refresh the page in advanced settings it asks for the admin password everytime which is frustrating, don’t even think this happened with the SH+? Just needs to save a cookie / auth properly. It would be nice as the setup is app-first, for the web advanced settings to be more technical like other third party consumer grade network devices.

The ugly:

The app setup process and UI is poor. It fails and has bugs which are obvious. As a software developer by day, the QA is shocking.

1) Smart WiFi Pro pairing process failed 2-3 times requiring resetting the device. App just froze saying pairing can take 7 minutes but often would say “we couldn’t pair your device”.

2) This may be user error but I disabled 2ghz band on the main wifi opting to use the compatible network for 2ghz only. This then breaks the Smart WiFi Plus from connecting (the above point was after I realised this point was also causing issues).

3) Smart Hub WiFi reports as “no signal” in the EE app but the device light is aqua and if I click into it, I can see clients connected (and my 940mbps speed test via Ethernet through the device that has no signal).

4) Web advanced settings - My network is missing connected devices, in fact, my Rog ally that connects via 6ghz isn’t even listed as connected here, not sure if this affects all 6ghz devices?

5) Smart Hub Pro update process - after pairing the hub in the app it said updating firmware, this may take up to 10 minutes. It was stuck on this screen for ages (45+ mins) and nothing happened, technical log reports no updates were applied.

6) Web advanced settings - broadband - the “connection status” shows as connnected despite the wan cable being unplugged and the front light flashing orange. This is a bug with the SH+ too; and I don’t understand how something like that can be missed?

Summary

Fantastic bit of kit delivering great speeds over WiFi 7 plus 2.5g wan/lan ports for 1.6g tier users but getting it setup is a bit clunky right now in the app today the least. Now I’ve seen that result over WiFi 7, for me, it’s well worth the price (as £10 extra) and definitely adds value to the more expensive 1.6g packages. It really just needs a UI polish up to be great.

Will post some photos next but auto marked as spam so waiting for mods to review 🙃

[JimM11]

@Deadlyhifi Got it, time is always the constraint. Pain hopping back and forth between each...👍

[Deadlyhifi]

So.. It's the weekend.. And I had a few hours available. I've reset the enture EE set up and started again introduing pieces at a time. 

I've managed to get it all up and running. The lack of support for WPA2 is an issue for some corp devices but overall it's all up and running again. 

The ethernet is so far handling okay.. but will keep an eye on it. The speeds seem strong, so quite happy. Some things seem a little snappier. 

The EE app is awful. Truly. Awful. But everything else is okay.. for now 🙂

Ordered some more extenders - twice.. because the first lot they sent out the wrong ones.. I can't wait for this next gen stuff to be part of the normal operating procedures because it's quite painful unless you get to the right person at EE to work this stuff through. They should have a dedicated hotline.  (needy)

[JimM11]

@Deadlyhifi Thanks for replying, agree the EE app but it does seem the way and easier for the mobile crews, they should mirror ALL the functions in the web interface... Hope you get all the bits, and it gels and settles into place!

[GosforthUK]

I think I could put my piece into the puzzle....

Received SmartHub Pro today morning...

Plugged it in, in front of my existing TP-Link Omada setup, which it's now connected to HUB via 2.5 Gbps LAN, instead directly to ONT, amd DMZ om router...

LANspeeds are effectively identical to direct ONT connection (we should forget double double NAT, whilst effectively DMZs) and over the original WiFi via TP-Link devices, speed its comparable to previous direct setup...

Where it's difference, it's direct Eifi7 (MLO enqbled) direct connection to SuperHub Pro:

 

Obviously, that speed it's nonsense, in terms of as line it's mazxing somewhere at 1.67 to 1.82 Gbps down at a ONT, but whilst my Phone and Tablet using MLO, speed it's reported back this high, which is erroneous result.

However, anywhere over the flat, speed both on my TP-Link (WiFi 6E) and EE Pro router (WiFi 7) not going under 1.4 Gbps via WiFi.

LAN connected devices are between 1.2 to 1.5 Gbps, where 2.5 Gbps link, ans around 945 Mbps where 1 Gbps link (obviously when not competing and only one device in the time it's checking speed).

Interestingly:

 

It's EE App result from speed test...

Router it's in the EE App refered as PLUS and NOT as PRO, not really surprised myself.

Wifi Controls and WiFi Enhancer DO NOT WORK, and they NEVER worked for myself at least from February on Plus hub.

Not sureif this is because hub on the app its refered wrongly as Plus, or still as general fault.

Obviously,  testing connection coming with BIAS as there it's a fault OUTSIDE of my home.

Well done EE, messed up as always :)))

[Deadlyhifi]

Interesting - since I put the hub in I’m also being told I have a fault outside my home… I think the fault is the kit reporting something incorrectly - not anything outside the home. Which if is the case I worry EE or open reach are going to waste a lot of hours and expense solving phantom problems. 

Or I have a fault that only exists when I have the pro installed. 

With naming in the app. I see the same. The App doesn’t present these routers correctly yet. 

[Mr_Incredible]

Yesterday I got my new SHPro and Wifi Extender Pro / Enhancer after EE had erroneously cancelled my BB service when I had only requested a DV number port to a VOIP supplier.  Not only cancelled it in error but then said I owed over £700 because I ended the contract early.

Once I spoke with the CS team to bemoan the situation and agreed they had made a mistake, they couldn't actually prevent Openereach physically disconnecting my line in time.  So the internet went down 2:00 am on Friday 18th Oct.

Then to add insult to injury they could only get me connected by me becoming a new customer at which time I was also told earliest installation would be Nov 1st.  WTH?

So they sent me all the new kit and a Hybrid connection kit to tie me over two weeks.

1.  I am no tech slouch, but I could not get the SHPro and the Hybrid to pair as per the instructions in the packaging.  Even a couple of 'factory resets' did not resolve it.  However a quick feret on the internet revealed "try connecting the Hub to the Hybrid with an ethernet cable to carry out the pairing".  Success.  Why this could not be in the printed instructions I don't know.  It was a couple of frustrating hours!

2. Today I experienced the Hybrid just disconnecting and appearing connected to the hub, but it wasn't.  So I tried to re-pair with the ethernet 'trick' but no luck.  So I had to factory reset both to get them to pair again.

3.  In my rush and defence to get back online, I was not mindful to have saved a backup of the Hub config so I had to manually re-key everything again.  Just in case of another 'problem' needing a reset, I thought I'd backup the config.  Say what?  There is no backup and restore capability on the Pro router!  (I was coming of my old and trusty BT Smart Hub2 because I could not use the EE hub I got earlier this year because I needed the DDNS service).  I cannot believe there is no backup capability.  Quite shocking really.

4. So whilst muttering to myself about rekeying again should the need arise, I then started to define my static IP's and the DHCP pool as I had on the BT SH2.  The latter would allow a device name change, but the new SHPro does not!  What?  I have a raft of smart switches which all identify themselves with the same name in the network list and I cannot change them!  Again, WTH?  

So my great anticipation of getting my hands on a new Wifi 7 bit of kit has been underwhelming from a basic router config/management position.  I can't even ascribe a different DHCP to the Wifi side of things to help with sub-net segmentation.

Seriously considering just send it back when the time comes and getting a router and some new AP points which better suit my needs.  Shame really.

[JimM11]

@Mr_Incredible To name change devices you have to do so with the EE app! Backup/restore not a feature any more, do not deviate, setup static or anything if you have any intention of using the reset button, unless you are prepared to start all over by 100% manual input, and that includes DV although looks like you do not need that!

[Mr_Incredible]

Ah, OK.  As my service has not actually started yet, there is nothin in the app at all!

Pity the Wifi names and passwords can't be set as static somewhere!  They too would have to be remembered and re-keyed unless you want a mutiny on your hands with Wifi users!!

[JimM11]

@Mr_Incredible The EE latest routers are a ISP designed heaven, the whole aim is to stop people messing about with them and to that they excel in doing so, to others it is a complete pain, that is why they are SO locked down it is not even funny anymore, and features that are there may even be taken away, so heads up...👍

The EE app device naming is very sticky regarding the app, the old EE Smarthub+ has a bad habit of what you name it to on the app, will not reflect in the router when you look at it with the web interface manager, so you never know if this has possibly followed through to the Pro version, the whole design leaves a lot to be desired but you treat it as what it is, or go backwards and get hold of a BT Smarthub2, i call them all oops just another feature that will be down for fixing sometime in the never ending future... You will come across a few strange oops but hope your gear all settles in, and do keep away from the factory reset or get used to doing it all over again, Hybrid does seem a little temperamental forum wise, but do not use so cannot comment.  

[Mr_Incredible]

Aye, understood.  It's looking like I will probably can the 1.6Gb Busiest House (whatever) plan and go the basic 900Mb plan @ £49.99 per month if I am not going to need the EE kit nor DV.  The 900Mb service I had from BT and then EE after the 'swap' has been exemplary, so perhaps I shouldn't tempt fate with a 1.6Gb line when in practice I won't  be able to support it with my LAN and wireless devices anyway!   I thought I was going to get a great deal and capabilities on the 'Pro' Hub.