Smart Hub Pro Stinks

[biggeorge007]

Just got my new broadband installed on the 29th with the new Smart Hub Pro 1.6gb.

All seemed well until day 3 when I started getting my security cameras disconnecting then other IOT loosing connection too, web pages taking up to 10 seconds to load then even worst my main computer even losing connection, ethernet.

Have been investigating since day 4 to try fix the issues, the web pages taking up to 10 seconds to load I believe is down to EE locking down the router to use their default dns servers, you can't change to google or cloudfare.

My honest opinion is the router stinks and is a basic wifi 7 router totally locked down to advanced users/settings.

The wifi 7 speeds were brilliant on it with my Samsung S24 Ultra but the constant drop outs were driving me crazy.

I just took delivery today of TP-Links BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Router, best I could afford at £200 and the difference is night and day.

Has taken me 2 hours to go through all my devices and redo the wifi on each to a seperate IOT network on the new router and everything is working brilliantly. 5 camera, 4 nas boxes, fridge, washer, dryer, 2 beer machines, 4 televisions, 2 computers.

Fully testing over the next couple of days but so far, web pages load within mili seconds (using google dns) yes you can change default dns (shame on EE blocking that function, your default dns are crap or overloaded).

Now stuck in a dilemma, keep the service which seems to be working great now on new router, speed tests at (fast.com) constantly coming back at 1.6gbps (on EE Smart Hub Pro Router it was up and down, lowest was 800mbps).

Obviously the price they are charging must include the new router as a loan/hire device which I don't want to use or need.

Paying full price for just the faster speed of 1.6gbps is a little high, have a few days before my 14 days period is up to be able to cancel, may just give them a call see if I can get a price reduction and send back the router, would not hold out much hope though.

The £200 cost of the new router is a killer but I highly recommend it, been running for 4+ hours without a hiccup at all, can't say the same for the Smart Hub Pro.

Will update this post after further testing...

[JimM11]

@Krampus As long as you have no need for DV on a landline or possible EE TV, then just use your Asus router.

[Krampus]

I've got a engineer coming out again. If they can't figure it out then I'll just use my asus router. 

[Krampus]

I just had another engineer come out he can't find any issues with the line but even he said, (something is wrong with the routers) 

So I called back up got through to the Belfast team and he says (we have had a lot of reports of the hubs acting strange, people not getting their speeds, people not connecting, people disconnecting at scheduled intervals, slow connections so there of the issue. they seem to think it's a software issue but no one's gonna be fixing the issue until after the 9th of January when they all go back in the office

[Charlielove101]

Similar experience. Smart Hub Pro was awful.  Frequently dropped out, had to restart Hub and Extenders every few hours to recover. Speeds were less than those guaranteed by EE.  EE Tech Support was just "factory reset and try again".  Last tech I spoke to told me that the reason for the poor performance was because I had the Hub plugged into an extension block...really. 

After 8 months of this, I bought a DreyTek 166 and Google Nest WiFi Pro.  My speeds are now 12 mb/s more than before 69mb/s over 57 mb/s before. It has dropped for days and I can actually manage the settings rather than work around the poor EE Hub Web Interface and terrible, slow and laggy EE app. 

[JimM11]

@Charlielove101 Pro hub? where you trialing it before the router's came out sept time.

[gmbuspunk]

I been having the same problems the ring disconnecting/losing footage but the latest problem i experinced really annoyed me i wanted to acsess my amuter radio but the router wont let me and constaly closes the ports i was one of the first to get smart hub pro but i can say there whack there overenginerd to ee benfit and dont let the users make use of there fuctions so im going to try a new router i picked up on amazon a Asus RT-BE92U BE9700 hopefully it improves things then i will deal with matthew at exec as he went above and beyond in the wifi 7 saga and i think he will be able to unstand the probelms im facing and the fact there putting my bill up by £4 in april and the fact im not getting the best service from ee i wonder if my freind @Bluenose_Dave has had simliar problems

[Hawkspian]

This is all really concerning. We’ve been on sky gigafast for years but only ever get about 250mbs download over WiFi, (always 900mb+ when hard wired)  The in-laws have EE fibre and when I’m there and use Speedtest I get 1GB down on my iPhone. 

Decided to bite the bullet and change to EEs Internet for gamers as there is me and my wife and two boys and 3 Xbox’s and a PS5. We’re all gamers. We just received our hardware in the post which is two big chunky white routers and that is why I’m looking around here to see what it’s all about. 

I’ve been promised 1.3GB down minimum and expected 1.6GB. We have around 25 devices from phones and iPads to consoles, Alexa’s and ring doorbells. 

Anyway. Tomorrow is our switchover date and an open reach engineer is coming out between 8-1pm though I’m not sure what for as we already have the little fibre thing direct to the house. I was just hoping when sky BB went off at midnight I’d be able to swap to the new router/s and take it away. 

Not gonna lie, this thread has got me shook. I’d take 250mb download over WiFi than constant connection dropouts. 

Sigh, here I am worrying over something that might not happen yet. 

[Matt_124]

Openreach will need to change over the ONT to a 2.5Gb model to enable your 1.6Gb connection, as your current ONT would likely only be able to deliver up to 1Gb.

In terms of issues with the Smart Hub Pro, I had it for a while before and around wider launch and had no issues whatsoever with speeds or stability on a 900 Mbps connection. I did have an S24 Ultra which was WiFi 7 compatible so the experience was fantastic there, but other devices performed well also and much better than with the BT Smart Hub 2 I had previously.

I did also have one Smart WiFi Pro extender, which massively boosted the connection in one of the other rooms in the home and out into the garden. Although even the main Hub itself was enough to cover a 2 bedroom semi-detached which was a problem for previous hubs. The key with the extender is to ensure it is positioned somewhere in-between the area of weaker signal and the main Smart Hub Pro if using wireless. Otherwise use a wired backhaul if possible if you want the maximum speeds throughout the entire home consistently.

Like any public forum, issues are more likely to be amplified than good experiences, so try not to worry too much about something that may not be an issue whatsoever.

[Mustrum]

@Hawkspian   your current ONT (white fibre box) is good up to 1Gb, so Openreach will be fitting a new 2.5Gb one.

Not everyone has a bad word to say about the Smart Hub Pro, but there is a few things that help, not least giving them enogh time to set up the extender, and using a switch for slower LAN devices.

Let us know how you get on.

[Hawkspian]

Thanks for the replies. I’m guessing then that the two big bulky devices are a router and an extender? I thought one was the pro and one was the plus.