This topic

New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Nando33 — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 01:02:56 GMT

Hello ,

I just upgraded to BT Fibre from previously being a BT BB customer .

We currently have a Home Hub4 but BT have just sent a Smart Hub .Problem is we only need and want wired connections and i do not want the wireless function of the Smart Hub . I was told i could i could turn off this function entirely myself via the settings but i've just here on the forum from others that it is not that simple

I've read that Fibre customers can use their existing HH4 but need to use a separate modem such as the TP Link TD W9970 where (as i understand it?) i can completely switch off all wireless signal functions there ?

My questions are -

Why do i need to use a separate modem for fibre and would my old TP Link TD W8980 suffice for this purpose and work with the HH4? The main difference i can see is that this model ADSL2+ whereas the W9970 is VDSL/ADSL .

If it might be relevant (loss of speed issue etc) , i would add that our fibre is only at our local exchange and then converts to copper to the premises ,so not direct to the home . The proposed speed increase is moderate but ok (12-16mb from current 6-8mb) due to our location .

Apologies if any of the above is incorrect or inaccurate , this is my first experience of upgrading to fibre so i'm just a little unsure of these issues .

TIA

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

licquorice — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:12:21 GMT

The reason you need a new hub is that your service is now VDSL rather than ADSL and the Hub4 is an ADSL only device. Hence your old TP Link won't work either.

You can turn off the WiFi on the SH2 just as you can on the Hub 4

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:29:14 GMT

@Nando33

If you want to avoid all wireless signals, then the TP Link W9970 works on VDSL, and has a wireless switch on the back, which stops all wireless transmissions.

This is used instead of your HH4, its not just a modem.

That is not possible on the SH2, as even if you actually manage to disable all wireless signals (almost impossible), there is still an internal DECT base station inside the SH2, which transmits radio signals.

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:25:25 GMT

@Nando33

You also need to be aware, that if you have a landline phone at the moment, its likely to be moved to BT Digital Voice. If that happens, then you have to use the Smart Hub 2, or you will not be able to use your phone.

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

licquorice — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:35:12 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe Disabling the wifi signals on the SH2 is no different to disabling them on the Hub4.

Not sure if the Dect base station on the SH2 is enabled unless/until Digital Voice is provided.

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:48:09 GMT

@licquorice wrote:

@Keith_Beddoe Disabling the wifi signals on the SH2 is no different to disabling them on the Hub4.

Not sure if the Dect base station on the SH2 is enabled unless/until Digital Voice is provided.

What about the hidden SSIDs that I understand are used to communicate with the black discs, and also BT Wifi which can be difficult to turn off, and gets re-enabled on a factory reset?

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Nando33 — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 13:55:08 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe

Thanks for your reply and clearing that up for me .

So it seems my issue now is this" BT Digital Voice" situation . Again , i am not up to speed with this development so can i just pose a few issues on that .

Is this likely to have been done now as part of me arranging the Fibre BB or more generally will be rolled out in the future ? As i said , i'm in a semi rural location so Fibre is only in at the village miles away from the house - what i'm wondering is if Digital Voice switch over is affected by my location or nothing to do with it ?

I can get the TP link to solve this current wireless issue no problem but i'm wondering now if it might be better just to cancel the whole thing before it's due to switchover (16th June) Which would be a pity 'cos even a slightly faster speed increase would have been nice .

Is there some way to tell if they are switching me to BT Digital Voice , i mean can i ask BT and who should i ask ?

Sorry for these basic questions , i'm a novice at this .

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Nando33 — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 14:04:27 GMT

@licquorice

Thanks for your replies and info .

Same general question to you - is Digital Voice turned on automatically by me agreeing to change from normal BB (as opposed to Fibre) or might this be governed by location and being not directly on the fibre network ?

I didn't know anything about this and don't know what to do now before it's even due to switch over .

I mean if it's not going to be rolled out to us anytime soon then might not be an issue but if it's done just by switching to Fibre then i've got a decision to make .

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

licquorice — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 18:28:00 GMT

Its not automatic to be switched to Digital Voice, you would have been informed about it if you were being switched. However, the copper analogue phone system is due to be phased out by 2025 for everyone. Much as I doubt this will happen by then, it will happen at some point and you will be switched to some form of VOIP.

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Nando33 — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 18:45:14 GMT

@licquorice

Thanks for this info.

My question then is - is this switchover to Digital Voice linked to having a Fibre connection to the house ? Because due to our location i can't see us getting full fibre laid on to the few houses in our area any time soon .(semi rural) a visiting Open reach engineer recently said it'll be years before it rolls out here .

We only have Fibre cabinet in the nearest village and then copper out to the houses surrounding .

So does does that mean i should just carry on and switchover to that (limited) fibre and get the 3rd party Router/modem as suggested ?

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

licquorice — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 18:53:29 GMT

Digital voice is not dependent on full fibre to the premises, but it appears to be fibre customers that are predominantly being switched.

The choice is entirely yours whether you switch from standard broadband to FTTC, but again, standard broadband which is fed from the exchange is also being phased out as the fibre supplying your cabinet doesn't necessarily have to come from your local exchange. If the copper phone line and ADSL is phased out, it would allow that exchange to be closed.

As Keith has said though, if you are switched to BT Digital Voice, the TP Link 9970 wouldn't work so you would either have to revert to a BT Smart Hub or take up a third party VOIP service for voice instead.

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 21:12:24 GMT

@Nando33

Normal broadband (ADSL) will continue being supplied from exchanges that have 21cn equipment (MSANS), however the exchange equipment that provides dial tone and call routing. will be switched off at some point, and the phone part will be carried over VOIP, so some form of terminal equipment, ie the Smart hub 2 is needed.

There are many areas that only have ADSL available.

For landline only services, some alternative adapter will have to be provided. Alarm service may have to be provided this way, or directly via the Internet.

See https://digitalwholesalesolutions.com/2019/10/the-bt-openreach-pstn-and-isdn-2025-switch-off/#item4

As you are moving to FTTC, at some point in the future, you will be told that your phone connection will be moving to BT Digital Voice, and you would have to use the Smart Hub 2, if you want to retain the phone service.

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

licquorice — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 21:25:03 GMT

I rather suspect that copper MSANs will disappear and only fibre MSANs will remain.

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Nando33 — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 18:01:46 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe @licquorice

Thanks to you both for your combined help and advice .

we've decided to go ahead with the switch to fibre and so ordered the TP Link model suggested earlier to hopefully (at least for now ) resolve my original issue on wifi switch off .

I'll have to deal with the complications of the Digital Voice switchover whenever it arises for our location .

Thanks again

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Nando33 — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:58:07 GMT

Update

Ok so the new T Link W9970 router arrived and i have it set up and working ( minus the Wifi as i wanted) but i have a question re the setting up process when the switchover to Fibre .

I have notification the Fibre is due to start tomorrow but will i have to re configure the TP Link or will it recognise any difference . BT says i may lose a connection briefly but of course they are referring to the Smart hub which of course i am not using .

So basically i'm wondering if i need to change anything BEFORE the switchover to fibre , or what should i do if i lose connection and it doesn't come back on .

For example

Will i have to adjust VDSL/ ADSL2 setting - (currently the TP Link recognised ADSL) Or will i be staying ADSL due to location and only having FTTC ?

Following instructions here i set up the TP Link with Username "bthomehub@btbroadband.com" and the PW "bt"

Is this going to stay the same and be unaffected - or should i be using the PW on the back of the unused Smart Hub BT supplied ?

Hopefully i'm worrying about nothing but in case of need i thought i should check with you guys in case there's anything i need to do to adjust the TP Link to the changeover .

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 16:05:08 GMT

@Nando33

The W9970 will work on VDSL just fine, but you will need to run the setup wizard again, and select the VDSL BT option.

The login details are the same as for ADSL.

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

licquorice — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 16:20:49 GMT

As @@Keith_Beddoe says, you will need to reset the TP Link and run the wizard again when you are transferred to fibre as the settings are different to ADSL.

ADSL connects using PPPoA whereas VDSL uses PPPoE.

Re: New Fibre customer/hardware connection issue

Nando33 — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 18:16:14 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe @licquorice

Thanks to you both once again for your advice and explanations .

Your help is much appreciated .