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BT Router Use

Laharna — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 11:30:17 GMT

Because I live in the country I only get about 2 Mbps Broadband speed, with the signal interrupted from time to time. This is using them latest BT hub but I have been advised by an engineer that this hub is the reason for this interruption because it cannot cope with the low signal, and that I should revert to an earlier generation hub, Hub5. Is this sound advice? With Regards, Laharna.

Re: BT Router Use

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 11:35:25 GMT

@Laharna wrote:

Because I live in the country I only get about 2 Mbps Broadband speed, with the signal interrupted from time to time. This is using them latest BT hub but I have been advised by an engineer that this hub is the reason for this interruption because it cannot cope with the low signal, and that I should revert to an earlier generation hub, Hub5. Is this sound advice? With Regards, Laharna.

If you only get standard (ADSL) broadband, then the home hub 4 is the one designed for that service.

All the later hubs will be affected by out-of-band interference on the line.

What broadband package do you have?

Re: BT Router Use

Laharna — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 11:49:09 GMT

Dear Keith,

Thank you for your helpful message. My BT package delivers Broadband and phone via a copper cable which is not due to be upgraded until at least 18 months' time to give me a greatly enhanced speed. I shall take your advice and replace the current hub with a Hub4, to see if this gives me a more consistent signal. Regards, Laharna.

Re: BT Router Use

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 11:57:20 GMT

@Laharna wrote:

Dear Keith,

Thank you for your helpful message. My BT package delivers Broadband and phone via a copper cable which is not due to be upgraded until at least 18 months' time to give me a greatly enhanced speed. I shall take your advice and replace the current hub with a Hub4, to see if this gives me a more consistent signal. Regards, Laharna.

If your broadband comes directly from the exchange, and not from equipment in a fibre cabinet, then you are on standard (ADSL) broadband. The home hub 4 is the latest home hub that handles ADSL only. All the later home hubs handle ADSL and VDSL, but on a long line, cause a loss of the ADSL signal if they detect other signals.

The only other option is a third party router that can be locked to a specific service.

Re: BT Router Use

Laharna — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 13:27:21 GMT

Dear Keith,

Thank you for your latest. My signal travels approximately five miles by cable from the exchange in town, part of the copper cable lying exposed in a ditch and liable to be severed when the local authority cuts the adjacent hedge, which means, I am informed, that when the severed wires are reduced several times, the signal is weakened, and so I am served by a temperamental ADSL signal. I will post my observations when I install a Hub 4 on your advice, for which I am most grateful.

Kind Regards,

Laharma

Re: BT Router Use

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 13:45:06 GMT

@Laharna

Yes I can see you would have a problem with this type of connection. Fortunately ADSL speed does recover itself automatically after a fault, but it can take a few days as its controlled from the exchange.

The Home Hub 4 should give you the most stable connection and should tolerate variations in signal quality. You can usually tell if the line starts to develop a fault, as your phone calls would be noisy.

Re: BT Router Use

Laharna — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 11:43:36 GMT

Dear Keith,

It seems that BT has sent me a BTHub6-ABCD, according to the box, when you recommend a Hub4. Should I buy one on EBay, on the assumption that I can install it online? They have also sent me a ADSL filter, but I presume I cannot use it with the newest Hub already installed.

Kind Regards,

Laharna

Re: BT Router Use

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 12:05:16 GMT

Its possible BT do not have any home hub 4s left. The HH6 is likely to suffer from the same disconnection issue, but you could always try it.

You could get a second-hand HH4, provided its for BT Broadband, and is less than the cost of buying a new one which would be £47.98 from Amazon. They do have some from other sellers which are cheaper.

The HH4 operates on a much narrower frequency range which encompasses only ADSL. A narrower bandwidth is needed where the signal level is poor.

Re: BT Router Use

Laharna — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 14:01:28 GMT

Dear Keith,

I am most grateful for your technical expertise.

I hope you and yours have a prosperous, peaceful and healthy 2022.

Kind Regards,

Laharna

Re: BT Router Use

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 14:25:17 GMT

Thanks.

I hope you manage to improve your connection. Its always a problem on very long lines, especially if a large part of the route is overhead, as that can pick up radio signals, especially after dark, and that tends to degrade the connection.

I spent nearly 42 years working with telecommunications, and have come across most sources of interference.