This topic

How to use digital voice via third party router

djenson2000 — Wed, 17 May 2023 17:03:52 GMT

Hi there, currently on BT Fibre 2 using a configuration that looks something like this

However, in the MY BT page, i've recently had the notification that BT digital voice will be swapped too soon

My question is, how is Digital voice going to work in this situation. Double NAT (i.e. pluing TP link router into the smart hub 2 they provide) is not an option as it breaks mobile banking apps and streaming content outside the home.

Is there like and ATA adapter option for digital voice that can just be plugged into an ethernet port?

Many thanks

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

imjolly — Wed, 17 May 2023 17:11:17 GMT

As you are using a business hub 6 are you a BT business user. If so you need to post here

https://business.forums.bt.com/

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

djenson2000 — Wed, 17 May 2023 17:13:31 GMT

Nope, im not a business user. I got the BT Business hub to use as a modem for a BT residential line. This costs £30 vs spending £100 on a V167 modem.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

licquorice — Wed, 17 May 2023 17:16:31 GMT

If you want Digital Voice, you need to have the SH2 as the first device connected to line, end of.

You either need to connect the TP Link LAN to WAN and double nat or connect LAN to LAN and use the TP Link as a wap

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

djenson2000 — Wed, 17 May 2023 17:27:10 GMT

Sucks really that bt have decided to do it like that, they have the fibre solution where you can plug into the ONT and still use your own router while having a landline - but oh well. Thank you for confirming my fears.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

licquorice — Wed, 17 May 2023 17:30:09 GMT

You can always move your voice service to a third party VoIP provider instead of DV

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

licquorice — Wed, 17 May 2023 17:32:43 GMT

@djenson2000 wrote:
they have the fibre solution where you can plug into the ONT and still use your own router while having a landline

Not any more, that was FVA (fibre voice access) and is now discontinued.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

djenson2000 — Wed, 17 May 2023 17:38:10 GMT

Thank you for your useful information 🙂

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

Adrian007 — Tue, 23 May 2023 21:16:57 GMT

There is another series of posts on here that explains how to use a third party router by keeping the BT SH2 as the first connection to the Fibre ONT. I have successfully done this with a Draytek 2962 however there is a slight catch but with a solution.

I set this up several months ago in anticipation of getting DV and it's been working fine however the Firewall in the SH2 has to be disabled and the WiFi disabled too otherwise there is the risk of connecting to the internet without a Firewall if the device you are using were to connect to either the 2.4 or 5GHz SSID in the SH2.

I've just been notified that my line is switching to DV so I ordered my "free" Handset and although my switchover date has not been set yet I thought I would see if the handset would connect to my SH2 and guess what it didn't .

The catch is this, if the WiFi is disabled, that turns off everything including the DECT base station built into the SH2, the solution is to enable the WiFi but keep the 2.4 and 5GHz SSIDs turned off. This will leave the BT SH2 with the DECT working and the handset will register but also the BT WiFi HotSpot is enabled so be aware of this and make sure you do not connect anything to it as the Firewall will be disabled in the SH2.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

licquorice — Tue, 23 May 2023 21:34:01 GMT

There is absolutely no need to disable the firewall in the SH2 when connecting a third party router.

Turning off wifi doesn't disable DECT and Digital Voice.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

imjolly — Tue, 23 May 2023 21:48:46 GMT

From other previous posts it is unusual you were able to order DV phone until digital voice was activated or about to be activated and. Or ally the DV phone don't pair to the SH2 until digital voice is active on SH2. As @licquorice said having SH2 WiFi active or not makes no difference to the hub DECT being active

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

Adrian007 — Tue, 23 May 2023 22:02:26 GMT

The WiFi has to be enabled or the DECT handset will not register with the SH2 but the WiFi SSIDs are turned off because the Firewall is disabled and I use a separate WiFi Network with Draytek Wireless APs on a wired mesh network from my Draytek 2962.

As for ordering before activation, I received a letter from BT 10th May 2023 informing me my line would be moving to DV, next day 11th May I received a postcard inviting me to order either a DV adapter or handset so I ordered the latter and having read your very good and informative post about the DECT bas station built in to the SH2 I thought I’d try and register it. Which it does now that I have enabled the WiFi. According to BT I’m expecting an email to tell me when my switchover date will happen b it I’ve not received it yet.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

Adrian007 — Tue, 23 May 2023 22:05:33 GMT

Hi, I guess you may have seen my first reply to liquorice? My SH2 had the WiFi fully disabled and the handset would not register until I enabled the WiFi. The 2.4 and 5GHz SSIDs are still turned off but the wifi itself had to be enabled which in turn enabled the hotspot in the SH2 and enabled the DECT handset to register.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

licquorice — Wed, 24 May 2023 06:55:28 GMT

Can't vouch for the registration process, but turning off WiFi does not turn off the DECT base station. The handsets continue to work.

It is not necessary to turn off any firewalls when concatenating 2 routers.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

Adrian007 — Wed, 24 May 2023 07:39:19 GMT

I think there is a misunderstanding here.

The SH2 Advanced menu allows for the WiFi to be Enabled or Disabled and only when it is Enabled can the 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi SSIDs can be turned on. The WiFi (i.e the SSIDs) does not need to be on for the DECT base station to work i.e. the SSIDs are not turned on BUT the WiFi functionality must be enabled or the DECT handset will not register and that is exactly what happens with my SH2. My firmware revision is v0.38.00.10147-BT.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

licquorice — Wed, 24 May 2023 07:43:08 GMT

Yes, that is what I said. Once you have registered the handsets, you can turn off the WiFi.

You only need to register the handsets initially, they will continue to work with the WiFi off.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

TimCurtis — Wed, 24 May 2023 08:35:52 GMT

I'll add to this by saying that when I originally got the SH2 and Digital Voice I DISABLED Wifi and since then have successfully registered devices without any problem.

In fact I just this minute deregistered one of my phones and reregistered as I said with no problem.

Disabling Wifi removes the BT Wifi hotspot so no one can share my connection.🙂

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

Adrian007 — Wed, 24 May 2023 08:42:08 GMT

Ok I will try that and let you know but as I’m away not able to do that for a couple of days but thanks for the clarification.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

TimCurtis — Wed, 24 May 2023 09:05:22 GMT

@Adrian007

Yours is on the same firmware version as mine btw.

Re: How to use digital voice via third party router

Adrian007 — Sun, 28 May 2023 17:54:18 GMT

Ok so it did register with the wifi disabled, I think I didn't wait long enough.

I had a letter and two postcards telling me my phone line would switch to Digital Voice and to order either a handset or adapter but that was 10th May. I understand I'm supposed to receive an email informing me of the switchover date but I have nothing since the last post card 11th May.