This topic

3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Skydog — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 22:00:34 GMT

Hi,

I know this has been asked and responed too many times. But sadly for me the solutions become slightly too complicated to follow or suppose a level of a degree of knowledge.

Usual question. I need to set up Bt smart hub and a 3rd party router (Netgear R7000) to enable to have DV but without using the Bt hub for anything else but DV.

Be nice to have a simple step by step guide on how too. I get the jist of what to do but get confused of the minute detail of changing settings in the Netgear.

Any help much appreciated. Thanks

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

WSH — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 22:13:02 GMT

Not familiar with the Netgear R7000 but this is adapted from a technique I’ve used in the past and I believe it should work:

Smart Hub 2 router settings:

I’d recommend DHCP set to off.

Router itself set to static IP of 192.168.1.254 (the default)

Subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 or /24 (again, default)

DMZ host set to 192.168.1.1 (Stops double NAT problems but only really needed in my experience if you run a server etc.)

Turn off both WI-FI bands in favor of own router. (This may also be a good security move if you do enable the DMZ host. I would still expect Wi-Fi traffic to go through the SH2 firewall but I can’t be sure how it’s set up internally).

Connect DSL port to phone socket (FTTC) or connect the WAN port to the ONT (FTTP)

Phones/extension can then plug into Smart Hub 2 for DV.

Own router settings:

DHCP on, range set as 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.200, (for example, doesn’t have to be the same range as here).

Router itself on static IP of 192.168.0.1

Subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 or /24

EWAN port enabled and set to fixed IP of 192.168.1.1

Gateway set to 192.168.1.254

DNS set to 192.168.1.254 (or whatever you usually use).

EWAN socket on own router (probably port 4) connected to a LAN port on the SH2 router. (NB. This will not work if connecting to the DSL port on your own router).

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Crimliar — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 23:42:34 GMT

The Netgear R7000 and the Asus RT-AC68u (they're basically the same device!) were great in their day, but that day was 11 years ago! What is it that you need the R7000 for that you believe the SH2 is not capable of?

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Skydog — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 06:09:40 GMT

Good Morning WSH,

Thank you , and for the detail. I shall attempt later today.

regards

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Skydog — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 06:15:44 GMT

Good Morning Crimliar,

Thank you for response.

It's to enable a simple reliable Guest Network. Which is not or was not available with the BT hub. It maybe possible but did'nt seem so. Also the R7000 seems more reliable. does not crash as much as the Smart hub nor the range.

regards

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

WSH — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 06:26:56 GMT

Having looked it up, @Crimliar has a point.

If you are using it with FTTP, a router of that era will probably have firewall throughput limited to only 300 – 400 Mb/s and it may well be out of security support by now.

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Skydog — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 06:38:47 GMT

Thanks, yes we do have FTTP,

Ok, understand, last update was last year ? but sure you are both correct and appreciate the advice. But unless I can get guest network via Smart hub2, then I'll need a 3rd party router either the R7000 or a newer one?

Don't mind either way but needs to the Plug n play as much as possible. Not particularly keen on spending time on this sort of thing.

kind regards

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Crimliar — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 07:54:33 GMT

The SH2 has a simple reliable guest network! The range on the R7000, when it launched, was exceptional, but by modern standards, it's pretty run-of-the-mill. When it comes to reliability, the only router I've ever had that used to crash was an Asus RT-AC86u, most of those crashes were just logged and you'd never know, so full-blown coming to a standstill I think it did that twice!

I'd try with just the SH2, and if that's not enough, then you'll probably need something newer and more powerful than an R7000!

For the record I use an Asus GT-AX6000 meshed with a single RP-AX58 (just to get the signal into a service cupboard). I'm not against using 3rd party routers, and I certainly use features not found on the SH2!

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Skydog — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 09:23:48 GMT

Oh right, thanks. I was not aware that smarthub2 had guest network. Pretty sure when speaking to BT regarding DV change over, I asked this and was told no. But more than happy to try.

If you could advise on how, I'm currently logged into router but cannot see obvious Guest Network.

Many thanks

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

TimCurtis — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 09:30:55 GMT

@Skydog

I've done similar with my Asus but made additional changes to the SH2.

I used a subnet mask of 255.255.252.0 firstly.

Disabled the firewall and wifi (prevents BT Wifi access).

Fixed the router as a permanent IP address and port forwarded all IPv4 & 6 traffic to the router. Also I set the router in the DMZ.

Backup your SH2 settings and once you've set up your contacts in the phone(s) export the contacts, otherwise on a full reset all is lost.

Think that's about it.

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Skydog — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 09:35:20 GMT

Many thanks, much appreciated. Have not gone round to trying yet, awaiting for DV to work first before altering anything.

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

WSH — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 09:42:09 GMT

@TimCurtis

Under the circumstances, the subnet mask would technically be the tidy one to use for the minimum number of host addresses, but I was trying to keep things as simple as possible.

I’m not sure you require the port forwarding as well as the DMZ set. Why do you see an advantage in that, if you don’t mind me asking?

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Skydog — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 10:02:39 GMT

Thanks, for me at this stage simplicity is key. Once up and running with working system then the time to possibly fine tune.

All help and advice most appreciated.

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

licquorice — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 10:24:51 GMT

@Crimliar wrote:

The SH2 has a simple reliable guest network!

No it doesn't.

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

gg30340 — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 11:10:37 GMT

@Crimliar

As has been pointed out, the BT Smarthub2 does not have a guest network nor do any of the other BT hubs with the exception of the hubs that are on a business account.

If you are thinking of BTWifi as a guest network, the log on for that is the account holders BTID, which gives access to his/her MyBT which contains all the information regarding their BT account so it would not be a great idea to hand out those details.

If you have the BT Wholehome WiFi discs you can set up a guest network using them.

What is Guest Network and how do I set it up? | BT Help

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Skydog — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 11:11:57 GMT

Thanks for confirming. As i thought and yes not good idea to use bt wifi etc.

Many thanks for your help, thoughts advice.

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

Skydog — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:50:42 GMT

Thanks, we do not have Discs.

regards

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

WSH — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 22:34:07 GMT

@TimCurtis

Actually, I got my earlier post wrong.

Just dawned on me, if you really mean 255.255.252.0 that is 1024 hosts. 255.255.255.252 would be 4. No idea why you would want to use subnetting in class B for this?

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

TimCurtis — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 09:29:47 GMT

@WSH

I'm no expert on networking but I followed advice I was given and similar setups I found by googling and what I've done based on all of that works perfectly.

I also run a VPN on my Synology Media Server that allocates IP Addresses on a different subnet and using 255.255.252.0 enables me to access all devices on my network when using the VPN.

Re: 3rd party router with Bt hub for digital voice

WSH — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 11:07:22 GMT

Oh, I’ve no doubt it would work perfectly. At one time I used to peripatetic techie primary schools for the council and one of the bigger ones used that subnet because of the number of clients they had. I just don’t see the point here.

To put a bit of context on that for other readers. Pre-internet days, IPv4 was originally envisaged for use by government, military and big corporates. The addressing system was built around simple patterns to make it easy to work with. Problem was this was very wasteful of addresses. Internet comes along and suddenly there aren’t enough addresses to go round. IPv6 would take years to bring in, as the existing equipment of the day couldn’t cope with it. Two things were proposed to help.

One was “private” addresses. Not private in the security sense but private more in so far as they were internal to your network and so you and your neighbours could all use the same addresses without conflict. 192.168.x.x for the home market. (This is the reason for NAT – Network Address Translation, so your firewall can translate to the single, unique, public address issued to you by the ISP when you send traffic out into the wide world).

The second idea was subnetting – the technique you’ve used here. It was intended for the public addresses and big corporates etc. to make better use of the original, very wasteful, classful addressing system. It does not really serve any purpose using it on top of private addressing. Particularly a class B subnet as you quoted. That actually allows for 1024 host/client addresses. How many domestic homes need that many?

Consequently, I was curious as to why you had picked that. If you just picked it up from someone else, fair enough. As I said, it will work.