This topic

Digital Voice with different Router

jamestrever — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 18:50:39 GMT

Hi,

I have recent purchased and setup a UDM Pro from Ubiquiti and set this up as my router plugged into the ethernet cable coming out of the ONT. This is all working great.

I am currently now using the Smart Hub 2 as a wireless access point which is also working great but I am having 2 problems.

1. Not really a problem but logging into the SH2, it thinks it has no internet access

2. The digital voice phones which are connected to the SH2 are not working (and the SH2 now says the Service is not ready - whereas it used to be fine).

Has anyone got this setup working as I like and want to continue to use the Digital Voice phones but want to using my own networking equipment (and access points eventually) in the house.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

licquorice — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 19:01:03 GMT

Can't be done

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

choppyc — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 10:36:37 GMT

It can be done -

My setup

Smart Hub 2 > Netduma R1 > Asus AC68u as AP

On the Smart hub disable, DHCP, Firewall, UPNP, Wifi and smart setup (everything disabled) - only connect the digital voice phone first.

Connect the Netduma to the Ethernet Port1 of the Smart Hub, then to the WAN of the Netduma. Create a static IP on the WAN setup in the Netduma, i.e 192.168.1.1, Gateway 192.168.1.254 and both DNS as 192.168.1.254 and then add that static IP to the Smart Hub 2 (192.168.1.1) place this in DMZ and also add a port fowarding Rule 1:65535 (BOTH) TCP and UDP to the static IP of the Netduma (192.168.1.1).

My Netduma then manages DHCP under 192.168.88.1

Save

Turn everything off

Turn on the Smart Hub 2 let it connect, check the phone is connected, the boot up the Netduma, this should then connect and allow internet access, you can then add a AP direct to the Netduma.

Any 3rd Party router should work so long as you can create a static WAN ip on that router, and then add this to the smart hub 2.

My setup has been like this for months and is working faultlessly.

Regards

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

Dsotm — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 11:02:19 GMT

I am thinking of moving to BT FTTP and saw your working setup for 3rd part router. I see you have two routers connected off the BT Smarthub - is there a need for two? I have a Nighthawk(R) X4S R7800 and wanted to keep using that

Many thanks

Brian

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

licquorice — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 12:01:11 GMT

If you want to use Digital Voice you need the BT SH2 connected. If you don't need Digital Voice, just connect your Netgear directly to the ONT.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

Dsotm — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 12:12:46 GMT

Hi.

I understood from the posted solution by ChopyC that he had retained the ability to use Digital Voice on the Smarthub AND used his own routers at the same time. Is he incorrect?

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

licquorice — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 12:21:49 GMT

It is not clear from your post whether you wish to retain Digital Voice, you just ask about connecting a third party router.

As I pointed out in my original reply, if you wish to keep Digital Voice then you must use the SH2. You can also create the convoluted network that @choppyc describes in order to also use a third party router. However, if you don't wish to have Digital Voice then there is no need to use an SH2 at all.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

Dsotm — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 12:25:56 GMT

Hi Liquorice

My apologies - I was hoping to retain digital voice as I would like to get rid of my current landline. I also wanted to keep my current router if possible. If ChoppyC's setup does work AND keeps DV it would be ideal. Also my current router has 4 Ethernet ports (I usea all of them) and a Wan port where it looks as if the Smarthub has 3/1

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

colbartram — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:13:51 GMT

Hi. I'm new here. We recently went FFTP as between them BT and Openreach never got the 2 mile copper to our exchange reliable enough to sustain internet connectivity in bad weather.... I asked to retain my Netgear infrastructure. As it cannot support the Digital Voice phone, the installation guy connected to copper on the back of the fibre to my old master socket so I would still have a landline. I've just realised that although we have a great dialtone, the exchange is not recognising us - any attempt to dial is rejected as number unrecognised. An agent on the fault reporting desk told me today that we'd been switched to digital at the exchange and the original copper service could not be reinstated, as part of their strategy to make copper obsolete by 2025. So the installation guy was wasting his time. (Another example of BT-Openreach disconnect.)

So I've lost the use of a perfectly functional phone and cannot use the new Digital device, all because I prefer to retain the use of my router and extender (old rambling building) .

Apart from feeling somewhat abused by this process, it looks to me as if my only option (apart from junking my nearly new Nighthawk router) is to create the configuration you have defined - though the description elsewhere as 'convoluted' is a bit discouraging. If you have any updated observations or guidance I'd be very interested. I feel BT should provide guidance themselves on this topic, as there must be many of us wanting to simply connect our WiFi infrastructures to a FTTP service, and have a landline. By the way is 'ONT' the new little box inside my house? Thanks anyone for help.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

licquorice — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:22:58 GMT

Why would you expect BT to provide instructions on how to configure and use the hundreds of various devices it is possible to use in your domestic network.

The ONT is the white box that converts the incoming external fibre line to an Ethernet signal.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

Dsotm — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:27:13 GMT

I would first check to see if your property is classified by BT as Brownfield or Greenfield. If its the former they will give you Fibre but not Digital Voice (just happened for me). Brownfield sites get a mandatory copper landline for phone calls

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

Keith_Beddoe — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:33:44 GMT

Brownfield sites would normally have an existing copper infrastructure, so it makes sense to use it, rather than go to the trouble of providing Digital Voice at the moment.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

Dsotm — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:51:57 GMT

In my case I do not have a copper line - always been on Virgin - BT would have to install a new copper line, rather than just activate DV. How stupid is that?

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

colbartram — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 13:11:40 GMT

I would expect BT to provide more guidance because in our area they have monopoly of the provision of fibre and should show more consideration of customer preferences. The guidance provided by choppyc was generic, not specific to his/her router and would be relevant to many customers.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

licquorice — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 13:17:37 GMT

BT provide a broadband service and a means to utilise that service. If you require something different, it is not incumbent upon BT to detail how that can be achieved.

BT do not have a monopoly anywhere.

The fibre network is provided by Openreach, not BT and is available to all providers.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

colbartram — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 19:34:02 GMT

Thanks for confirming the roles of BT and Openreach. Although BT was my preference for fibre broadband, I did look for alternative suppliers using the Openreach fibre as you suggest. However, after having 'nothing for your location' responses from SSE, Shell Energy, EE, Now Broadband, TalkTalk, Plusnet and Vodafone, I reverted to BT. The reality out here is that there is hardly any choice, for whatever reason.

I used Online Chat with BT and actually signed up during the Chat because the agent said they would be able to supply a Master Socket and a splitter that would enable me to use my current BT phone. I also had email dialog confirming I could use my Netgear router for internet connection, with full context of my account.

When the Openreach guy arrived to hook it up, he dismissed the Master Socket I'd been sent as obsolete, and when I showed him the Chat transcript he said the agent didn't know what they were talking about. He also had not been made aware of the email dialog I'd had with BT confirming ability to use my Netgear stuff.

So I was left with the opposite of what I'd been led to expect.

The connections between Openreach and BT seem ropey; I had texts hours after Openreach had left, telling me he would be there shortly.

I appreciate this is off topic relative to me wanting something different from BT's standard offering, I'm just an unhappy customer.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

colbartram — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 19:42:23 GMT

Hello jamestrever. Did you attempt to replicate the configuration that works for choppyc? I'm plucking up the courage to give it a shot and would welcome any guidance from anywhere...

Thanks.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

licquorice — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 19:58:19 GMT

A couple of points.

Although it would incur extra cost, you could always use your Netgear router and a third party VoIP provider rather than BT digital voice.

Other ISPs choose not to offer FTTP for whatever reason rather than it is not available to them.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

colbartram — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 22:28:45 GMT

Thanks liquorice, I'll check that out. We just didn't want to lose our landline number. Yes, understood it's the ISPs choosing not to play. It's why we had to move from Plusnet after about 20 years.

Re: Digital Voice with different Router

kennyspark8574 — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 15:20:22 GMT

hi, im having issues setting this up like you explained. im connected but certain sites will not load (imn guessing dns issue)

you said that you need to connect router to smart hub via lan cable, but which do i connect the wan cable from the fibre box to? do i connect it to the smart hub or to my third party router? thanks