This topic

Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 18:41:24 GMT

Hi, A little bit of an odd one, I think.

I have done a lot of searching and reading, and have seriously considered buying a third party modem/hub but that just seems wrong somehow.

As per the subject, I have the Fiber1 product and the BT Hub6. Until Dec last year, everything has worked as expected.

My wife works for the NHS. She continues to work from home. Up until December last year we had no issues.

Then at the start of this year she has had serious problems "using" the NHS VPN. The original symptoms were that the VPN client would connect, and then there would be no access to NHS resources (within the vpn) or external resources (such as the BBC website or Google website).

When the laptop was disconnected from the VPN the public sites would be accessible.

Must be the VPN right? .....

My wife took the laptop into the NHS and the tech guys looked at it. They could find no problem, and it worked for them.

I have multiple devices, I use a VPN for my work and there have been no other issues that I am aware of.

This causes a lot of stress, and in an effort to prove it was the VPN on the laptop, I enabled the hotshot on my phone to share its internet connection, fully expecting the laptop to connect to the network and then start failing to access internal and external resources again. ...

Unfortunately, and the reason for this essay, it connected fine, AND could access internal and external resources totally fine.

I have repeated this test multiple times, the laptop fails to access resources via the VPN, but only when connected to the Hub6. (WiFi or cable).

I have checked the hub has the latest software. I have changed various settings. I 'think' I have even added the laptop to a/the DMZ. None of these things have resolved the issue.

Any ideas would be very much appreciated.

Henry.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

Anonymous — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 19:06:34 GMT

Are Parental Controls &/or Web Protect enabled? If so try disabling them & see if that helps. If not, try a factory reset of the Hub.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

RobbieBaron — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 19:43:23 GMT

It's never wrong to get a generic router instead of the cheapo low functionality routers that ISPs push out!

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 20:03:28 GMT

At the moment,

Port clamping is on

Dynamic DNS is off

Port forwarding is off

Firewall is disabled

My wife's laptop is in the DMZ

The ALG is off

User access controls are off

What I don't understand is how a router, any router can be interfering with the traffic once the VPN is connected. It doesn't make any sense to me. Bit 100% of the time, it fails via the hub and works on other connections such as our mobile phone tethering.

Happy to do a factory reset, I will be surprised if I haven't done that already. The hardware button or the software setting in the control panel?

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 20:33:42 GMT

Just done a factory reset via the hub manager.

It seemed to reset the device, but then I have looked at the known device list and it still has every device that has ever connected to it.

I will try the hardware reset too.

😔

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 20:48:47 GMT

And now also done the factory reset via the button.

Again, the device still knows about every device every attached to it, so I am not convinced it has worked properly.

Testing my wife's laptop, neither has resolved the vpn issue either.

😪

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

RobbieBaron — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 00:45:42 GMT

It does remember previously connected devices. If they are no longer connected they are greyed out. Factory resetting really just resets configurable settings.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 05:56:33 GMT

Thanks Robbie.

Indeed other settings were reset, for example the firewall was re-enabled.

A bit misleading really, not so much factory reset as more just restore default settings.

Sadly, it didn't work.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 05:57:46 GMT

Is there a way to restore previous versions of the firmware?

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 07:32:52 GMT

BT update firmware remotely, there is no way to either upgrade or downgrade manually.

Looks like next step is a third party router.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 07:43:47 GMT

Thanks. 😔

I know there are a lot of threads talking about replacements, is there a general consensus on something good that is one box plug and play? I assume for my setup I need something with a built-in modem.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 08:01:31 GMT

This is a popular one TP-Link AC1200 Wireless Dual Band VDSL/ADSL, provided you do not use BT Digital Voice or have to do so in the future.

The TP link device also has no issues with BT TV, if you use that as well.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/dsl-modem-router/archer-vr400/v2/

It also has 3G/4G backup options.

Do not confuse it with wireless routers, as TP link model numbers are confusing.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 08:14:12 GMT

As this is essentially a test, almost anything with VDSL support will do as a first step. If you buy the TP-Link that @Keith_Beddoe suggested from Amazon, then you have the benefit of an easy return if it either doesn't solve the problem or you want something more advanced. Alternately have a look on the likes of Facebook Marketplace & see what's available locally.

I use a Fritzbox 7530, actually two of them. It has a nice clear interface & good support. It has mesh WiFi built in & I use the second as a repeater. Before that I was running a Netgear D7000 without issue.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 08:36:47 GMT

@hcarpe1977

If you are not bothered about dual band wireless, then the cheaper TP Link TD-W9970 will be enough to prove the issue. I have heard of similar issues with VPN and BT Home Hubs, and the TP Link solved the problem.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/dsl-modem-router/td-w9970/

That also supports 3G mobile backup.

Its available from Argos if you have a local store £34.99, or online from Amazon.

Its very easy to configure.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:01:38 GMT

Thanks @Keith_Beddoe & @Anonymous

Frustrating that the only course of action seems to be to replace the device.

Amazon order should be with me tomorrow. Fingers crossed it fixes the issue.

No idea what to do next if it doesn't. 😛

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:07:13 GMT

@hcarpe1977

Which one have you chosen?

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:10:10 GMT

I went with the TP link. 😀

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:17:20 GMT

There were two TP Links, one was much cheaper.

Both have a setup wizard, and the only details you need to connect, is the PPPoE authentication details.

username of bthomehub@btbroadband.com

Password BT

If you need any help, please ask.

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

hcarpe1977 — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 20:02:25 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe suprise 😃 it's me.

New hub has arrived. The AC2800, went for this as it said the WiFi range was better. 🤞

Plugged it all in and used the login details I have for the "MyBT" app. (A Google email address).

The hardware lights tell me that the internet connection is correct but internet service is unavailable.

The app shows this ...

Any ideas? BT "support" said there is no other username or password. 🙁

Re: Fiber1 on BT Hub6 - Issue connecting to NHS VPN (Global Connect)

licquorice — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 20:07:53 GMT

As @Keith_Beddoe has already posted

Both have a setup wizard, and the only details you need to connect, is the PPPoE authentication details.

username of bthomehub@btbroadband.com

Password BT

If you need any help, please ask.

The login details are generic, not individual, as authentication is against your line.

BT support is an oxymoron.