2.4GHZ and 5GHZ Bands BT Smart Hub 2

[licquorice]

Nowhere did you say that you had 2.4G only devices.

The home hub doesn't have a modem only (bridge) mode. The closest you can get is to turn off the WiFi and DHCP.

[NoSirItWasntMe]

@theviewer1985 

Not bridging mode. You let the SmartHub do all the routing, DHCP etc. Putting the Netgear into Access Point mode turns all that off.

Netgear have step by step instructions here: 

https://kb.netgear.com/20927/How-do-I-change-my-NETGEAR-router-to-AP-mode-after-I-ve-already-run-set...

[licquorice]

Alternatively you can turn off DHCP on the hub and connect the devices LAN to WAN rather than LAN to LAN. You will be double natting but the Nighthawk will be doing the routing.

[licquorice]

I've just re read your first post. Do you have FTTP, if so why do you need to connect a hub? There will be no information useful for fault finding contained within the hub.

[theviewer1985]

@NoSirItWasntMe 

AH i get it. So if I have my NAS plugged into the Netgear and my iMac connected wirelessly to the Netgear, I would still be making use of the powerful throughput that the Netgear has right ?

This was one of the main reasons I got it, to transfer files quickly through it - I found with free routers, file transfers were slow.

Although in saying this... i just did a quick test and I am now getting 40MB/s transfer to my NAS using the BT Hub. When I was using the Netgear, it used to be quick, but soon dropped to like 8MBs. To be fair, I never was completely happy with it... for a £400 router, it seemed to have sooo many things going wrong and I hated dealing with Netgear. I will probably just sell it.

[theviewer1985]

@licquorice - is that presumption because of my speed?

I am actually in the 1% minority who has access to Gfast technology. Not sure if you have heard of it... it enables up to 300MB without needing FTTP. 

We are also directly next to the exchange, so we get the full 300Mbs.

I wish I had FTTP though.

[licquorice]

Yes, it was due to your speed I just assumed FTTP rather than G.Fast. Very few people get 280M on G.Fast, you must live in the cabinet. 😃

[NoSirItWasntMe]

@theviewer1985 

Netgear kit can be a bit flaky, I gave up using mine as routers. Too often when copying large files or doing a complete laptop backup, they would completely freeze needing a reboot.

Plus, they still don't all work with BT's implementation of IPv6.

[JohnBateson]

Following my earlier posts on this subject in this thread, I can report an improvement in line speeds. I do wonder if now that I have seen another firmware update for my Smart Hub on 3 March 2020, whether BT have been quietly adjusting things in the background because now I actually have the contracted speeds as well, and the OOKLA test shows some consistency at 56.63/19.14.

However, it is still obvious that if my Smart Hub, in a fit of pique, chooses 2.4G, then the speed is much lower. But by means not apparent to me, I can now drive my 2.4G printer at the same time as as my 5.0G desktop. Hurrah!

John

[makembill]

I know I’m late to this party but as a new BT Smart Hub user, I appear no longer able to set-up my Smart Plugs to control lights and other appliances. 
is there a workaround? Or is my new hub just too Smart for its own good?