BT Mini Connector Kit

[GillyFB]

We are on the Copper Broadband and live in a cottage with thick walls.  So we accept that we will have issues with speed.  Yesterday, however, I had to discuss something on a chat line about our account and all was good.  They asked if there was anything else they could do for me as a valued customer of many years.

I said I had seen the advert where there is equipment to help internet signal around the house.  I asked if it would help for say using my tablet of laptop away from the hub.  (I did not mention my TV as I can get BBC I player, etc on there and only sometimes some 'swirling'.)

She said she would send me out the equipment to help.  I said will that help using my laptop upstairs, etc.  She I said 'Yes' it is WiFi.

Today it has arrived - very quickly - it is Mini Connector Kit.  I see how to connect to my hub (I am in my 70's so not that up on latest tech) and the other one to plug into my BT TV Box!?

Well - I don't have a BT TV Box and I don't see how this is WiFi.  I have just looked on the BT site and I see there are Wireless Discs that you can put around the house.  Surely I have been sent out the wrong equipment?

Any thoughts would be appreciated - thank you

[-Richie-]

The mini connector kits are for wired devices, such as BTTV but a laptop can be connected to them if you have an ethernet port on it, most do.

The wireless discs you have seen on bt.com are part of the complete wi-fi package, they can't be sent out free, you have to upgrade and change your plan to have them, they are on loan whilst you have the complete wi-fi service.

[GillyFB]

Thank you for replying.  Can you please explain what a 'complete wi-fi service' is?

Secondly - I see they can be purchased - so I am confused.  Any further explanation would be really helpful.

[-Richie-]

You can read about complete wi-fi at www.bt.com/completewifi 
The ones you can buy are the previous model, which still work great but cost money upfront, complete wi-fi is supplied by BT for an extra few £ which varies per customer and remain property of BT

I'll not get into the debate on which is better and why, just giving options for you to decide 🙂

[licquorice]

BT offer 2 different wifi mesh solutions which provide wifi coverage throughout the house with wifi 'discs'. The black 'Complete wifi' solution is only available to BT broadband customers and the disks and Smart Hub2 are rented. The 'Whole Home' white disks can be bought and used with any broadband supplier and don't need a BT hub.

More information here

https://www.bt.com/broadband/complete-wifi

https://shop.bt.com/learnmore/bt-branded-products-and-services/bt-whole-home-wi-fi/

https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Devices/What-disc-do-I-have-BT-Complete-Wi-Fi-or-BT-Whole-Home-Mini/t...

Edit: we seem to have been round this loop before 😀

https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Devices/Can-I-ask-for-an-upgraded-HUB/td-p/2039884

[GillyFB]

Thank you again for your help and I do appreciate it.  

Yes - I did go around this route before - I accepted I had the best hub I can get and accepted that another piece of equipment was not available to me.  I was also kindly told of someone else in a similar property to me.

Now I picked this up again quite simply by talking online to BT - as I explain in this post - and was sent a BT Mini Connector Kit. £89.98

Having it arrive - the instructions tell me to connect it to my BT TV Hub - which I haven't got.  

Hence, I thought the Community could help me understand if I had been sent the right equipment.  

I have looked at the links you kindly gave me and  this time (different than my first posting and I accept I could be mistaken through lack of technical know how ) there are options if go through one of the 'questionnaires'  this time - if I understand it correctly -

1. Mini Whole House Wi Fi £74.98

2.  BT Mini-Wi Fi Home Hotspot 600 Multi Kit - £89.98.

I really do not feel I want to crawl back into a corner and not ask any more questions.  Because at 75 - technology for me is obviously not something I am looking at each day but I try to understand.  

So do you think I have been sent the best option open to me - the BT Mini Connector Kit  - rather than those listed as 1. or 2. above  given my situation/cottage and the Hub I have that was established in my first posting 🤔 

[Keith_Beddoe]

@GillyFB 

There is the single hotspot kit which is cheaper if you just have one extra area you need to cover.

BT Mini Wi-Fi Home Hotspot 600 Kit

A wireless mesh system is only really an advantage if you have a number of wireless devices which you move from room to room, and need to automatically connect to the best signal.

If you have thick walls then you may have a problem with a wireless mesh system, if the wireless nodes cannot connect to each other, which is a possibility.

That is where the hotspot solution is better, as each one is separate, and does not rely on connecting to another wireless network.

[licquorice]

Please carry on asking as many questions as you need.

The mini whole home wifi is a purely wifi solution i.e it relies on wifi connectivity between the hub and the discs to operate. The mini wifi hotspot kit uses your mains wiring to provide the signal between the hub and hotspot.

If you only need wifi in 3 locations (where the hub is sited and 2 other hotspot locations) the home hotspot kit I think would be preferable if you have thick internal walls. You can always just move one of the hotspots to another mains socket if you need to. I have the predecessor hotspot 500 kit and it works fine for me. The only caveat is that if your mains wiring is poor they might not be effective. The other advantage is that they have 2 Ethernet sockets as well as wifi.

The mini connector is unsuitable if you want wifi.

[GillyFB]

Thank you

I wonder if this description will help you - help me?  I apologize in advance if it is too much info!

So 'small' cottage has thick external walls and you can easily walk from dining room (past stairs) to sitting room all with 'open' doorways. 

Running the length of these two rooms there is a kitchen (that has a thick dividing wall that probably use to be external wall of cottage)  that stretches the length of these two rooms - again - basically you can walk in a circle or 'open plan'.  

The ceilings are low and we do not have carpet on bedroom floors.

1. Dining room - has hub.

2. Sitting Room - has TV - at back of TV double socket and attached to these wall sockets are TV, Humax box and lamp.  (Spare socket is the other side of the room so Ethernet Cable would not reach TV)   Sometimes I get a swirling when say BBC Iplayer but not too much. 

If I changed socket configuration at back of TV to take BT Mini Connector Kit what would I gain?

Note: That is why I got confused with the BT Mini Connector Kit - I have just been sent.  The agent on Chat Line told me it would help my laptop because it is wireless.....

3. Bedroom above Sitting room I use as office and have my laptop. I can use my laptop Wireless - so signal gets to it. 

Note: I can plug in BT Mini Connector Kit with Ethernet cable to my laptop.

4. Bedroom above Dining Room is our room and I have sat in bed with Samsung Tablet watching a download. Obviously Hub is below which i guess is why it picks up signal.

4. Kitchen - have used Samsung Tablet in here OK.  (Signal does not reach past kitchen out to cloakroom area and conservatory - we have accepted that.)

So with this description - does this help with your thoughts to help me?  Basically - I am just trying to check if there is any BT technology available that will improve my signal within my home.  I know I have a copper line and accept that!

Thank you

[licquorice]

I would certainly consider the mini wifi hotspot 600s. Is there a double socket where the hub is located so that the extender can be plugged directly into a mains socket as well as the hub? Although it is not recommended to plug the extender and/or hotspot in an extension lead, I have found them to work ok.

If you use one of the sockets at the back of the TV for a hotspot and then use the other socket with a 4 way extension lead for TV etc you will get an Ethernet socket to connect to the TV and wifi for tablet and laptop. You could then place the other hotspot in the kitchen to improve wifi coverage that side of the house and possibly out to the conservatory.

The Mini connectors that you were sent definitely do not have wifi capability.