BT Smart Hub / Home Hub 6 - various issues with Android devices

[morocco1]

I've just dropped £150 on a Netgear Nighthawk with integrated modem so I am significantly out of pocket thanks to BT's inability to provide a reliable router with stable firmware. What is annoying is that I had no such issues with the Sky hub, which is a markedly cheaper-built, less functional device. If Sky can churn out cheap, naff routers, which WORK PERFECTLY, how come BT's all singing, all dancing Smart Hub fails to provide even basic functionality and stability?

If BT cannot supply working Hubs then they should allow new customers the option to forego the extortionate £60 setup charge and supply their own hardware. In the case of those of us who have tried and found it unsatisfactory, we should be given the option to return it for a credit against the setup fee, as well as a partial refund against all months of interrupted service.

It's beyond a joke that BT are shipping out these devices and expecting users to put up with their flaky functionality.

[bigbadbuddha69]

Partner and I in same boat. Constantly taking flack for ordering a useless hub.

[john46]

The set up charge is made by Openreach to BT for work at the exchange and local street cabinet and is just passed on If you want to use your own router that is your choice and there is no support from BT if you do

[J2RRR]

BT area joke their customer service is shocking - more so having inept people in a call centre thousands of mile away who lack the understanding of what customer service is and how to deal with a customer or customers with equipment issues. I'm on my 4th hub 5 now. I was given the option to buy a smart hub but I wasn't so sure if it too would be plagued by issues.

What after market modem router is suitable for BT infinity service? I will just buy one I'm fed up with flaky wifi connectivity.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@J2RRR

The TP-Link TD-W9970 N300 for about £35,

or the TP-Link AC1600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit VDSL/ADSL Modem Router for Phone Line Connections (BT Infinity, TalkTalk, EE and PlusNet Fibre) 2 USB, 2.0 Ports, UK Plug (Archer VR600)  at about £90

Both have external wireless aerials for better coverage.

There are other makes as well, just look for VDSL modem/routers..

[Rob_82]

Him Hub 3 is the best home hub by a long way for reliability, it's just a shame you have to have a white modem with it. The white modem have issues with over heating. My friend has had 6 in the past couple of years. I now have a home hub 6. 70% of the time it's great. But will randomly drop out and can't see it on my phone or laptop. Eventually comes back but it's then slow and things don't connect.
I know it's a bit of a ball ache and you shouldn't have to but I find saying forget network on your phone and then turning wifi off and restarting the home hub seems to cure the issue. You can restart from your phone which is good but the home hub takes ages to restart.
I used to work for BT and have spoken to some of the engineers. They really rated the home hub 6 when it came out but have recently said it conflicts with a lot of things.
Advice. Either buy your own modem/router. Revert back to a hub 3 or change settings on the home hub 6. Choose a wireless channel rather than letting it choose one. It's not intelligent enough to change when it conflicts with another signal. Keep choosing a signal until you find one that works.
I don't think the internet is great but the speed when it works is amazing!!
I've recently just got an engineer to run a new cooper line from can to my house as I had aluminium before which is **bleep**!! Check if you have silver lines or copper colour. If your house was built before the 80's. Chances are you have aluminium. Get it changed! Tap up and engineer for a cash job. It has made mine much better and stable.
Another good thing about BT is they don't block certain sites that Virgin and Sky do.
Also there BT wifi system is great getting wifi but is also temperamental.
Overall. I would say BT is the best and valid for money but admit they need to sort the dropping out issue.
Thanks. Great to read others are having the same problem! Can be super frustrating as it drops out when you need it most.

[sahmraw]

I have just shelled out for a TP Link AC2600 as my smart hub keeps dropping WiFi and my android device struggles to connect to it. I have to post Instagram pictures using cellular data. Sometimes it says I have speeds up to 60 Mb/s but won't connect to websites or play store. The other day it ran at kb;/s and eventually stopped. Also it takes a full 10 minutes to reboot and connect to the internet. I have had it a long while, but we use a lot of internet and we need something a lot more reliable. This is setting us back £160 but I need the ac connection to WiFi and the HH5 doesn't have that grrr the HH5 wasn't brilliant but at least it worked. Oh and the range is nothing like advertised. We can't even get it in the garden which is not that far from the hub.

[scaine]

Having very similar issues with HH6 not wanting to allow internet access to anything other than the PC to which it is attached.  It's only communicating with my laptop because they are currently side by side; even when the Wifi appears to be connected it isn't giving internet access.  It's a complete pain in the backside.  I don't use an Android device any more, I have Apple mobile devices as do most of the family - but these don't work with it either a good proportion of the time. Times like this I'm grateful for a huge data package on my mobile contract as I just end up routing everything through my phone in desperation.  Come along BT, sort this out!