BT Smart Hub 3 and Complete Wifi 2 Release and Availability

[brushman]

Since we were changed to FFTP with a SH2 and Digital Voice we've had nothing but trouble. Quite simply the SH2's are cheaply made (several BT and OR engineers opinions) and prone to lagging, drop outs etc. Our experience is that they last about 2 months before the problems surface. Mostly they run so hot you can hear the casing clicking as the components heat up! 

We reinstalled our trusty TP Link TD -W9980 and have had zero issues. The catch is were reliant of the SH2 for Digital Voice unless we go to VoIP and have a Broadband only package from BT.  Probably the way we'll go.

[archiveking]

can't you connect the SH2 into one of the ports on the back of the TP Link and use it to give you Digital Voice whilst using TP link for the Wifi ?

[licquorice]

No, you can do it the other way round though.

[archiveking]

but that would not give any advantage ? I have a SH2 with a 900mg connection to the house but the BT engineers cannot get more than 400 out of the Sh2 despite supplying 2 brand new ones - thats using a cable. Wifi is much less - 300. How to get Wifi over 600 and wired closer to 900 is the goal. BT don't want to know.

[marvo]

Have to admit it's a bit of a crock from BT especially given that their competitors are offering Wi-Fi 6 routers and VoIP connections keeping your old landline number. (TalkTalk & Virgin)

Yes some of us still need a landline mainly because our elderly parents don't like using or calling mobiles

BT say to plug directly in to the SH2 to get full use of the speeds offered. I have 900Mbps, and whilst it has remained stable, has never achieved anything more than 460Mbps Wi-Fi or direct LAN cable. 

The SH2, when the firewall is active, eats bandwidth processing the packets. All firewall manufacturers give throughputs depending on the roles they are having to do i.e. IPS, Firewall, NGFW, DDoS etc. Very few guarantee firewall throughput that matches the 1Gbps port speeds.

Example - I also have a Fortigate FWF60E - 3Gbps firewall throughput but only 300-450Mbps when NGFW/IPS are running.

However, I would certainly advise NOT to turn off the firewall on your SH2 (even though it does increase throughput). I put a Kali Linux pen test laptop on to the SH2 and turned off the firewall, wifi and DHCP and made it the only devices connected to the hub. Suffice to say the attacks started almost instantly

[brushman]

I read some of the messages and after 18 months of problems with BT and the SH2 ( whats smart about it ... anyone) we've jumped ship to Virgin Media. Now we have stable internet and can set the VM hub to modem mode and use our TP Archer for brilliant speeds and great wifi coverage. We use VoIP from Soho66 so no more line rental either.**Edited**

Thank you for all the help offered by the community in trying to solve the catalogue of mistakes and errors by BT.

[Mapantz]

@marvo 

BT say to plug directly in to the SH2 to get full use of the speeds offered. I have 900Mbps, and whilst it has remained stable, has never achieved anything more than 460Mbps Wi-Fi or direct LAN cable. 

Strange. I have the Fibre 900, and I get 945Mbps down via LAN.

I get about 550Mbps via Wi-Fi, which I think is very good for not being Wi-Fi 6.

[archiveking]

Brilliant to hear - you are the only person that i have heard who is getting that speed with the SH2

[ItsMeDD]

We are also on Fibre 900 and we also get over 900 Mbps and between 400 and 600 Mbps over WiFi with the SH2 on several devices,one thing that does bug me about the hub2 is Moderate Nat types in some games hence i often use the Asus RT AX88U as it gives Open Nat.

[MiteBe]

I also get well over 900Mbps (970Mbps on one occasion) and around 110Mbps up (record being 140Mbps) on a wired connection. And about 300-500Mbps Wi-fi.