Smart Hub 2

[MTBottles]

I've recently had problems with my Broadband. Not so much the Broadband itself, but with the copper line it runs over. As a result of a conversation with the BT problem handler, I've been sent on of these Smart Hub 2 thingies as they, BT, seemed a bit miffed when I told them I was using a third party router - and always have done. It arrived next day but.....

My estate does not have FTTC or FTTP (yet). But on the four sides around us, everyone else has FTTC. Thanks to the BT bean counters, they missed us out. That said, why is the Hub 2 supplied without a suitable connection lead? Neither of the two supplied leads will allow me to connect the unit to the (single outlet) Openreach wall socket. I'll probably have to use the lead from my existing modem. This is not a good start.

Features 1: The SH2 is missing basic features of being able to black or white list devices that connect to it. (For the un-initiated, this means being able to control what connects to the hub and what get through to the internet by way of a devices MAC address.)  It is an additional security feature that should be in all devices of this type / ilk. That it is missing is very disappointing.

Features 2: Having now had a rummage around the settings of the SH2 whilst I had it on the test bench, I'm even less happy now. My home uses a deliberate and specific set of IP addresses. All perfectly legal and still the same ones I started using when I first had broadband installed all those years ago. Yet when I try to set up the SH2 to use these addresses (using the "custom" IP address setting), it protests the addresses entered are not valid and promptly refuses to go any further unless I change them to something else that is has been told it can accept. HELLO BT. If you offer a custom setting, that is exactly what it means. Provided that the address is in the correct format, it should be accepted. Stat! My third party router is using them quite happily.

I'm not sufficiently happy that I would connect this unit in place of my (presently superior seven year old) third party router. So I'm consigning this SH2 to a dusty corner where it can join the original HH2 (the one BT sent me many moons ago) for company. The HH2 had similar problems with IP addresses. In development terms, not much has changed in the years that has passed between the supply of the hubs. Just the shape of the device.

[WSH]

While I agree with you about the SH2 as a whole, a couple of observations:

1)  MAC filtering is of debatable use as it is easily spoofed by any serious hacker.  In industry there are just too many things to white list so it has always been more of a “home technology” anyway.

2)  The only address ranges regarded as private (i.e. internal to your network) are 10.x.x.x, 172.16.x.x to 172.31.x.x and 192.168.x.x  While NAT means that any address could be used in theory, the use of other ranges is considered bad practice because if NAT goes wrong it could cause problems on the WAN.  A lot of routers will not accept any ranges outside of these for that reason.

[gg30340]

All BT hubs are supplied as a mass market ISP hub which by far the majority of people who use it have no interest in any features other than having it plug in and work. 

As such it is not in the interest of any ISP to supply a hub that is all singing and dancing when the vast majority of its customer do not want any additional features and would probably not know what to do with them even if they were supplied.

The hubs are pretty well locked down to prevent the "little knowledge is a dangerous thing" people from tinkering with the settings and causing themselves problems that would more often than not necessitate a call to Customer Services to try and resolve. 

BT do not prevent users from using any modem/router that they want however if you do choose to use your own and you want BT assistance they would not be able to assist with anything that is a modem/router problem as they can not possibly be trained on all types of modem/routers.

BT could also request that you fit the BT hub so that they can carry out diagnostics which may not be possible if there is a third party modem/router installed. Again it would be your choice if you refused to do that but it may result in BT being unable to offer any further assistance.

I would point out that while you do not need to use the Smarthub 2 at this time, when you are moved to BT Digital Voice telephone system and assuming you wish to retain a landline telephone from BT you will be required to use the Smarthub 2.

If you decide you do not want Digital Voice you should still retain the Smarthub 2 because it is only loaned to you and you will have to return it should you leave BT or you will be charged for it.

[MTBottles]

Thanks and with regards to your input:

1) Agreed, But anything that puts an obstacle in the way of a hacker getting into your network has to be a good thing. Maybe it won't stop the really determined hacker, but it will slow them up. My house mainly uses wired connections as there is too much wireless network smog around me. I also have two Android devices in my home. A TV and a blue ray player. Both devices create an awful lot of internet traffic even when turned off. Well, they did.... I used MAC filtering as a way of stopping this traffic as I could not find another method. (I don't need the so called smart features of these devices, but try and find a telly these days that does not have something smart built in.) TV and blu ray now see my home network Ok but cannot see the internet anymore. Their excessive internet traffic has been stopped. So having MAC address filtering is a good thing.

2) I use a 10.x.x.x address range and always have done as long as I've had broadband. But this SH2 will not accept a 10.x.x.x setting. Neither would one of its predecessors, a HH2. Over time, I've had six different (third party) broadband modems on the end of my phone line. All these quite happily took my 10.x.x.x addresses. And with that in mind, I already have a Draytek Vigor unit waiting for when they finally get FTTP rolled out in my area. I've already done a "test config" on the unit and it will accept the 10.x settings that I currently use. (It's firmware is also BT BB compatable.) They missed us with the FTTC roll out so there is every chance they'll miss us with FTTP. I may have jumped the gun buying that Draytek unit.....

[imjolly]

@MTBottles 

the hubs will not accept 10.x.x.x as that is reserved for BTWIFI