First at all, if you have Halo 3+, that DON’T automatically meant as you need to have FullFibre 900 package.
You could even have Full Fibre Package and on top of it Halo 3+. Technically speaking, any “Full Fibre” Package is able to get “ad-on” Halo 3 or Halo 3+.
If you have FF900 package with Halo 3+, this will means, as your speed might be guaranteed at between OpenReach Exchange, and your Super Hub 2/ONT only. BT will never guarantee any speed in your own home network setup at all.
If you have PC/Laptop capable of 1Gbps LAN connection and had at least 5E category cable (both red and yellow coming with BT SH2 are 5E), you should be ok. Of course cat 6 UTP LAN cable is even better, whilst offering better shielding and therefore bandwidth capable.
Very important info is, as whilst BT SmartHub 2 has all LAN ports 1 Gbps capable, this MUST to be. Case also with ALL your cables, and LAN adapters, switches, etc. Only then you could take maximum from it.
If any of network part will be at any point configured, of physically not able to deliver 1 Gbps, but only 100 Mbps, you will end up with maximum of 100 Mbps.
And this is only valid for hard wired LAN.
At moment, we starting talking about WiFi part, there is no particular way to benefit from Full Fibre 900 package with actual BT Smart Hub 2 at any given moment.
BT SH2 is in theory AC1733 MU-MIMO wireless access point on 5 GHz band.
That “in theory” is alpha and omega of problem here…
If you will be at absolutely remote site, where there is no any further interference on 5 GHz or 2,4 GHz basic Wifi bands, you are in luck. Of course, if that will not interfere with any electric appliance at home even.
But in normal setup, your neighbour will have more likely some sort of Wifi, and another one as well. Company cross the road will have another WiFi AP. All this will contribute to interference.
Whilst BT SH2 essentially use only 3 channels on 2.4 GHz and 3 channels on 5 GHz (even choosing it “smart”) you are in great chance to clash with your neighbours Wifi and compete about bandwidth for yourself.
Plus, your WiFi will be only such quick, as is speed of your slowest WiFi device connected.
For example, if you have WiFi bulbs, Wifi sockets, or even older Amazon Alexa, or Google Nest, they will be probably not able to fully use WiFi AC mode, but more likely only N or even some of them G (2.4 GHz only) mode. This will further contribute to your trouble to get maximum speed and bandwidth over the wifi.
Is good practice, designed these “slower and less hungry” devices to use only 2.4 GHz band, to avoid throttling your 5 GHz with slow device.
But here is problem, as BT SH2 has no chance to split 2.4 and 5 GHZ with different SSID names. For this you will more likely need aftermarket router instead or behind.
Also, if you even will be able split devices by your choice between 2.4 and 5 GHz wifi bands, you are again competing about channel with other APs.
And on top of it, you mobile phone will be most likely able to use MU-MIMO just in 2x2 mode, whilst some of Apple devices will be able to use fully 3x3 which BT SH2 is capable.
Means, as even BT SH2 is in theory AC1733, your mobile phone will have physical link capability, say 866 Mbps only.
Good for FF900 package one say, isn’t it? Better then nothing 🙂
MAC/Wifi overhead on IPV4 will eat another 15-20 percents and on IPV6 even up to 35 percents from it.
And here we go… Interference, WiFi device capabilities, physical link speed, MAC/WiFi overhead and you will find out, as you most certainly NEVER will see more then 550-600 Mbps over the wifi, doesn’t matter what.
Most of the time you will see speeds about 350-450 Mbps over the wifi, on your most faster devices.
Nothing you can do with it, as long as there is BT SH2. Maybe expected BT SuperHub 3 which is expected to be AX (newest Wifi standard) and even Wifi 6 device, with better technical capabilities will see use of FF900 Better.
