VDSL2 Modem and SM2 (Digital Voice)

[daviesr138]

For Digital Voice, I know you need the Smart Hub 2 for it to work. But I had a idea and wondered if it would work.

My idea was using my own VDSL2 Modem such as a Zyxel DM3101-T0 and plugging the Smart Hub 2 WAN port into it. (How the old Openreach VDSL Modems worked & BT Infinity on older hubs). Would the Smart Hub 2 & Digital Voice work or is the WAN port on the Smart Hub 2 locked to Openreach Modems (VDSL and Full Fibre)?

https://i.ibb.co/Wzpcyd9/Screenshot-2023-12-29-234041.png 

[jac_95]

Hi daviesr138,

Thanks for the post and welcome to the Community.

This is an automated response as I can see you have a question about BT’s Digital Voice service. Rather than waiting for a response from the Community, you may find an answer to your question by using the search bar on the Community homepage. We also have a thread that contains a wealth of info related to BT’s Digital Voice, click this link to take a look, Digital Voice FAQs.

To learn more about the nationwide change to this Internet based voice service visit landlinesgo.digital

If you have already looked for the answer to your question and have not found anything that can help, then please ignore this message. One of our Community members will be along shortly to help you further.

[FIZZYLP]

Hello,

Digital Voice requires the Smart Hub 2, if your using old PSTN handsets you can plug them either into the back of the hub in the green phone port or into a digital voice adapter.

if your using digital voice handsets they connect to the hubs internet connection by using the WPS button.

Your Smart Hub requires what’s called a SIP REGENERATION CREDENTIALS to be sent to the hub to register the hub to Digital Voice or the hub will not work on Digital Voice.

 Sometimes due to the hub not being connected on activation day will result in the tech team doing what’s called a HSS Refresh this basically reboots the Digital Voice services and sends the SIP REGEN to the hub only takes 5 minutes and 99% of the time your handsets will be working.

unfortunately your unable to use 3rd party hubs with Digital Voice as BT cannot check the hub, monitor the hub, register the hub, using a 3rd party hub will be displayed as no hub connected to the network to BT Guides.

 3rd Party Hub will work on the network and can be used instead of the actual BT Hub but BT cannot guarantee it’ll work and BT cannot provide assistance when using 3rd party equipment as they cannot monitor your service.

for this reason I wouldn’t recommend using a 3rd Party Hub on Fibre 2 SOGEA VDSL (up to 80mbps SLT) this appears to be your service or Full Fibre if you want or need your Digital Voice to work seamlessly if you just wanna to use the internet without Digital Voice then go for it.

Digital Voice requires a lot of background systems to operate its a very sensitive service that can face many delays due to getting what’s known as stuck where the systems haven’t communicated correctly between each other could be anything from ping to system failure.

I’m not sure on the specifics of plugging a 3rd party hub into the network then into your BT Smart Hub 2, not sure if the hub would work or if Digital Voice would work or if BT are able to monitor the service.

I wouldn’t recommend connecting both hubs together as sometimes due to being so close together can impact the WiFi connection just like having to many WiFi boosters can harm your connection.

I would recommend using just the Smart Hub 2 if you wanna use Digital Voice, if you just want SOGEA with no Digital Voice then I would recommend using the 3rd party as this will have no bearing on your services.

A mess system would work alongside your BT service seamlessly but the Smart Hub 2 is required for Digital Voice to operate because of the Hub needing to be registered which cannot be done on 3rd party equipment.

Hope This Helps!

[licquorice]

@FIZZYLP if you are going to post a wall of text, at least try to answer the question asked.

@daviesr138 what do you hope to gain by this arrangement? The Zyxel would have to be in pure modem mode for there to be any hope of the SH2 providing Digital Voice and then it is debatable whether it would work. The only benefit I can see is the availability of line stats from the Zyxel not accessible by the SH2.

The possibility of using a discrete modem was discussed in another thread but wasn't conclusive.

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-setup-Wi-Fi-network/How-to-get-SH2-working-with-Firewalla-Purple-SE...

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

Update.

I have now tested this and I can confirm that a Smart Hub 2 with LAN port 4 set to FTTP mode and connected to an Huawei HG612 modem providing FTTC access, DOES still provide Digital Voice capability.

[David500]

@licquorice  Just a thought about your test above. I assume your SH2 was already setup with DV? If it’s a new install would it still work if the SH2 was second or would it be best to setup DV with it first and then swap it to 2nd?

[licquorice]

Yes, DV already active.  I'm only guessing here, but I wouldn't think it would make any difference either way.

You must remember that this will only work if the first device is a modem and completely transparent to the higher layers, particularly the PPP layer.

[David500]

Thanks. If it’s only a modem then what advantage is there over just using the SH2?

[licquorice]

As I said in message4, the only advantage I can see is the ability to see the full line stats which the SH2 doesn't show.

[Keith_Beddoe]

You could restart the SH2 without it affecting DLM.