BT Home Hub 2 as secondary router

[yokoyoko]

Hi community,

I am an absolute beginer and would really appreciate some step by step help a sI think I'm getting something wrong somewhere..

I have a BT home hub 2 which is in my lounge and plugged in to the master socket. I want this to be a modem and router/secondary router.

I have a TP-Link AX5400 that as I understand should be a better router. I want to use this on the first floor. I have a CAT 7 ethernet cable running up to the first floor. I want this to be a router to help with blind spots up stairs. I would like the entire house to run off the same wifi name and password and then any device, static or mobile should be able to flick from one to another.

Firstly, is this a possibility?

Secondly, could anyone share a link or a guide that tells me how to set up both routers and their online control panels? 

I tried doing it yesterday and found that it worked but the speeds I was getting dropped to a mere crawl!! So I abandonded the operation. But I dont want to give up!! This must be feasable right!? I used chatGPT to guide me but ... I'm not convinced!...

[licquorice]

Give the TP link an IP address of 192.168.1.10, turn off DHCP and connect it LAN port to LAN port with the BT Hub. Make sure the TP Link WiFi uses a different channel to the BT hub. Either change the wireless name and password of the TP Link to that of the hub or vice versa.

[yokoyoko]

ok. thanks. I'll do that.

Chatgpt told me to chnage/turn on the DMZ and turn off the bt hubs wifi?... 

[licquorice]

Chat GPT speak with forked tongue.

[TimCurtis · Accepted solution]

@yokoyoko 

With many 3rd party routers you have the option to run as an access point which might be worth pursuing , although that's what @licquorice 's suggestion is equivalent too.

Of course if you don't use Digital Voice then the TP-Link could be used as the master device and the Smarthub as an extender. That would give you more control over your connection should you need it.

[Crimliar]

I'm not being funny here but the original Home Hub 2 (not Smart Hub 2) is almost 20 years old!  It's an 802.11n class router with 100 Mbps ethernet ports.  Yes using the TP-Link router will help with the WiFi, but I would still be seriously pushing for BT to replace the router with a Smart Hub 2!

[licquorice]

I rather suspect the OP is talking about a Smart Hub2 rather than the original Hub2.