Can't login to Smart Hub 2 over Ethernet but Wifi works!

[Phil_H]

For some reason my Windows 10 PC will no longer allow me to login to my Smart Hub 2 either at 192.168.1.254 or using the URL http://bthomehub.home/ on the Ethernet Connection but I can login and manage if I use any other device over WiFi. For example it works using my iPad Air and my Android phone!

I also have a Windows 11 Mini PC which has both Ethernet and WiFi. Again it cannot access the Hub if I have WiFi turned off (therefore when using the Ethernet connection) but when I turn on WiFi - hey presto, I can connect and manage the Hub.

I'm stumped why this has started to happen as I never had this issue before. Any help would be gratefully accepted!

I've tried turning off the Firewall in BT's Norton anti-virus but that didn't make any difference.

[naylor2006]

Quite odd indeed.

I assume you can access the internet via ethernet when this issue is occurring?

Sounds like one of those things where I would start by powering off the hub and back on

[Phil_H]

Yes it is very odd! Internet works perfectly and I did power off the hub and switch it back on. That made no difference so I also used a pin to press the factory reset button on the back but again, no difference.

Thw Win11 PC is connected directly to a port on the hub and the Win 10 PC is via a switch that is connected to another port on the hub.

[naylor2006]

Is this replicated in a different browser also, such as Chrome or Firefox?

Also as an addition test can you try pinging the router?

In windows open command prompt, you can find this in windows search or just typing in CMD

Then type:

ping 192.168.1.254

You should get responses....

Also can you paste the returned output you get from the following (remove MAC addresses)

ipconfig /all

Do these tests with WIFI off and ethernet in but I assume you gathered that already.

[Phil_H]

Hi naylor and thanks for your help.

Chrome gives the same behaviour.

Pinging 192.168.1.254 times out.

ipconfig/all output ->

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19045.4651]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Philip>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Philip-FusionPC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : *****************
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2a02:c7c:415c:8200:da5c:2a02:95b7:8407(Preferred)
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : fd2b:fc1a:e0b:0:5664:6c5e:e238:81ae(Preferred)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2a02:c7c:415c:8200:a513:d3bc:edfe:fa99(Preferred)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : fd2b:fc1a:e0b:0:a513:d3bc:edfe:fa99(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2eb6:ccf1:626a:2418%4(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.237(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 09 August 2024 11:54:41
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 10 August 2024 11:54:42
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : fe80::26a7:dcff:fe71:6d49%4
192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 336642939
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1B-87-4B-CD-10-C3-7B-91-B4-6A
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fd2b:fc1a:e0b:0:26a7:dcff:fe71:6d48
192.168.0.1
fd2b:fc1a:e0b:0:26a7:dcff:fe71:6d48
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
Connection-specific DNS Suffix Search List :
home

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : ******************
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Users\Philip>

[naylor2006]

The issue is quite clear....

Look at your IP address and note that it is on a different subnet pointing to a different default gateway, I assume you havent altered the BT Hub to give out IP's from 192.168.0.0/24?

Assuming you havent, then for some reason your IPV4 settings on your PC there are wrong, I note that it says they are automatically assigned and DHCP is enabled so your PC should be getting an IP from the 192.168.1.0/24 subnet and your default gateway should say 192.168.1.254, and yet it says 192.168.0.1.....

I cant understand why this would have happened, especially after factory resetting the BT hub.....you havent got two DHCP servers running have you like another router on the network somewhere or AP that hasnt been setup right?

Anyway if you just have the BT Hub, from command prompt again with WIFI disabled and just ethernet in issue this:

ipconfig /release

and then

ipconfig /renew

This should then hopefully pick up the correct information from the BT Hub, you can check by

ipconfig /all

Now you should see default gateway as 192.168.1.254 along with your own IP address reflecting the 192.168.1.0/24 subnet too.

[Phil_H]

Ah, I was beginning to suspect something like this! I have a Sky Q box which may be acting as a router and DHCP server. It's connected to the network via a pair of Ethernet-over-mains adaptors. It also has WiFi.

[naylor2006]

The Sky Q box itself shouldnt be acting as a router, the powerlines could be however, you'll need to switch off any DHCP servers on those powerlines if it is there.

Also are you saying the powerlines give out WIFI too?

In which case you need to have a look at the config there ensuring you have 1 DHCP server enabled, the internet still works I guess because your powerlines are taking the internet traffic and probably passing it to its next hop, the BT Router, however because your PC there is on a different subnet it wont be able to access an IP on another subnet without proper routing.

[Phil_H]

Sorry for confusion. The power lines don't have WiFi, just Ethernet, but the Sky Q box itself does have WiFi. However, when I connect my iPad/Android phone to WiFi I'm definitely connecting to the BT Hub, so the Sky Q WiFi is probably irrelevant.

Should I disconnect the power line adaptors and try your ipconfig/release and renew suggestion from the previous email?

[naylor2006]

The Sky Q box has WIFI but its not relevant as you say.

Yeah you can do that......hopefully you get your correct IP info then.

Once you plug the powerlines back in however problems may then occur again, if they are indeed the issue.

Maybe factory reset the power lines and ensure you set them up to use DHCP themselves so they will just auto get their junk from the Hub and everything will be in harmony.