Smart hub 2 not allowing local traffic

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So, because I have a BT "land line" I get forced on to "digital voice" for which I am sent and have to install BT Smart Hub 2 to replace the existing Smart Hub. Last time I was sent a Smart Hub upgrade, after reading the provided instructions, it was a straight swap. I got 4 Ethernet ports and any of the multiple devices I plugged in from time to time worked as they always did and everything across the local network was recognised (including any temporary wireless device).

The Smart Hub 2 arrives without any instructions (barring some simple printing on the carton) but it looks very similar except now only 3 Ethernet ports, one marked WAN and a phone port. I connect it up as BT asked. I plug in the power supply, broadband plug and Ethernet cables (sticking the 4th in the WAN port for now) and a simple corded phone and power up. I check one PC and find the internet is connected, then check the phone which takes a little while to come to life. I dial out to another line and it rings. I then dial in from the other line and it rings just 4 times and cuts. I repeat a few times and the same thing happens. Later note the 'digital voice' dial tone is now 'beeping', which is strange as I'm sure it was originally continuous. By research I discover this means a message is waiting. Odd as there should not be any messages. (Of course, there weren't any - only BT telling me that there had been a call at such and such time and date.) Then I find that 'messaging' is automatically turned on, but not at my behest. I also find that it is set to automatically cuts in after 4 rings. So now BT have racked up several chargeable landline calls whilst I needed to test their system because they have set their systems to automatically answer calls, and relatively quickly, neither of which I required or they bother to advise users would happen. Great, thanks BT. (I'll add that to my complaint, you know the one where I had no landline connection for a couple of months, it took you ages to fix and you never provided the bill credit you promised was due!)

Now to the local area network. Well, what do I find - some internet connected and nothing else. All LAN connections trashed. Some equipment switched to "public" networking. One changed back to "work" setting, then internet drops. Another to reset to "work", but can't map the network properly. One terminal can see a server device which itself tells me it isn't on the network (nor connected to the internet, fwiw). A total mess. Power down and re-power a few things - problems prevail. It's the small hours and I decide I can't be bothered to try any more devices whilst this mess exists. I need to get one PC in particular to access the 'server' so I can print something. So I'm forced to swap back to the old Smart Hub. This done and devices re-booted brings everything back to 'as it was', thank heavens.

Well, I say everything... Not quite. I have 'lost' the landline - it's gone digital and I've no connection.

😞

[iniltous]

You been a member of this community for 5 years , you could have at any time between being advised of the switch to DV and connecting the SH2 , asked on here what to be aware of, you would have found out that DV comes with an answer service , so if you call yourself (there is no reason to do this , but if you did, from a mobile or other network would be more informative than calling from your own DV service ) and then don’t answer the call , the DV answer service will , and the indication of an answered call with a  message is the dialtone changes to modulated dialtone , you didn’t hang  up during the answer service ‘your call cannot be taken ‘ announcement, but didn’t speak either , hence the silent message, but this is still leaving a message, you would have also been told that the SH2 is used for FTTP and those customers do indeed have only 3 LAN sockets the 4th is the WAN for the ONT , you on the other hand are not FTTP so the 4th socket is LAN , if you had asked you would have been advised that its a switchable socket LAN/WAN , it’s coloured red on the SH2 to simplify connection for FTTP connections who get supplied with an Ethernet cable with a red connector for the ONT .

I’m sure for most the pictures on the box are sufficient, especially those that have registered and used forums such as this one 

[licquorice]

You would also have read that changing the SSID (network name) and WiFi password of the new hub to that of the old hub obviates the need to change the settings of any device and the transition would have been seamless.

[HHGTTG]

Well you can go into MyBt and change the number of rings for your DV service to max (10 I believe) then make any personal answerphone cut in at say, 5 rings.

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@iniltouswrote:

You been a member of this community for 5 years , you could have at any time between being advised of the switch to DV and connecting the SH2 , asked on here what to be aware of, you would have found out that DV comes with an answer service , so if you call yourself (there is no reason to do this , but if you did, from a mobile or other network would be more informative than calling from your own DV service ) and then don’t answer the call , the DV answer service will , and the indication of an answered call with a  message is the dialtone changes to modulated dialtone , you didn’t hang  up during the answer service ‘your call cannot be taken ‘ announcement, but didn’t speak either , hence the silent message, but this is still leaving a message, you would have also been told that the SH2 is used for FTTP and those customers do indeed have only 3 LAN sockets the 4th is the WAN for the ONT , you on the other hand are not FTTP so the 4th socket is LAN , if you had asked you would have been advised that its a switchable socket LAN/WAN , it’s coloured red on the SH2 to simplify connection for FTTP connections who get supplied with an Ethernet cable with a red connector for the ONT .

I’m sure for most the pictures on the box are sufficient, especially those that have registered and used forums such as this one 

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Thank you for your response. I would counter that the supplier of the product, who expects the user to do their own installation and commissioning, has a duty of care and should take the responsibility to provide the information that a user would reasonably need/wish to know. Surely this is common sense. A simple user guide on an A4 sheet could have covered this. (The pictures on the box provide no guidance in respect of the a/m points.)

BTW, I did not call the DV service from a DV service, but from a traditional landline. Without calling the newly installed DV service, with telephone attached, how could one possibly know it was functional? System commissioning demands testing. Sorry, I cannot understand how anyone could reasonably suggest "there is no reason to do this".

AIUI, the hub customisation set-up facility does not explain that the WAN connection can be converted to a LAN, only that the WAN feature can be 'disabled'. Is that so?

Anyway, for now the matter of the 4th port is of less consequence as Hub 2 seems to 'lose' my network.

(For your appreciation, I was on this forum by request to give feedback on Webmail post BTYahoo, nothing to do with DV.)

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@licquoricewrote:

You would also have read that changing the SSID (network name) and WiFi password of the new hub to that of the old hub obviates the need to change the settings of any device and the transition would have been seamless.

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Again, more 'stuff' that's far from obvious, sorry. I have changed the hub before and, to the best of my recollection, it was not needed to change any "network name". As far as I aware the "network name" was set on the devices (e.g. PCs). Is there a different 'network name' relating to the hub? Because I've  never set one and never needed to before.

[imjolly]

the new SH2 like any new router will come with it's own SSID (name) and wifi password.  if you receive a new hub then your wifi devices will not connect if you are still using the SSID and wifi password of previous hub

try going to hub manager then setting and scroll down and make sure the ethernet port 4 is marked as not FTTP as you are on FTTC

these FAQ on the forum will help you

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Digital-Voice-FAQs/td-p/2207485

[iniltous]

If you had simply needed a new router due to a fault , you would have had the same action to take , this forum is littered with complaints, but few are ‘it’s overly complicated to swap out a router on a like for like basis’ , as stated most people manage with the instructions provided

, as far as you ‘testing’ your DV connection, it wasn’t clear to myself at least , that you used an alternative source to make your test calls ….if you did then the DV service did ‘ring’ proving its ‘working’ for that incoming call, you presumably decided to let it ‘ring’ instead if answering, hence the call diverted to the answer service , and as previously stated , the fact DV comes with an answer service is widely known and if not known easily found out, your suggestion was that the call went immediately to voice mail , which suggested you called yourself from the DV ‘line’ as obviously it’s usually the case that calls to a line already on a call , go immediately to voice mail , unless call waiting is set 

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@HHGTTGwrote:
Well you can go into MyBt and change the number of rings for your DV service to max (10 I believe) then make any personal answerphone cut in at say, 5 rings.

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Yes, I understand that the number of auto-answer rings can be changed via the handset but it can't be turned off there.

As for MyBt, it's something I don't tend to use/access due to horrendous problems accessing in the past when everything became messed up which resulted in all email account(s) access being obstructed for around 6 weeks as I recall. Took a long time to get a response from someone who could sort it out.

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@iniltouswrote:
If you had simply needed a new router due to a fault , you would have had the same action to take , this forum is littered with complaints, but few are ‘it’s overly complicated to swap out a router on a like for like basis, as far as you ‘testing’ your DV connection, it wasn’t clear to myself at least that you used an alternative source to make your test calls ….if you did then the DV service did ‘ring’ proving its ‘working’ for incoming calls , you presumably decided to let it ‘ring’ instead if answering, hence the call diverted to the answer service , and as previously stated , the fact DV comes with an answer service is widely known and if not known easily found out

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I had simple assumed that as I was being send a new Hub (router) to swap for the old one because BT wanted to switch to DV, the 'router' part would be a straight swap. That's what the 'instructions of the box' suggest by default. All I was (initially) expecting to do was 'plug and play' with any 'commissioning work' being related to the DV side.

The DV auto-answer is pre-set to 4 rings (only). It cut in whilst I was adjusting the ring volume (having moved the handset), leading to confusion as it just seemed like the call had dropped for some unknown reason. That lead to repeat trials whilst the cause was established. (Otherwise I had no intention to answer the call.)

BT don't say to make sure you 'test-call' from a service with zero call charges, because we are going to answer it for you and run up a bill for you otherwise!