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Message 1 of 5

Smart Hub 2, Digital Voice and "atypical" home network (inc. Bitdefender Box 2) - tech help please!

Hi all, any help much appreciated.

Renewed Fibre 2 and all deals available to me included Digital Voice (DV).  I discussed concerns re: my atypical network with the sales rep - inc. explaining my set up - was assured BT'd had made sure everything "would work" and I could contact Tech Support if any issues were encountered.

My original setup was a Draytek modem, a Bitdefender Box 2 for enhanced network security and Linksys Mesh Wifi group made up of 4 "nodes". The "Box 2" acted as the router, assigning IPs, but with WIFI disabled and was in bridge mode linked to the master Linksys node which had WIFI enabled (obvs).

I raised with BT that if I had to have a Smart Hub 2 (SH2) for DV to work there could be issues with double NATing with the existing equipment. "It should be fine, as long as the SH2 is the first device connected to the phone line" was the response.

I still was uncertain so did some research on this forum and in another post someone pointed out that the residential version of Smart Hub 2 can't be put into bridge mode but the Business version of SH 2 can. As such, this could exist on the network but operate purely as a modem. A solution, I thought! I could keep all my existing equipment 😄 So I bought a new Business SH2 (BSH2) off eBay and waited for the big day (today!).

After a bit of fiddling, I tested the BSH2, put it into bridge mode and it happily works will all my existing equipment BUT it all went wrong when I tried to set up DV. Apparently, this requires the SH2 to show a solid blue light and connect via WPS, which means the SH2 must have both WIFI and IP allocation enabled. 

I can't do this as it would i) cause double NATing and ii) create a duplicated WIFI network. Bottom line, I have to get rid of my existing equipment to use BT only (which is patently why they have designed it this way) 😡

Spoke to BT Tech Support - they said there's no workaround for this and they "are often left to clear up the sales teams messes". Was also advised there was now no way I could revert to having a normal voice line and so, in effect, I would lose my landline number despite raising concerns about this when I made the order. 

Was passed backed to Sales and was asked to call back in 2 days when the order is formally completed to see if my line could be re-instated and discuss what I'd be charged moving forward.

Does anyone have any crazy ideas how / if I can re-configure the BSH2 to coexist with my other equipment AND get DV to work?

Thanks for reading this far (!) and for any help you can offer!

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Message 2 of 5

Re: Smart Hub 2, Digital Voice and "atypical" home network (inc. Bitdefender Box 2) - tech

As has been posted on the forum countless times, the only way for DV to work is to have the SH2 as the first device. There is NO OTHER SOLUTION.

A device in bridge mode would be of no use as by definition it wouldn't have access to the IP layer in any case.

Double natting isn't such a big deal and you can always put your router in the DMZ of the SH2

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Message 3 of 5

Re: Smart Hub 2, Digital Voice and "atypical" home network (inc. Bitdefender Box 2) - tech

Thanks, but the SH2 IS the first device 🙂

If double natting isn't a big deal, would it be possible to turn IP allocation back on and take the BSH2 out of bridge mode - would that solve this do you think?

I assume WIFI would also have to be enabled to allow the DECT adaptor to connect?

Thanks!
Thanks again 🙂
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Message 4 of 5

Re: Smart Hub 2, Digital Voice and "atypical" home network (inc. Bitdefender Box 2) - tech

The business hub does not have DV capability, it has to be the residential SH2

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Message 5 of 5

Re: Smart Hub 2, Digital Voice and "atypical" home network (inc. Bitdefender Box 2) - tech

@Mu2 

I assume WIFI would also have to be enabled to allow the DECT adaptor to connect?

No, you don't have to enable WiFi on the residential SH2 for the DV DECT phone to work.

The WPS button has a dual function for DECT phone registration or for WiFi device initialising & it automatically knows which one it's doing.

I have 5 tri-band mesh nodes & the only change I made to the SH2 was disabling the WiFi so that there is only the mesh WiFi active.

I did change the mesh settings from DHCP to bridge mode but it messed up the app on my phone which is the only way of accessing the mesh system so I reverted to DHCP & I've had no issues with it. 

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