Mesh/DV/Smart Hub 2

[gspearson]

BT gave me a Smart Hub 2 which I have never used.  I connect using an ECI modem then direct to a Deco M5 mesh covering the whole house.  I have an ordinary telephone on the  line.

When DV comes I guess I will have to use the Smart Hub.  I'm wondering whether I could connect it to my mesh, just for the phone?

Or has the time come to move to a provider that uses fibre (we don't have any sign of OpenReach coming but Virgin and CityFibre are at the door)?

[Keith_Beddoe · Accepted solution]

@gspearson 

The Smart Hub 2 has to be the first device, as it needs a direct connection to backhaul network, for Digital Voice to work.

Just change the Deco M5 to access point mode, and connect it to an Ethernet port on the Smart Hub 2.

[caravanj]

@gspearson 

We've got a 6 node mesh system & as @Keith_Beddoe has said it's connected to one of our Plusnet Hub 2 LAN ports.

When we change to BT 900 Mbps FTTP next week it will just be connected into a BT Hub 2 LAN port.

In fact I'll change the BT Hub 2 SSID & password to those of the existing Plusnet Hub 2 & everything will work as it did before the change, but 20 times faster. 😁

[gspearson]

Thanks, Despite being within walking distance of Edinburgh city centre, OpenReach has no plans for fibre here. The next street has the system on new boxes on telegraph poles and they started on ours but never completed.  As our copper lines are actually aluminium we might as well move to a CityFibre provider - we have 7 of those.

[caravanj]

@gspearson 

Openreach are just cabling our small rural town of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, which was part done by Virgin but only the town centre, & our development has been finished so we'll be one one of the first to change.

We went with BT as Plusnet can't offer the Digital Voice facility which we want.

Had Virgin cabled our development we'd have moved to them a few years ago so I reckon City Fibre will be worth look at  for you.