topic Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6? in My Router

Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 20:27:49 GMT

Hi are there any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6 out?

i live in a small private road, my router page shows 80.00 Mbps on my BT Bussiness Hub 6.

No FTTP yet end 2026 so they say.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Baldrick1 — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 21:36:42 GMT

@Empire

Why do you want one? The Plusnet Hub 2 WiFi is just as good except that you cannot separate the 2.4 and 5GHz bands.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:22:13 GMT

@Empire

"my router page shows 80.00 Mbps"

"No FTTP yet"

So the implication is that you are on FTTC?

Regardless of what speeds your line might be able to support, Plusnet, (and other ISPs), contractually restrict this to 80Mbps. A different router will not increase this.

For reference, my PN Hub2 currently says that the "Maximum Data Rate", (what the line could support if unrestricted), is 106.476 Mbps. However, the "Data Rate", (what it has synced with the cabinet at), is 79.999 Mbps.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:38:50 GMT

Baldrick i dont i was just thinking that if there was new stuff since i have been out the loop. I must have sparate 2.4 and 5GHz bands. I like the Hub 6 Bussiness just feels and acts robust, #

Well thats that i dont have to look or wonder anymore thanks.B

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:03:50 GMT

Mr-Paul i was on unlimitred Fibre plus ( i think) at present it shows just Fibre. i did renew for 24months when i moved a few months ago.

I looked at an old email it said

Your broadband speed

Here's what you need to know about your new speeds:

Fibre has an average speed of 50Mb download and 9Mb upload.

At peak times, we estimate that you'll get the following speeds on your line:

Download: 72Mb
Upload: 17 - 18Mb
Minimum Guaranteed Speed: 61Mb

Your Minimum Guaranteed Speed is an important number, find out more about what it means in our guide.

Here are some additional off-peak speed estimates for your line:
Maximum download speed: 75Mb, Minimum upload speed: 17Mb, Maximum upload speed: 18Mb

These figures are based on data provided by our supplier. Your actual speed may vary and there are a number of things that may affect your broadband speed such as the distance you are from the exchange, phone wiring to and in your home, how busy the Internet and our network are and if you're using multiple devices at the same time

anyway as i said on my router page it displays 80Mb down and 20 Up

it is pretty fast for my needs, i know the full whatever that is of 800-1000 etc is not here as we are in a small private road approx 70-80meters from the road/pavement where the Virgin & BT cabling is. Apparantly i am about 100 yards or so to thwe cabinet, across the road and a few feet down, two different OR engineers who were busy in one of the holes/cabinets in little road. I think im on FTTC, will ask/find out next time a engineer is around. .

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:08:49 GMT

@Empire

"I think im on FTTC"

You will be:

The only other two options are FTTP, (which you have already discounted), and ADSL2+, which has an absolute maximum download speed of 24Mbps.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

jab1 — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:09:43 GMT

@Empire From what you have said above, you should be getting fairly close to the maximum. What does https://www.speedtest.net/ report?

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:20:21 GMT

FWIW

just seen this Fibre Broadband (VDSL) on my Router page,

im a bit dozy only got up at 9.20 ish I and my Mum 89 & Dad 94 had Covid they live (2 doors away ) for the first time, since week, so been tired, we were lucky fluey but not too bad, but worrying at our ages.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:36:00 GMT

Hi jab1, yeah i think i get pretty darn close to max, speedtest wise is hopeless its up and down like a yoyo, at different times of the day, whether you use the BT test or speedtest varies. also i use a VPN because i do or did all my parents shopping and purchases just for added ( obscurity) i guess the VPN does impact i guessing 10-14% it varies with 128 or 256, or the VPN DNS or 1.1.1.2 / 1.0.0.2 then using OpenVPN or WireGuard, i am always fiddling adjusting so but for last 3 months have settled. on OpenVPN 1.1.1.2 and 128. but speed fluctuates during the day.

One thing i cant help wondering about is how fast the speed is at around 6pm ish which i thought would be peak usuage time ie less speed. Im not worried about any of this. But am very interested in networking routers internet in general. always have been since Winows 98 ist vers (no usb) and dial up modem etc. I have forgoten more, than i know. over the years. Yeah replacing

motherboards when lightning struck nearby. The farmhouse corugated iron roof, somehow fried my motherboard, Outskirts of Johannesburg. I took it to a computer shop, before i became more clued up building PC's for Recording Studios later on.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:39:52 GMT

FWIW just done a speedtest.net 70.36 Down 7.67 UP VPN on

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

jab1 — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:44:27 GMT

The D/L sounds about right, the U/L a little low, but that could be the VPN. Why do you have it on, out of interest?

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 13:41:53 GMT

Why do you have it on, out of interest?

Good question, just habit i guess, i dont really notice it being on generally, whilst browsing around or shopping the overhead is pretty light.

. i dont save main passwords into browsers, probably too paranoid, that said most of my elderly neighbours dont do any internet banking, and as i manage my parents and brothers shopping and online purchases using their cards & details i have to make certain, no nasty robbers .So VPN (i think ) helps a little not foolproof. though.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

jab1 — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 13:48:55 GMT

Fair enough @Empire , but to be honest a VPN isn't really a security tool, and if configured/used wrongly could stop you doing shopping/banking. Obviously, as it isn't doing either of those, I suppose it is OK having it on, but it is serving no useful purpose - IMO.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 13:53:47 GMT

another speedtest.net.uk 71.7 Down 18.8 up so yip it varies around

VPN off 79 down 19.7 up

VPN on has effect but masked if visit different sites which all load at different speeds all the time, so in effect no real constant.

Anything, anytime for any reason as the late FZ put it.

Plusnet seem to be pretty solid, although maybe a pound or three more expensive, the fact i can use a BT Smart HUB 6 router is great, those routerrs have a good amount of power and ram considering they are about 8-9 years old now, they perform very reliably, also look ok not as plasticy as TalkTalk which my mum has, Business Hub you can specify your own DNS secure which may help i am not certain of this maybe wishfull thinking.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 14:20:00 GMT

Yes i do realise a VPN isnt really a security tool, (Thanks for pointing that out i do need reminding) i am aware of the banking issues although I use 3 different major banks and all supermarkets are no problem, however my Gas & Elec and Water companies dont let you log on with a VPN.

I just felt at the time it was an extra layer of what? obscurity i guess and that it encryted your traffic, which does not really bother if it didnt, except passwords which banks/supermarkets you used and your cards, Since covid i have had at least 2 deliveries a week, and sometimes changing Tesco/Sainsbury/Asda/Ocado/Morrisons oders online 4-5 times a day, that meant, checking out

and paying again although i cant pay for anything online unless a recieve a text message, i was forever chopping and changing all day and every day. Mum or Dad would want mince pies or Dad Drambuie he is 94, or they had a special on lasagna or whatever. yeah so possibly 10 times the amount of banking/card/details than is normal. sometimes i would have two supermarkets orders running. then see what was best. So all my and parents groceries.

I realise a poorly configured VPN ( or antvirus or Windows built firewall is not good ) i know a little about this over the years,

I dont do ANY Financial stuff on my phone at all, never.not even use email on a phone, apart from the throwaway google account one for the phone to for Google Play etc.

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Champnet — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 14:53:20 GMT

Your data sent through the VPN is going via someone else’s system. Someone unknown had access to your information, that doesn’t sound very safe. Unless you have a VPN link to your place of work or you’ve created a server to server link then you are probably less secure than not using one…..

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Empire — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 15:56:00 GMT

Hi Champnet, Hell i never thought about that,

Re-Your data sent through the VPN is going via someone else’s system. -- Do you mean our data/details are going via the VPN server/system?

what is a server to server link?

I shall have to rethink things, maybe put Antivirus back, but i noticed most. tried to get one to purchase a VPN as well, Avira AVG AVAST Comodo so figured it must be safe if big Antivirus companies provide it (for a fee)

Re: Any new routers instead of BT Business Smart Hub 6?

Champnet — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 17:29:05 GMT

The object of a VPN is to create a private and secure network link between two devices. Originally between two servers that permanently or frequently remotely connect to each other. The servers can appear to be on adjacent private local networks. The data passed between the two is secured, the sending end encrypts, the receiving end decrypts. This setup can also be used to securely connect a remote PC, or similar, to a works system. Both setups are end to end connections.

Using a public VPN works slightly differently. Using the VPN client your device connects to a third party server which then sends the information on. The benefit is that the end system, I.E your Bank, sees the VPN server as the originator not the sending device or it's location.The downside is that the VPN server and it's owners can examine and could store your information and transaction details.