topic Re: Problems with Hub 2 in My Router

Problems with Hub 2

tudorradulescu — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 00:20:12 GMT

Hi all,

I have upgraded to the hub 2 recently and now it's not working anymore. I noticed the wi-fi stopped working once in a while everyday and then today it literally became unusable as it's working for a minute and then it's down for 10.

The lights are blue and all devices remain connected to the wifi but there is no internet and nothing loads. I have now plugged back the Hub 1 I still have and it is working good with no interruptions. Diagnostics Bot also did not find any faults on my line.

Have tried changing to different channels to see if that made a difference but sadly not. Turned on/off a few times and factory reset the router too and not fixed. Any thoughts on what might cause this? Is it a faulty router although it's only 1 week old?

Re: Problems with Hub 2

outcast — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 01:32:50 GMT

What does your broadband UPLOAD speed normally achieve in a speedtest ?

Does anyone on your WiFi use Apple iPhones, iPad, etc ? -

- if so power them ALL off (when using the Hub-2) and see whether your problem disappears.

Is there any specific reason you'd want to use a Hub-2 in preference to the Hub-1 ?

- if I had the choice I'd use the Hub-1 in most circumstances.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

jab1 — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 08:58:41 GMT

@tudorradulescu Has the Hub2 ever worked properly since you installed it, or has it always had this issue?

Re: Problems with Hub 2

Baldrick1 — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 09:08:30 GMT

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Broadband to My Router

Re: Problems with Hub 2

tudorradulescu — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 09:56:20 GMT

It has worked well in the first few days after I got it

Re: Problems with Hub 2

tudorradulescu — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 10:07:24 GMT

Hi outcast thanks for your reply.

I am on a phone line so normally I get a steady 16 down and 1 upload. I live on my own so there is usually only one device used at a time or my phone and tv with youtube.

I have two apple devices (phone and work laptop), a windows laptop and samsung TV. The issue persists across all of them, but I will try turning off the apple ones and see what happens.

I have no real preference in using the Hub 2,
but thought it would be better in some way than the previous one.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

jab1 — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 10:11:02 GMT

@tudorradulescu wrote:
It has worked well in the first few days after I got it

How recent is recent?

From your above reply, you have nothing there which would cause issues.

Which Hub is connected currently?

Re: Problems with Hub 2

Anonymous — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 11:28:57 GMT

@tudorradulescu wrote:

"It has worked well in the first few days after I got it"

I'm wondering if this problem starting coincided with the Hub2 updating its firmware and that update going wrong in some way?

Re: Problems with Hub 2

outcast — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 11:47:19 GMT

@tudorradulescu wrote:

I am on a phone line so normally I get a steady 16 down and 1 upload.

If I were you, I'd definitely stick with the Hub-1, as the Hub-2 has always had a problem dealing with an upload speed that low, especially when combined with iPhones doing backups uploading to iCloud or otherwise 'phoning home' to Apple servers.

However, you might have a bigger problem than the poorly performing Hub-2.

A few questions -

Do you know whether your broadband is ADSL or FTTC ?
Do you still use a landline phone ?
Do you use Plusnet email ?
Are you aware of any options to be able to upgrade your broadband to a faster service ?
Do you own any other routers - and if so what make and model are they ?

Re: Problems with Hub 2

outcast — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 12:07:44 GMT

@tudorradulescu

Can you post here a screen capture of what broadband services are available to you from Openreach ?

Follow this link - https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Either enter your Telephone Number and SUBMIT, or click on the Address Checker tab, enter postcode, SUBMIT, etc

On the resulting page, capture a screenshot from BELOW your phone number or address, down to the bottom.

Then post that screenshot here using the [Insert Photos] icon above the forum edit window.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

jab1 — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 12:12:08 GMT

@outcast TBH, it would be much more helpful if we had seen the error log from the Hub2 before the OP had reverted to the Hub1. I don't think, personally, looking at available products is that helpful.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

outcast — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 12:25:08 GMT

@jab1

That is a waste of time, a Hub-2 log won't prove anything, the line is "steady 16 down and 1 up", and the Hub-1 works.

The known issue is that specifically Hub-2's don't work well with 1Mb upload bandwidth - especially combined with iPhones.

The bigger problem is that 16/1Mbps broadband suggests ADSL which Plusnet are about to abandon ! so need to explore an escape plan if SOGEA isn't available.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

jab1 — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 12:28:39 GMT

But we need to know why it worked (for an unspecified period) and then developed 'a problem' - which sight of the log may give us a clue to.

I work on the principle of sorting a problem, rather than introducing complications - can save a lot of unnecessary grief.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

outcast — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 12:48:41 GMT

Would the Hub-2 log show that an iPhone remained idle for hours, and then starts bulk uploading to it's backup server, overwhelming the Hub-2 upload bandwidth, and completely knocking out all other internet traffic ?.

It likely 'developed a problem' because networked devices don't spend all their time uploading, but the issue is noticed when the rogue device hogs all the bandwidth - which when the upload is only 1Mbps is very easy to overload.

iPhones are notorious for using all the available bandwidth, because that's what makes then appear to operate so quickly.

The status quo position of continuing the Hub-1 is perfectly fine, there's no need to move to the Hub-2 just because it's there.

However getting off ADSL should be a priority, especially if @tudorradulescu is unaware it's about to be withdrawn !

Re: Problems with Hub 2

jab1 — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 12:53:12 GMT

Possibly not, but until we saw said log, we wouldn't know what errors/issues it was reporting, which may be totally unconnected with the hypothetical iPhones activity.

However, unless/until the OP returns with more information/detail, all this is supposition, and that is something I avoid when trying to help people - you obviously have a different approach.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

tudorradulescu — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:56:28 GMT

Hi all really appreciate the replies.

I am having some problems with hub 1 as well now with wifi ocassionally dropping briefly. Have attached event log below (I've censored my IP address, not sure if it's needed?). At 9:11 is when I turned on my laptop to join a work meeting but the internet was not working so I switched to a hotspot from my phone instead.

To answer a previous questions: I am on ADSL, looks like fibre is not available in my flat.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

jab1 — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 11:03:41 GMT

@tudorradulescu Looking at that BTw report, you appear to be restricted to ADSL only, which is a little strange, as I know a couple of people on that exchange who can get FTTC, although I do understand that they too are currently unable to get FTTP from OpenReach.

Unfortunately, the snippet of the error log you have provided does not give any useful information.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

tudorradulescu — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 11:46:29 GMT

Hi, going to answer your questions below.

Do you know whether your broadband is ADSL or FTTC ?
I have ADSL, have attached BT report in a reply earlier. Looks like there is no other option available.
Do you still use a landline phone ?
I do not
Do you use Plusnet email ?
No
Are you aware of any options to be able to upgrade your broadband to a faster service ?
I think my only other option would be getting one of those routers where you plug a sim card in and get wifi that way?
Do you own any other routers - and if so what make and model are they ?
I have the Hub 1 and Hub 2 only

Re: Problems with Hub 2

outcast — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 11:56:45 GMT

@tudorradulescu -

I'll let @jab1 walk you through providing more detailed router logs and provide his analysis of your connectivity problems.

However, I'll have a parallel discussion about your service going forwards.

@tudorradulescu are you aware that Plusnet will withdraw provision of ADSL, probably around autumn 2025 ?

You need to be planning for this eventuality NOW, so you don't suddenly have to migrate broadband at short notice.

As Openreach don't serve you with anything better than SOADSL, here is a map of where AltNets serve the Redhill area -

If you are located in the areas covered by coloured dots, then you might be able to get full fibre broadband from -

Check all the above links to see what alternatives to ADSL are available to you,

otherwise you'll be stuck being forced into moving to an ISP that supports SOADSL, some of which I've listed here,

or investigate whether you can replace your landline broadband with a mobile 4G/5G router on a data plan.

Re: Problems with Hub 2

jab1 — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 12:00:39 GMT

Because the Hub2 gives us more information on the error log, would it be possible to switch that with the Hub1 while we try and investigate your problem? I appreciate you will still get the issues until we get to the bottom of this, but as those who mainly answer on the forums are not Plusnet staff, we have to work on what information we can get from you.

If you went for a mobile router, you wold find there would be even less support, should you need it - Plusnet would not offer it, and not everyone on here has experience of them.

From your posts, I suspect, with respect, that you are not an 'expert', rather more like the majority of users who just plugs in and (reasonably) expect things to work. Unfortunately, electronics do have a habit of going wrong.

There is a great deal of expertise among many users on here, but we do need concrete data/information to do any meaningful diagnosis, so we ask as clearly as possible for what we need.

If there is something we say/ask for and you don't understand, say so, and we will try and explain.