Hub Two crashes daily

[#1]

@Dan_the_Van I'm on a modest Full Fibre 300 delivered over an Openreach ONT. I could use a different router but PN supply one that has behaved impeccably for 18 months including the ability to port forward so my first attempt is to try to get the fault/change reversed back to where it was a week ago. Being not aware of any configuration changes, I'm looking for some change I should have made or limitation in firmware or maybe even a hardware fault. If those are ruled out, then I can try:

(a) Deleting forwarding rules as a diagnostic aid because I need port forwarding so will have to be restored

(b) Try factory reset and see if I can get another 18 months use

(c) Try bridging mode and rely on my downstream firewall for routing and protection

(d) Remove the Hub Two completely and plug my firewall directly into the ONT (It supports PPoE)

But the last two of these are bodges because it should work and has worked for so long.

In your opinion, is it unlikely to be a hardware fault in the router or its power supply?  Would PN be prepared to send out a replacement?

[#2]

(c) Try bridging mode and rely on my downstream firewall for routing and protection#

Bridge mode doesnt work for Full fibre. Bridge mode bridges the DSL port to a LAN port and converts from VDSL PTM to Ethernet. For FTTP it doesnt make any sense , you would just be bridging the WAN ethernet port to a LAN ethernet port and would be pointless.

(d) Remove the Hub Two completely and plug my firewall directly into the ONT (It supports PPoE)

TBH if you've got a decent firewall then that makes sense anyway. The only reason for keeping the Hub 2 would be if you need to use its wireless. If your firewall does NAT then you've currently got a double-nat situation and complicated port forwarding (needed on both the Hub 2 and firewall I assume?)

[#3]

Personally I would get rid of the Plusnet Hub if the firewall can do the PPPoE connection (thiat would probably simplify the port forwarding without any obvious greater security risks).

If it's hardware, my first thing to try would be a different power supply on the Plusnet Hub.

It sounds like you had a setup before full fibre came along and it has stayed "as is" but just plugged into the Openreach ONT.

[#4]

@markhawkin No, this is a new build house fitted with FTTP and Openreach ONT during the construction.  We moved in 18 months ago and PN was live from the first day and worked without a hitch until 28 March.

Yes, I could get rid of the Hub Two but I don't see why I should.  Having come from Enterprise financial institutions, I have always made a point of having TWO firewalls running two different OSs between the big, bad internet and the secure internal network - at work we use Juniper and Cisco. While my home network is not as sensitive, old habits di- hard.

Your suggestion of changing the PSU is a good one. The current plan of action will be to:

1) Run for a day with port 80 forwarding disabled

2) Revert fo factory settings - that will be a pain

3) Try to find a spare power supply

4) Bypass the Hub Two - this uses downstream firewall to connect to Deco mesh wifi

5) At my age and state of health, I have to think about supportability if I'm not around. The family needs to be able to get support from PN. I'd much prefer a working Hub Two like it has been since September 2024