Using A BT Smarthub, An Update

[#1]

@Emmalee77 

Have you noted that Smart Setup has moved from the home to the Status page?

After you have added your Plusnet credentials (don’t forget to add @plusdsl.net to your username) try navigating off that page then back to see if it’s still there before plugging in the DSL lead. 

[#2]

I’ve looked in every option (including status screen) and can’t find anywhere that mentions smart setup.

I’ve also tried your suggestion of putting in my details and changed page but it still resorts to the bt address

[#3]

@Baldrick1 I’ve managed to sort it out. Issue was because I was using my iPhone and the smart setup option wasn’t available. I’ve connected my laptop to the router and the smart setup option was available so I turned it off and then followed the rest of the steps and it is now working as it should.

Thanks again for the excellent instructions.

[#4]

Kudos to @Baldrick1 for all the invaluable advice in this and related threads. 👋

I thought I would give some feedback with my recently acquired, brand new BT Business SH2 (fw v0.13.06.07281-BT) regarding the commonly encountered problem of being unable to set @plusdsl.net username and password.

I'm still waiting for my switch to PN so I'm not in the position yet to follow the advice of entering the credentials before plugging in the DSL cable. Anyhow, I thought I'd have a play around to see if I could get the hub to save my PN broadband login details. I found a way to do this that is straightforward and repeatable.

1. Factory reset

2. Turn Smart Set Up off

3. Under Broadband, enter username@plusdsl.net and alphanumeric password (PN account one). There is no SAVE button.

4. Click 'Connect' and wait for pink spin to end (even though there is no DSL cable to connect with). New username and pw will be saved and will now appear on the top right of the Home page.

I was able to reproduce this easily by doing another hard factory reset and repeating. I also backed up the config with my new details, did another factory reset and then restored the config. My newly saved PN credentials were restored.

Nine days to wait for my switch to PN to see if there's any connection issues. I'll only look out of curiosity for problems with the PN username/pw because I'm intending to use the SH2 in bridge mode with my existing mesh router.

HTH  😎

[#5]

Hi,

I intalled a new/old bt homehub 6 earlier this week following baldrick instructions.

All is working well but...

the firmware is

SG4B1000B540 which seems to be from 2018 and I guess may be the pre-installed firmware.

Technical log is showing

ppp1:TR69 connectivity to (pbthdmw.bt.m) has failed

approximately once an hour. I think this is related to attempted firmware update process.

any suggestions?

Regards

Pete

[#6]

That URL is the activation server. The fact the logs suggest the hub can't communicate with it means the device hasn't correctly activated on BT's management platform.

Until that's done, you've no chance of a firmware update.

If you haven't already, I'd suggest a factory reset. If that's already been tried then I reckon you're out of luck. Could be that your hub is using an old certificate which is causing negotiation failures when attempting contact with the mangement platform. No way around that if so.

[#7]

Thanks for the quick response.

I did a factory reset before I installed it.Maybe something went wrong.

I'll run though the process again when I have a couple of spare hours and respond if there is any difference.

The version that is currently installed seems perfectly stable and is an improvement over my (very) old technicolour router so if I have to live with it it's not a great inconvenience.

Regards

Pete

[#8]

Thanks for all the setup info.

Today I changed my connection to go out via a bt business hub 6. WiFi is all up and working fine but l have 2 wired ethernet cables that just don't work no matter what I try. If l revert back to the Plusnet router they work ok but not with the hub 6. If l use a short patch lead then l can connect the same equipment that fails on the end of a 10 meter cat5 cable. Its as though the bt router has a weak signal and 10 meters is too far which is ridiculous!

Any suggestions grateful received.

[#9]

@Martin236  Ethernet works over much greater distances than 10 metres,  a cat5 cable  should go up to 100 metres. If the cable works with the Hub 1 then it would suggest that the HH6 is faulty.

[#10]

@Martin236 

My first suspicion is that either the hub or the long cable has a dodgy connector. Have you tried using a different Ethernet port? If it’s the same then try reversing the cable. It could be just a tolerance problem that’s stopping the connector mating properly.

If you have an Ethernet cable joiner ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ethernet-Network-Coupler-Connector-Extender-Black/dp/B095PSXD8L/ref=sr_1_3?... ) kicking about try joining the patch cable on the end of the long one.

[#11]

I have tried again this morning. Old Plusnet router works fine on the ethernet cables.
HH6 no joy even after doing a factory reset and setting up again.
Unfortunately the ethernet cables run under the floor so difficult to fiddle with. I have ordered a 10m ethernet cable so will try that when it comes but the hh6 is an ebay sale so it may have a dodgy history so l have contacted the seller to see what he says.
Looking at my equipment as l power it up l get a couple of flashes on the orange light on the ethernet port as it trys to handshake but nothing more. No sign of the relevant mac address in the router connection log.

[#12]

Forget to say l have tried all the ports and a short patch cable works on all 4 but not the longer one which works with the Plusnet hub

[#13]

Ok more testing and l think l have found the problem.
Following the advice above l swapped my hh6 to the end of the cable my music streamer normally is and connected my test to the router end and l get a connection??.
Same ports swapping back no connection so l think there is a cable problem.
I also now have my smart tv wired into the hh6 in another room ok.
God only knows why one router works with that cable and another doesn't but l will replace the cable and hopefully its sorted.
Thanks for the help guys😀

[#14]

@Martin236 

Glad that's sorted.

My assumption is that one or more of the connection tabs on the cable plug have been pressed well in when the cable was terminated and the equivalent leaf on the hub has failed to stick out far enough to touch it. If the connection spring leaves protrude more on your Plusnet Hub then they would make the connection.

[#15]

Cheers, you are right about the plug. A bit of brute force wiggling a screwdriver up inside the rj45 at the opposite end to the router and suddenly it connects.
Deffo cable change coming😀