BT Whole Home (Premium) Mesh with Hub 1?

[#1]

Having trouble with my Hub 1 wifi signal strength in a (larger) house with brick internal walls. TV streaming has started buffering and we have iPhone dropouts.  My wifi download speeds are 17-20 over wifi and about 35 ethernet.  Have changed Hub 1 set up to specific channel numbers as advised by Customer Support - no noticeable difference on speed or dropout.

So I need to 'relay' stronger wifi to my TVs in particular and concluded BT Whole Home (maybe Premium version?) is my best bet, but I assume I have to 'ethernet connect' the first disc to the Hub 1 (and switch off Hub 1 wifi). 

Does anyone have experience of BT Whole Home mesh network (Premium or ordinary) piggy backing off the Plusnet Hub1?  

Should I ditch the Hub1 which I understand to be identical to BT Hub 4 or 5 and also invest in a better third party hub to start with?

Thanks 711paul

(power line wifi extenders don't work well as we have multiple ring mains). 

[#2]

@paul711 

The HubOne is a re-badged BT HH5 - you can get the  HH6 or even the newer SmartHub2 quite cheaply off eBay. I believe both have better WiFi than the HH5. There are instructions elsewhere on the Forum on how to set them up with PlusNet.

This might solve your WiFi problem without resorting to a Mesh layout - or it might not!!!

If you go down this route make sure you get the FTTC version and not a FTTP one.

Brian

[#3]

@paul711 

See here for a useful post relating to using a BT Mesh system  https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/BT-Whole-Home-Wifi-with-PN/m-p/1652505...

@bmc 

Getting the FTTP version of a Smarthub 6 is not the end of the world, you just lose the use of one of the Ethernet LAN ports. See https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Using-a-FTTP-Smarthub-6-on-a-Plusnet-FTTC-Service/m-p/165176...

[#4]

Thanks Baldrick1,  I had seen this but it means a big spend if I have to buy another hub as well the mesh kit (although eBay might not be so bad.)

I wonder if anyone out there has anyone successfully connected BT Whole Home mesh to the Hub1 (by ethernet) - this might be a first step? If it can be done with HH5 then there maybe a chance?

paul711

[#5]

you absolutely can plug the WholeHome into the hub 1 and it will work.

the question might be is that could the superior wifi on the smarthub 6 for a £30 spend do the job?

I had specific reasons such as I had to get through external walls and was fed up of having a split 2.4 / 5ghz network bands due to macs not playing nicely with the hub line of routers.

[#6]

@dvorak  - OK, thanks that's a helpful baseline position.  So, before I go for a cheapish smart hub 6 I am trying to clarify following:

1. BT Whole Home Premium is a more expensive trib-band rather than dual band (2.4 / 5.0) system that may help with my coverage (brick internal walls and 50ft distance).   Does Hub 6 or HH2 support tri-band?  - I don't think so, and I can't see any BT Hub that does.  If so, I guess there is no point in planning for 'Premium' discs as a second step?  I called BT today to clarify - useless - didn't even know about Premium discs . . . .!

2. Once I am clear about tri-band versus dual band advantage of a new hub,  I will invest in the 'best' hub first, and add on the mesh as a possible and 'if necessary' second step.

paul 7111

[#7]

@paul711 

Unless I'm missing something there is no "tri" band WiFi - it's all dual band, either 2.4 or 5.0. Could it be the mesh system has 3 antenna's?

Brian

[#8]

@bmc  You may want to have a look on the BT Whole Home site !

[#9]

@Mustrum 

Thanks for the link. Couldn't find anything on the BT site itself but managed to find a BT Community forum.

community.bt.com/t5/BT-Devices/BT-Premium-AX3700/td-p/1962719

It appears the "tri-band" bit refers to WiFi 6 (or "ax") and is used for inter disc communication. Further info on WiFi 6 at

www.tp-link.com/uk/wifi6/?utm_medium=select-local

Brian

[#10]

---

@paul711 wrote:

I wonder if anyone out there has anyone successfully connected BT Whole Home mesh to the Hub1 (by ethernet) - this might be a first step? If it can be done with HH5 then there maybe a chance?

---

Yes, I have and it works well.

[#11]

@paul711 

The mesh system works as an Access Point, getting its input from the Hub via an Ethernet cable connection. As such it sets up a totally separate WiFi network to the Hub One, whick can be switched off. 

Consequently the tri band version will work fine.

[#12]

Can anyone tell me if I can use BT Whole Home WiFi with Plusnet TV?

I'm thinking I can keep the Hub 1 running with the YouView box attached by ethernet, and then attach a BT point with another ethernet cable and use that for WiFi? I can't see there being a problem but I know there have been issues with other non-Plusnet routers so I just wanted to double check.

[#13]

Yup, that works fine. I have a set up like that see https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/BT-Whole-Home-Wifi-with-PN/td-p/165250...

[#14]

That was quick! Thanks dvorak, I'll get it ordered.