Significant BT Smart Hub 2 Issue

[Jamie]

I have been experiencing a problem with my B2 for the last couple of weeks that has been driving me crazy and has taken me an age to diagnose. However, I have now figured out that the problem is with my BT Smart Hub 2 router and not the B2. I can see other threads on here that might be related so I have started this thread to share what I know.

There is a current issue with the BT Smart Hub 2 router that relates to firmware version v0.26.03.01286-BT which was released in early April. There is a thread about it on the BT Community forum entitled “2.4GHZ and 5GHZ Bands BT Smart Hub 2”, so BT knows about the issue.

I am not a network specialist so I am at the limit of my understanding, but I will try to describe the issue.

The Smart Hub 2 allows devices to connect at two frequencies: 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz. The issue is that devices connected at different frequencies cannot currently talk to each other. The B2 connects at 2.4GHz so any device that connects at 5.0GHz will not be able to see the B2.

In my case, my Windows 10 desktop connects at 2.4GHz so it has no problems. My Apple iPads connect at 5.0GHz so they cannot see the B2. My Windows 10 laptop connects mostly at 5.0GHz but sometimes at 2.4GHz so mostly cannot see the B2 with occasional periods where it can!! I have no idea why my laptop connects at different frequencies at different times, when or why it switches from one to the other, or whether I can control the choice it makes. I have rebooted all my devices multiple times over the past two weeks in my attempts to diagnose the problem, so I guess the laptop might decide on a specific frequency each time it boots up.

I also have an issue with one of my Sonos speakers (a portable speaker called a Sonos Move) which connects at 2.4GHz. It is not visible from the Sonos app when the machine running the app connects at 5.0GHz. My other Sonos devices are not impacted as they use Sonos’ own network. I believe that the new Sonos Roam behaves like the Move in the way that it connects although I do not own a Roam so I cannot verify this.

The issue does not occur with any device that is hardwired to the router.

I understand that it is possible to turn off the 5.0GHz mode on the Smart Hub 2. Apparently, that will fix the problem temporarily as all devices are then forced to connect at 2.4GHz. Presumably, that leads to slower or less reliable connections though, so I am just going to await a fix from BT. I can live with the problem in the short term now that I understand what is going on and now that I know that I can still use my B2 via my Windows 10 desktop.

I would advise anyone who has a BT Smart Hub 2 router and who is currently experiencing B2 connection problems to start their diagnosis by looking at the connection frequency for each relevant device using Smart Hub 2 Manager. It can be accessed in any browser at address

192.168.1.254

Select the My Devices option from the main menu. The connection frequency for each device is shown directly under the name of the device.

To check your firmware version, select the Status option from the main menu.

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Thanks Jamie,

That will be a help to a lot of people.

Fred

[PMB]

Hi Jamie,

This is great info, thanks!

Well done for finding the reason and a work around.

Another owner is having problems with a Sonos Roam and this may be the reason......

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Mark Fishman]

2.4GHz frequencies can not carry as much information per second as 5.0GHz connections, so in that sense they are slower; but they also penetrate building materials better and thus travel farther, so they are usually more reliable. The only exception is if your neighbors are also using the same frequencies and "channels", which causes interference.

But the 2.4GHz signals should be adequate for just about every purpose in your home, unless you have tens of devices streaming high-def video simultaneously. (Obviously not literally...)

[Peter Gilbert]

Having seen this thread, I have realised that this was the issue I reported a couple of weeks ago but under another guise. I was having connection problems which Paul and Fred thought were related to the strength of the wifi signal, but it seems it was a BT-induced screw up!  Although I thought I had fixed it by placing a booster closer to the B2, the issue resurfaced.

Anyway, I have temporarily disabled 5GHz on my BT router and am able to connect consistently to the B2 from both a Mac and iPad.  Incidentally, my printer was appearing and disappearing too, and this is related to the same Firmware update.

I spoke to BT customer service today, and they are working on a fix. The fix should be rolled out in the next 7 to 10 days so if you have a BT router, look for the firmware update.

Peter

[PMB]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for the update. Glad to hear you have sorted your WiFi issues albeit a temporary measure (hopefully).

I wonder how many other owners are suffering because of this BT software issue. It appears it may also affect Plus Net badged routers - perhaps they are BT Routers badged as Plus Net?

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Peter Gilbert]

Hi Paul

BT own both Plusnet and EE, so they probably all use the same basic hardware, just with different branding.

Peter

[Mike W]

Just seen this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56949262

[Paul B.]

Yes I have just upgraded to the new BT Smart Hub 2 from the previous model and have noticed connection issues so I connected via ethernet which obviously cured the problem. However, the previous BT Smart Hub allowed you to separate the 2.4 and 5 ghz frequencies allowing to to manually connect to which one you required. They had separate ID's. However the SMART Hub 2 won't allow this. I spoke to BT techies and they have no plans to introduce this which is really annoying, so all our equipment jumps between the 2.4 to 5 ghz on its own. Grrrrrr!

Paul

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Paul,

Yes, this shortcoming is really annoying; I also found this after upgrading to the Smart Hub 2.  But you can switch off either frequency set individually which will achieve the same end result.  I have attached a sceenshot of the window in which it can be done.

Regards,

Peter.

[Davywhizz]

I've got the same problem, having previously been very impressed with my latest B2 Smart Hub. I should have known better. I'm still able to use the B2 app on my phone so I'm OK for now. 

I rang the BT helpline this morning hoping to find out some more about progress on a fix, but the adviser only offered to switch off my 5GHz wifi band for me. I declined and assured him I can do that. He seemed unclear about there being.a fix any time soon, but offered a commendable corporate response to the effect that BT always looks into issues affecting its customers. 

[Peter Lowham]

Hi All,

I've had BT HomeHub and most recently SmartHub routers since 2004 and after a very bad set of early models up to about 2007 (HomeHub 1, 1.5 and 2 were terribly unreliable) BT got their act together and the reliability factor improved immensely.  I've had the SmartHub 2 for about a year now and this is the first problem I have encountered.  My home network has been very stable and with 2 x B2s and 2 x BB1s I have not had any problems at all.  I like these routers because BT do send automatic updates out for security reasons.

I have switched off the 5GHz channels and all is peaceful here!

Regards,

Peter.

[PMB]

Hi Peter,

So when you turned off the 5GHz band did all your other devices automatically migrate to the 2.4GHz band - it would be useful to know for other BT Smart Hub 2 owners?

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Jeff. M.]

I bought google minis a year or so ago, I had problems connecting to my BT smart hub, so i turned off 5 ghz and forced the minis to connect to 2.4, then turned 5 ghz back on. But I guess if the B2 keeps changing IP address this wouldn't work?

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Jeff,

The B2 does not change its IP address; it has no say whatsoever in what address it is issued .  The router controls totally the issuing of all IP addresses.  If your B2's IP address is changing then the router needs to be instructed to always issue the same IP address to that device.  This is usually done by logging into the router, locating the IP address in the routers 'IP Address Table' and ticking a box on that address which will say something like 'Always assign this address to this device'

Regards,

Peter.

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Jeff the B2 uses the IP address that it is GIVEN by the router, if the IP No changes then is caused by the Router NOT the B2. 

Most Routers have a way of "fixing" an IP address for a specified device.

Fred

On Thursday, 13 May 2021 at 11:07:53 UTC+1 Jeff. M. wrote:

[Jeff. M.]

My B2 is connected by ethernet cable. I was just pointing out that this was my solution for the googles, and that it may work for some on their B2!!

[Davywhizz]

I've been looking at the BT Smart Hub 2 Manager web page (192.168.1.254, as provided by Jamie at the start of this thread). One of the better features is a simple yes/no touch switch to fix the IP address for each device.

[Mark Fishman]

Does it work?

[Davywhizz]

So far...

[Jeff. M.]

Yup, thats simple enough should I need it! So, the smart hub isn't so bad after all then🤔 

[Heini.]

My SmartHub 2 Firmware updated 23/05/21. All devices now working normally.

[Davywhizz]

Good news Heini. My router page is now showing an update on 22/5/21 given as:

              Firmware version: v0.26.04.04227-BT

I can't tell if it's worked right now, as I connected my B2 to the router by ethernet so I could access the web UI on my tablets again. Hopefully it will be OK if I ever go back to wifi. Thanks for the update.

[David Gorman]

Slightly off on a tangent but some while ago I had problems setting up an alexa device. BT showed me how to separate the 2.4 and 5 connections on the router then call the 5g a different name so when accessing my wi fi I could choose one or the other if needed but I was also told to turn off smart setup