Issues with BT HomeHub?

[cheddar-caveman]

MBP Late 2013 15" Retina running 10.13.3

For some time now I seem to be having issues with our internet/WiFi, or its connection to our computers, it keeps going "slow".

We are paying for 74mbs and to check the speed I use the BT Wholesale Broadband Performance Check.

When I think it is "slow" I usually find that the download speed has dropped, sometimes to zero.

However, if I just disconnect my MBP, turn WiFi off and then on again the speed test shows it's back up to the 74mbs.

Any ideas what this issues might be? My wife seems to thing there have been "issues" between Apple products and the BT Hubs///

Thanks

 

[IWT]

My wife seems to thing there have been "issues" between Apple products and the BT Hubs

I've been told this by Apple Support on several occasions - and it's nonsense. Of course any BT HomeHub can break down or otherwise malfunction, but it is most definitely not a problem inherent to BT.

As you are paying for 74mbs (range), I assume your Hub is BTHub6? It has to be to run this speed.

If by any chance BT did not give you the 6 and you are still running BTHub5, that can be a problem. The upgrade to 6 is free - they say!

As to actions you might take, I suspect you have done these already:

Switch off the Hub. Disconnect the plug from the socket. Wait 2 minutes, then reconnect and power up.

The next suggestion is a hassle, but works if the above fails.

Reset your Network Settings. This may need to be done on your Mac and any iDevices you have. The hassle factor is that you have to reinstate the password for Mac and devices.

That's a start anyway.

Please post back.

Ian

 

[cheddar-caveman]

Thanks for that IWT! Interesting! My hub is the 5, not 6. Since my complaining to BT they have sent a replacement hub but this is also a 5!! I will challenge them on this and see what they say.

 

[cheddar-caveman]

Further to my last, I would like to connect my MBP directly, hard wire rather than WiFi, into the hub. My MBP has Thunderbolt sockets, USB sockets and HDMI sockets. Which of these should I use to connect to the hub please? I'll obviously need an adapter/cable.

 

[IWT]

I think your best bet is an Ethernet to Thunderbolt Adapter as shown here: https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MD463ZM/A/thunderbolt-to-gigabit-ethernet-adapter

There are two Ethernet outlets on your BT HomeHub. Plug your Ethernet cable (usually supplied with the HomeHub) into one of these and the other end into the adapter; and the adapter into the MacBookPro.

Ian

 

[cheddar-caveman]

Ah, OK. Wasn't sure if the Thunderbolt was the one to use. Many thanks.

 

[cheddar-caveman]

I've been told this by Apple Support on several occasions - and it's nonsense. Of course any BT HomeHub can break down or otherwise malfunction, but it is most definitely not a problem inherent to BT.

As you are paying for 74mbs (range), I assume your Hub is BTHub6? It has to be to run this speed.

If by any chance BT did not give you the 6 and you are still running BTHub5, that can be a problem. The upgrade to 6 is free - they say!

Ian

I asked BT about this (their new text message support which is great!) and they replied " Hi there, after reviewing the speeds you should be receiving, I can see that the minimum guaranteed speed based on your line potential is 49MBPS. The hub 5 should be more than efficient at producing those speeds. The hub 6 is designed to enable more devices to connect to it, and has very little difference in terms of performance when compared to the hub 6. Kind regards Joe @ BT"

 

[IWT]

I agree.

The 5 is designed to be optimal up to 50MBPS. But you said that you were paying for 74MBPS. For that you, optimally, you need the 6.

I went through this when I upgraded from 37/8 (that's download/upload) actual although advertised as 40/10 - to 80/20 (advertised), actual 75/18. The 5 worked, but struggled and BT then "insisted" that they send me the 6 because it was the latest and best at handling the higher speeds.

If your new 5 works fine, great. But if you really are in the 74MBPS range, which is the 80/20 range as advertised, then the 6 handles this better.

I'm in no way trying to interfere with, or disrupt, your set up, if it works.

Assuming you are paying for and expecting 74+ and you have problems, get the 6. If no problem, 5 is okay.

Ian

 

[cheddar-caveman]

Interestingly, my wife said that when her Air seems bit slow she just turns the WiFi off and then on again and it speeds up again.

This morning when the BT speed test showed a download of zero on my MBP, I turned the WiFi off and then back on and it immediately went back up to 74!

Most odd!

 

[IWT]

Yes, life is strange.

Your intention to cable the broadband signal directly to your MBP by ethernet is a good one. Speeds should be better and better maintained. Moreover, when you get round to doing this, switch off WiFi on that particular MBP; unless or until you need it for wireless printing or the like.

This turning off/on of your WiFi on your 2 Macs makes we wonder, as I mentioned previously, whether it wouldn't be an idea to reset your network on one of the Macs; re-establish your WiFi, password and all and see if that gets round the problem.

If it did, then you could do it on the other one.

But direct ethernet cable is best - though, kind of defeats the benefits of mobility with your Notebooks

Ian

 

[cheddar-caveman]

This turning off/on of your WiFi on your 2 Macs makes we wonder, as I mentioned previously, whether it wouldn't be an idea to reset your network on one of the Macs; re-establish your WiFi, password and all and see if that gets round the problem.

Ian

As the current hub frequently just re boots so we lose internet all together, I'm going to put the new hub in which will effectively reset the whole system.
Hard wiring is only to get a more accurate speed check, identify where the problem is, house wiring, hub or WiFi. I don't really want cables running from the hub to my MBP all the time (and my wife hates cables ).