XPost: alt.windows7.general   
   From: nospam@needed.invalid   
      
   On Sun, 12/28/2025 1:18 PM, Char Jackson wrote:   
   > On Sun, 28 Dec 2025 05:51:10 -0500, Paul  wrote:   
   >   
   >> The Smart Hub 2 has seven antennas... but you cannot see them.   
   >>   
   >> https://bestbroadbanddeals.co.uk/broadband/providers/bt/routers/   
   >>   
   >> It would apparently be shipped with a 900Mbit/sec service.   
   >   
   > "Up to" 900 Mbit/sec, is what I've read.   
   >   
   >> It has an   
   >> older Wifi version. You might want to plug into a LAN Ethernet   
   >> port when running the Speedtest to verify the service is correct.   
   >>   
   >> Perhaps Char knows what that connector on the left is.   
   >> It would be coming from the ONT (Optical Network Termination or so).   
   >>   
   >>   https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51jeEVwxqWL._AC_.jpg   
   >   
   > It looks like the connector on the lower left might be a DECT-compatible   
   > RJ-11 phone jack, only enabled for customers who sign up for digital   
   > voice service. Of the 4 gigabit LAN ports, one is labeled WAN, as a   
   > suggestion that customers should use that one to connect this unit, the   
   > router, to the modem/ONT. The power jack, power switch, and reset switch   
   > are straightforward, but I'm not sure what that switch on the RH edge   
   > (as viewed from the rear) might be - perhaps WPS to facilitate easy WiFi   
   > connections. Overall, this might have been a fine unit when it was first   
   > introduced in 2018, but it's not so impressive now.   
   >   
   >> The ventilation holes will let all of that beautiful Wifi signal out.   
   >>   
   >> If you do Speedtest.net or Ookla via the Wifi capability, you   
   >> will likely get the wrong answer. One of the yellow ports   
   >> would be better for test.   
   >   
   > I'm a big fan of wired connections in general, only using WiFi where   
   > it's required.   
   >   
      
   The white one on the lower left says "Broadband" over top of it.   
   My assumption was the ONT went in there. The title at the bottom   
   says FTTP version   
      
       "FTTP stands for fibre to the premises. It uses fibre cables all the way   
        into your home. This means it can deliver ultrafast broadband speeds   
        up to 900Mb, and makes it the UK's most reliable broadband technology   
   too."   
        [they had me, right up to that last clause...]   
      
   Whereas if you use the router part with a separate broadband modem,   
   that would go into WAN.   
      
   It's aged, but at least you could plug something else into a LAN wired port.   
   I'm always doubtful of any Wifi delivering the goods, as a lot of   
   reviews on smallnetbuilder always started out hopeful, but all the   
   results seemed to say 100MB/sec when all was said and done :-)   
   Somewhere in the test house, the performance wasn't there. As a   
   result of reading those reviews, I try not to get people too excited   
   about the latest whizzy Wifi version. Although the current delivered thing,   
   the design intent was "more reliable deliver of the same bandwidth we   
   promised in the last release". And considering that was 4096 QAM or   
   similar silly promise, that's a good objective to have.   
      
      Paul   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)