Are you looking to switch from BT Broadband to another ISP? In this scenario, one of the first questions that might come up is whether or not the BT Smart Hub 2.0 and the BT Whole Home can be used with a different broadband provider. And if so, what are the requirements?
You can use the BT Smart Hub 2.0 and the BT Whole Home with another ISP. BT provides ADSL and fiber connections that are compatible with other service providers’ phone lines. Similarly, you can connect these BT products to other ISP’s routers if they have a DHCP IP address range of the same size.
If you’re looking into a BT Smart Hub 2, but are also considering switching internet providers, then this is the article for you. Read on to learn how to pair your BT Smart Hub with another ISP.
Can I Use BT Smart Hub 2 With Another ISP?
You can use your BT Smart Hub 2.0 with another ISP. However, this is possible if you have an ADSL or fiber, and a phone line that’s compatible with the device.
The BT Smart Hub 2.0 is not locked to the company’s Digital Subscriber Line Service. To use your Hub as a Wi-Fi access point, you just have to change the network settings. You can access your Hub Manager page by typing 192.168.1.254. The password for the admin console is on the back of the Hub and can be changed.
The admin password may not work in some cases. If that happens, you can factory reset the device by pressing the recessed button with any pin for about 20 seconds until lights flash.
All of BT Broadband’s services, including ADSL and Fiber (FTTC) require only a phone line connection from your current ISP because they use the BT Network for broadband access.
From there, all you need are some general instructions on how to start using the new provider:
- Call or contact your new internet service provider about their specific requirements.
- Ask if they make any hardware available for purchase.
- Be sure to ask what type of modem will be required.
Can You Use BT Whole Home With Other Providers?
You can connect the BT Whole Home to your other ISP’s router. However, this only works if both providers use a DHCP IP address range of the same size. This means they are compatible with each other, so you should not have any issues connecting either of them to another provider’s Hub or modem.
Generally, the BT Smart Hub comes with a default DHCP range of 192.168.1.64 to 192.168.1.253. Other valid ranges include:
- 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.253
- 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.254
- 172.16.0.64 to 172.16.255.254
If you choose an invalid set-up, the BT Hub will display a warning message.
Caution: If your current provider uses a different size DHCP IP address range, then it may not communicate properly with the BT Smart Hub 2. Therefore, it’s best to avoid connecting their device with the BT Hub. Doing so could cause potential connection interruptions between BT Whole Home and your broadband service!
How To Connect a BT System to Another ISP
Connecting your BT system to another ISP is not too complicated. To do that, follow these steps:
- Connect the other ISP’s router to the ADSL and log into the alternative ISP’s service with your details. Make sure that the DHCP server is enabled on this router. This allows other devices connected to it to be assigned an IP address automatically.
- Connect the ethernet port of your BT Home Hub with a LAN port on the other ISP’s ADSL router using an ethernet cable (RJ45). In that regard, if you need a quality RJ45 connector, I recommend this DbillionDa Store Cat8 Ethernet Cable from Amazon.com. The connector comes with a speed of up to 40Gbps, is weatherproof and UV resistant, making it an excellent choice if you need a durable connector.
- Open the BT Home Hub home page on your web browser.
- With the homepage open, go to Settings > Advanced Settings > Application Sharing > Firewall.
- Disable the Firewall and click Apply.
- Go to the home network settings on your other router (this is usually available by selecting “WAN Settings” from the menu) and enter the IP address of that subnet. For example, if your other router is 192.168.1.1, then make the BT Hub 192.168.1.175, or if it’s 192.168.0.1, enter 192.168.0.175.
- Change the DHCP Server option from ‘Yes’ to ‘No’ and then click Apply.
- Link your other router to the BT Hub with an ethernet cable. When you’re done with this, just connect the BT Hub to Wi-Fi.
Here’s a YouTube video that explains how to connect a BT Smart Hub router to another ISP (the PlusNet Broadband in this case):
Final Thoughts
BT’s Smart Hub 2.0 is an excellent device for your home networking needs and can be used with any other ISP if you have a compatible phone line. However, this only works if both providers use DHCP IP address ranges that are the same size; otherwise, they will not work together.
If either provider has a different sized range or type, these devices won’t connect unless you get technical help from a professional network engineer on the side of both ISPs. They’ll know the changes to implement for the devices to work together properly.