Using BT home hub 6 as modem with mesh network

The_Vindicator

Hi guys, I've picked up a BT home hub 6 to use as the modem in conjunction with 3 TP-Link Deco M4's  (2 in the house, 1 in the shed to extend to the garden)

I read a thread on here last week and it linked to setup guide for the BT HH6 for such a scenario but for the life of me I cant seem to find it and the forum search doesn't appear to be working.

Could someone provide me the link or the settings needed for this.

Cheers

mickevh

I'm not sure an HH6 function has a "modem" ..? You cannot turn a SOHO router into a "modem" just by "saying so" - the device needs a specific "modem mode" (or whatever nomenclature) in it's UI and I don't recall seeing such when I last saw an HH6.

However, there's no good reason to do so anyway: If your HH6 is working fine as a modem/router/ethernet switch/DHCP Server/firewall/DNS proxy get-you-the-internet omni-box, then there no reason to junk it. Just leave it as it is and turn off it's Wi-Fi if you don't want to use it (that you can do) and set up your mesh Wi-Fi system downstream of the HH6. In such a scenario, you'd want to ensure the Deco's are functioning "just" as AP's and aren't routing etc and in particular aren't running DHCP Server(s) (note "DHCP Server" not "DHCP Client" - it might have both.)

The only reason to get rid of the HH6 is if the Deco system insists on being a "router" and can't function simply as a fleet of managed Wi-Fi Access Points.

We can get into a more detailed explanation if need be.

The_Vindicator

Thanks for your reply, maybe I chose the wrong terminology saying using it as a modem. I have the HH6 connected to the wall socket via its broadband connection (RJ11) and set up with my provider (plusnet) I'm currently using its wireless connection for most things around the home with the exception of my NAS and a 4 port ethernet hub for my entertainment system which are physically connected to the HH6.

My plan is to add the Decos to the network as follows

Deco #1: connected via ethernet to HH6
Deco #2: connected via WiFi, placed upstairs
Deco #3: connected via WiFi, placed in the shed

Currently the WiFi is poor in a large section of the upstairs (1910 brick built semi with two large chimney stacks running through the house) and none existant at the end of the garden.

All I'm after is the relevant settings to make this configuration work, I had previously found a guide but failed to bookmark it.

mickevh

That sounds fine - for the HH6 there are no "settings" to configure to facilitate downstream Wi-Fi AP's - just turn off HH6's Wi-Fi if you don't want to use it  - IIRC it's only a couple of clicks somewhere in the Advanced settings.

The rest of the config is all in the Deco's and presumably they come with a manual (I don't have time to search for one right now.)

About the only other thing you might want to do in the HH6 (indeed, I would advocate it,) is to fix the IP addresses the Deco's use. There's a few ways to give the Deco's fixed IP addresses, but probably the simplest is to allow/configure the Deco's to acquire IP by DHCP, (if they are not so configured out of the box - likely they are,) which they will get from the HH6. Then once the HH6 has issued IP addresses to the Deco's, amend the DHCP leases granted in the HH6 settings to "always grant the same address to this device" (however it's worded - I forget.) It's keyed on the MAC addresses.

One other tidbit worthy of mention - once it's all up and running the HH6 may report clients Associated with the Deco's as "wired" rather than "Wi-Fi" devices in the HH6 network map thingy. That's OK, it's not a fault or mis-configuration. The HH6 builds it's map of what is wired/Wi-Fi based on which port it "sees" thoses devices through, and by definition all clients attached to the Decos will be presented to the HH6 through the ethernet port the first one is connected to and so HH6 thinks they are "wired." This is all fine, it doesn't effect the operation of anything at all - routers don't need to "know" about the transport mechanism of any devices on the network and in any case routers aren't "connected" to network devices in any meaningful way. The network map is just a bit of a dog and pony show, so don't worry about it.

The_Vindicator

Thanks again for the reply, I'll look in to the relevant settings.

thepilot

I'm using my HH6 as a "modem" into my Cisco / AP environment.

In essence - my Cisco 1941 router can accept the ethernet connection direct from the BT NTE (FTTP Gen 1) BUT I was really struggling to optimise the packet sizing to give me my full 330 / 30 rates. As such - I opted to keep the HH6 which obviously has the right configs to maximise the bandwidth but disabled WIFI and DHCP. I basically created a /30 p2p between my HH6 and my router.

My router manages all of the NAT (it's seen by the HH6 as a DMZ device with all ports open/direct to it) and firewall functionality, as well as DHCP for the different VLAN's.

I'm running TP-Link Omada AP's in the house (5 in total) which give me full handoff / radio coverage at my full bandwidth

If you remove the control function to a better platform (each to their own - I chose TP Link) then you'll likely get a better technical solution than trying to make the HH6 do something it wasn't meant to do