Strange BT HomeHub 3 issue

scwilson

scwilson

scwilson

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Joined
18 Oct 2010
Posts
193
Location
South Coast UK
Hey folks,

Recently received a new BT Home Hub 3. Had a Home Hub 2 prior to that which worked fine. Anyhow, it all works OK except for one machine via ethernet.

Let me explain ...

1. I can connect wireless via my laptop and surf the internet
2. I can connect the same laptop via ethernet and surf the internet
3. I can't surf the internet on my desktop PC via ethernet (although when I connected the laptop via ethernet I used the same ethernet cable and hub connection as the desktop PC so it proves that is OK)

The desktop PC gets an IP address from the hub and according to Windows 7 64-bit, the network is running OK and it can't find any problems. When I launch Internet Explorer, I can't load websites, or at least, it tries and it's almost as if the connection is mega slow and it struggles to display anything.

I have an 8 MEG connection and browsing/download is usually quick.

If I plug my Home Hub 2.0 back in, the desktop PC can browse the internet just fine via Ethernet.

I am running a Realtek PCIe Gigabit family controller and am pulling my hair out trying to find out why it works with the home hub 2.0 and not with 3.0.

BT have said there is a problem with my computer and I need to speak to a local PC expert :) I even, foolishly, installed a fresh copy of Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate, thinking that woulld sort it but I still have the same problem.

Any advice?
 
So the laptop works fine when it uses the same ethernet cable, assuming you have disabled the wireless on it?

Which ethernet port have you connected the PC to? Have you tried the other ports on the hub? I found the 1Gbit port to be dodgy so stuck with the 100mb ones.
 
Yes, disabled wireless, booted the laptop using the same ethernet cable and hub port the desktop PC was using. Have tried all 4 ports, all with the same results.

Ggggggggggrrrrrrrrr

The PC network card is working as it's got an IP from the router but I just can't browse any sites. The site I seem to be able to ping is google but displaying the site is so slow.
 
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Hmm, does sound like the desktop problem, but wierd that it works with HH2 and not HH3. Are you using the ethernet cable that came with the HH3 and not the HH2 to see if it has any effects?
 
I'm using a cable I made myself that has worked for the past 4 years. I even tested it out at work on my gigabit switch and its fine.
 
I really can't understand what the issue is. Everything looks ok but it just doesn't work. Is it possible that the HH3 is not compatible with my Realtek network card? Having said that, if it wasn't, it would even get assigned an IP address, which it is.
 
Puppetmaster said:
What ip is getting assigned?
Click to expand...

I am getting a valid IP - 192.168.1.64. Router and gateway is 192.168.1.254. Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0. Even tried setting a static IP.

Most bizarre. I can disconnect this HH3 and plug my HH2 in and it works just fine.

The fact that the HH2 works with my desktop PC just fine proves it is a HH3 issue. I was wondering on whether to add a separate PCI network card but decided not to.
 
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At the moment, I'm thinking about canning this HH3. I don't really want to use the HH2 because the modem only syncs at 4.5mb and drops the connections. This HH3 syncs at 8mb and has a stable connection, down loading at around 780kbps which is great if I connect on any machine other than my main desktop PC.

I'm not one to give up but I really can't figure out why the HH3 is so different to the HH2 making me unable to browse on my desktop PC.

I am looking at alternatives but it appears to be a minefield. I have only ever had one other make router and it was a Netgear, about 4-5 years ago but I can't honestly remember whether it was any good or not, think it was a DG834 or similar but things have changed these days, but I would like gigabit ports.
 
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Yes I have tried all 3 ethernet ports.

Thanks guys for all of the suggestions. It really is baffling. I have managed to borrow an Intel gigabit PCIe card (D33682 B) so am going to try that tonight and see if it makes a difference.
 
Is your HH3 a type A or type B (should say at the bottom of the screen when you have the admin pages up). The type A is known to have issues with it's ethernet ports - devices that suddenly drop from 100mb to 10mb until the HH is rebooted usually.

I recently tried to connect two switches to my HH3 - one wouldn't work at all in the gigabit port but was ok in 100mb ports (even though it is fine gigabit wise everywhere else) and the other I had to plug and unplug several times and then reboot the router for the two to communicate.

BT have admitted there is a problem and are supposedly looking for a fix. You might want to insist on having a type B replacement sent to you though.
 
Donkeyfumbler said:
Is your HH3 a type A or type B (should say at the bottom of the screen when you have the admin pages up). The type A is known to have issues with it's ethernet ports - devices that suddenly drop from 100mb to 10mb until the HH is rebooted usually.

I recently tried to connect two switches to my HH3 - one wouldn't work at all in the gigabit port but was ok in 100mb ports (even though it is fine gigabit wise everywhere else) and the other I had to plug and unplug several times and then reboot the router for the two to communicate.

BT have admitted there is a problem and are supposedly looking for a fix. You might want to insist on having a type B replacement sent to you though.
Click to expand...

I have a Type B :)
 
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