BT Home Hub Help

awacko

Currently have BT for phone line & Virgin for unlimited calls and broadband (we can’t get cable). Finally decided to make an effort to try and get a better deal so am thinking of going for the BT £16 deal of unlimited phone calls + basic broadband. Would also do the pay phone rental up front for £120. Reckon this could maybe save £100 a year at least. However, before I definitely switch was hoping that someone might be able to answer a few niggles – one of the reasons I fancy switching(apart from saving money) is to get the Home Hub which would finally let me go wireless but I have some questions as I don’t really understand how it works. My 5 year old PC currently uses Vista – which I think this is compatible – but is currently attached via a modem to the phone point.
First question, Can I connect the connect the home Hub directly to my PC using wires and if so, do I also need to get a new Modem ? (From what I can see on the internet, as my PC is old, it would need a wireless adapter if I didn’t want to connect using wires but I don’t think it matters for my PC)
Once I’ve got the Home Hub going ,am I right in saying that my Wii which is in a different room would be able to get BBC iplayer ?
Does this also mean that if I buy a laptop, I could use it any room in the house ?
I know these will sound like daft questions but I will be very grateful for any help answering these as I find the whole thing a bit confusing:eek:. Thanks

macman

You'd be mad to consider switching just to get a Home Hub. They're available in various version for peanuts on eBay anyway-but they're very poor routers. If your only desire is to go wireless, just buy a basic ADSL wireless modem/router on eBay-, such as the Netgear DG834G. Loads of those for about a tenner.
A router replaces the modem, and connects to your PC either by ethernet or by wireless. if your PC is not wireless compatible and you want to go wireless, you need either a USB wireless adapter or (better) a PCI internal wireless card.
Any router will work on your OS.
Wireless will be available throughout the property subject to sufficient signal strength.
But I'd start by doing an exchange search on www.samknows.com for your LLU options, there are many better and cheaper providers than BT.
Whatever else you do, ditch your existing USB modem ASAP-they are rubbish, and effectively obsolete.

awacko

thanks for the info - its not just about the Home Hub, switching would be cheaper than the deal I have just now.

macman

Maybe, but BT is one of the most expensive providers around. Post your samknows results and more advice can be given.

awacko

Hi - here you go - note although it says we're in a Virgin Cable area - Cable wasn't put in at our street. Thanks

The following services are available in your location:

• BT Wholesale ADSL
• BT Wholesale ADSL Max
• O2 / Be LLU
• TalkTalk (CPW) LLU
• Sky Broadband / Easynet LLU
• Virgin Media (Cable)

macman

So your obvious LLU options are 02 or Sky.
o2 will be cheaper if you can register any 02 mobile no. to get the £5 discount, Sky will be cheaper if you already have a Sky TV sub.

iniltous

Even if your PC is 5 years old its probably has WiFi, so you would probably be able to connect to the router (Home Hub) without wires, but if it doesnt have wireless you need a LAN cable, the £120/year line rental in one payment is very good and is a significant saving compared to BT and most others standard monthly line rental...your Wii will also be able to connect to the hub, and you can watch I-player etc from that, however if you intend to watch a lot of TV on-line you probably dont want to go for a broadband with a small usage allowance, I have an original home hub and its been very good and the home hub 3 is very well regarded,and yes if you bought a laptop it would work in any room , provided you dont live in a castle with 3 foot wide stone walls

Phantom_Flan_Flinger

iniltous wrote: »

Even if your PC is 5 years old its probably has WiFi, so you would probably be able to connect to the router (Home Hub) without wires...

If the OP has a laptop then yes, but if it's a desktop, it's highly unlikely to have a wireless card in it.

iniltous

Phantom_Flan_Flinger wrote: »

If the OP has a laptop then yes, but if it's a desktop, it's highly unlikely to have a wireless card in it.

Must have had a senior moment, if the OP asking about a laptop, its likely, as you suggest, that the current PC is a desktop..:embarasse

macman

OP refers to '5 year old PC'-I read that as a desktop.

awacko

Thanks for all the replies. Just to clarify , Yes its a desktop - I don't remember anything about a wireless card when I got it. If I use the LAN cable, then I assume then I dont need a Modem - sorry, still trying to get grips with it all.

Just to clarify, we dont have any sort O2 mobile or Sky Subscription. Was thinking that it would be less hassle to go with BT because we already have the phone line with them. I know that by the looks of things I think SKy are a bit cheaper in the first year, but then after that BT are cheaper which is why in the long run I'm thinking of going with them.
Thanks