Losing wifi when changing broadband provider

Swanlady

Decided to change broadband and phone provider as paying loads to BT for phone line we never use for calls (need it for burglar alarm) plus internet connection.


Within minutes of signing up for the change received email from BT informing me that I will lose my wifi connection if I leave them and "might need to start using more mobile data when you're out and about" . Also have to return my BT Hub.


I'm a bit lost here but believe the wifi and/or hub is used for our CCTV and central heating controls. Didn't have any problems when I changed providers before but that was years ago and didn't have a "hub" then; if I remember correctly everything worked through a router.



Can anyone give me any advice? Are there replacements available for BT wifi and the hub?

victor2

Whichever broadband supplier you move to will provide you with a new hub, which will almost certainly have WiFi capability. You will have to change any existing devices that use WiFi to connect to the new hub with the new SSID and password, unless you choose to make them the same as the current one.
If you're leaving BT and make use of their WiFi connectivity when out and about, you will lose that facility, but that's hardly a deal breaker for most people. They're just tryng to scare you into staying with them.

JJ_Egan

Reads as BT mean their free wifi hotspots as posted above .
BT Hub asked to return yes as its for BT service not your new ISP . All the alarms etc will need to be setup on your new router .This new router will also supply wifi from your new ISP .

Hub is a router by any other name .

[Deleted User]

Swanlady wrote: »

Decided to change broadband and phone provider as paying loads to BT for phone line we never use for calls (need it for burglar alarm) plus internet connection.


Within minutes of signing up for the change received email from BT informing me that I will lose my wifi connection if I leave them and "might need to start using more mobile data when you're out and about" . Also have to return my BT Hub.


I'm a bit lost here but believe the wifi and/or hub is used for our CCTV and central heating controls. Didn't have any problems when I changed providers before but that was years ago and didn't have a "hub" then; if I remember correctly everything worked through a router.



Can anyone give me any advice? Are there replacements available for BT wifi and the hub?

They're talking about the BT Wi-fi hotspots for when you're out and about. You've possibly never ever used them although people may have used your home WiFi (unless you've disabled it).

You'll need to reconnect your CCTV and central heating controls to the new router/hub (it's the same thing in general).

Richard_T_

The Hub is just a BT branded router.
What service are you moving to?

thye should supply you with a router, however sometimes its better to buy your own router and use that ( depending upon who you are moving to) and put the ISP supplied kit in a box as a spare.- that is if you are ok with setting up your own kit.


Another trick you can do if changing isp / router/ hub etc is to make a note of the current devices wifi network name (ssid) and password, whne your new device arrives change its wifi name (ssid) to the same as your old router and likewise with the password, then all you will have done is change the netowrk name and password on one device as opposed to multiple devices

Swanlady

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely set up the passwords as you suggested.


Moving to Post Office.