Unifi Gateway with BT Smarthub

Paul Ellison · 30 Aug 2018 at 23:08

Hi, my first post but a long time reader. Hoping somebody could help me.
I'm on BT Infinity 2 and using there smart hub. I'm want to install a Unifi Gateway, Unifi 24 port switch with cloud key and a couple of Access points.
My question is , will a Unifi gateway work with the BT Smart Hub?
I also have a BT youview box. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Paul

bremen1874 · 30 Aug 2018 at 23:20

I don't think their hub has a 'modem' mode so you'd be stuck with double NAT.

Get hold of a secondhand HG612 Openreach modem (£10-£20) and use it in place of their hub. The UniFi will use it to raise a PPPoE connection and you'll get the WAN IP where you want it.

No idea about the YouView box's requirements.

Paul Ellison · 30 Aug 2018 at 23:27

Thank you for your help. I’ll have a look at one of them modems and see if it’s ok with by YouView.
Thanks again for your help.

spicypixel · 30 Aug 2018 at 23:29

The NETGEAR DM200-100EUS works quite well too!

bremen1874 · 30 Aug 2018 at 23:36

Paul Ellison said:
Thank you for your help. I’ll have a look at one of them modems and see if it’s ok with by YouView.
Thanks again for your help.

It's the UniFi kit that needs to work with the YouView box. The modem you put between it and the phone socket shouldn't matter.

There are other options for VDSL modems. The HG612 is still as good as any of the alternatives, and should be the cheapest option as they're all secondhand.

Caged · 30 Aug 2018 at 23:43

If you can get YouView working on a USG then it will definitely be by chucking the JSON config in directly, rather than working through the GUI.

Paul Ellison · 31 Aug 2018 at 07:38

Thanks again for all your input. You have taught me a few things today. I have been looking at the problems with the youview box but I have got confused and have been thinking It was the modem that was the problem.Now that I understand a little more I will look into the USG more. I have found a few web sites that explain how to get the USG working but Its quite heavy info for me so I'll keep on plugging away. I'm not the most techie person when it comes to networking. I'll look more into this JSON file and see whats involved. I'm just nervous spending £100 on USG then bricking it.

Appreciate all your help,
Thanks again.

WJA96 · 31 Aug 2018 at 09:06

You can’t brick it by modding the JSON file. Just do a factory reset and what’s in the JSON file will be re-provisioned from the controller. Just make sure to delete the modified JSON from the controller before you reset the USG.

Paul Ellison · 31 Aug 2018 at 10:44

Thanks again for your help. I have found detailed instructions step by step but l need to read up and learn a little more before I give it ago.

Regards Paul

Steveocee · 31 Aug 2018 at 12:28

If you end up not being able to use the JSON file. Turn the WiFi off on the BT router. Connect your YouView box to the BT hub directly and then put the USG behind the BT hub (dhcp client mode) with Unifi kit behind that. Not the cleanest ever way of doing it and yes you'd have double NAT but that isn't the end of the world in most cases.

Paul Ellison · 31 Aug 2018 at 14:19

Really appreciate all your help. If I do end up having to do double NAT, can I use my BT smart hub or will I need to purchase an Openreach Modem?
Thanks again.
I’m trying to digest all the info and learn.

bremen1874 · 31 Aug 2018 at 14:25

Double NAT would be a side effect of using the BT hub. The BT Hub is a NAT device, as is the router you'd be connecting to it, so double NAT.

If you use a modem you'd have single NAT because you'd only have one router.

Paul Ellison · 31 Aug 2018 at 16:33

Guys thanks again for all your help.