I think I cracked it.

By turning the Voyager 2100 off and then deleting the internet connection icon from the Network connections window, i forced the BT software to re-make the internet connection In windows on computer re-boot but using the server addresses contained in the Home Hub. This seemed to do the trick and i've got a connection to my default web page using the Home Hub.

However, a later attempt to access a BT yahoo mail account which was part of the automatic software load from the BT supplied disk failed because the password to E-Mail account (Supplied by BT in an account advice letter today) was not recognised.

Speed seems to be no different from the connection I had with the Voyager.

How can I check whether the home hub is connected to a BT Total Broadband server ?

Postcript

I'd say if you've got a pre-existing broadband installation (Particularly BT) and intend to install the BT Home Hub as a replacement, don't use the CD provided to make the connection, instead simply connect up the hub, when you've got three blue lights, and if your using any incarnation of Windows, go to your computer and delete the internet connection icon from your Network. Then re-boot your computer leaving the Home Hub still powered-up and Windows will automatically re-make an internet connectio and your default web page will appear. As far as I am aware no other action is necessary.Then use the BT provided CD to load the remaining niff, naff and trivia software, if you wish - but, as I found, even that didn't work properly.

Nick

Edited 13 January, 201115 yr by Clunkclick

I lost connection again yesterday lunchtime (Fifth time in 2 months ?). although Home hub web page showed I had an "Internet connection", I couldn't get a web page up. Internet explorer kept reporting that it couldn't connect to 216.146.35.35 (???) Pinging various servers produced a consistent "Not found".

The automated BT Broadband service line (0800 169 0199) reported no problems

So, I spent the next 3 hours waiting to get through to the BT Broadband helpline. Eventually, I gave-up and tried their phone account number ("I'm having difficulty paying my bill option ") I got through to them immediately and when I again threatened not to pay my bill they passed me, straight away, across to a broadband bloke who knew exactly what he was doing. Strange that that the national service number reported no service outages, yet it took me three hours to get through and, then, only by circumventing the system. Have they "caller-Id'd" my number because of all the previous trouble ? Very naughty.

When the customer service guy instructed me to ping their BTs pingtest address nothing. Same with the BBC and all other websites

that suggested to me that the connection between the multiplexer and the router at the exchange hadn't been made.

Anyway, we went through the usual routine of doing a hard reset of the Home Hub (Which i'd already done before phoning), temporaily turning off the soft firewall and anti virus and checking the status of the Home Hub's own firewall - No joy all round.

Then he asked me, as usual, to connect the Home Hub directly to the computer (At that point it was remote from the computer, plugged into the BT Master socket and separated by a Voyager 2100 (set-up for router functions only) and a couple of devolo (Powerline) modems). - that's how I had been running it for the last three weeks without problem. This meant reconnecting the HomeHub phone line to a telephone extension in a bedroom ! I did this and the signal was miraculuously restored. Coincidence ?Even though the signal noise margin has reduced from 17Db when i first got the Home Hub (3 weeks ago) to about 6Db (Obviously indicating that they are trying to cram more users on, or are not maintaining the line) - connecting the Home Hub to the phone extension only reduced the signal noise margin by 0.1Db

The cheeky devil then asked me whether I'd been having any intermittment signal problems (something you might expect with a low signal to noise margin operating off an extension), of course I had to reply in the negative as all the 4 previous problems over the last four weeks had been "all or nothing" exchange or road box orientated. I get the impression I'm being set-up for the next set of problems they have in store. Definately being played here so as to generate the maximum number of help desk calls.

So when the signal's lost next time, I'm going to get "You shouldn't plug it into an extension, re-connect it to the master socket".

All seems OK for the time being.

Postscript

i just rediscovered this post which more-or-less details the problem I was having and a solution:-

http://www.chrisbunney.com/2010/08/08/dodgy-dns-in-bt-home-hub-2-0/

However, i did try this and something was blocking entry of the DNS addresses into the input fileds of the windows software so that I got the error message "Invalid address" - virus ?

Double Postrcipt

Two hours down the line find I've lost the signal again. Suspect faulty extension cable (BB light on HH flashing orange all the time), so swop all kit around again and install Home hub to master socket. Instantaneously re-establish the BB signal (steady blue light). Discover that the real problem is that the installed Devolo software isn't recognising the powerline adapters. After re-installing the correct version 2.2 (supports Vista 64) and re-booting everthing down the line, presto all OK. All intenet connections flow through to the computer.

Somethings been deleting/corrupting the devolo parameters.

BB download speed is still only 3.4MB/sec after three weeks of Bt Total Broadband use - but the Home hub ADSL web page says I'm getting 6MB/sec. Why the difference ? Is the first figure the raw data rate less transmission overhead ?

Nick

Edited 23 January, 201115 yr by Clunkclick

Connection down again for 2 hours 21.00-23.00 today. DNS servers unreachable. 0800 169 0199 reported London wide problem up until 22;10, but my system didn't come on again until 23:00.

Download noise margin up and down like tower bridge - lowest 5.4, highest 9.1. All internal household connections were already validated over the weekend. So what the hell is going on ?

Nick