So I'm looking to change my ISP. Ended up looking at the BT Home Hub.

I've seen it advertised a bit and it seems an interesting proposition.

from what i've been able to find out without ringing BT's invariably technically incompetent technical desk operating out of a kitchen in Mumbai, the Hub isn'y only a 802.11G piece of kit, not a pre-N spec or Mimo equipped version?

Anyone confirm?

I've got one sitting here in a box. It is 802.11G.

Isn't a hub just a switch without the inteligence?

My understanding is that a modem is still required and effectively you are creating a router of sorts.

May be easier just to buy an ADSL Router with the wireless capabilities you require.

Isn't a hub just a switch without the inteligence?

My understanding is that a modem is still required and effectively you are creating a router of sorts.

May be easier just to buy an ADSL Router with the wireless capabilities you require.

ASFAIK from all the blurb, the BT thingy is a modem and wifi router all in one.

I've already got a wifi router/modem thing, but was looking to see if it made more sense to move to the BT offering with hub than stay where I am. Due to construction and location issues/limitations, MIMO has proven to be the only reliable option, and if the BT thing had been MIMO, i could have removed one set of cabling that runs upstairs.

Ah well, scratch that idea.

It is a modem as well. Don't know why they called it a hub. It's a router.

It is a modem as well. Don't know why they called it a hub. It's a router.

Probably because to us mere mortals as "Home Hub" sounds more catchy than a "Home Router".

I have to agree with the MIMO comment, I've found it to be much better than normal 11g.

Probably because to us mere mortals as "Home Hub" sounds more catchy than a "Home Router".

I have to agree with the MIMO comment' date=' I've found it to be much better than normal 11g.[/quote']

MIMO will be better inside the home due to the multiple radio paths..no shadows spots...and better data throughput.

I have an ADSL Router with MIMO...works well.

MIMO is a complete **** though if your neigbours get it too. The wi-fi networks will generally interfere with each other a lot more when using multiple channels.

There are only three actual usable clean chanels that don't cross over with the other chanels at all, so if you and your neighbours all have MIMO trying to use these channels I am sure you can guess what will happen.

MIMO is a complete **** though if your neigbours get it too. The wi-fi networks will generally interfere with each other a lot more when using multiple channels.

There are only three actual usable clean chanels that don't cross over with the other chanels at all' date=' so if you and your neighbours all have MIMO trying to use these channels I am sure you can guess what will happen.[/quote']

I think this depends upon which MIMO solution is used as...can't remember exactly but there is an ongoing dispute between 2 vendors over this....and this is supposed to be a standard.

It's not a standard yet - There's the Netgear Rangemax, Belkin Pre-N, Linksys SRX etc.....

But the 802.11n standard won't be ratified till somtime in, iirc, 2007/8.

So, although it *should* all work, for now, better to buy from one vendor to be on the safe side.

Not sure about the problem with the neighbours though - how about doing a deal you :

a) arrange to use non-clashing channels

or

do a deal to share one of the others connection for a contributory fee?

I've just upgraded to a MIMO, and while the signal strength hasn't particularly improved, it does (touch wood) seem more stable.

On the very positive side, the network is a hell of a lot faster.

I was meaning that there just are not enough physical channels in the sepctrum to allow MIMO to work at full speed when your neighbours also have a MIMO device.

My router will allow super G+ MIMO, but I keep it turned off as it interferes with the neighbours equipment.

In the end we agreed with each other to just stay with B/G as it reduces these problems.