Unlocking BT Home Hub V1 *Upgrade at your own risk*

[yinky]

Thank you so much! I would have never done that originally.

On a side note, should I upgrade my newly installed speedtouch firmware to the latest firmware or leave it as it is?

-----------------------------

Ok, I logged into my hub via firefox and was in the process of forwarding all my ports (azureus was running in the background to test the ports worked) when suddenly I was disconnected from the net. Since then I have no longer been able to get online using my hub. I have tried using the network repair function in windows (says cannot clear the DNS cache), BT Home Hub help notifier thing and numerous attemps to reconfigure my hub using the speedtouch interface. When I do a connectivity test, it gives a positive for DSL ATM and Broadband/Ethernet? and gives a negative for PPP. There is a footer under Ethernet? mentioning that some of it is inactive and that that could be why I cannot get online. When configuring my Hub it asks for VPI/VCI settings which I left as default and set the internet to ethernet PPPoE? [I'm doing this from memory as I am no longer at home]

Anyone know what I can do from here? Is my hub "bricked" or should reverting back to the BT firmware likely to solve all of this? I initially flashed my hub so I could get the "7x" Wifi range but realised I misread and saw that that was for the BT Business hub so I am starting to think that this is not worth all the hassle...

Any help would be massively appreciated!

[jarviser]

I assume you are still a BT customer. If that was a BT firmware in the hub I would have said hit the reset on the hub, reboot the PC and start again. I certainly wouldn't run any setup functions in the speedtouch menu or try to upgrade from the Speedtouch site. Use the manual configure links at the top of the pages. You should only need to set up the username as broadband.user@btbroadband.com with blank password and then open the ports, but without anything running in the background on the PC. No point in changing the wheel whilst on the motorway.

I would expect any hub to reflash to anything using the kernel method.
As quoted on the BT instructions...
11. If the wizard did not detect the Hub,
you will need to set the Hub in recovery
mode:
i) Close the firmware wizard
ii) Locate the “Wireless Association”
button on the back of the Hub
iii) Press and hold the wireless button,
and unplug the power. Keeping the
wireless button pressed plug power back,
wait a further 5s until the lights changes
before releasing the wireless button.
iv) The Home Hub is now in recovery
mode.
v) You now have 90 seconds to run the
recovery tool again

[jarviser]

I put a new article on my website based on the unlock kit (having PMd Wheel-Nut). Anyone with any objections PM me. I have tried to acknowledge its source but I'll take corrections.

http://www.jarviser.co.uk/jarviser/hubunlocking.html

Just switched from BT, did the jarviser/wheel-nut et al process to keep using my home hub. Seems to have worked (get the speedtouch screen when i go to http://192.168.1.254) when connecting via ethernet. However, I can't get wireless to work - it shows on the speedtouch screen and it appears to talk to the home hub but doesnt appear to want to let me actually connect to the internet. Config in the connection properties looks the same, DCHP set up, DNS automatic... just like for the ethernet cable.

Any thoughts much appreciated - imagine its a problem with the user rather than hardware....

[jarviser]

I have only used mine as a slave, connected to a master hub on 6.2.6.E, but I connect to internet through on wifi on the speed touch.
If you can get to http://192.168.1.254 on wifi and if you can get to the internet on ethernet cable, it must just be a setting, somewhere (You said you checked the IP settings)
If you cant get to http://192.168.1.254 on wifi, also check the SSID and encryption settings are entered in the hub and the PC correctly (I didn't notice if the SSID is set up as per the hubs label - I always change SSID anyway.)

If you can get to http://192.168.1.254 on wifi and if you can get to the internet on ethernet cable, it must just be a setting, somewhere (You said you checked the IP settings)
If you cant get to http://192.168.1.254 on wifi, also check the SSID and encryption settings are entered in the hub and the PC correctly (I didn't notice if the SSID is set up as per the hubs label - I always change SSID anyway.)

Originally Posted by jarviser

Can't get to 192.168.1.254 on wifi. Checked SSID - correct. Turned security off (tried it on as well). All correct.

When on .254 on ethernet and wifi, i got a strange situation that the computer appears twice with 2 IP addresses. So i think that the hub thinks the pc is connected via wifi but something in the setup means the hub cant talk to the PC... but i'll be damned if i know what it is. All the settings in the properties tab for the TCP/IP for the wireless setting are the same as the ethernet one (auto IP/DNS, DHCP enabled, DNS settings etc) and the ethernet does work.

All - dont know what i did, but it seems to work now. (Well, I shouted at the hub a lot but even I dont believe that had an effect...)

[Hiddenvision]

Turn off the DHCP in one of them ( the slave).
Also you will need to make sure that one hub is x.x.x.254 and the other hub is different ,, like x.x.x.250.

[jarviser]

Turn off the DHCP in one of them ( the slave).
Also you will need to make sure that one hub is x.x.x.254 and the other hub is different ,, like x.x.x.250.

Originally Posted by Hiddenvision

I thought Phil's hub was alone, not slaved to another(?)

Also the hubs tend to remember what WAS connected before - the config file doesn't get purged, so seeing both listed is no surprise to me.

Phil, I guess you did disconnect ethernet, and reboot the PC before trying to connect by wi-fi? It's the PC that will get confused if cable is still attached.
Vice versa, I always disable wifi on PC when using ethernet.

Any suggestions on unlocking the new home hub (square box, v1.5)?

I downgraded successfuly to 6226 and am now trying to change to ZZN1AA6.196 as posted here.

It goes through most of the way (eighty something percent) but then I get

"The modem is rebotted in the wrong mode
Kernel mode requested by system
Invalid system software transfered"

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[jarviser]

Any suggestions on unlocking the new home hub (square box, v1.5)?

I downgraded successfuly to 6226 and am now trying to change to Z

Originally Posted by guest

I have ordered a 1.5 from the 'bay to play with but I understood they knobbled the chipset. There was no other reason to dump the beautifully designed V1 for that crass no-mark design of the V1.5, unless there was something in it for BT. The V1 have a higher price as a result, apart from being a design classic.

Thanks. Let me know if you have any luck with the v1.5. Cheers.

[jarviser]

Any suggestions on unlocking the new home hub (square box, v1.5)?

I downgraded successfuly to 6226 and am now trying to change to ZZN1AA6.196 as posted here.

It goes through most of the way (eighty something percent) but then I get

"The modem is rebotted in the wrong mode
Kernel mode requested by system
Invalid system software transfered"

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by guest

I get exactly the same, and the way the V1.5 reboots must have changed. I reckon you would need to rewrite the upgrade tool or find another more hardware-related way to upgrade and that's way out of my league.
In fact I was surprised just how badly behaved the V1.5 was with 6.2.2.6. I mean it functions as normal but the lights are completely confused, and the reset button shifts back to the wireless-association button (15 secs) as on the V1.

I have published more details in our little home hub forum
http://www.filesaveas.co.uk/cgi-bin/...1210359698/0#0

J.

[tricky]

I have just switched to talktalk from BT and i have looked through to find a working link where i can download the firmware and updater, i have got the hex editor but all the links i find are broken. does anyone know a working link or have an edited firmware they can post or send me

Thanks

[jarviser]

Hopefully the links on here still work.
http://www.jarviser.co.uk/jarviser/hubunlocking.html

The BT home hub is a Speedtouch 7G in fact and not a speedtouch 780WL, firmware for the speedtouch 7G can be obtained from http://www.thomsontelecompartner.com/en/index.php, though you need to get an account with them.

Originally Posted by xspaceuk

that web site I tryed is More less tog et you to Buy we can't update the router the PSTN keeps reseting Are CAller ID BAck to JAn 1
then I get an e-mail from Speed touch telling me to take the check marck tick out IPV6 then he to adda toltal diffrent IP address in IPv4 that just made it worse it Blocked my modem and from useing the out side web what is with thease techsupport people ...

then I called m2datatel aaaaand Spke to gary he said he was gonna send me the propper web site to fix nope now is answering maching is full he didn't respond so now I think thease 3partys are buying up all thease crapp router that you can't update and making money off this I called THE BBB and reported the web site that handles this Thomspn Ither put the crooect infor mation up or don't bother fking around with there custoners.

[Hiddenvision]

The routers are Good. for what they are,
Apart from they are locked to BT.
But then I guess BT paid for them so it is within their rights to protect their product.

Sounds like you not not experiencing a good time with the routers or the support techs.

What was actually the problem ?

[mastercare]

hi all just joined...a couple of questions ref bthome hub..bt just sent me a new smaller one...so my old white brick firmware 6226e is not being used..
i have a workshop away form house with pc without wifi card...i tryed and plugged the old hh into the pc via ethernet and in the repeater option i scanned and found my new bthome hub along with my netgear dg834 router..
but i have no internet in windows
can i use the homehub this way or do i need to buy a wifi card i was told that the hub could be used as wifi card..
2 do i need to change firmware to accomplish this? as mentioned earlier or is this something to do with superadmin...
cheers im a bit green on all this but willing to learn..
once again hi to all from somerset uk..

[Austin_KW]

I have not tried it wiith 2 hh but should work.
For WDS you need to scan on both hubs and add the other hub (and enable wds on both).

But first you will want to change the ip address on one hub from 192.168.1.254 to something else like 192.168.1.250.
Then disable dhcp on the second hub.

[moog]

hi all just joined...a couple of questions ref bthome hub..bt just sent me a new smaller one...so my old white brick firmware 6226e is not being used..
i have a workshop away form house with pc without wifi card...i tryed and plugged the old hh into the pc via ethernet and in the repeater option i scanned and found my new bthome hub along with my netgear dg834 router..
but i have no internet in windows
can i use the homehub this way or do i need to buy a wifi card i was told that the hub could be used as wifi card..
2 do i need to change firmware to accomplish this? as mentioned earlier or is this something to do with superadmin...
cheers im a bit green on all this but willing to learn..
once again hi to all from somerset uk..

Originally Posted by mastercare

Are you saying you want to use your old HH as a wireless network card? If so then this wont work. If you want to enable internet on machine in workshop easiest way is to ask BT for a BTvision pack. Tell BT there is no freeview in your area and you want it for pay by view content and you will not be tied into a contract. The BT visions come with two powerline network boxes which will use your electrical power cabling as a network. If you still want the vision service you can connect this box directly to your HH via a ethernet cable, only issue you might have is number of free network sockets on HH so a £20 switch from PCWorld connected to your new HH on port 2 will allow you to have your existing machines connected without using wireless, the vision wants port 1 all to its self.

[moog]

Thank you so much! I would have never done that originally.

On a side note, should I upgrade my newly installed speedtouch firmware to the latest firmware or leave it as it is?

-----------------------------

Ok, I logged into my hub via firefox and was in the process of forwarding all my ports (azureus was running in the background to test the ports worked) when suddenly I was disconnected from the net. Since then I have no longer been able to get online using my hub. I have tried using the network repair function in windows (says cannot clear the DNS cache), BT Home Hub help notifier thing and numerous attemps to reconfigure my hub using the speedtouch interface. When I do a connectivity test, it gives a positive for DSL ATM and Broadband/Ethernet? and gives a negative for PPP. There is a footer under Ethernet? mentioning that some of it is inactive and that that could be why I cannot get online. When configuring my Hub it asks for VPI/VCI settings which I left as default and set the internet to ethernet PPPoE? [I'm doing this from memory as I am no longer at home]

Anyone know what I can do from here? Is my hub "bricked" or should reverting back to the BT firmware likely to solve all of this? I initially flashed my hub so I could get the "7x" Wifi range but realised I misread and saw that that was for the BT Business hub so I am starting to think that this is not worth all the hassle...

Any help would be massively appreciated!

Originally Posted by yinky

Problems with 7g firmware
I have noticed that it can loose your ADSL password, try putting the password back in or if still not working reset to factory defaults and set it up again. When you do make certain to delete the tech account and disable remote support as there is a security vulnerability with all the thomson router firmware of this time.
I would advise using firefox as your browser with the noscript plugin as the early HH hack used HTTP frame redirection to get your browser to change the router settings, including adsl password, wifi settings, DNS settings. see http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/bt-ho...e-bt-home-hub/

[Hiddenvision]

hi all just joined...a couple of questions ref bthome hub..bt just sent me a new smaller one...so my old white brick firmware 6226e is not being used..
i have a workshop away form house with pc without wifi card...i tryed and plugged the old hh into the pc via ethernet and in the repeater option i scanned and found my new bthome hub along with my netgear dg834 router..
but i have no internet in windows
can i use the homehub this way or do i need to buy a wifi card i was told that the hub could be used as wifi card..
2 do i need to change firmware to accomplish this? as mentioned earlier or is this something to do with superadmin...
cheers im a bit green on all this but willing to learn..
once again hi to all from somerset uk..

Originally Posted by mastercare

I use two hubs for extending WIFI.
Just set WDS up on both hubs.
Use Only WEP security (WSK wont work I am told and have never tried)
Keep the same WEP password on both (or none if security disabled)
You can make both SSID the same if you want but

Make sure that you disable DHCP on the slave (old) hub.
Also change the default IP address to another except 192.168.1.253 and 192.168.1.254
Because the Samba part of the hub is fixed on the 253 address you may not be able to use that at all as the two IP address's will conflict, but this will not cause a problem in normal use.

As I said I use several homehubs here, I have my normal ADSL hub (not BT) and then I have a BT hub connected to that, and then I have another BT hub acting as a wireless extender and remote SIP phone....

No wires just power attached.
This gives me a SIP cordless phone on my system and also Strong Wifi at the other end of the house.

You may need to tweek the settings on the old hub so that the software is not auto updated Via BT. And if you want to do anything with the SIP.
There is one setting that routes traffic via the ETH ports rather than the ADSL so that setting may also apply to you.
Check the simple tool at www.hiddenvision.co.uk/homehub
You should make sure that the OLD hub is running 6.2.2.6 (also on site above)

Hope that helps.

Hv.

[racket1]

hi, it found this chat room. im with talktalk but still have my bthomehub. can it be unlocked so i can use it for my talktalk? if so can someone email me the instructions how to do it?
cheers, rachel

using the reset to factory settings button on the side of the Hub should do the trick, i had tried everything else when this happened to mine. it worked for me. Good luck.

[chrisboal]

please somebody help i have been trying to unlock a bt home hub 6.2.6.e for 3 weeks and it wont i have tryed to downgrade the firmware but it just comes up "the following error occurred: the upgrade process failed" i need a simple step by step if any one knows of one please help i havent got much hair left to pull out thanks guys

[Austin_KW]

The instruction are all in this thread, down grade to 6.2.2.6 first and then to the speedtouch firmware.

Make sure you connect by ethernet to port 1
set a static address
turn off firewalls, antivirus etc.

[chrisboal]

thanks i had to put it in safe mode but im on it now so all good thanks all for your help !!!!!!!!!!!!11

OK, after much stressing and pulling out og hair i discovered i may have an incompatible hub, on this site, it states that the larger hub cant be flashed, is this still true?

I have this hub,
http://www.jarviser.co.uk/jarviser/images3/homehubv15no.jpg

[freshfish]

I use two hubs for extending WIFI.
Just set WDS up on both hubs.
Use Only WEP security (WSK wont work I am told and have never tried)
Keep the same WEP password on both (or none if security disabled)
You can make both SSID the same if you want but

Make sure that you disable DHCP on the slave (old) hub.
Also change the default IP address to another except 192.168.1.253 and 192.168.1.254
Because the Samba part of the hub is fixed on the 253 address you may not be able to use that at all as the two IP address's will conflict, but this will not cause a problem in normal use.

As I said I use several homehubs here, I have my normal ADSL hub (not BT) and then I have a BT hub connected to that, and then I have another BT hub acting as a wireless extender and remote SIP phone....

No wires just power attached.
This gives me a SIP cordless phone on my system and also Strong Wifi at the other end of the house.

You may need to tweek the settings on the old hub so that the software is not auto updated Via BT. And if you want to do anything with the SIP.
There is one setting that routes traffic via the ETH ports rather than the ADSL so that setting may also apply to you.
Check the simple tool at www.hiddenvision.co.uk/homehub
You should make sure that the OLD hub is running 6.2.2.6 (also on site above)

Hope that helps.

Hv.

Originally Posted by Hiddenvision

Hi There

Thanks for that v.useful post. I have two Thomson 716WL's, which I've tried the same things with, the good news is that I can confirm the same procedure works with my setup (effectively using the second 716WL as a wireless bridge).

However, I have been unable to get SIP working at the remote (slave) end. I'm sure this is to do with routing traffic over the wireless bridge, rather than the ADSL connection.

I had a look at that link, but didn't have any success, could you tell me specifically what procedure you have used to route traffic over the wireless connection?

TIA

OK, after much stressing and pulling out og hair i discovered i may have an incompatible hub, on this site, it states that the larger hub cant be flashed, is this still true?

I have this hub,
http://www.jarviser.co.uk/jarviser/images3/homehubv15no.jpg

Originally Posted by binkles

Bah!

Well i give up on teh HH for now, i got myself a business hub to play with now.