home networks forbidden

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

I'm being told by NOW that I'm in breach of their conditions because I have a home network and they didn't supply it, so I can't use it!!

Does anyone know what one is allowed to connect?

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Do you mean a third party Router ?

If so, NOW will not give you any technical assistance unless you plug back in the NOW Hub Router when they are checking for faults on your internet line.

There are quite a few forum members who use a third party Router with NOW Broadband, but some of these Routers are difficult to setup or will not work on the NOW Broadband service.

Very unlikely NOW will stop you using a third party Router on their service if you can get it setup successfully, just don't expect any technical help or assistance from NOW where you should be using their hardware.

[Anonymous User]

No it's a switch.

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Do you mean a Nintendo Switch or something like a Ethernet hub switch or something else ?

The more information you can provide the better.

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

Sorry maybe in my extreme frustration I'm not being clear.

I've attached an ethernet cable from the now hub2 router into a network switch.

I'm told that's "using equipment not supplied by NOW to access broadband"

In other words wifi is supported but not a home wired network (of more than 2 devices)

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

If you mean something like an external unmanaged Gigabit Ethernet switch with something like 5 or 8 ports, then i am using a Trendnet 8 port Ethernet switch with no problems on my NOW Hub 2 Router.

This is the newer version that i have and it was literally plug & play

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C2H0YUA/ref=twister_B07CM8Z2VS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 

Maybe post some more details about the Network switch with the make and model number, where perhaps somebody on the forum can help.

Where i am not certain what type of network switch you are talking about.

[Anonymous User]

Sorry to be a pain, the question is what am I allowed to connect.

According to Now it doesn't matter what make or model it is.

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Have you even tried plugging in this network switch that you own or not, irrespective of what NOW are telling you ?

Where there quite a few customers on this forum that either use third party Routers, external Ethernet hub switches, wifi boosters or Ethernet home plugs etc from third party manufacturers and if we are breaking the NOW terms and conditions then it will be interesting how NOW will enforce it.

What i am trying to still figure out what network switch you are using and if you have tried it or haven't you purchased the Network switch yet before getting the blessing from NOW.

NOW will never confirm if a third party hardware connected to their Router would be acceptable or not.

They will only help if you are using their hardware and the only hardware they provide is the NOW Hub Router and don't even offer their own wifi boosters and usually say purchase a third party wifi booster or wifi extender from elsewhere, but will not specify any make or models.

[Anonymous User]

Hi @schnapps ,

Thanks for taking an interest. I was extremely annoyed and was interested if anyone in the forums had faced similar issues with Now and what they've been told.

I've been using a netgear gigabit ProSafe GS105 for some time. I'm also using an external wi-fi mesh and sonos which means the clients and zone players show up on the ethernet connected list. NOW support did confirm external WiFi is allowed which is at least progress.

However, if adding a network switch means they won't support you then I'm going to have to change providers.

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Not familiar with any of those products, but just did a Google search about the Netgear ProSafe GS105 Ethernet Switch and it should work (especially if it a unmanaged type switch).

If the Netgear Ethernet Switch is "Managed" type then this is more involved to setup.

Also a few forum members have used different manufacturers wifi mesh systems with their NOW Hub Router (maybe try the Community search box for any information that can help with the mesh setup).

Anyway hope you find a way to configure these devices with the NOW Hub Router.

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User 

I can fully understand why Now don’t want anything but their own router connected to the cable coming from the BT Master socket, but I would have thought that anything plugged into the inward-facing Ethernet ports would be up to you, especially as the Now router only has a measly two of those inward-facing ports. But if they are going to balk at a switch, then might they not balk at a TV, BluRay player, YouView box or what-have-you that you might have plugged in to it?

Have Now actually seen this switch, in your router list of internal IP addresses perhaps, and told you to stop using it, or else? Or what?

[Anonymous User]

Hi @RoyB,

I have an issue with the Internet cutting out several times a day, so I raised a support ticket. They logged into the router and said I had 21 devices connected to ethernet.

This isn't strictly true. I have an old house with thick walls and connected a WiFi mesh and I have a sonos network. Anything connected to these will show up on the router as an ethernet connection. Full disclosure I also need a switch because a couple of devices don't have WiFi capabilities. Regardless support told me they wouldn't help because I was in breach of this rule:

3.8 You must not use a modem or any other equipment that we have not supplied to you in order to
access NOW Broadband.

If I read this pre-joining, I, as an IT professional, would read it to mean I have to use their router and I am. To think it means they only support 2 wired connections would be crazy. It's about as logical as saying I can't use my laptop to browse the Internet because they didn't supply it!!

So, in all honesty I can't realistically only use 2 ethernet connections, which is what the router/now supports, I'm not allowed to use a different router and they won't help me with my issue.

Only one option left really, time to look elsewhere.

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User 

I completely agree with you, and Now Broadband don’t deserve you as a customer.

No Broadband provider ought to care, or ought to need to care, what is purely on the inward facing side of the router, and stays that side.

It’s possible, of course, that you have blown some limit on the router; I had a Telefonica one in Spain that seemed to have a 24-device table, so every time I connected something new, an existing device fell off the router.

And 21 is very close to that limit, so with a few WiFi devices as well, you would blow that limit, if the Now router has only the same size table.

But that is their problem, not yours, so hopefully Now will acknowledge that they can’t give you the service you need, and release you penalty-free.

[schnapps]

Hi @RoyB @Anonymous User 

This sounds like a similar story from one typical Sky Community thread example, where there are many more threads about maximum connection over on the Sky Broadband Forum.

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Broadband/Sky-q-hub-device-limit/td-p/3304357 

The NOW Hub 2 is a clone of the Sky model ER115 Router from memory (Sky Q Hub Router) and would expect it to work similar to the NOW Hub 2 with regards to performance and settings.

[RoyB]

Cheers @schnapps 

No doubt the Sky Community is similarly littered with complaints about the mizzy number of Ethernet ports, and the WiFi range of a dropped brick, of the Sky Q Router then? 😢

I used to have Sky Broadband with the older upright router, and it was great. I’d still be with Sky if they could have matched BT’s offerings on speed 😢