can I bypass a BTHomehub and only use my Airport extreme or Time capsule as primary router?

Is it possible to disable the BTHomehub and just use it as a dumb pipeline to the timecapsule?

Unfortunately, no.

Since the Apple routers do not have a modem on board.....you must use the BT HomeHub if you want to be able to connect to the Internet.

BT supplies a BTHomehub3 router that I'm told must be used.

What you were told was correct. If you have the inclination, you could turn off the wireless signal on the HomeHub if you are not using that network.

Yes, but unfortunately, we cannot tell you how to turn off the wireless on HomeHub. You would have to check with BT or a BT support forum for that.

Normally, you would do this by entering an IP address into your web browser to bring up the configuration pages for the BT HomeHub.

As far as connecting an AirPort Extreme or Time Capsule......

Connect an Ethernet cable from one of the LAN <-> ports on the back of the HomeHub to the WAN "O" port on the Apple device. Use AirPort Utility on your Mac or PC to start Apple's guided setup to configure the Apple device. You can assign a name that you want to use for the wireless network and also a password of your choice.

Just plug your new Airport into the White BT Modem via ethernet. Connect to the airport via your iOS device or through another ethernet cable to your laptop/PC and launch the Airport Utility. Follow the steps and enter your BT email address and password etc when prompted, after a few minutes the bew Airport will connect and the status light will turn green. Ditch the BT HomeHub!

Using the Airport Utility you can now edit and configure your new networks - bingo 😀

Hi Red Cheetah,

I saw your solution to ditch homehub and wondered if my situation fits.

I have homehub 3 router and use 2 airport expresses to stream sound to a monitor set in the kitchen and a stereo in the living room. Bt's device list kick's off the expresses quickly and you have to reboot router or unplug and plug in expresses again to get them streaming again. Their green lights are always on, but they are rejected too early from the device list.

The idea behind replacing hub with an EXTREME is attractive, although as was said in another comment, its not a modem?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

An Extreme means more money - so does another router. BT works fine, but they reject Apple on this Lease time issue. Extend the lease time and it still times out.

thanks. Ben

Go to the top of your class.

Why cannot people always give clear answers like yours.

Excellent.

I don't have BT Infinity just normal broadband so I don't have that extra white Infinity box you have, but I do have the same BT Home Hub router.

My config is this:

BT Home Hub connects to internet and provides DHCP to my home network BUT the wireless is turned off.

TimeCapsule is wired to the Home Hub and only the TC is providing a wirelss signal for my MacBook, iPad, iPhone, Imac, printer etc.

This has the additional advantage that my BT Home Hub does not particiate in the BT FON network which allows passers by to use your BT Home Hub as a wireless access point. FON does not expose your home network but it does allow others to use your broadband bandwidth and I'm not paying for that BT thanks very much.

To do this you can connect to your Home hub at http://bthomehub.home or possibly at ip http://192.168.1.254 . From the admin screen Home Hub presents, choose "Advanced Settings", provide your login credentials. Then choose Wireless and there you can disable wireless on the Home Hub.

Then on on you Mac run Airport Utility to connect to your Time Capsule. Choose "Network" and set "Router Mode" to "Off (Bridge Mode)".

I'd like my TC to provide DHCP but I can't find a way to make the Home Hub "dumb" just yet.

Hi Paul

I have a HH2 and am not aware that the setting has changed in HH3 so here goes. I turned the DHCP server off in the HH2 and simply use the BT modem to 'feed' my Airport Extreme via a CAT6 cable (I bought a 300m roll and connectors and tools from Maplin and have cabled everywhere!). I have also turned off BT wi-fi for reasons already stated. My AExt is set up as my DHCP server and wi-fi source, which, as its in the loft and wi-fi signal travels better through floors as opposed to walls, it is, for visitors and iPads, iPods & iPhones, over twice the range of the garage based BT set up. I feed my Apple TV via the CAT6 and AExt from my iMac and use several AExps and Remote app to feed music to the kitchen, lounge and garden. Works like a dream.

Paul, are you able to use the guest network feature of the Extreme?

Mervyn, same question to you....are you able to use the guest network feature of the Extreme with this setup?

Yes.

The TC is then operating a wireless network that guests can connect to. They have no access to your local network resources but can access the internet ( via the home hub).

TC doesn't really know much about the homehub it just passes your guest's DNS requests out that way.

Mervyn

That's probably even better. BT home hub as nothing more than an ADSL modem and AExt doing all the local networking.

I have a need for a lot of wired connections, Sonos, Tado, NAS etc so I need the home home hub + TC wired ports.

Great to hear it all works for you.

Hi Paul

I suspect its all to do with location and wiring routings. My HH is on the floor of my garage, acting only as a modem, to make it as close as possible to the incoming BT point. From there its Cat6 to the loft. One of the outputs from the AExt feeds into a gigabyte switch in the loft so all my wired connections feed from there and that. My Sky boxes and all other hardware is there too.

In answer to iLee, I don't allow BT FON nor do I use the guest facility. I see no reason why it wouldn't work but family have access to my network, others can either use mobile data or log in on one of our iMacs as a guest.

My experience is with BT Infinity and the dreadfully unstable Home Hub 5(HH5). The HH5 is a combined modem and router. I have an Airport Express (AE) which I was using in another country. I did a hard reset on the AE by holding in the reset button at the rear whilst powering on, holding it down for a few seconds until the light at the front is flashing. Next I opened Airport Utility which was able to automatically recognise my AE and when I clicked on its icon it asked me to name a network and input an access password. I then connected my AE to my HH5 using ethernet cable (port 1 on HH5 to port "o" on the AE, the one at the bottom). All other settings were done automatically by the utility software in a matter of seconds and I had a firm green light on the AE.

This has solved all my problems of inconsistent wifi speed using the HH5, although with the HH5 connected by ethernet cable to my iMac I had no such problems. I also no longer have any dropout of signal between my iTunes account and my Apple TV, something that happened frequently when using the HH5 for wifi.

I now have a strong and stable wifi signal throughout my house, almost double the HH5 speeds when measured using speedtest.net in my upstairs rooms.

If you want you can then disable wifi by entering the admin page for your HH5, you'll find this under "advanced settings". Don't be shy when you get a warning about doing this.

I hope anyone who finds this thread can benefit like me by using AE instead of HH5 for wifi.