Unlock home hub for non-BT ISPs

Wheel-nut et. al. (contributors on The-Scream forum) put together a kit of software to install Speedtouch version 6.1.6.9firmware in place of the BT firmware (which BT call Software)

Wheel-nut has given me permission (and I crave permission of the other contributors) to repeat the instructions in my usual way, hopefully so that those of us less technical can get through this process which used to be very technically puzzling, but is now straight-forward if various precautions are taken.

This is not the only way to use BT Home Hub on other ISPs. In many cases you can use 6.2.2.6 BT firmware with added Root access and modify the config file to suit. There is an example of this in the lock into 6.2.2.6 page in this site for "be" broadband users.

Warnings

The Speedtouch method as far as we know only works on the version 1 Home Hub pictured left.

There is also the chance that the reflash fails and you end up with a shiny door-stop, and I take no responsibility for that. This is play-time, and accidents happen. However the section below "Recovery Mode" usually recovers bricked hubs, so make sure you try that in the event of a failure.

You may find that certain versions of Vista in combination with some anti-virus products will not allow the recovery tool to work. My Vista laptop with Kaspersky Internet Suite did not run these programs even with protection paused and run "as Administrator", neither the Speedtouch tool, nor any of the BT revovery tools. However my XP laptop with Avast! will work fine. So you may have to uninstall some AV products and run with administrator privileges, even find an XP machine!.

I include details such as where to run the tool from, switching off firewall, to only use Firefox browser, which ethernet port to use, etc, and these instructions are there for a good reason - it may not work if you skim over or ignore them.

The firmware on your hub should be 6.2.2.6 or older. The version can be seen on the bottom line of the Hub Admin Home Page.. The process below links you to a downgrade article if you have later firmware.

I have reflashed three V1 hubs and they all reflashed slightly differently. I am still checking this article (May 2008) so if you find any problems please let me know (my email is here)

Software tool

I have put a copy of the kit in Google's SkyDrive.live HERE and a separate Speedtouch manual HERE
It may not be there for ever if thousands of you download this, but even Home Hubs are not that prolific.
You will probably find a minute or so delay which I suspect is there to stop P2P filesharing.

However if that's a pain in the 'arris I include the original kit on Rapidshare site HEREand a copy I actually paid 99p for on ebay HERE
although I have no control on their content.

The kit contains an executable so you should anti-virus and anti-rootkit your PC before and after if you are in any doubt.

What you will need

• The software kit above
• Firefox Browser (IE7 may not work!)
• A USB memory stick of at least 16Mb
• Ethernet Cable
• A PC with Windows (not Linux or Mac, sorry) and Ethernet card
• A V1 Home Hub with 6.2.2.6 or older firmware.
  If you have newer firmware the procedure tells you when and how to downgrade.

Standard Method

Hub should NOT be connected to the DSL line!

1. First download the kit as a .zip file to anywhere on your PC
2. Open the .zip file and Extract to the USB Memory Stick
3. Power up the Hub and Reset it.
4. Connect the PC's ethernet port to the Ethernet 1port of the hub.
   PC should have wi-fi disabled and no other network connections,
5. Power up (or restart) the PC.
6. Set the IP address of the PC as follows
   IP should be 192.168.1.100
   Subnet 255.255.255.0
   Gateway 192.168.1.254
   DNS should be 192.168.1.254
   
   (If you know how to do the above, skip to next numbered step.)
   To change an IP address....
   
   For Windows XP perform the below steps:
   Start
   Run
   ncpa.cpl
   Right Click on the Ethernet (LAN) Connection
   Click 'Properties'
   
   
   For Windows Vista perform the below steps:
   Start
   Search box type ncpa.cpl (hit enter)
   Right Click on the Ethernet (LAN) Connection
   Click 'Properties'
   You should see something like this (Vista one shown)...
   



Then higlight the TCP/IP line (Or as shown here in Vista the IPv4 line) and hit Properties.

The following screen allows you to type in suitable addresses.




7. Turn off your PC's Anti-Virus and Firewall.
8. Now if your hub has 6.2.2.6 or older, continue to next step.
   If your hub has 6.2.6.B or later you must downgrade to 6.2.2.6 NOW.
   See HEREThere is no need to do the locking part of that procedure. When the hub has settled down again continue to the next step.
9. Explore the USB stick and double-click the upgradeST Upgrade Wizard and allow it to find your router. It will then bring up some details of your router. Click on details and it will ask you for your username and password. Because you factory reset the router, it will be adminand admin(all lower case, no capital A!), then Click Close, then Next wherever it suggests you continue.
10. At this point the updater will tell you there is no software available for your router, so click on Have disk , and change file type in the bottom corner of the dialog box to all files (*.*) and browse for the ZZN1AA6.196.bli file that was bundled with the updater and click Open and/or OK. It will probably declare this as a Downgrade - OK it is! Tick "Yes I am Sure"
11. The hub will now start to upgrade and will take about 5 to 10 minutes. At some stage it may ask you for a new name and password. Enter Administrator (capital A) and leave the password blanktwo progress bars, one for individual upgrade tasks, and one for overall progress. If you followed the instructions exactly to this point it should continue to 100%. Even if it complains at the end it will probably be OK.

If the upgrade fails mid way, try backing up and retrying steps.
If it really fails with some message about rebooting method and kernels, go to the section below entitled Hub Recovery Mode and start again.

Using the new firmware

You should open a fresh Firefox tab and open the hub admin on http://192.168.1.254 (The bthomehub.home will no longer work and will probably put you into a setup wizard which you don't want!)


You will see a very different menu, and to be honest the new BT ones are easier to follow!

I do NOTrecommend running any "Set up" wizards, or the "Update" for the firmware.
You can do all your configuration manually, often by navigating to somewhere near where you need to go then if necessary navigate on the blue strip menu where you find "Configure" link.

For example to set IP addresses in the hub go to
Home Network
Interfaces
Local Network (see pic.)
Then click on the Configure link top right of screen.





Another example - WDS
Get to WDS as follows (pinched from Speedtouch help file)
1.On the left menu, click Home Network.
2.Under Wireless, click the Hub's SSID (In this case tweedle-dee)


3 When the page changes, click Configure at page top right.
4 Under Pick a task... list, click Configure WDS.
5. Then do the search for wireless access points and tick the one requited to repeat to.

Downsides

The lights will be in the wrong sequence.

From left to right
Wireless : Phone : Ethernet : Internet : DSL

You can use any browser for surfing, but only Firefox or IE6 will guarantee get you into the hub's admin pages. (Later versions of IE7 may work however)
bthomehub.home will not work, use 192.168.1.254
BT hub phone may not work even on BT - I'm still working on it.

Upsides

Works on any ISP.
In order to use on another isp you will need to check
- Your ISP’s method for connecting to the Internet (for example PPPoE)
- The VPI/VCI (for example 8/35)
- Your user name and password to connect to the Internet
These should be obtainable from the ISP.

Also works on BT (Use broadband.user@btbroadband.com and blank password)
Has parental controls by website and by time of day.
Will not get updated by BT overnight (as far as I know at any rate).

Hub Recovery Mode

Most "bricked" hubs should reflash using the Kernel Recovery Method. If the unlock fails, or if you have a hub that will not run the unlock tool or any BT recovery tool, try the following...

1. Close the firmware wizard
2. Locate the “Wireless Association” button on the back of the Hub
3. Press and hold the wireless button, and unplug the power.
4. Keeping the wireless button pressed plug power back, wait a further 5s until the lights changes before releasing the wireless button.
5. The Home Hub is now in recovery mode. You now have 90 seconds to run the unlocking tool again