@David-TP 

Hi there, thanks for the response!
 

Your diagram looks pretty accurate! I'm not sure if my current BT Discs are wired in 'series' by Ethernet or if they all feed back from the main Hub individually. I presume they provide an Ethernet feed in series to each other like you say, with the upstairs Disc being the only one connected via WiFi. 
 

Either way the two discs that are connected to Ethernet are great, but they're both downstairs along with the BT hub so anything upstairs relies on a WiFi signal from downstairs to work.
 

Going forward - if I replace the BT Complete WiFi discs with X55s do I simply plug and play? Or do I need to adjust any settings on the BT hub itself? Do I even need the BT Hub? Or could one of the X55s replace the hub entirely? 

Also - I have the BT COMPLETE WIFI black discs, which I think are different to the BT whole home white discs? Does that change anything?

Again, thanks for your advice!

  @Jaybird80 

Hey

Hopefully I can pop in and answer some of these for you too!

Going forward - if I replace the BT Complete WiFi discs with X55s do I simply plug and play? Or do I need to adjust any settings on the BT hub itself? Do I even need the BT Hub? Or could one of the X55s replace the hub entirely? 

OK so there is technically 2 ways you could approach this, one allows you to remove the BT Hub, the other doesnt

The options are the mode you run the new Deco in, that being Router Mode or Access Point Mode.

Access Point Mode

Basically, you connect the 3 Decos as you have currently, straight swop.  Once setup go to settings and switch to Access Point Mode, in AP mode they just work the same way as your BT Discs are currently and all "internet routing" is handled by the BT hub.   Note however, you are best to disable the WiFi on the hub as it wont work with Deco, so consider this and buy an additional Deco for the 'hub area' if you require WiFi in that space.

Router Mode

This is the default mode for Deco.  In this mode it has the features you have in the BT Hub enabled (AP mode disables these).    In short you can take the first Deco and plug it into your ONT (white fibre box), and connect it in place of the BT hub, setup will ask you for a username its bthomehub   AT    btbroadband    DOTcom   with password of BT.   Sorry have to space that out to circumvent the forum posting rules, hope makes sense!

That should get you online with no hub required.  Then you just connect the other decos as you are currently and bingo

Also remember in this setup you will likely need 4 Deco.. one for the "router" and 3x remotes

NOTE

May be a deciding factor for you.. or not..  If you have BT HD Voice phones (the newer VOIP telephones) they require you to have the BT Hub which is a pain.

Also - I have the BT COMPLETE WIFI black discs, which I think are different to the BT whole home white discs? Does that change anything?

Shouldnt make a difference if honest, think the white ones are a tad faster but its not going to change anything for you technically.

Hope that helps!

Philbert

  @Philbert 

Hi Philbert, thank you for such a detailed response! Much appreciated. 
 

In terms of your suggestions, my concern with the simple solution of a straight swap of changing the BT Discs for the X55s, and keep the BT hub under the stairs (in the middle of the house) but turn off its WiFi, is that technically I'll be reducing the WiFi coverage of the property as the Hub currently emits a WiFi signal in the centre of my home.

Without the hub, the WiFi signal for the entire property will be reliant on the two hard wired X55s which are both located downstairs at one side of the house, plus the WiFi connected other X55 on the opposite side of the house. Nothing in the 'middle' if you know what I mean?

I could obviously buy 4 X55s like you say, but obviously there is a cost to that too, and I'm hesitant to start spending lots of money when I do not know how reliable the final result will be! 
 

Annoyingly my current setup with BT Is excellent. It's fast, and works seamlessly. I'm just annoyed they're saying now they intend on charging £70 a month for it! 

  @Jaybird80 

Yeah network kit isnt cheap..   4x x55 will likely cost you around £250 to setup

Just my 2 cents worth. Im constantly removing the old BT Discs in place of Deco.  Not that the discs are bad in any way, Deco is just better overall.    Also you are going to keep this setup for 3-4 possibly 5 years.?   Also if you change ISP to say plusnet or something when contact is up.. its just a username change.

Take it the £70 from BT is including the line rental and Broadband?   Im BT myself on the 1gb down package and paying £55pm for it.  

Not sure if anyone told you.. Plusnet is owned by BT... same for less..

I’ve been with Plusnet in the past and found their connection dropouts woeful. Same house, same wiring etc but the connection was always dropping out. As soon as I went with BT everything was a lot more stable. Not sure why that would be, but it means I’m apprehensive about changing providers

  @Philbert 

Hi Philbert - can I ask why WiFi needs to be disabled on the BT hub to use the Deco mesh system?
 

Everything I've read online about these Deco Mesh packages seems to say connect one Deco to your router (in my case the BT smart hub?) via an Ethernet cable, then just place the other Deco's somewhere around the house?

  @Jaybird80

Hey

It doesnt have to be disabled, but it wont work seamlessly with the Deco so best to disable it.

In short, the Hub doesnt support roaming with the Deco, so when you move from Deco to Deco it will stay connected.. when you near the hub, it will drop connection and reconnect.   Its not "seamless" and can be a pain due to that. 

to say connect one Deco to your router (in my case the BT smart hub?) via an Ethernet cable, then just place the other Deco's somewhere around the house?

Yeah thats how you set it up..  But its assuming that the Deco you are connecting is right beside the router and that the router doesnt have WiFi.   If you mix WiFi from different vendors it tends to not roam, best avoided if honest.

  @Philbert 

Ok thank you, I think I understand now! 
 

In terms of ensuring the best and most stable WiFi coverage - is it the case that more Decos = better WiFi? Or do they do a good job of pushing the WiFi around the house?

The reason I ask is if I do decide to go down the route of replacing the hub and having two extra Ethernet wired Decos (3 in total), they will all be downstairs. My house is a detached 4 bedroom property so I was wondering if I'd need to buy more Decos for upstairs that would be connected solely via WiFi? Or would 3 hard wired Decos downstairs be sufficient?