How to upgrade my Home Hub 2000 network to Home Hub 4000

[Wilson]

I am scheduled to have a Home Hub 4000 installed to replace my Home Hub 2000.

What do I need to do to migrate the existing network configuration to the Home Hub 4000?

I do not have a clue and calling support was futile. Please help!

[ZaneP]

Hi @Wilson 

Can you be a little more specific about what you need to migrate? If you're not connecting an existing third-party router to the HH4000 it's pretty much plug-and-play.

As the admin, you'll log into it with your Bell credentials (your account beginning with B1) and the default password of the HH4K (serial number on the box). Once you're logged in and see the dashboard you can customize various elements: change the admin password, change the SSID password, separate the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz radios, and so on.

There's support for the HH4000 on Bell's site, here .

Hope this helps a little.

[Wilson]

Thank-you kindly for your response ZaneP. I provide the answer to your question and more detail of my network that for me will be problematic after upgrade to the HH 4000.

I am very happy with the Home Hub 2000 modem and it has been problem-free for me. Bell will not offer me a discount unless I migrate to the Home Hub 4000 which for a senior person is helpful and I would not wish to migrate otherwise.

When Bell set me up for Fibe with the the Home Hub 2000  I had several days of unanticipated problems made much worse because my phone was not working and the only way I could get someone at Bell to assist was via my pay by the minute Fido cell phone with a long wait as well. This  experience was very stressful and expensive for me, Bell installed the equipment and left. Subsequently, my network was setup by an acquaintance who has since passed. .

My HH 2000 was setup with 192.168.0.1 as the default IP address since my devices were all in the 192.168.0.x range. I suppose once one of the computers gets access to the HH 4000 vila login to 192.168.2.1 I can then change the HH 2000 IP address to 192.168.0.1 via the DHCP.

I assume that once connected to the HH 4000 the IP addresses will be assigned randomly. My few inexpensive  wireless IP Internet cameras have static IP addresses. I suppose somehow they would need to have their IP addresses  changed and/or assigned as static somehow? The video software has those cameras IP addresses  static IP addresses specified.

Furthermore, for some reason I have a D-link DIR-880L router in another room, perhaps to justify why I was advised to buy it.It shows up configured as a BRIDGE and has a static IP address. In this room there is a printer and a desktop PC connected via Ethernet cable to this router and the router is connected via a long Ethernet cable to the HH 2000 in the other room.

I have screenshots of my configuration as seen on the HH 2000.

I would not wish to upgrade to the HH 4000 if they did not decline the discount. I recall reading that the HH 3000 was not that great and I do not know anything about the HH 4000 and at my old age precious little about networking and would like to overcome these obstacles.

Thanks very much for your assistance.

[ZaneP]

Hi @Wilson 

Thanks for the details on your situation. To ease your mind, after the 4000 is installed by Bell, the next steps aren't too difficult.

I'll make a few comments and suggestions:

• Default address range: yes the address range for the 4000 is 192.168.2.x. (192.168.2.1. is reserved); devices connecting via ethernet and wirelessly will get their IP address in the range. I don't recommend you change this range. Leave it alone, and focus on successfully connecting all the devices to your 4000.
• Wireless devices: these ones will see the Network Name/SSID. Typically the name starts with Bell and has 3 numbers. The technician will give you the default password, which you can change later. The devices will get their IP address from the 4000's DHCP server.
• Wireless devices needing static IP: once a device, like a wireless camera connects and is given an IP address from DHCP, you can reserve that IP address for it. Since you can reserve an address for any connecting device, just repeat the process for each one that needs it (see comment below). You'll need to configure the cameras' video software with the new addresses.
• D-Link router: I don't think you'll need to use it, and it's an unnecessary complication if you're connecting just two devices via ethernet. Instead, connect the PC via ethernet directly into a port on the 4000. Same for the printer. You'll need one more ethernet cable, if the printer can't connect wirelessly to the 4000.

I recommend you use your PC to do the configuring, once the 4000 is up and running. You'll log in as admin and the default password is the serial number of the 4000. (You can change the password).

Once you're logged in to 192.168.2.1, you'll see the dashboard. Start connecting the wireless devices, and you could begin with your mobile phone.

Once you've connected all the devices, click on My Devices on the dashboard.

You'll see the device's names on the list. Then click on the pencil icon in the Settings column, for the devices that need a static IP. Click Reserved beside IP type.

These steps should get your LAN working properly.

The Bell site has a fair bit of support for the Home Hub 4000: support.bell.ca/Internet/Products/Home-Hub-4000-modem.

I assume the 4000 will be installed soon. Let me know if you have questions, and let us all know how it's going!

Cheers,

ZaneP

[Wilson]

Hello @ZaneP and thank-you again for your very useful advice/guidance.

Default address range:  I will leave the default address as 192.168.2.x as you advise. It was changed to 192.168.0.x for the HH 2000 for some unknown to me specific reason.

Wireless devices needing static IPs: I believe tthat the HH 4000 will recognize my wireless devices, namely cameras and the old HP Color Laserjet 2605DN printer which will then be unplugged by me from the Dlink router aka Bridge. How will I know which address is a camera and the printer at this point? And I will need to assign somehow static addresses to the cameras and the printer?

Dlink router in other room: At the present the HP printer and the desktop PC are plugged into the Dlink router. And a long Ethernet cable runs to the the primary room and is plugged into a Dlink Ethernet 8 port switch. This switch is used by home entertainment gear and a laptop with a wired connection.

I could not run a second Ethernet cable from the second room to the HH 4000 by myself.  But apparently the Hewlett Packard Color Laserjet 2605DN has wireless capability, so would need to figure out how to connect it to the 4000.

So in the HH 4000 setup the Desktop PC will have the Ethernet cable from the primary room connected directly to it and the printer will be unplugged from the Dlink router as well.

Perhaps, the intention was that if any additional equipment needing a wired Ethernet connection in this room could then be connected to the Dlink router in Bridge mode?

I wonder what is the technician's responsibility as far as installing the HH 4000 and knowledge/involvement of the network setup?

Regards ... Wilson

[ZaneP]

Hi @Wilson 

Just a few thoughts, from your recent post.

The HH 4000 will identify all the devices connected to it. When you look at My Devices on the dashboard, I'm sure you'll recognize each one: they will automatically be labeled with enough information to make it obvious.

You won't need a reserved (static) IP for the HP printer, so need to touch that one. The cameras may each need one, so do what I wrote the other day: 

1. click on My Devices on the dashboard.

2. You'll see the device's names on the list. Then click on the pencil icon in the Settings column, for the devices that need a static IP.

3. Click Reserved beside IP type.

I'm a little confused by the current setup in your place. It seems you have some gear in one room, and other gear in a second room. But it doesn't matter.

Your goals:

1. stop using the D-Link router

2. use the D-Link 8-port switch as much as possible for any devices not nearby the HH 4000, like the laptop PC and home entertainment gear; one of the ports the switch must be connected to an ethernet port on the HH 4000.

3. connect the HP printer wirelessly, if possible. Otherwise use ethernet to connect it to the switch or directly to the HH 4000.

I don't know what the intention was, regarding ethernet-connected equipment. But you'll have seven available ethernet ports on the D-Link switch, which should be sufficient for your needs. 

Lastly, the Bell technician will install the HH 4000, make sure it's up and running, and go over some items with you (like password, etc.). The technician won't get involved in the setup of your network. Their responsibility ends at the HH 4000. They may answer a question or two if time permits, but don't count on it.

Hope this helps! Please ask any other questions, and let us know how it goes.

Cheers,

ZaneP

[Wilson]

Hello @ZaneP

Thanks again for such very useful assistance and so well-explained!

The HH2000 to be HH4000 is located in the room where the TV and its associated equipment is located. That is where the D-link 8 port switch is as well. The switch is used for a wired laptop and all  "stereo" equipment needing an Ethernet connection such as  TV, Nvidia Shield, Blu-ray, AVR etc.

The desktop, printer and the present D-link router configured as a bridge are in another room a fair distance away from the HH2000/4000. That is why an Ethernet cable runs from the switch to the D-Link router/bridge. The desktop and the printer are in this other room and Ethernet connected to the D-link router.

I will connect the Ethernet cable from the switch in the main TV room to the desktop in the other room which is presently going to the D-link router/bridge. And unplug the HP 2605DN printer from the D-link router/bridge since it is supposed to be wireless-capable.

I suppose my friend setup the D-link router (which I did not need buying) so that if other devices need to be connected in this room they could be connected to the D-Link router/bridge if I should need to add any. Otherwise, a long Ethernet cable would  need to be run to the switch in the main TV room and where the HH2000/4000 is located.

I wonder how the HH4000 recognizes my wireless cameras and printer and not perhaps the neighbors wireless equipment? 

I suppose once the HP 2605DN is recognized the HH4000 it will be ready to print or perhaps it will need some special setup?

I understand now how to make the IP cameras have static addresses and that I will need to reconfigure the video software to accept the new camera IP static addresses.

Best Regards ... Wilson 

[ZaneP · Accepted solution]

Hi @Wilson 

Seems like you're all set for the installation of the HH 4000.

Re the HP printer transition to wireless, here's an HP support site: support.hp.com/us-en/topic/wireless-printing. Take a look at "I need help with WiFi printer setup". It should be useful.

Don't be concerned about the HH 4000 seeing any devices that aren't on your LAN. The Home Hubs are gateway modems, and don't have any ability to see other networks (like your neighbours' wifi and their equipment). 

I hope everything goes smoothly! 

Cheers,

Zane P

[Ben11]

Who did you call to upgrade?did you pay extra with the upgrade.please be more specific on the steps on how to upgrade my modem.im with bell for almost a decade now but I still use the same old home hub 2000 which is very outdated tech.

[Vanadiel]

You would have to contact Bell support and inquire about a modem upgrade. Contact Bell