--- title: "BT Smart Hub login, restart, Hub Manager and port forwarding: a practical guide" url: "https://kilobat.app/routers/bt-smart-hub" description: "Open Hub Manager on a BT Smart Hub 2 or 3 at 192.168.1.254, restart it, forward ports, fix channels and Compatible Wi-Fi, and check your BT line." --- Provider box · BT # BT Smart Hub login, restart, Hub Manager and port forwarding The Smart Hub is the router BT supplies; EE also hands out the Smart Hub 2. You manage it in a browser at `192.168.1.254` (Hub Manager), or in the Hub Manager section of the My BT app. BT Smart Hub Sign in `192.168.1.254` App The My BT app (iOS and Android), under **Broadband › View details › Hub Manager** Password The admin password is printed on the pull-out settings card on the back of the hub, below the Wi-Fi name and password. It is a separate password from the Wi-Fi one. Models BT Smart Hub 3, BT Smart Hub 2 **Checked 1 November 2026.** BT Smart Hub 2 and BT Smart Hub 3 with current Hub Manager software (menus as of 2026), and the My BT app. EE’s own Smart Hub 6 and 7 models have different menus and are not covered. ## Sign in to the BT Smart Hub 1. Connect your Mac to the hub by Wi-Fi or Ethernet. 2. Open `192.168.1.254` in your browser. This opens Hub Manager. 3. If asked to switch to HTTPS, follow the prompt. At Safari’s certificate warning, select **Show Details › Visit this website**. 4. Select **Advanced Settings** and enter the admin password from the settings card. 5. The first time, Hub Manager asks you to change the password. On a Smart Hub 2, change it later under **Advanced Settings › System**. The warning appears because the hub uses a self-signed certificate; BT says it is safe to continue. Forgotten a password you changed? BT says Smart Hub 2 and later may need a factory reset: hold the reset button for 5 seconds (Smart Hub 2) or 10 seconds (Smart Hub 3). This erases your Wi-Fi name, passwords and settings. ## Restart it properly BT documents a restart with the power button only. 1. Press the **Power** button on the back of the hub and check all front lights go off. 2. Wait 10 seconds on a Smart Hub 2, or a few minutes on a Smart Hub 3. 3. Press the **Power** button again. 4. Wait for the light on the front to turn steady blue. Don’t use the pinhole **Reset** button to restart: it returns the hub to factory settings. Digital Voice customers also lose contacts saved on a BT Digital Voice handset. ### Schedule a restart BT’s help pages describe no scheduled restart for the Smart Hub 2 or 3. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat Pro’s [router check-up](https://kilobat.app/docs/home-network#router-checkup) learns how fast this router usually answers, says when a restart is due, and checks the next day whether it helped. ## Update the firmware 1. Leave the hub switched on and connected; BT sends software upgrades to it automatically over the internet. BT says the upgrades add features and security fixes, and its Wi-Fi Care service checks the hub software is current after installation. BT documents no manual update button for the Smart Hub 2 or 3. ## See connected devices 1. Open the My BT app and select **View details** on the **Broadband** tab. 2. Select the **Hub Manager** tile and pair the app with the hub if asked. 3. Open the **WiFi Security** tab to group devices and set access controls. BT’s help pages don’t describe a separate connected-devices page for the Smart Hub 2 or 3, only these access-control groups. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat’s [new-device alerts](https://kilobat.app/docs/home-network#new-devices) tell you when a device you haven’t seen joins your home Wi-Fi. **Tools › Devices** lists what answers on the network, and you can name each one. ## UPnP and port forwarding BT documents port forwarding in Hub Manager but not the UPnP switch on the Smart Hub 2 or 3. 1. Sign in at `192.168.1.254` and select **Advanced Settings › Firewall**. 2. Select **Create a new port forwarding rule** and give it a name. 3. Choose the device, then enter the external and internal port range and protocol. 4. Select the **+** button to add the rule, then **Save**. BT says most VPN clients work without port forwarding. A forwarded port is open to the whole internet, so remove rules you no longer need. The hub’s firewall is on by default. ### NAT-PMP BT’s help pages don’t mention NAT-PMP. **Kilobat can help.** On supported routers, Kilobat’s [call reports](https://kilobat.app/video-calls) can read available traffic counters, read-only, to identify another device that was busy when a call froze. Correlation does not prove the cause. Kilobat never opens ports. ## Prioritise calls and gaming BT’s help pages document no QoS or device-priority setting for the Smart Hub 2 or 3. Access controls only limit when a device can go online. **Kilobat can help.** Run Kilobat’s [stutter test](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/test-call-stutter) before and after you change priorities, to see whether calls really got smoother. ## 2.4 and 5 GHz, and the channel Both hubs broadcast one network name for 2.4 and 5 GHz. BT says the Smart Hub 2 can’t split them, as it is designed for Complete Wi-Fi. 1. On a Smart Hub 3, sign in at `192.168.1.254` and select **Advanced Settings › Wireless**. 2. Select **Compatible Wi-Fi** and switch it on. 3. Keep or change the network name, create a password and select **Save**. 4. Join older 2.4 GHz-only devices to the Compatible Wi-Fi network. ### Change the channel BT advises against fixed channels: Smart Wireless picks the least congested one, and manual choice turns it off. 1. Open the My BT app and select **View details** on the **Broadband** tab. 2. Select the **Hub Manager** tile. 3. Choose the network to change and follow the on-screen steps. To nudge the hub off a busy channel, BT suggests the one-tap Wi-Fi optimisation in My BT instead. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat shows which band and channel your Mac is on, and `kilobat channels` suggests the least crowded channel. More in [crowded Wi-Fi channels](https://kilobat.app/guides/wifi-channel-congestion) and [Wi-Fi on a Mac](https://kilobat.app/wifi-analyzer-mac). ## Mesh: which node a device uses BT Complete Wi-Fi uses BT Wi-Fi Discs that pair with the Smart Hub 2. 1. Open the My BT app and select **Set up new disc**. 2. Follow the on-screen steps, or press **WPS** on the hub, then on the disc within 2 minutes. 3. Wait for a solid blue light on the disc. 4. Place it halfway between the hub and the weak spot, and check the signal in My BT. A flashing red disc light means it isn’t connected to the hub. BT’s spec lists Complete Wi-Fi Plus as the extender system for the Smart Hub 3. **Kilobat can help.** When your Mac moves to another node or band, Kilobat’s Health says so, so a weaker node isn’t taken for a router problem. See [find a better Wi-Fi spot](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/find-better-wifi-spot). ## Guest network BT lists a guest network for the Smart Hub 3 only on select models and software, and its help pages give no steps. The Smart Hub 2 has no documented guest network. **Kilobat can help.** Kilobat can show a network as a QR code, so guests join with their phone’s camera: [share Wi-Fi with a QR code](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/share-wifi-qr-code). ## DNS settings BT documents no way to change the DNS servers the hub hands out. BT Parental Controls rely on BT’s DNS, so changing DNS on a device bypasses them. **Kilobat can help.** Before you change DNS, [compare resolvers with Kilobat](https://kilobat.app/guides/recipes/pick-faster-dns) to see which answers fastest from your home. ## Connection status and logs 1. Check the hub light. Solid blue means connected; flashing orange means still connecting. 2. In Hub Manager at `192.168.1.254`, read **Connection Status** on the home page. 3. In the My BT app, select **Check service status** on the home screen to look for outages. 4. To test the line itself, log in on bt.com and run **Test your broadband**. BT’s line check can restart the hub remotely or book an engineer. A solid white light on a Smart Hub 3 means it is on mobile backup through Hybrid Connect. **Kilobat can help.** When the line keeps dropping, Kilobat’s [provider report](https://kilobat.app/docs/health#report) lists outages, latency and speed tests against your plan, ready to send to your provider. ## Manuals and downloads - [BT Smart Hub 3 user guide (PDF)](https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/device-guides/ug-bt-smart-hub-3-fttp.pdf) - [BT Smart Hub 3 device guide](https://www.bt.com/help/user-guides/broadband-and-wi-fi-devices/bt-smart-hub-3) - [BT Smart Hub 2 user guide (PDF)](https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/user-guides/ug-smart-hub-2-fttp-jan2024.pdf) - [BT Smart Hub 2 device guide](https://www.bt.com/help/user-guides/broadband-and-wi-fi-devices/bt-smart-hub-2) Links go to the maker’s own pages. ## Questions **Why does Hub Manager say the connection isn’t private?** The hub uses a self-signed certificate. BT says it is safe to continue: choose **Advanced** or **Show Details** and proceed to `192.168.1.254`. **Can I split 2.4 and 5 GHz on a Smart Hub 2?** BT says no. On a Smart Hub 3, turn on **Compatible Wi-Fi** for devices that need a 2.4 GHz network. **Can EE customers use this guide?** Yes, if EE supplied a BT Smart Hub 2. EE’s own Smart Hubs use different menus. ## Sources - [BT Help: Set up or change BT Hub password](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/fix-a-problem/log-in-issues/i-can-t-log-in-to-bt-hub-manager/how-can-i-set-up-or-change-the-admin-password-on-my-bt-hub-) - [BT Help: Access and use your BT Hub Manager](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/fix-a-problem/log-in-issues/i-can-t-log-in-to-bt-hub-manager/learn-about-the-bt-hub-manager) - [BT Help: Security warning when accessing the Hub Manager](https://www.bt.com/help/hub-warning) - [BT Help: BT Smart Hub 2 device guide](https://www.bt.com/help/user-guides/broadband-and-wi-fi-devices/bt-smart-hub-2) - [BT Help: BT Smart Hub 3 device guide](https://www.bt.com/help/user-guides/broadband-and-wi-fi-devices/bt-smart-hub-3) - [BT Help: Restart my BT Hub](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/how-do-i-restart-my-bt-hub-) - [BT Help: How do I reset my BT Hub to its factory settings](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/manage-service/how-do-i-reset-my-bt-hub-to-its-factory-settings) - [BT Help: Security on your BT Hub](https://www.bt.com/help/user-guides/security-on-the-bt-hub) - [BT Help: BT Wi-Fi Care](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/manage-service/bt-wi-fi-care-automatic-wi-fi-optimisation) - [BT Help: How do I use BT Wi-Fi access controls?](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/manage-service/how-do-i-use-bt-access-controls--wi-fi-controls--) - [BT Help: How do I set up port forwarding on my BT Hub?](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/learn-about-broadband/how-do-i-set-up-port-forwarding-on-my-bt-hub-) - [BT Help: How do I split my BT Hub’s SSID?](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/fix-a-problem/broadband-and-wi-fi/i-want-to-improve-my-wi-fi/how-do-i-split-my-bt-hub-s-ssid--wireless-network-name--) - [BT Help: Connect all your devices with Compatible Wi-Fi](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/manage-service/connect-all-your-devices-with-compatible-wi-fi) - [BT Help: How to change the Wi-Fi channel on your BT Hub](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/manage-service/how-do-i-change-the-wi-fi-channel-on-my-bt-hub) - [BT Help: How do I set up Complete Wi-Fi?](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/learn-about-broadband/how-do-i-set-up-complete-wi-fi-) - [BT Help: How to check your DNS settings](https://www.bt.com/help/security/how-to-check-your-dns-settings) - [BT Help: I’ve got no broadband connection](https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/fix-a-problem/broadband-and-wi-fi/can-t-connect/i-ve-got-no-broadband-connection) - [EE Help: Manage your EE Hub](https://ee.co.uk/help/broadband/manage-use/manage-your-ee-hub) Checked on 1 November 2026. ## See what your router can’t tell you Kilobat is a Mac menu-bar app that watches the network from your side: which app is using it, whether the Wi-Fi, the router or the provider is slow, and why a call froze. [Download for Mac ↓](https://kilobat.app/downloads/Kilobat-1.31.1.dmg?via=site) ``` brew install seifip/kilobat/kilobat ``` ## More router guides - [Plusnet Hub](https://kilobat.app/routers/plusnet-hub): The Hub Two is the router Plusnet supplies with its broadband, replacing the older Hub One. - [Sky Hub](https://kilobat.app/routers/sky-hub): Sky supplies its own hub with Sky Broadband. - [TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub](https://kilobat.app/routers/talktalk-wifi-hub): The Wi-Fi Hub is the router TalkTalk supplies with its broadband; the Wi-Fi Hub (Sagemcom) and the Wi-Fi Hub Black (Huawei) are the most common. - [Three 5G Hub](https://kilobat.app/routers/three-5g-hub): The 5G Hub is the home broadband router Three supplies in the UK, a Zyxel NR5103E V2 that runs on a SIM.