BT Home Hub

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The BT Home Hub (v1.0)
The BT Home Hub (v1.0)

The BT Home Hub is a wireless Internet router distributed by BT. It is based on the IEEE 802.11g (WiFi) standard and also supports IEEE 802.11b devices. It is significant as it marks BT’s departure away from traditional telecommunications services and towards Internet and media products. It supports VoIP Internet calls and is compatible with existing DECT handsets. It works with the existing BT Fusion service and works with the BT Vision video on demand service.[1] The device connects to the Internet using a standard ADSL connection. Since the release of the BT Home Hub, there have been several improvements to the firmware of the device. So much so that BT has released a new Home Hub, version 1.5, which is much smaller than it predecessor in terms of size.

Contents

[edit] Features

The BT Home Hub supports:

[edit] Specifications

The BT Home Hub package includes:[2]

The BT Home Hub’s technical specifications are as follows:[3]

  • ADSL2+ Modem - 24 Mbit/s downstream, 3 Mbit/s upstream
  • WiFi - Supports the IEEE 802.11b/g standards
  • Ports - 2 Ethernet 10/100 Mbit/s, 2 USB 1.1, 2 RJ11 (broadband in and phone)
  • Security protocols - Supports WEP and WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK. The BT Home Hub comes with a default WEP security code that is different for each box, the code is printed on the back of the unit
  • Software - version 6.2.6.H (latest for all BT FON users with automatic updating. Users not on BT FON will have their units upgraded later on.[4])

The BT Home Hub can only be used with the BT Total Broadband package without modification; the unit can be unlocked (see below). The BT Home Hub configuration software is compatible with both Mac and PC systems, and requires no install if an Ethernet connection to the computer is used.

[edit] BT Hub Phone

The BT Hub Phone is an optional handset that can be bought to work in conjunction with the Home Hub. It supports high-definition sound and calls using the BT Broadband Talk service, and may sit in a dock in the front of the Home Hub or be used on its own stand. A normal telephone which supports DECT can be used in place of the Hub Phone.

Not only has BT released a new Home Hub, but the Hub Handset 1100 has now been replaced also. The new Handset has a black and white screen as opposed to colour on the previous version. This is believed to be a means of reducing the negative effect on battery life that the colour screen inflicted. Other than the screen colour there are no other alterations to how the device works or what features it has.

[edit] GPL Violation

The device runs software which uses the Linux kernel, released under the GNU GPL. As a token gesture and, in an attempt to claim adherence to the GPL, BT have released some source code for the device which can be downloaded here. However in violation of the GPL, BT have not published the scripts necessary to compile and install custom firmware to the device.[5]

[edit] Undocumented features

The Home Hub includes a USB-A port which has no documented function. It has been found that some devices (such as printers and USB mass storage devices) connected to this port can be shared on that Hub's network.

Storage devices (hard disks and thumb drives) must be formatted to FAT32, and hard disk drives must have an external power supply.

Map a drive letter to \\192.168.1.253\bt_7g to access a drive on the Home Hub's USB-A port, but bear in mind the port is rated USB1.0

[edit] Security concerns

The security of the BT Home Hub has been questioned several times by the GNUCITIZEN Ethical Hacker Outfit. In October 2007, Adrian Pastor warned the security and BT Broadband community regarding critical vulnerabilities he discovered in the Home Hub. The details of such research was released later in November 2007 which demonstrated how to fully compromise (get root privileges) on the BT Home Hub by simply tricking a BT Home Hub user to visit a webpage crafted by the attacker.

Such research got a lot of media attention and even led to Adrian Pastor being invited to BBC Radio 4 where he counter-argued Dave Hughes, director of BT Wireless Broadband. Mr Hughes argued that GNUCITIZEN's vulnerability research only covered a theoretical attack. Mr Pastor, on the other hand, stated that although GNUCITIZEN wasn't aware of such vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild, the attack is fully practical as demonstrated by the exploit code released at www.gnucitizen.org. Furthermore, Mr Pastor argued that the security of the BT Home Hub wasn't good enough to support the newly-introduced Wi-Fi sharing FON service.

Since then, GNUCITIZEN has discovered other security vulnerabilities in the BT Home Hub such as:

  • phone jacking (hijacking of VoIP calls): allows attackers to make profit by causing the Home Hub dial premium telephone numbers and also launch advanced phishing attacks
  • insecure UPnP port-forwarding functionality: allows attackers to turn the target BT Home Hub into a proxy or zombie which can be used to hide the attacker's IP address when launching attacks against Internet-facing servers
  • predictability issues regarding the Home Hub's default WEP encryption key: allows attackers to predict the default WEP key, and thus, trivially break into a BT Home Hub wireless networks
  • admin password disclosure vulnerability: allows attackers to gain full access to the BT Home Hub

[edit] Unlocking

In its standard state, the BT Home Hub comes locked to BT in both the ISP it can connect to AND the VoIP service it can use. However, by changing user permissions, users can unlock the unit to be used on other networks. e.g. you don't have to use the built in modem, you can make the VoIP part of it connect to another router. In accordance with the conditions of the GPL, the code is available here. A step-by-step guide to re-flashing the Home Hub, in order to unlock it, has been made made available on RapidShare (check link). Only the older version 1 hubs (pictured above) can be unlocked. Further details of this procedure, and more firmware options are described in Jarviser's Home Hub How-to index

[edit] Fixing a broken Home Hub

The BT Home Hub can stop working if it is switched off whilst installing an automatic software update and sometimes if installation of an update fails. BT provide a web page with full instructions on how to reinstall the firmware here.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ BT Home Hub Page - Use with BT Fusion and Vision services. Retrieved 14 February 2007.
  2. ^ BT Home Hub Package - Items included with the BT Home Hub. Retrieved 14 February 2007.
  3. ^ BT Home Hub Package - BT Home Hub Specifications. Retrieved 14 February 2007.
  4. ^ [1] - 6.2.6.H Home Hub Firmware Update. Retrieved 26 May 2008.
  5. ^ GPL Source FAQ - Definitions and explanations of GPL requirements with regard to source release

[edit] External links

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