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Is it possible to connect straight to the FTTC Modem

TBSteve
Grafter
Posts: 58
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎28-01-2010

Is it possible to connect straight to the FTTC Modem

My router died yesterday. :-(.
It's about 2 weeks out of warranty, but P.N. are sending me a new one (agreed to 12month contract,and I only pay P&P)
I was just wondering if it's possible to bypass the router?
My desktop machine is cabled to the router, so I don't need the wireless for that, so is it possible to connect straight to the BT Openreach modem, bypassing the router?
Is there some way to configure my WindozeXP machine to pass the login info to the modem?
It would be a good backup for me, as I can live without the wireless for a day or two, but I really need the desktop machine for working from home.
4 REPLIES 4
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Is it possible to connect straight to the FTTC Modem

Yep, take a look here for instructions: http://community.plus.net/library/broadband/fibre-help-setting-up-a-pppoe-dialler-for-windows-xp/
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
TBSteve
Grafter
Posts: 58
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎28-01-2010

Re: Is it possible to connect straight to the FTTC Modem

Cool - that looks easy.
Is it possible to leave the desktop PC configured like this, and alos have a router plugged in as well, using both lan ports on the modem?
Or will that cause issues with two devices logging on?
w23
Pro
Posts: 6,347
Thanks: 96
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎08-01-2008

Re: Is it possible to connect straight to the FTTC Modem

As supplied, the BT Openreach modem has one of the LAN ports disabled (as well as in-built router functionality)
There are some ways around this but as it remains the property of Openreach it's not recomended.
Call me 'w23'
At any given moment in the universe many things happen. Coincidence is a matter of how close these events are in space, time and relationship.
Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
WWWombat
Grafter
Posts: 1,412
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎29-01-2009

Re: Is it possible to connect straight to the FTTC Modem

There are 2 ways you could choose to plug the router in to the LAN2 port of the modem, which would have different effects. Or they would if LAN2 worked, but by default it doesn't (as walker23 says).
1. Plug the router's WAN port into LAN2
This might confuse the modem, or might work perfectly - in which case you' have 2 separate internet connections; one from router, and one from PC. I've seen this work before with ADSL - but only when the subscription was for dynamic IP. Things go hopelessly wrong if both connections attempt to use the same static IP.
Note that the PC wouldn't be able to directly talk to the router or any other devices attached to the router, as it is not using the ethernet port as a LAN connection. It probably could communicate using IP to the router's external (dynamic) IP address - so packets would go out and via PN.
2. Plug one of the router's LAN port into LAN2
In this case, the router is acting as an expensive ethernet switch, with no internet access.
Devices on the LAN would be able to communicate with the modem (if LAN2 were active) and see the admin web-page (if the HTTP server were active)
Again, the PC wouldn't be able to communicate direct, but this time wouldn't be able to communicate via IP and PN either.
All-in-all a very non-standard way to connect up!
Plusnet Customer
Using FTTC since 2011. Currently on 80/20 Unlimited Fibre Extra.