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What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

NatTheGooner
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎07-12-2011

What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

If I move on to a fibre package what modem/router will I get and will my shielded ADSL cable and Netgear router be redundant.
23 REPLIES 23
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

I expect you could re-use your high quality RJ11 cable !
What Netgear router do you have ?
NorthEasterner
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,873
Thanks: 64
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎25-09-2012

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

I tell what you get a crap router. Buy yourself a cable router in advance.
IF an engineer shows up you get an OpenReach modem and if you are lucky a free Ethernet cable!
Ex Plusnet Fibre customer. Sky Ultrafast (G.Fast) Customer using a Sky Hub 4.2. If you wish to say thanks, please click the thumbs up Thumbs_Up
NatTheGooner
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎07-12-2011

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

Quote from: purleigh
I expect you could re-use your high quality RJ11 cable !
What Netgear router do you have ?

It's a Netgear DG834v4 - no good I guess?
...so I get a Modem AND a router - why is it separate?
My filtered face plate will be gone too?
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

Unfortunately the old faithful Netgear DG834v4 doesn't have the required connections !
You will get a BT modem for the VDSL connection, and a Plusnet router to convert the modem to have network sharing.
If you only have one PC, there is no reason why you couldn't connect that straight to the BT modem, without using a router.
Your filtered faceplate, will depend on what you have already and whether the BT engineer thinks it's OK.
If it is the VDSL interstitial plate, or the ADSLnation faceplate, then you can probably keep it fitted.
There is no reason why you couldn't use a cable router of your own choice, but theoretically you are stuck with the supplied BT modem.
There are some people that successfully use combined VDSL modem/routers, such as the Draytek 2850,  just don't let the BT engineer see it !
tokey
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 178
Thanks: 41
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎30-01-2013

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

I tried out the router that PN supplied but struggled with the wireless reception on it.  Not really bothered is its effectively free.
I replaced it with an Asus N56U and have been very happy with it:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/computers-accessories/dp/B004TPWRSK
Search around the forum here you will find other positive reviews too.
Feature I like the most (other than stable connection and strong wifi) is the capability to attach a USB HDD to the router as network storage.
tijara33
Pro
Posts: 1,360
Thanks: 50
Fixes: 6
Registered: ‎22-06-2012

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

Quote
I replaced it with an Asus N56U and have been very happy with it:

Same here. The PN router was very slow to sort itself out & took ages to log on. I also found that the wireless performance was very slow at any reasonable distance.
NatTheGooner
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎07-12-2011

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

I use an Airport Express for my WiFi so would the Plusnet supplied router be OK if I turn off its wireless and use the Airport Express?
I have an ADSLnation filtered face plate so that might be OK then?
I'd prefer to get the Vigor all in one Modem/router but at £190 its a bit too steep.
Just trying to work out what its all going to cost if I move to fibre. I really like Plusnet but if BT supply  better hardware and the monthly bill is a lot lower I'll have to look at it or stay on my Plusnet 12meg adsl
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,574
Thanks: 5,408
Fixes: 385
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

You should just be able to use the Airport Express connected to the BT supplied modem. You just need to configure if for pppoe on its WAN port.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Conor1978
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎13-08-2013

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

Quote from: NatTheGooner
Just trying to work out what its all going to cost if I move to fibre. I really like Plusnet but if BT supply  better hardware and the monthly bill is a lot lower I'll have to look at it or stay on my Plusnet 12meg adsl

I got a cheap and heavily-criticised Technicolour TG582n router from PN and have spent days/weeks trying to get anything over 30Mbps wireless.  Have a look at others with the same experience (Google "Technicolor TG582n slow"). The PN support staff as always have been very helpful but naturally are unable to do something that this router is not capable of - it's simply not fit-for-purpose for 76 fibre.  I have a variety of laptops (Windows 8, 7 and XP) all with N capability and updated drivers and when sitting beside the router, I get 20-35Mbps (75-80Mbps on ethernet).  If i move to the next room which is probably 15 feet away (max), I get 2 bars reception and 15-25Mbps.  I've had replacement routers, I've tried all channels and even used an analyser to to scan for interference but the router is simply not outputting the power.  If I plug in my old battered netgear dg834g router, I have super reception everywhere albeit that there is no longer any ADSL service running. My fibre wireless on the TG582n is worse than my previous ADSL. I don't know what BT provides but would encourage people to do what I didn't do - ask what router is supplied and get some reviews.  BE PREPARED to go out out and buy a decent router at your own cost if you go with PN.
NatTheGooner
Grafter
Posts: 61
Registered: ‎07-12-2011

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

Thanks for the advice Conor.
Did you say that the ethernet side of the Technicolor is fine though?
Is it OK for wired gaming with the NAT feature?
I don't suppose you get a choice of router when signing up for 18 months?
NorthEasterner
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,873
Thanks: 64
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎25-09-2012

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

You have every choice of router on the market! Providing it is capable of PPPOE and has a WAN port.
Ex Plusnet Fibre customer. Sky Ultrafast (G.Fast) Customer using a Sky Hub 4.2. If you wish to say thanks, please click the thumbs up Thumbs_Up
Conor1978
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎13-08-2013

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

Sure, NorthEasterner I have that choice and I have ordered an alternative.  I am simply replying to a hardware query posted here and I think it is useful for people to know that there are issues (as discussed on the internet) with this router. I am merely giving my experience of it and if I had not been continually persuaded by PN that the router was fine, I might not have wasted so much time fiddling with all the network cards that were not part of the problem.
NatTheGooner - I have no complaint about the wired connection at all.  I always seem to get 69-72Mbps if I happen to be next to the router and plugged in.  Wireless is the only disaster though and PN's approach is, we provide broadband - not wifi.  There is some credibility to this considering all the potential factors with wireless but I would not expect 70Mbps to drop to 25Mbps while practically sitting on top of the router.  If they are going to supply an N router, it should perform to that standard.  There are many technical posts on various boards as to why this router fails.
NorthEasterner
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,873
Thanks: 64
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎25-09-2012

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

Speeds can vary on a number of factors.
I am in the process of sorting out my spare open reach modem to provide internet out LAN 2, if i manage, it will connect to my mac hardwired. This should give me my line speed which is 75 meg.
Sometimes the router has a restriction think of a funnel the top end is the main connection from the modem, the router sometimes thins it out which means you don't get the full connection
If it was wired to the modem to pc, it just allows all the data to go in without limiting or slowing down the line speed.
It may interest you if you a tech geek  Wink
Ex Plusnet Fibre customer. Sky Ultrafast (G.Fast) Customer using a Sky Hub 4.2. If you wish to say thanks, please click the thumbs up Thumbs_Up
Conor1978
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎13-08-2013

Re: What hardware do I get when moving to fibre?

Following on from my earlier posts about the poor Technicolour TG582n router from PN, I got the Asus RT-N56U (good price and service from Amazon), plugged it in and now getting wireless over 70Mbps and full signal throughout the building - even in places the Technicolour was giving me 1 or 2 bars.