Capabilities of PN Hub - New FTTP Customer

[#1]

Hello Community,

After many decades in the internet wilderness, we are about to be dragged into the 21st century as FTTP has just been installed this part of west Wales. We go live early in the new year. 

A bit of background - After a few years and around 15 Openreach engineers, we opted for a Welsh Government initiative which provided 4G hardware. We have been using that (MikroTik kit) for a few years and, although the expected minimum download speed is 30 Mb/s, we are getting around 80! 

We have signed up for the 900 Full Fibre offering but I haven't a clue which router is coming with this. We have a smallholding and, with a background in IT, I have set up quite a complex network with a lot of static IP addresses in the 192.168.0.n pool. Coincidentally I have used two ancient Plusnet routers as hubs in the network. I attach a high-level topology. (The yellow lines are all physical ethernet.) There are a few cameras - like the Lamb Cam, all connected via ethernet as WiFi is not that reliable between the sheds. Apart from the MikroTik kit, the routers have DHCP disabled and generally act as ethernet hubs.There is also a hardwired VoIP device which my dear wife has configured. There is the usual black arts going on there as I don't understand how that works properly with EE's carrier grade NAT and the bloody WAN ip address changes!

I have combed Plusnet's website to the nth degree but cannot find the detail on the functionality of the Hub2 router if, indeed, that is what we are having

The MikroTik modem, which is up on the roof, is 192.168.0.3 and the router - in the lounge - is 0.5. The modem currently handles DHCP 

As I would rather eviscerate myself than change all the IP addresses to the 192.168.1.n class to which I think the new router defaults, so I hope I can at least change the IP address of the new one. 

(By the way, RouterOS on the MikroTik devices is quite powerful. I assumed that we would get really basic versions so I used its macro language to send the resource usage and LTE data to our Home Assistant monitoring system. To be honest, there has never been a problem with the resources but the cell towers have had some glitches. I shall miss the LTE interface's ability to send text warnings though. I use this extensively for any hassle with the heat pump, freezer temperatures etc.)

After the Openreach engineer has installed and tested the kit - I wonder which ONT will be used too - I will attempt the following:

1. Disable the LTE interface and DHCP server on the Modem - As the device is also acting as a hub between the Deco Mesh system and the rest of the network I don't want to do away with it;
2. Change the IP address of the new PN router and alter its DHCP pool to match that of the MikroTik device;
3. Bounce everything and see what works!

I just noticed how verbose this topic is so I apologise profusely. If anyone can point me to any detailed docs on whatever version Hub I am likely to receive, I shall be extremely grateful!

Bye for now,

Gerald.

[#2]

In your scenario I would consider directly connecting the Mikrotik router to the fibre ONT and avoid using the Plusnet hub which does the job for most domestic users but doesn't have the SME capabilities of RouterOS.

Connect the Mikrotik router wan to the ONT via PPPoe

Example config
interface pppoe-client
add name=pppoe-plusnet interface=ether1-wan user="youruser@plusdsl.net" \
password="YourPassword" add-default-route=yes

Replace ether1-wan with the interface connected to the ONT

Use your own username & password

Depending on your Mikrotik model it may not have enough processing power to support gigabit WAN , if that is a requirement.

[#3]

Thank you, Protech, for that prompt and detailed response! I certainly wasn't expecting to have a suggestion to continue using the Mikrotik kit.

The router is in the lounge and that is quite basic - hAP ac lite.

The modem is up on the side of the house and I ran the additional ethernet to the Plusnet router under the decking. That is a SXT R.

I attach a screenshot from Home Assistant showing their current loads - no streaming or anything heavy happening broadband wise.

The MK router has ethernet connections to a Grandstream VoIP device and the master for the Deco P9 mesh system (which my long-suffering wife set up and I am not allowed to touch!)

The cabling to the modem would be a neat way to get the ethernet to the rest of the network though. I would just disable the LTE.

Thank you very much for your excellent advice. I may have an interesting conversation with the engineer.

[#4]

@germarsh
Some other considerations..

The hAP ac lite maxes out at around 500Mbs on the WAN side according to the specs I could find.

So if you really need 900Mbs you would need a router that supports that.

The max supported ethernet cable run between the ONT and the router is 100m and the ONT needs to be sited close to a mains power supply.
Hth

[#5]

Very good point, Protech! I seem to remember reading that the ethernet speeds aren't great either. Like 100Mb/s. I shall check it out.

This has made me think I need to revamp the rather complex network here. All the router "hubs" are getting on a bit so I reckon none will handle gigabit ethernet.. I also wonder what WiFi can handle those speeds too. I shall check on the Deco specs.

Although it has been quite reliable, the 4G network went pop this morning. No LTE error messages and there was transmission but no receiving of data.

Thank you so much for your help.

[#6]

@germarsh the Microtik hAP ac lite only has 10/100 ethernet ports according to this https://mikrotik.com/product/RB952Ui-5ac2nD#product_specification. So anything going through that is going to be limited to a maximum of 100Mb!

[#7]

Having given more thought to replacing all the old routers, I think 100Mb/s would be plenty for the cameras and the pigs and sheep do not do streaming services!

I have checked the MikroTik specs and both can only do 100 meg.

The old EE router (BT HH3) has GigE on only one port. There is no need for a superfast ethernet in the office - I have a pretend NAS on a Ubuntu laptop. There again, perhaps the Jellyfin media server would benefit!

[#8]

Yes, having only 100Mb on some of the outlying downstream routers might not be a problem. Just make sure that the primary router that connects to the ONT and distributes downstream, has Gb ports.

[#9]

Thanks to all for all the help so far.

Anyone any idea which PN router we are likely to receive? 

I am wondering whether to buy the new MikroTik home device: https://mikrotik.com/product/hap_ax_s

[#10]

You will get the Plsnet 2 hub. It a rebranded BT hub, but with different software which disables the telephone socket on it.

https://www.plus.net/help/broadband/router-setup-guides/

[#11]

The Hub two is the only supplied device.

You will need a router with an ethernet WAN port to connect to the Openreach ONT.

[#12]

I cannot find the actual specs on that hub2 anywhere. The video does show 3 ethernet ports though. I assume that they must be gig ethernet.

I should have elaborated. We are intending to use the 4G LTE modem installed on the roof as a standby for a couple of months. The MikroTik router currently has a PoE connection to the modem which both powers the modem and gets the broadband running. That router is also connected - via Ethernet - to the office and sheep sheds. (Handy to have cameras for lambing!)

At least the old PN routers have high speed ports so I will reconfigure the whole lot to ensure we have high speed links to where they are needed. One is the Ubuntu system running Home Assistant and Jellyfin media server.

[#13]

The linked to the MikroTik device show's a SFP port ( 5x Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a 2.5G SFP) which is not what your looking for if you intend to connect a router directly to the Openreach ONT.

Hub Two basic specs https://www.plus.net/help/broadband/router-information/ 

[#14]

Sorry - I should have clarified. I would use the PN Hub as the fibre interface but put the new router alongside. Besides, I need four ethernet ports.

[#15]

I would use the PN Hub as the fibre interface but put the new router alongside.

Why ? there's nothing special about the fibre interface to the ONT , its just ethernet

Besides, I need four ethernet ports.

That router has 5 gigabit ports, use one as the WAN connection to the ONT , leaves 4 for LAN connections.