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Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

Chris_in_Surrey
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Registered: ‎06-05-2021

Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

We have our house move booked with Plusnet and was impressed how simple they made this.

However I have one problem in that we were on the FTTP trial, so my OrbiRBR50 router is plugged into the Openreach ONT on the wall.

We are keeping the same Fibre Extra service but I guess I will have to buy a modem to plug into the master telephone socket at the new house as it is only FTTC.

I am not sure what to get as all searches seem to bring up router modem combinations. I thought it would be an easy job just to buy a modem and basically set up as I have done previously. 

Has anyone any suggestions. Plusnet kindly sent me a Hub1 router modem and I am not sure if I can simply plug this into the ADSL filter then plug my Orbi into that and whether that is the most efficient connection.

15 REPLIES 15
Chris_in_Surrey
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

I think I have answered my own question. Having searched again for a modem I came across the Draytek V166 G Fast Modem. This far exceeds my needs at present but feel it is worth paying the little extra over the V130 to future proof it as service speeds hopefully increase.

Has anyone any experience with the Draytek V166 paired with the Orbi RBR50. It seems I just need to plug it into the phone line (presumably using an ADSL filter) and plug my Orbi in. As my Orbi is already set up to log onto my Plusnet account I assume this should just work without any further setup.  Having never done this before it is a case of crossing my fingers and hoping it works, hence my request for feedback from anyone that has faced a similar problem.

dvorak
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC


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This topic has been moved from Fibre to My Router

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bmc
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

A lot of people use the original OpenReach modem plus their own router. Can't remember what it's called (might be HG612) but is usually sourced off Amazon or eBay.

 

Just for information (you may already know) PlusNet appear to be launching FTTP in the Autumn.

 

Brian

RealAleMadrid
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

@Chris_in_Surrey  I would hold off buying the Draytek V166 as I have read on the Kitz forum it works fine on G.Fast but is extremely poor on VDSL2 (FTTC) lines. It won't give you any future proofing because G.Fast is dead, there have been no new G.Fast cabinet pods installed for quite while now, possibly back in 2019. Openreach are concentrating on FTTP expansion. Also G.Fast only works if you are very close to the cabinet, no more than 200 metres or so, any further and it can be slower than VDSL2.

I have always used a router and separate modem, as you have found there are not many new stand alone modems available, so I have gone for the old trusty Openreach Huawei HG612 3B, available on auction sites for under £20. I have an additional one as a spare as they are getting fairly old but I have had no trouble with them and get 80/20 speeds on a pretty long line to the cabinet. If you are interested in the line stats they can be unlocked with a fairly simple firmware update, in their normal default state they are simply just Plug and Play. Don't pay extra for an unlocked device, it isn't necessary.

This is the extremely long thread I have seen where quite a lot of users have been disappointed with the Draytek device. I have linked to a post in early January 21 when the UK version became available, what follows shows users were having problems with poor speeds and other issues. Various attempts were made to get improved firmware and I am not sure of the eventual outcome. I am just saying I would not buy one of these rather expensive modems.

https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,25203.msg428283.html#msg428283 

Chris_in_Surrey
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

Whoops, so after posting my comment, I became impatient and have ordered the DrayTek Vigor 166 G.fast/VDSL2 Modem.

Thinking about it further, my thoughts of futureproofing may not be relevant as we are going into a rental home for a year while we wait for the house we want long term is being built and should be available next spring. So, with a new build I guess there is a good chance we have fibre to the premises (the exchange is probably ¼ mile away), so it will just be used for the next year.

I see there was a firmware update on 23-Mar-2021 so I will just have to hope they have sorted the problems.

 

bmc
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

@Chris_in_Surrey

I would look to cancel the order if you can.

 

If the new house is in a reasonably sized development then there is a very good chance it will be built with FTTP only (no copper!!!). You should be able to confirm this with the developers.

 

PlusNet might even have an FTTP product by then.

 

Brian

bmc
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

@Chris_in_Surrey 

Should have added that as far as I'm aware the OR modem also works on FTTP - you just use an Ethernet cable from the Wan port to the ONT. That would keep you covered if you go to FTTP.

 

£20 odd quid for a modem isn't too much of a gamble to see if it works for you. If it doesn't you could always re-sell it,

 

Brian

 

 

Mustrum
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

@bmc  are you sure about that? 

You don't need a modem with FTTP, just plug the router the OP already has connected to his current ONT. 

bmc
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

@Mustrum 

Not entirely.

 

I know that any VDSL modem/router that has a Wan port works with the ONT but that any ADSL only modem/router needs a VDSL modem.

 

As this thread is about a VDSL modem I posted that I believed the OR HG612 modem worked with FTTP - I could be wrong.

 

Brian

Mustrum
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

 

@bmc  the Wan Port on the modem is to connect to the phone line to convert the ADSL/VDSL signal.

The ONT output port is connected to the router WAN port is is RJ45 ethernet.

You may wish to read the first post again.

HTH.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'@

Chris_in_Surrey
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Registered: ‎06-05-2021

Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

At the moment my days are filled with packing boxes and I just wanted to get something ordered so that on the day once we get to the new house hopefully Openreach will reinstate the telephone line and I can just plug in the modem and my Orbi Router to get on line without having to fiddle about changing settings as by that stage I will be busy unpacking boxes.

The fun of moving! Anyway, looks like I may have not made the best of decisions with the V166 modem but guess I will see on the day (25th May so I have a few days to get all my boxes packed.

Thanks for all he input, I will update once I am in situ, when you will be able to say, I told you so, though fingers crossed I will stay positive and hope it just works fine.

bmc
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

@Mustrum 

I'm more than happy to admit I'm probably wrong. I understood/believed that even FTTP needed a modem connected to the ONT. As the OP is moving to a FTTC property (before probably going to a FTTP property next year) he does need a modem. I thought it would be usable in the new house without taking into account they were already running on FTTP. It appears it was just a temporary solution they were looking for.

 

Brian

 

 

Chris_in_Surrey
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

@bmc I appreciate the time spent trying to answer my query. My knowledge of setting up my router is somewhat limited, and I was looking for the simplest solution involving me with the least effort or chances of screwing it up. I will just have to hope the V166 works out despite the concerns raised.

RealAleMadrid
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Re: Moving house involving a change from FTTP to FTTC

@bmc  I am afraid you are not probably wrong, you are just wrong, The ONT is effectively the FTTP equivalent of the modem, it converts the incoming fibre optic connection to an ethernet output that connects to the WAN port of the router.

A VDSL or ADSL modem does the same thing but has a incoming phone line  with electrical signals instead of light down a fibre.