Use an existing router

[#1]

Will be connecting to Plusnet in a couple of weeks and receiving the new router.

I would like (if possible) to use my existing router which was supplied by Nowtv. Main reasons is that 
I have various fixed ip addresses and use 192.168.0. etc and the new one I think will be 192.168.1. etc and it is very
messy to reset everything eg cameras nas drives port forwarding 

It looks like that I cannot edit any of my existing setting eg a log in name password etc probably because it was preset by NowTV.

The menu does say (in theory) you can change, but that would not appear to be the case.

Could someone from a technical side confirm I would have to get access somehow  to amend the relevant settings and connect to plusnet ? 

Plan B would be to change plusnet router from 1 to 0 and manually update the other settings.

[#2]

I believe this thread https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/NowTV-Hub-Two-ADSL/td-p/1634992 concluded that it wasn't possible to reconfigure the NowTV router.

Your Plan B is the best route...

[#3]

Thanks

[#4]

Splash out and get something like the Billion 8800NL R2, this is allowed by PN and you have control over everything.

[#5]

Or the 8800NL for better WiFi. 🙂

[#6 · Accepted solution]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from ADSL Broadband to My Router

[#7]

I was going to post to ask about that. What put me off was having to buy another router
if I ever upgraded to fibre. However it would seem on first glance the first model allows both
What is the difference between the 2nd model quoted, are they not the same 8800
NL
Not yet read full description , but am I correct that 1 port has a 1ghz to connect to 1ghz hub?

[#8]

Yep @newbie5 

It should be just a simple case of just going into the router config, and changing the DHCP range from .0 to .1. 10 minute job (if that).

That shouldn't matter if all your devies being assigned addresses via DHCP I wouldn't have thought? Only if you have some on static internal IP's?

If I go over my sisters today, I will take a look at her Hub One and post back.

[#9]

---

@newbie5 wrote:
What is the difference between the 2nd model quoted, are they not the same 8800 NL
Not yet read full description , but am I correct that 1 port has a 1ghz to connect to 1ghz hub?

---

The two manuals are here - 8800NL  8800NL R2 

I only have experience of the former, which at least for me has excellent WiFi. I've seen reports elsewhere that the latter's WiFi is not great, despite having external antennae, which the 8800NL does not.  🤔

[#10]

I have (as you would expect)  the 8800NL R2.   I have no idea how the prior model's WiFi is but no complaints about the R2 WiFi performance.  it is also possible that the original is no longer available. 

I did find this though....

 "The Billion 8800NL has been upgraded to the 8800NL V2, and now incorporates two external antennas to improve wireless range."   

I certainly would expect better performance with the external antenna as you have more control. 

Maybe there is a link available to a test between the original and R2?  I know that the chip set was changed but not looked as far as to if the WiFi performance was impacted.  The  8800 (both) are only 2.4 GHz though. 

Setup for ADSL is straightforward, for FTTC slightly more complicated but if you go for this Billion are very helpful, often reply same day and I have a write up somewhere I can find. 

Big plus with this router is things like the SNR which can be adjusted (only for ADSL not FTTC) to get better download speed.  I have done this on one I installed, and works fine.  Also you can take advantage of some of the more sophisticated noise reduction features BT have installed. 

[#11]

Thanks for the info. Also did quick google search and there seems to be pages of the stuff re wifi ,better chip etc etc.

Also did quick ebay search for original model and nothing being advertised and only 1 or 2 historically. So if I do buy one then I may not have a choice  between models.

Depending on other commitments then I might use plan B and if it gets too messy buy the above especially if I decide to change isp in the future.

In response to Alex I have 4 fixed ip no’s. Had the same scenario couple of years  ago and from memory it was not
straitforward, but muddled my way through. The other issue I had was port forwarding which was not so much  a specific router configuration problem more to do with an ip camera and going through a nas drive.

Anyway, appreciate everyone’s comments and being helpful.

[#12]

Port forwarding is a standard feature.  If you know which ports coming in or out and which they should be directed to then relatively straightforward, Billion or here can help. i have done this on the 8800NL R2. 

It is easy for me to say but setting up IP addresses, fixed (static) or handed out by the router (DHCP) is also fairly straightforward if you follow certain rules.   If you have one  or more devices that need static addresses and you know.

A.  The IP range of the router 

B.   The default DHCP range of the Billion

C.   The default IP address of the router .   

then... a subnet of 192.168.1.0 

R. The full range of IP addresses available are   192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.254   (i.e.  1.2.3.4...... 254 ) 

S. Out of this range one address, the router itself, probably  192.168.1.254 is used = unavailable

T.  The DHCP range  possibly 192.168.1.100   to   192.168.1.200   is  unavailable  (see notes later) 

U. Leaving you with   192.168.1.1   to 192.168.1.99    and  192.168.1.201   to 192.168.1.253   available

Simply use any addresses from "U"  as your fixed addresses.

Notes... 

1. Only ever use an address once i.e. for ONE device

2. Don't use a DHCP address for any fixed address device  (It may work, then stop, then come back) 

(you can use a DHCP address as a fixed address, there is nothing to stop this but if you configure a DHCP address as a fixed address in a device and then at some date DHCP hands out the same address to another device then strange things will happen lol ) 

3. Don't use the routers own address  the  1.254 one,  ever for anything.

4.  99% of the time DHCP is fine and few people will ever need more than say 50 to 100 addresses, allowing say for visitors etc.   If people visit infrequently and you want them to have the same address then simply increase the DHCP lease time to some big number like weeks or months. This way when the router sees them again it gives them the same address.

If you know the above but it is configuring the router that is the problem then there should not be anything to do other than choose the right address to use.

If configuring the devices, PC. Phone, Kindle, etc. with a fixed address is the problem then the maker and hundreds of tutorials on the web can help.  Essentially you have to configure the device with... 

E.  The IP address (the fixed one you have chosen)

F.  The subnet mask (don't ask) which will always be  255.255.255.0  and maybe filled in automatically.

G.  The "Default Gateway"  which is always the router address in this case as above  192.1.68.1.254

Yes (for the initiated) the above is an oversimplification, and yes using CIDR will give you a different IP range and subnet mask etc. etc. but the basics for most routers using a non routing IP (Class C) 192.168.x.y   IP address range is covered by the above. 

[#13]

Well I am not going over to my sisters today.

I believe the default gateway is where traffic gets routed, if it is not part of your subnet. So that will be your internet.

A 255.255.255.0 subnet mask is a /24 isn't it?

I can't remember if I said, I just put my DHCP range to 192.168.1.20 and above. Anything I want static stays below that.

Mind you if you have more than 255 devices in your house wanting to use your internet you must be flush 😀 

[#14]

Ive just replaced a billion 8800nl R2 unit due to the poor wifi from the billion with a tp link archer vr2800

AS previous, the easiest option is to change a new routers settings to match the old IP range/SSID and wifi passwords

[#15]

It is quite likely that this was better.

I have an Billion 8800NL R2  and a  Synology RT2600 AT,  In most circumstances the Billion works just as well as the 2600, but the 2600 has 5 GHz and lots of bells and whistles, BUT in basic connectivity to a couple of devices a Kindle and a Laptop the Billion works fine. 

The Synology is WAY ahead, why? Cos the spec is totally different as is the PRICE.

The Billion costs say £60 ish, the Archer VR2800 nearly THREE TIMES as MUCH. (and with MU-MIMO  5 GHz etc.)   If it didn't work better then I would be really surprised. 

2.4 GHz suffers from dozens of different problems, depending on how many devices connected,  the channels used by the neighbours, the speed of your connected devices, if your router can switch channels, and almost endless list, and possibly the Archer is configured just for 2.4 GHz?  with all the other expensive features turned off so as to make a balanced comparison and talking to older 2.4 GHz only devices? 

It is quite possible that at £60 ish there are other routers that work  just as well as the 8800NL, users of such routers please comment.