Kitz Forum
Broadband Related => Broadband Hardware => Topic started by: Zack1uk on March 26, 2018, 01:06:31 PM
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Hi
Back story below, but as its a wall of text, the headline is what standalone modem (or modem / router that can be bridged) should I buy to connect enable me to use Sky BB Unlimited with a Asus AC86U (or possibly 68u)? I want to avoid double NAT issues and increase reliability, whilst maintaining speeds. Thankyou in advance.
Edit: With the investment in the AC86u (and a pair of twins on the way), it will ideally be cheap, say circa £30 new or second hand.....
Currently using an SR101 and a TP Link Archer D7 behind it carrying out all DHCP & routing. Effectively two networks on two subnets (Sky 192.168.0.XX, TP Link on 192.168.2.XX). However, this means lots of port forwarding and the usual double NAT issue.
I'm going overseas for a couple of months and need a more reliable setup as I find I need to reboot either Sky or TPLink routers occasionally (typically once per week to 3 weeks).
I'm planning on the Asus router for its reliability, and as its a good'un will probably create a VPN to my server....I understand that double NAT hates this, even with port forwarding.
So, I thought "easy" lets just get a standalone modem and extract my sky details from the SR101. However, that's where I got confused. Very few "decent" stand alone modems about these days. And lots of talk about PPoA to PPOE handover from modem to router (sorry, thats probably wrong) that is particular to Sky ADSL.
It seems that the Vigor 120 (and 130) will do it, but they don't seem to have the greatest performance or reliability.
I looked at a TP W9970 but that only seems to bridged on a VDSL connection
Huawei HG612 was another option, but most of the success stories seem to be about fibre.
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Welcome to the Kitz forum. :)
Assuming that you can extract your login credentials for the Sky service, then I would suggest that you consider one of the ZyXEL VMGxxx-B10y series of modem/routers configured in bridging modem mode. Perhaps a VMG1312-B10A . . .
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Welcome to the Kitz forum. :)
Assuming that you can extract your login credentials for the Sky service, then I would suggest that you consider one of the ZyXEL VMGxxx-B10y series of modem/routers configured in bridging modem mode. Perhaps a VMG1312-B10A . . .
Thank you for both the advice and the welcome.
Would a B10D to the PPPoE to PPPoE translation. The B10a all seem to be North of £80, whilst the D version seems a much more reasonable price.
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Would a B10D to the PPPoE to PPPoE translation.
Yes, it most certainly would do so. There are many people who use a "two box" solution, with various devices as both the modem and the router components.
The B10a all seem to be North of £80, whilst the D version seems a much more reasonable price.
The -B10A is the better device in terms of chip-set and will usually outperform the -B10D. The latter is essentially the bargain-basement offering of the former.
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@Zack1uk
As you mentioned both Asus RT-AC68U and RT-AC86U I assume you'd prefer a two-device solution (a modem + a router) rather than an all-in-one modem/router.
With an all-in-one set up you could use pretty much any modem/router device by setting user = install@o2broadband.co.uk and password = install.
But if you prefer the two-device solution then be aware that not every modem can be bridged with Sky ADSL: you can probably bridge any modem to making work with any provider but not Sky. I used Sky ADSL for almost 4 years (till January) and the only two modem I was able to bridge (and making work) with Sky ADSL were Draytek Vigor 120 and Billion 8800NL (the latter was providing a higher sync speed, but each line is different, so only a live test would reveal which chip-set would work better on your line...).
if I were you I would try to get a Billion 8800NL which you could also use in case of an upgrade to Fibre/VDSL.
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Thank you all for your advice.
After spending most of the day reading posts about various hardware configurations (and how it all keeps changing with the MER hokey kokey), I've decided to take another route and signed up with plusnet. Lower price for 76mb fibre, and none of this messing around. Asus AC86U and Huawei HG612 3b are now on there way. Seems like a much simpler solution at a lower price for a faster service. My mum is also on plusnet and I have to say that there customer service has been superb on the couple of occasions that it has been needed.
I wanted a two box solution to play about with the merlin firmware. It also seems that many combined modem routers don't have the greatest modem chipsets.
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The RT-AC86U is definitely a very good router and Merlin is doing a very good job with his customised firmware...
As for the modem, I second burakkucat and I'd say the ZyXEL VMG1312-B10A would be a better choice than the old HG612 and ZyXEL are still providing firmware updates...
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The RT-AC86U is definitely a very good router and Merlin is doing a very good job with his customised firmware...
As for the modem, I second burakkucat and I'd say the ZyXEL VMG1312-B10A would be a better choice than the old HG612 and ZyXEL are still providing firmware updates...
I'm watching a couple on ebay, but the going price seems to be circa £80 to £100. I have twins (babies, not Zyxel's!!!) on the way and my better half would kill me if she knew I had spent £180 on the router, so when I can get a Huawei for just £12, the Zyxel just isn't justifiable. If I do get one cheap, then I'll definitely follow your advice, but until then its time to watch the pennies.
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Bought mine on Amazon from https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01M0XAA3G (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01M0XAA3G) earlier this month, arrived as expected (little beat up the box but the unit inside was new) and been running it since 8th March.
Seller was 'NOMAN UK' just so you can be sure and at £55 was a steal in comparison to the eBay sellers.
Mull
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I managed to get a new VMG1312_B10A on eBay for just under £50 including P&P, but think I did well.
I'd have settled for this one though, if I'd known about it at the time.