Reply to: Does Linksys WRT1900ac router need a separate modem for BT broadband?

[OwlHoot]

Hi Owly, what are you trying to do?

FWIW, my set up was / is

Draytek 2820 has the ADSL2+ modem built in, you still need a microfilter. A version of the Draytek with wireless is (was) available. Recently I got BT fibre, the BT man gave me a HomeHub 5 which doesn't do port forwarding very well or a few other things I used the Draytek for, so he gave me a modem too, which plugs into the Draytek and all is "back to normal" and it saved me buying a new VDSL Draytek router.

There are lots of Drayteks on eBay, so if you fancy one, save yourself some dosh.

My brand new one cost £148 in 2009.

HTH

Thanks, but your doubtless sage advice comes too late - I bought a Vigor 2860Vn Plus at the weekend!

To answer your question, all I'm basically trying to do is set up a fairly future proof (the next two or three years' future anyway) and reliable network with the internal speed as fast as it can be made on copper, and with 802.11ac wireless.

But I'd concede that maybe it is a bit OTT in relation to the external broadband connection, as the speed of that is 8 Mbps tops.

I guess all I need now is a dinky little linux box to use as a RADIUS-based authentication server for WPA2 enterprise EAP.

[Platypus]

Hi Owly, what are you trying to do?

FWIW, my set up was / is

Draytek 2820 has the ADSL2+ modem built in, you still need a microfilter. A version of the Draytek with wireless is (was) available. Recently I got BT fibre, the BT man gave me a HomeHub 5 which doesn't do port forwarding very well or a few other things I used the Draytek for, so he gave me a modem too, which plugs into the Draytek and all is "back to normal" and it saved me buying a new VDSL Draytek router.

There are lots of Drayteks on eBay, so if you fancy one, save yourself some dosh.

My brand new one cost £148 in 2009.

HTH

[OwlHoot]

Can't have you spending only £200 when you could be spending £263.

and the rest - I still have to buy the CAT 7a cables (or is CAT 8 out yet) ?

It only has to be done every few years, so one may as well lash out and buy the best.

I think the 27xx is for SoHo and 28xx is for business.

That was my impression too.

[VectraMan]

Ah, to answer my own (latest) question, I found a DrayTek feature comparison guide

It seems that in the 2800 series, to get VDSL one must go for the Vigor 2860Vn Plus, which is £263 (from that site).

Lucky you mentioned VDSL - Thanks!

Can't have you spending only £200 when you could be spending £263.

I think the 27xx is for SoHo and 28xx is for business.

[OwlHoot]

Ah, to answer my own (latest) question, I found a DrayTek feature comparison guide

It seems that in the 2800 series, to get VDSL one must go for the Vigor 2860Vn Plus, which is £263 (from that site).

Lucky you mentioned VDSL - Thanks!

[OwlHoot]

If you're going to buy an ADSL router, you might be better off buying one that can do VDSL too for future proofing. Like the Vigor 2760n.

Future proofing is a major aim. But now you have me puzzled - The Vigor 2830 is significantly more expensive than the Vigor 2760n but doesn't seem to support VDSL (unless it does but is too obvious to mention).

So what useful extra(s) is one paying for with the 2830

Or is the 2760n actually a newer model, despite its smaller model number, rendering the 2830 obsolete?

[Scruff]

It's an easy DIY...

http://www.vmadmin.co.uk/other/357-m...tension-socket

Thanks to the author (who is not me!)

[VectraMan]

Alternatively, you can install a filtered master socket and then no filters are required.

When I had my Sky Fibre installed, the BT Openreach engineer replaced my old master socket with a new, filtered one.

When I first had ADSL that was an engineer installed BT socket with the filter built in. Then they went DIY. Apparently (and I've just learned this today), you can now get a DIY fibre install too - though Plusnet didn't give me that option. And the other thing I've learned today is that there are a couple of VDSL routers; I thought you had no choice but to use the BT modem via ethernet (and I didn't like the idea of two boxes). But you do. I think I've talked myself into spending money.

If you're going to buy an ADSL router, you might be better off buying one that can do VDSL too for future proofing. Like the Vigor 2760n.

[Scruff]

Alternatively, you can install a filtered master socket and then no filters are required.

When I had my Sky Fibre installed, the BT Openreach engineer replaced my old master socket with a new, filtered one.

[OwlHoot]

Yes. I suppose a router could have a splitter built in, but I've never seen one that does.

Yes, some more Googling made it pretty clear that a separate RJ45-to-RJ11 splitter is still required.

All the ones I could find look worryingly cheap, but a Billion AFB711C sounds more than adequate.

[VectraMan]

Yes. I suppose a router could have a splitter built in, but I've never seen one that does.

[OwlHoot]

One more question (possible stupid question alert)

If I buy the Draytek, or some other modem (+ router), will I still need the miniature BT splitter that actually plugs into the broadband phone line ?

[VectraMan]

I've read mixed reactions to the Fritz, but yes the Draytek looks the dog's b's

Come to think of it, I could use the Draytek as the modem + router, and then plug the Linksys WRT1900AC into that to form a separate subnet with 802.11ac wireless functionality.

Nothing like spending £400+ on kit when a £40 box will do everything you need.

[OwlHoot]

It's not a cable router per se, it's a router, connect it via ethernet to the BT modem you must still have and set the modem to a bridge.

Or get the Draytek or maybe the Fritz! - looks cooler......

I've read mixed reactions to the Fritz, but yes the Draytek looks the dog's b's

Come to think of it, I could use the Draytek as the modem + router, and then plug the Linksys WRT1900AC into that to form a separate subnet with 802.11ac wireless functionality.

[stek]

I've been doing a bit of reading, to clear up my confusion once and for all, and there's a clear explanation here



So evidently the Linksys WRT1900ac is a cable router, and that (as others have pointed out) needs connecting to the BT phone line via an ADSL modem.

These days almost all ADSL modems double as routers. So the ADSL modem must either have no router capability or else support bridged mode (whereby the router capability is disabled and the modem operates in "pass through" mode).

So for a fairly future-proof ADSL modem, I'm looking at the DrayTek Vigor 2830Vn Triple-WAN VPN ADSL 2+ WiFi Gigabit Router w/ VoIP, Load Balancing & 3G Support (300Mbps N), although that is another £200 (ouch).

One could probably buy a much cheaper modem, but I can't resist all those features! Also, who knows I may really need them before long.

It's not a cable router per se, it's a router, connect it via ethernet to the BT modem you must still have and set the modem to a bridge.

Or get the Draytek or maybe the Fritz! - looks cooler......