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

[OwlHoot]

Just bought a kick-ass Linksys WRT1900ac router. But a geek friend who knows about these things says I'll also need a separate modem to connect to a BT broadband line.

I assumed it could be plugged straight into a BT splitter thingie, which is about the size of a sugar lump. But is he correct, and I've gone and done my usual stunt yet _again_ of forking out for a snazzy new router that can't be used in the UK as an ADSL router?!

If a separate modem does turn out to be required, can anyone recommend a good model?

[minestrone]

BT should have given one to you.

If you have the home hub you can just use that as a modem and use the new router as the router.

[OwlHoot]

BT should have given one to you.

If you have the home hub you can just use that as a modem and use the new router as the router.

Thanks for your reply, but BT aren't my ISP - I just meant I have a BT broadband-capable line.

[kevpuk]

If you are talking regular broadband, then many/most ADSL modems will suffice, but if you are looking at/using Fibre, then you will need a vDSL modem.

[VectraMan]

If it doesn't say ADSL anywhere, it doesn't do ADSL. I searched that page for ADSL and the only place it said it was in a comment saying it doesn't do ADSL. Sorry.

If you get fibre, BT give you the VDSL modem and you then need a router (like that one) that connects to it via ethernet (PPPoE).

Feel free to give it to me as I'm getting fibre next week.

[kevpuk]

And be wary of Sky's Fibre.....I have now had it since moving in June (no more Virgin ) and Sky force their router thingy on you, which cannot be put in 'modem only' mode....which means that my Asus RT-AC68U is more or less useless. CBA to faff with this for now, especially as away each week on current gig.
BT, however, and I think many other providers, either give you the vDSL modem you need, and can then hook your WRT1900ac up to, or provide a router that can function just as the modem, achieving the same result.

[Scruff]

And be wary of Sky's Fibre.....I have now had it since moving in June (no more Virgin ) and Sky force their router thingy on you, which cannot be put in 'modem only' mode....which means that my Asus RT-AC68U is more or less useless. CBA to faff with this for now, especially as away each week on current gig.
BT, however, and I think many other providers, either give you the vDSL modem you need, and can then hook your WRT1900ac up to, or provide a router that can function just as the modem, achieving the same result.

I have the Asus RT-AC68U with Sky Fibre?

Took 5 minutes to flash it with Merlin Firmware and another 5 to get the Sky user name and password.

[OwlHoot]

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

ADSL or cable router?

Cable routers

If you have a cable connection (Virgin Media) then you’ll need a broadband router (also known as a cable router).

You’ll already have a broadband modem supplied by your ISP, and the router simply connects to this using an Ethernet cable connection.

ADSL modem routers

If you have an ADSL connection (eg BT, TalkTalk, O2) then you need an ADSL modem router.

This combines the broadband modem and wireless router in one box. An ADSL modem router needs only one power supply, so only one spare power socket, and could save energy compared with a separate router and modem.

The ADSL modem router plugs directly into the phone socket.

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.

[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......

[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.