Weapons-grade home WiFi suggestions
Discussion
mattlovescars93 said:
Yes and I will connect directly to the ONT via Ethernet however I have seen that Sky don’t use PPPOE and are difficult to retrieve the 61 details from and Vodafone also have lots of reports of throttling speeds in the evening, both things I’m trying to avoid.
Not sure I think the TV package is close to being value for money any more, but I have Sky FTTP connected directly to a UDM pro and it's fine. The extra config probably took about 90 seconds! ecs0set said:
Probably the subject for another thread, but are they really using a shared fibre with TDM? Do you know of a list of the different supplier options as "full fibre" has to be the most mis-used term in advertising.
Open Reach generally use a single shared fibre and GPON using TDM for domestic FTTP and its whats installed in my street. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPON
Mind you, just found out that Netomnia also uses passive optical but deploys XGS-PON with Carrier Grade NAT. (which just goes to show, don't believe a marketing person who said it was PTP)
B4RN then are the only PTP I know.
Edited by Gary C on Wednesday 1st November 14:41
bobthemonkey said:
Not sure I think the TV package is close to being value for money any more, but I have Sky FTTP connected directly to a UDM pro and it's fine. The extra config probably took about 90 seconds!
Would you mind sharing how you did it and how you get the passwords etc to see if my IT skills are up to it. Appreciate not everyone loves sky but can get a really good deal as an ex tv customer.mattlovescars93 said:
Would you mind sharing how you did it and how you get the passwords etc to see if my IT skills are up to it. Appreciate not everyone loves sky but can get a really good deal as an ex tv customer.
These look like the instructions I followed. Clicked a couple of buttons, copied one string and it was done.https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Archive/Connect-UDM-P...
The string isn’t a placeholder - it’s just looking for a format string, not an actual password with authentication via another means.
Just make sure you UDM is updated before you try as this didn’t work for earlier firmware versions. The ONT connects to the WAN port on the UDM.
Edited by bobthemonkey on Wednesday 1st November 18:54
Somebody said:
A question on FTTP please? When they come and fit the ONT in place of the old master socket, is it a straight replacement or would they need to drill through the wall to install the new outlet? I would like to avoid drilling if at all possible.
TIA
Who is your FTTP supplier? If not via Openreach then I think you will have to have a new hole drilled for the fibre, as it is a totally different infrastructure.TIA
We've recentyl had Gigaclear cable up (well, fibre up) our village and we've now switched to them. Still have the old BT infrastructure (overhead cable and master socket) coming into the house but it is disconnected.
Somebody said:
A question on FTTP please? When they come and fit the ONT in place of the old master socket, is it a straight replacement or would they need to drill through the wall to install the new outlet? I would like to avoid drilling if at all possible.
TIA
When OR did mine, the drilled a new hole (though the copper was still in use), now netomnia are doing an install they have suggested they use the old copper hole. I imagine OR could do the same.TIA
bobthemonkey said:
mattlovescars93 said:
Would you mind sharing how you did it and how you get the passwords etc to see if my IT skills are up to it. Appreciate not everyone loves sky but can get a really good deal as an ex tv customer.
These look like the instructions I followed. Clicked a couple of buttons, copied one string and it was done.https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Archive/Connect-UDM-P...
The string isn’t a placeholder - it’s just looking for a format string, not an actual password with authentication via another means.
Just make sure you UDM is updated before you try as this didn’t work for earlier firmware versions. The ONT connects to the WAN port on the UDM.
Edited by bobthemonkey on Wednesday 1st November 18:54
JohnnyUK said:
Are you saying you've connected the fibre directly to the UDM?
No. The UDM is still connected to the Openreach provided ONT where the fibre terminates but I’m not using any of the Sky provided routers etc. the UDM connects to the ONT over Ethernet. That being said, if you are with an ISP that uses a more conventional authentication scheme, you could in principle fibre directly into the UDM pro if you get the right SFP transceiver and install it in one of the SFP ports. Don’t think anyone in the UK has got it working from what I’ve found however.
Edited by bobthemonkey on Wednesday 1st November 21:29
bobthemonkey said:
No. The UDM is still connected to the Openreach provided ONT where the fibre terminates but I’m not using any of the Sky provided routers etc. the UDM connects to the ONT over Ethernet.
That being said, if you are with an ISP that uses a more conventional authentication scheme, you could in principle fibre directly into the UDM pro if you get the right SFP transceiver and install it in one of the SFP ports. Don’t think anyone in the UK has got it working from what I’ve found however.
Indeed you could technically put a GPON / XGSPON transceiver in the UDM Pro's SFP port and avoid the provider's ONT, but I'm not sure why you would want to other than to eliminate a box and wire.That being said, if you are with an ISP that uses a more conventional authentication scheme, you could in principle fibre directly into the UDM pro if you get the right SFP transceiver and install it in one of the SFP ports. Don’t think anyone in the UK has got it working from what I’ve found however.
Edited by bobthemonkey on Wednesday 1st November 21:29
You'd need to be able to configure it in such a way that your replacement ONT (in the form of the SFP module) replicates theirs, so whatever identifiers they are using to allow you to participate in the PON encryption and authentication schemes would need to be carried over.
Then if you ever have a problem and require support...
The ethernet port on the supplied ONT is the demarcation point between you and the provider's network so I would just leave it be.
A word of warning to anyone planning to buy a Mercusys system:
It was cheap, it does the job very well in a Victorian house with wifi impenetrable walls as all the units are on wired backhaul and it only took 30 mins to set up.
But the bloody thing needs to be set up via an app - which talks to an account in the cloud. If that cloud system ever gets turned off, then I have a feeling that it will become junk. *And* I object to my wifi config leaving the house...
I certainly don't think I am going to get the ~10years out of it that I got out of the system it replaced.
Buy cheap, etc etc
It was cheap, it does the job very well in a Victorian house with wifi impenetrable walls as all the units are on wired backhaul and it only took 30 mins to set up.
But the bloody thing needs to be set up via an app - which talks to an account in the cloud. If that cloud system ever gets turned off, then I have a feeling that it will become junk. *And* I object to my wifi config leaving the house...
I certainly don't think I am going to get the ~10years out of it that I got out of the system it replaced.
Buy cheap, etc etc
595Heaven said:
Who is your FTTP supplier? If not via Openreach then I think you will have to have a new hole drilled for the fibre, as it is a totally different infrastructure.
We've recently had Gigaclear cable up (well, fibre up) our village and we've now switched to them. Still have the old BT infrastructure (overhead cable and master socket) coming into the house but it is disconnected.
Copper to fibre is *always* a totally different infrastructure. We've recently had Gigaclear cable up (well, fibre up) our village and we've now switched to them. Still have the old BT infrastructure (overhead cable and master socket) coming into the house but it is disconnected.
Fibre needs enter the house somewhere with convenient mains power. Even if it's going very close to the master socket, I'd expect them to drill another hole rather than faff around trying to re-use an old route.
595Heaven said:
Still have the old BT infrastructure (overhead cable and master socket) coming into the house but it is disconnected.
Contact openreach and they'll remove the overhead line for free, if you want to declutter your views...GlenMH said:
A word of warning to anyone planning to buy a Mercusys system:
It was cheap, it does the job very well in a Victorian house with wifi impenetrable walls as all the units are on wired backhaul and it only took 30 mins to set up.
But the bloody thing needs to be set up via an app - which talks to an account in the cloud. If that cloud system ever gets turned off, then I have a feeling that it will become junk. *And* I object to my wifi config leaving the house...
I certainly don't think I am going to get the ~10years out of it that I got out of the system it replaced.
Buy cheap, etc etc
Are you sure it doesn't offer a 'hidden' web interface too?It was cheap, it does the job very well in a Victorian house with wifi impenetrable walls as all the units are on wired backhaul and it only took 30 mins to set up.
But the bloody thing needs to be set up via an app - which talks to an account in the cloud. If that cloud system ever gets turned off, then I have a feeling that it will become junk. *And* I object to my wifi config leaving the house...
I certainly don't think I am going to get the ~10years out of it that I got out of the system it replaced.
Buy cheap, etc etc
I got the BT Whole Home Mini discs and they give you an app to do the setup and admin (and it's what's referenced in all the documentation), but .. if you look at the IPs that the discs use then you can point a browser at the primary disc's IP and it will give you a web interface that does pretty much everything that the app does.
Edit: Regarding wifi configs leaving the house, if you are worried then beware Android and many Amazon devices. They will save your wifi to the cloud 'for ease of use'. I remember my last Kindle just went on to my home WiFi when I first booted it, no password provided. Typically, the settings for enabling/disabling the cloud saving are buried under non-intuitive titles in the menus.
Edited by Lucas Ayde on Thursday 2nd November 14:53
Lucas Ayde said:
Are you sure it doesn't offer a 'hidden' web interface too?
The web interface isn't hidden - they give you the url - and you log in to it with the same password BUT it doesn't have half the configuration options in there: such as swapping from router to AP mode, controling the node radios etc etc. It really is management-lite compared to the app. So if Mercusys turn off the management system, I think the mesh units will pretty much become junk as I think they talk to the cloud even if you log in to the web page.Take everyone else's points about wifi passwords. I hadn't thought of that.
e-honda said:
The Google WiFi is only via the app, it was the Google WiFi app, but they killed that and said you now have to use the home app instead, who knows how long that will last and if it will get replaced with something else
Understand the cynicism given Google's love of killing an app that works perfectly well (Inbox, Adroid Auto for Phones, Wifi, etc), but they've also moved all the Nest stuff to the Home app so I doubt the Home app will go anywhere soon. Shame they haven't sorted the migration properly, as I'm still getting camera notifications from 2 apps.....
RizzoTheRat said:
Bonefish Blues said:
Is my solution just as simple as buying a decent mesh system - TP or the like - and taking out the other stuff, running my wired connection from the first mesh unit rather than the VF router?
There's basically 2 ways:- Use the ISP router as a router, and "nodes" as wifi access points
- Set your ISP's router to passthrough/modem mode, with one of the nodes doing the router job, and the other nodes as access points.
eg the first 2 configs for passthrough mode, or the third one when the ISP device is the router
TP-Link example
As you already have an Ubiquity access point, check it's compatibility with their other kit, you might be able to use it as a mesh node with one of their routers.
I think what looks sensible is to use a single solution, I can't find out whether I can use the Ubiquiti, I guess that depends on what mesh I decide to buy, so that would be a bonus, but no matter.
I've got ethernet from my access point to my desktop, but that's the only hard connection, albeit a useful one, so I will be relying on wifi to wifi in the main, unless (and here is my Q) the TP model that uses your electric cabling is genuinely useful - I have 2 rings, one up, one down, so upstairs would have to go via wifi before it could then use the cabling (if it's smart enough to do that?)
Welcome thoughts about the TP P9 model - as a reminder, I'm nearly 3k ft2, with some thick internal walls because of various conversions. I get 72mb at best, with no prospect of more until someone decides to lay full fibre, but that's unlikely. I'm quite happy to go with a relatively cheap solution and chuck 5 or 6 units at it - I put plenty of electrical sockets in when we converted!
If not the TP, any thoughts about sensibly-priced units - I don't need to be chasing wifi 6 or 7 because I haven't got the speeds anyway.
Edited by Bonefish Blues on Thursday 9th November 14:45
Edited by Bonefish Blues on Thursday 9th November 14:58
My router is in the middle floor of my house. On it, it says it must be kept upright to prevent poor connections- is this nonsense?
If it were true I wouldn’t get any signal on the floor underneath surely?
It’s the standard sky FTTP router, and signal is weak in some parts of the house, would a better router improve this? If so can I get something decent for 100 quid?
I don’t want any separate disks or mesh setup. All the TVs and consoles are Ethernet connected so it’s just phones/tablets that use the Wi-Fi in a meaningful manner
If it were true I wouldn’t get any signal on the floor underneath surely?
It’s the standard sky FTTP router, and signal is weak in some parts of the house, would a better router improve this? If so can I get something decent for 100 quid?
I don’t want any separate disks or mesh setup. All the TVs and consoles are Ethernet connected so it’s just phones/tablets that use the Wi-Fi in a meaningful manner
Bonefish Blues said:
Welcome thoughts about the TP P9 model - as a reminder, I'm nearly 3k ft2, with some thick internal walls because of various conversions. I get 72mb at best, with no prospect of more until someone decides to lay full fibre, but that's unlikely. I'm quite happy to go with a relatively cheap solution and chuck 5 or 6 units at it - I put plenty of electrical sockets in when we converted!
I have they P9's and while they do work, powerline connections can be a bit hit and miss, I only get about 20Mbps when they're talking over powerline, whereas if I position them to get a decent wifi connection I get way more. If you can get ethernet cables anywhere useful you can connect nodes via ethernet and they'll work way better I now have all mine on ethernet and get my full 250Mbps in most places.They're quite old though, if you have the budget I'd look at the newer Wifi6 ones which have an X in the model number, The PX50 is the one with powerline.
Edited by RizzoTheRat on Thursday 9th November 15:10
RizzoTheRat said:
Bonefish Blues said:
Welcome thoughts about the TP P9 model - as a reminder, I'm nearly 3k ft2, with some thick internal walls because of various conversions. I get 72mb at best, with no prospect of more until someone decides to lay full fibre, but that's unlikely. I'm quite happy to go with a relatively cheap solution and chuck 5 or 6 units at it - I put plenty of electrical sockets in when we converted!
I have they P9's and while they do work, powerline connections can be a bit hit and miss, I only get about 20Mbps when they're talking over powerline, whereas if I position them to get a decent wifi connection I get way more. If you can get ethernet cables anywhere useful you can connect nodes via ethernet and they'll work way better I now have all mine on ethernet and get my full 250Mbps in most places.Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff