Some Queries About Plusnet

I've been thinking about switching to Plusnet fiber broadband however I have a few questions that I can't seem to find the answer to. When the engineer comes out to install Plusnet fibre broadband do they install a BT Openreach Modem or do you use a VDSL router with Plusnet.

If a BT Openreach Modem is installed, I have read that the router which Plusnet provides is not that good. Taking this into consideration, what type of wireless router would I require for a BT Openreach Modem and will I have to take any additional steps when setting it up compared to the Plusnet router?

Any help would be really appreciated.

Yes you get a modem
The Plusnet router is fine as long as you don't want to do anything fancy although the wireless isn't too good I believe although I didn't have any problems

Regarding buying your own you need to decide what you want but basically any cable router (not ADSL will work) and you would need to set it up with the Plusnet login details and then it will work

Yes. An Openreach engineer, (or a subcontractor to Openreach such as Kelly's or Quinn's), installs a VDSL2 filter on your master socket and installs a modem close to that.

The router that Plusnet provide now does sound to be worse than the previous one, which was adequate but not brilliant. In my opinion it's still worth having for the cost of the postage, and making your own mind up about it when used on your line for your sort of usage. See how it goes before lashing out cash on something better. It also means you have a working spare if anything you buy falls over.

You can put the router up to 100 metres from the modem. You just need a long enough Ethernet cable.

With the Plusnet router you get a little installation book that gives you the essential settings for connecting your own router. The fancier settings of course depend on what you buy.

Billion and ASUS are popular alternative routers.

https://www.plus.net/home-broadband/faqs/fibre-optic...

Not sure how up to date this is, things change.

https://www.plus.net/home-broadband/faqs/fibre-optic...

In reply to a post by Vostag:

what type of wireless router would I require for a BT Openreach Modem

Any router with ethernet WAN port and an ability to do PPPoE. The ethernet WAN port connects to the Openreach modem. The PPPoE is the username and password that Plusnet will provide. A plusnet router has the username/password pre configured.

I use an ASUS router and do not have a Plusnet router. I have the Openreach modem.

My experience is very much as described by Roberto S. The wifi performance was indeed poor on PN's router. With some help from the good folk at TBB I bodged a solution with my old PN ADSL modem/router. Then got fed up withthe tangle of kit in my hall cupboard and bought a TPlink 9980 which has worked well. Just one box to do the whole job and easy to set up, all for about £60. I'm sure an equivalent Asus or Billion unit would have worked just as well.

I'm happy to have the PN route and Openreach modem as a backup.

The router that Plusnet now uses is a Sagecom and it is not bad to be honest, I had to change over to it when my TPlink went belly up.

It is to be a honest a ADSL modem/router with a modified firmware, one of the Ethernet ports is used as a WLAN port, so only three Ethernet ports to use.
It is pretty limited in configuration and not the best looking thing around.

Wi-fi is ok.

As other people have said you will get a BTOR moden as well as the router.

The Plusnet router we have just installed at our church is a 2704n. It has 4 Ethernet ports. And the WiFi performance in our church is surprisingly good.

Edit for typo

Edited by cheshire_man (Wed 28-Oct-15 13:57:41)

Don't forget, Tony, that's ADSL2+. On FTTC which the OP is looking at LAN4 is modified in the firmware to be a WAN port .

Thank for all your helpful information everyone. I went ahead and ordered Plusnet as my contract with BT is now over and I think I'll test out the router which Plusnet provides to see if it does the job before considering a third party one.