Switching from Be* to BT Broadband / Router advice wanted

Hi, I'm reluctantly switching to BT Broadband after seven years with Be* (now that they are selling out to Murdoch) and I really don't want to stop using my Billion 7800n. Am I allowed to use a router other than the BT Home Hub on BT Broadband? Does anybody have experience with the Billion 7800n and how it compares to the Home Hub?

If I *can* use my own router, should I plugin the Home Hub the moment BT take over the internet, or will it be OK to use the 7800n from the start?

It should be fine ... You can use what ever you want on the line provided it meets the appropriate ADSL specs.

You may need to delete your old login details.

In reply to a post by leej:

If I *can* use my own router, should I plugin the Home Hub the moment BT take over the internet, or will it be OK to use the 7800n from the start?

You will need to configure your 7800 with the PPPoA login details; and probably best to do a complete reset as BT Internet uses the BTWholesale network, and the VPI / VCI numbers are different to BE, and you need a PPPoA login rather than no login with BE.

(unless you're going to Infinity where you use PPPoE and connect your router to the Openreach modem)

Arent the details simply

VCI 0
VPI 38

No, that won't work.

http://btybb.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/74...

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by leej:

If I *can* use my own router, should I plugin the Home Hub the moment BT take over the internet, or will it be OK to use the 7800n from the start?

You will need to configure your 7800 with the PPPoA login details; and probably best to do a complete reset as BT Internet uses the BTWholesale network, and the VPI / VCI numbers are different to BE, and you need a PPPoA login rather than no login with BE.

(unless you're going to Infinity where you use PPPoE and connect your router to the Openreach modem)

No, definitely no Infinity for my exchange yet unfortunately.

Thanks very much for the response. I appreciate that reminder about the PPPoA login aspect in particular. I recall Be*'s login details being a bit different from other ISPs and that's what I couldn't put my finger on.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

No, that won't work.

http://btybb.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/74...

Hey, thanks for the link! I just created a second WAN profile for BT in the 7800n. So all I need do now is switch from the BE to the BT profile on activation day (March 25th). Excellent!

It's looking like the BT Home Hub won't even be removed from it's box... unless I ever need tech. support from BT I suppose.

Be* is a bit eccentric. I completely forgot until jchamier's post that it uses MPoA (with no username/password required) rather than PPPoE.

In reply to a post by leej:

Be* is a bit eccentric. I completely forgot until jchamier's post that it uses MPoA (with no username/password required) rather than PPPoE.

Sky's "MER" system is pretty similar - and they're probably both more efficient than using PPP. Neither Sky nor BE needed to use PPP as their LLU networks didn't/don't support any other ISP connections - and they know who you are as your line is attached to their DSLAM / ISAM / MSAN port.

Whereas BT Broadband uses the BTwholesale network, as so you need to pass your ID so the wholesale part knows to connect you to the BT ISP, rather than say PlusNet, or Aquiss, or any of the other 100+ ISPs using BTwholesale.

Sorry to jump in, but I have a 7300N & am getting infinity installed in 2 weeks. Would my setup details be as per that link but with PPPOE instead of PPPOA or would there be other differences?

I think Sky broadband will be far better than what Bt will offer you. you should stay and try it you may be surprised. Murdoch owns a minute amount of sky.

Use this guide, kindly linked by Batboy further down this thread.

Assuming the 7300N's UI is similar to that of my 7800N, you will just need to add a new Configuration > WAN > WAN Profile.

Sky admitted a few months ago that its services in some areas are oversubscribed. My neighbours concur that their internet in this area is abysmal. I can't imagine what Sky Broadband would offer me that BT could not. There is also the slight problem (according to what I'm reading at the Be* forum) of Sky eventually wanting to migrate both phone and internet services of Be*/O2 customers to Sky... even though most Be* users only have internet with them.

Also, News Corporation - which is controlled by Rupert Murdoch and his family - is a majority owner of Sky.

Edited by deleted (Mon 04-Mar-13 23:12:31)

You'd surely be in a mess if you set G.DMT Mode for Fibre. That link is useless for anything other than G.DMT.

In reply to a post by leej:

Sky admitted a few months ago that its services in some areas are oversubscribed. My neighbours concur that their internet in this area is abysmal.

That is a shame. i know a couple of people who use Sky ADSl and they seem happy enough with it.

I can't imagine what Sky Broadband would offer me that BT could not. There is also the slight problem (according to what I'm reading at the Be* forum) of Sky eventually wanting to migrate both phone and internet services of Be*/O2 customers to Sky... even though most Be* users only have internet with them.

Which is something that Bt does anyway, try and get Bt broadband without their phone service. i still know of one family who got sky broadband and their phone service is still with a different supplier as they was with Sky broadband before they forced new customers to go fully LLU.

sky can't just force people to change to their phone service, if they want ex-Be/O2 users to do that then they got to give them the option of changing ISPs.

Once sky get their service right again they will offer a better service than BT, more reliable broadband no traffic management, and no I don't believe Bt when they say they will not manage traffic.

Also, News Corporation - which is controlled by Rupert Murdoch and his family - is a majority owner of Sky.

but still Murdoch himself got a small share in Sky and the way things are going he may not have any for long as i think News corp will pull out.

Murdoch want full control over Sky and that is not going to happen.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a fan of Sky, but I think if i was going for a broadband from one of the larger companies sky would be pretty high on my list, because to be honest there is really none of the other large providers I would want to use.

But I suppose I am lucky in that I got a choice of not having fixed line broadband and going wireless and at the moment it is one of the better things I have done broadband wise.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

I think Sky broadband will be far better than what Bt will offer you. you should stay and try it you may be surprised. Murdoch owns a minute amount of sky.

39.1% is not minute and is often enough to control the company.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

Whereas BT Broadband uses the BTwholesale network, as so you need to pass your ID so the wholesale part knows to connect you to the BT ISP, rather than say PlusNet, or Aquiss, or any of the other 100+ ISPs using BTwholesale.

That may have been true on 20CN where realms were locked to a circuit and that mapped to the ISP, but with 21CN it's not realm based.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

You'd surely be in a mess if you set G.DMT Mode for Fibre. That link is useless for anything other than G.DMT.

Hmm, I didn't notice that. So that should be changed to ADSL2+, and all other settings will be fine?

Ignore that link; it is completely inappropriate. Dunno why it was introduced here; not even the correct site.

You'll be able to find the right settings when you get your BT router and transfer them.

In reply to a post by aquiss:

That may have been true on 20CN where realms were locked to a circuit and that mapped to the ISP, but with 21CN it's not realm based.

That makes sense, I always thought it was a stupid overhead!

i am using a Billion 7800n on BT FTTC it works well, i removed the home hub on day one.

Edited by copex (Wed 06-Mar-13 19:42:17)