OK. No matter .

So I have a question.

Once my service is installed, I assume I will be given a home hub. Can I replace the home hub with a router of my choosing? Or do I need to keep the home hub as a modem, and connect it to an external router, like you do with Virgin?

I would much prefer to use my own router, than the home hub if possible.

At the moment you are supposed to use the BT Openreach modem. It's up to you whether to use the Home Hub 3 - though you'd be well advised to keep it to hand in case you need it for troubleshooting.


You can use any router that has an Ethernet WAN port and supports PPPoE - connect it to the LAN 1 port on the modem in place of the Home Hub. The PPPoE user name and password is the same for all BT Infinity customers - they must be identifying by the circuit ID. Apparently it's:

User name: [email protected]
Password: BT


If you have a router you're using with the modem mode on the Virgin Superhub, you should just have to reconfigure the WAN port from DHCP to PPPoE.

In reply to a post by AndehX:

... I assume I will be given a home hub. Can I replace the home hub with a router of my choosing? Or do I need to keep the home hub as a modem, and connect it to an external router, like you do with Virgin?

You have a misunderstanding there.

The Openreach engineer will fit a VDSL modem with ethernet output to go to the WAN port of pretty much any router that has a WAN input port. Commonly called a cable router. On Infinity that is the HH, supplied before installation by BT Retail.

You are not, at this point in time, supposed to substitute anything for that modem. Bear in mind the modem is expected to be within 1.5metres of the phone master socket. (I say 1.5m because I think that is the length of the supplied VDSL cable). If you are having a brand new line installed, as opposed to re-activation of a dead one, you may like to consider where you want the master socket.

Your router can be any "ethernet" distance you like from the modem.

There is no compulsion whatsoever to use the Home Hub as your router, except perhaps as David says for Support to run diagnostics. I don't know the details of your Superhub, but assume it's settings can be adjusted in the way David says. You will know far more about that than I do, I expect.

I see. Cool. Im not actually using an external router at the moment, which is probably why my virgin service is so bad... but I am very interested in one for when Infinity is installed. Do you have any recommendations of a good router to use?

Edit: would the ASUS RT-N53 be a decent router to use with Infinity?

Edited by deleted (Sun 03-Feb-13 19:03:22)

Yes, use the Home Hub first and see how that handles what you do with your connection.

Only then worry about buying other hardware.

The rt-n53 is not the best device from Asus, also only has a 100 Mbps WAN and LAN ports. With broadband speeds likely to only ever go faster I would only buy an ethernet router than had gigabit LAN and WAN ports in 2013

Edited by MrSaffron (Sun 03-Feb-13 19:36:33)

I was under the impression the rt-n53 was a gigabit router. Saw one relatively cheap on ebay and it says its 10/100/1000

See this ASUS page. Scroll down to "Ports".

Well, not the best start with BT.

Woke up this morning to find 2 emails telling me that my install date has been pushed back 4 days, with no explanation as to why.

If it gets pushed back again, I might just cancel the order. Waiting is a serious pet hate I have...

In reply to a post by AndehX:

If it gets pushed back again, I might just cancel the order. Waiting is a serious pet hate I have...

I use FTTC (tho' not BT Infinity), if you're unhappy with your current ISP then it's probably worth the wait...