Help choosing a new router

Hi,

I am currently looking towards investing in a new router.

I am a TalkTalk ADSL2+ customer with a HG533 router (Although I can quite easily get my hands on a DSL-3780, HG633 or HG635 (Super Router) )

The issue I am having is I want to keep my options open for if I decide to move to fibre in the future.

To my understanding, there are 3 different categories of router / modem.

1) Modem
2) Router
3) Modem Router (Combi)

The HG533 has an ADSL connection, and a WAN port to connect to an OpenReach modem if moving over to fibre. Then newer routers (HG633 / HG635) have a port which will facilitate either an ADSL or VDSL fibre connection, removing the requirement of the OpenReach modem and meaning it can be used on either a ADSL or Fibre connection.

The issue I am facing is there appears to be a wide selection of routers available, but not much in the way of "Modem Routers", which facilitate both ADSL and VDSL.

I am considering the Synology RT-1900ac (https://www.scan.co.uk/products/synology-rt1900ac-router-11ac-1900mb-s-lag-free-online-gaming-smooth-4k-video-stream-256-mb-ddr3-usb) to compliment my synology NAS. However, this is a "Router" and therefore contains no modem, requiring an additional modem / modem router to act as a gateway for internet access.

To my understanding this would mean I need to use a setup such as :
Home Devices > Synology Router > TalkTalk router (HG533 / DSL-3780 / HG633 / HG635) (internet gateway)

If I moved to fibre in the future I could use a setup such as:
Home Devices > Synology Router > TalkTalk router (HG633/ HG635) (internet gateway)
-or-
Home Devices > Synology Router > BT OpenReach modem.

The reason for this post is to clarify if I am on the right track in my understanding.

Ideally, I would prefer an all in one device, but this is not always an option it seems as devices like the RT-1900ac are just routers, not modem routers, requiring an additional modem to act as an internet gateway.

I had an issue a some time ago where I needed to have the TalkTalk router not act as a DHCP server, so disabled the DHCP server settings in the router. Long story short, this did not work (known bug in router firmware) causing many hours of head scratching, something which I want to try and avoid in the future if possible.

The main issue I have with using a router AND a modem router (i.e. TalkTalk router) is that there is a crossover in functionality. By this I mean, both the TalkTalk router AND the Synology router (for example) have routing capabilities and I feel uncomfortable knowing that the TalkTalk router could potentially interfere with the routing capabilities on the synology router (i.e. the DHCP sever issue I mentioned above)

If I was to move to fibre and used a router with the BT OpenReach modem, I would feel more comfortable with this as the BT OpenReach device is purely a modem with no built in routing features (as far as I am aware), meaning there is no potential for the 2 devices (modem & router) to conflict with routing as they are 2 independent devices with no crossover in functionality.

I feel I have really over-thought this and am making something that should be quite simple, a lot more complicated than it needs to be! If someone could offer there wisdom on this subject I would be very grateful.

Thanks.

The Openreach modems are end of line now, i.e. not supplied for consumer lines now

If you want to go down the bridge router then can pick up HG612 devices from eBay or buy a new TP Link W9970 at £33.33 which has the G.INP and Vectoring support and while a modem/router is perfectly happy running in bridge mode, i.e. just like an Openreach modem. Giving you a freedom to choose as fancy a wireless router as you want.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

a new TP Link W9970 at £33.33 which has the G.INP and Vectoring support and while a modem/router is perfectly happy running in bridge mode, i.e. just like an Openreach modem. Giving you a freedom to choose as fancy a wireless router as you want.

The W9970 can now be hacked to use with DSLStats.

Excuse my ignorance, but is "Bridge Mode" the correct terminology I should be using to reference a Modem Router to work as just a modem ? (i.e., disabling its "router" functionality)

i.e. I could configure my TalkTalk router (or any modem router) to work in bridge mode which then means that device is working purely as a modem ?, allowing a router to be connected to it for the routing functionality.

So I could theoretically get a HG633 router or a TP Link W9970 to use on my current ADSL line, then buy the Synology Router (or any router), configure the HG633 / W9970 to bridge mode so they do not interfere in any way with the Synology's routing. Then in the future if I upgraded to fibre, there would be no changes on my side as the HG633 / W9970 is fibre ready.

Does that make sense, or am I missing something important / obvious ?

Many thanks.

Here is a mini review W9970

I have one of these routers and its not bad

I could configure my TalkTalk router (or any modem router) to work in bridge mode which then means that device is working purely as a modem ?, allowing a router to be connected to it for the routing....

That is the correct term.....Then your router needs to be able to set up a pppoe connection on a WAN port.

Some ISP supplied routers are unable to be setup in bridge mode (I know the talk talk hg635 can only work as a modem on ADSL) .

Does that make sense, or am I missing something important / obvious ?

You are spot on

Ian

Thanks for the clarification.

Is it as simple as setting the Modem Router to "Bridge Mode" and thats the end of it (hopefully), or do I also need to disable DHCP etc� (I do not want the Modem Router to do anything other than provide an internet connection), DHCP leasing I want to be handled by the router, or quite likely the Synology NAS.

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to get things straight in my head before I dive in and put the theory into practice.

Thanks for all the help.

On the TP Link it was set to bridge mode and turn off the Wi-Fi (physical button) and then everything is done by whatever device creates the PPPoE session i.e. router of your choice

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