Home router for FTTP and flat Ethernet cable advice.

Hi folks,

We have (allegedly) Fibre broadband coming to us before the end of this year and am not yet sure which ISP's will be available to us.

Am currently using the Zen supplied Fritzbox 7350 for our FTTC (SOGEA) but am assuming that will need to be returned if we don't stay with Zen for FTTP.

Any recommendations for a suitable replacement router (if chosen ISP does not supply one at installation)? Not looking to spend a fortune so up to about £100 - £120

We will want to connect our analogue phone to a VOIP service so will need a phone socket on the router and currently have 2 wired devices (desktop PC and printer but can connect on WiFi) and up to 15 wireless devices on WiFi.

We may also need a compatible WiFi extender upstairs so would probably connect with a Cat 5/6/7 cable from the hallway ONT up to the landing. Is there much difference in the quality of Ethernet cables from say Amazon? I've not heard of any of the brands and so wondered if the Amazon basics cable will suffice or should I spend more? Also, is there a difference between the round cables and the flat ones?

TIA for any advice.

Almost all ISPs will supply a router with their service. You don't always have to use it though, but maybe see what they give you before going elsewhere too get a box.

With an ISP-supplied/administered VOiP service, you will again (generally) need to use the router that they supply to access their VOIP service.

Of course like the router, you're free to choice another indy VOIP provider should you so desire.

Regarding network cables, I'd avoid flat ones as they are generally inferior when it comes to meeting quality and performance standards. There is a reason proper commercial fixed network cabling is round rather than than flat.

A decent quality Category 5e or Category 6 cable will be sufficient for gigabit or 2.5 Gbps speeds on Ethernet. Category 6 gets you properly into the realms of 5 Gbps Ethernet and will also carry 10 Gbps Ethernet about 30 metres. Category 6A goes higher yet and will cary 10 Gbps Ethernet the full channel length of 100 metres, if needs be.

Most of the claimed Category 7 cable on Amazon, Alibaba, Fleabay and the like aren't either necessary or strictly kosher. I'd avoid.

Thank you.

Most ISP's I have looked at either don't have a phone option or charge for inclusive calls so I was thinking of taking the phone line with a separate provider (like AAISP) as I only need incoming calls. I figured a I was more likely to change the internet supplier at the end if any contract but not the phone supplier.

I will avoid the flat cable as I don't need it to go under any carpets.

In reply to a post by astanden:

Most ISP's I have looked at either don't have a phone option or charge for inclusive calls so I was thinking of taking the phone line with a separate provider (like AAISP) as I only need incoming calls. I figured a I was more likely to change the internet supplier at the end if any contract but not the phone supplier.

Gives you a lot of flexibility to move Internet provider and just not have to worry about the phone service, as you say. You can cherry pick the best VoIP provider deals that way too as you’re not locked in. Also means you can take the phone line with you anywhere (on your smartphone) unlike say BTs Digital Voice which is strictly tethered to your physical home router.

Personally I think it’s the way to go, but I do respect others folks that just want a simple all in one, (hopefully) seamless bundled solution too.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Regarding network cables, I'd avoid flat ones as they are generally inferior when it comes to meeting quality and performance standards. There is a reason proper commercial fixed network cabling is round rather than than flat.

Agree, the reason being is that they use few twists and thinner copper cable, that said i'm pushing 2.5gb between a switch and a mesh now with a flat cable. Its only there till we remove the very old carpet and then i can put some fibre in place.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

A decent quality Category 5e or Category 6 cable will be sufficient for gigabit or 2.5 Gbps speeds on Ethernet. Category 6 gets you properly into the realms of 5 Gbps Ethernet and will also carry 10 Gbps Ethernet about 30 metres. Category 6A goes higher yet and will cary 10 Gbps Ethernet the full channel length of 100 metres, if needs be.

You forget to mention how stiff a proper cat 6a cable is 🤭😂🙈

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Most of the claimed Category 7 cable on Amazon, Alibaba, Fleabay and the like aren't either necessary or strictly kosher. I'd avoid.

and cat 8/cat 8.1 !

That said rj45 at 10gbits/s may be at its last hurrah.. But 10gbits for most people is more than enough ........

It's amazing what you can get away with when it comes to passing Ethernet over copper. [censored] cable, [censored] terminations done by untrained halfwits without a clue (don't over or under-twist the terminations guys...like huh, what/!) , wild boastful claims of folks running over-distance, yeah 130 metres outside no problems...ahem, running on cheap, nasty [censored] CCA. The thing is it (usually) still works!

I used to joke you could run Gigabit just about on fencing wire, and you almost can, but it's not a great idea and reliability....well meh, you're on your own baby.

I have a house that been fully re-cabled with CommScope GigaSpeed XL Cat 6A (the good stuff) - their predecessors, AT&T -> Lucent ->Avaya et al basically invented unshielded twisted pair structured cabling back in the day (late eighties / early nineties). So they are the daddy, but boy their Cat 6A sure is thickest, stiffest and unwieldiest stuff to still come under the "unshielded" umbrella (do you remember IBM Type1!!) and killer if you're trying to get four of them into a standard UK double back box.

Cat 8 etc. from Alibaba et al. Yep total bad joke.

But I'm a cabling nerd at heart, or layer zero guy, so I digress 🤣

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Of course like the router, you're free to choice another indy VOIP provider should you so desire.

And rather than buying a router with VOIP, or an ATA or a physical IP phone, consider installing Acrobits Softphone on your mobile(s).

I read in another thread it's half price for the next three days, but it's only £7 normally (one-off fee, no ongoing cost). And if you have a family sharing plan then you only need to buy it once - unless half the family are on Android and half on Apple in which case you buy it twice