In reply to a post by aidanh:

Isn't that what the SFP module that you have to flash firmware to does though?

Firmware doesn't come into it. An ONT even uses different lambdas (frequencies of light) to a media converter, and includes a filter to separate out the transit and receive lambas from the same fibre; that is, the hardware is completely different.

You *can* buy an ONT in an SFP/SFP+ module form factor, which means you could plug it directly into a switch or router with SFP/SFP+ socket. But this module is still a self-contained ONT. A media converter is ethernet-to-ethernet only, and has no PON capability.

In any case, I strongly recommend you don't replace the network-supplied termination device. This is the demarcation point for the service, so if you remove this, they will (quite rightly) disclaim all responsibility for problems with the service.

Don't waste your money buying things that won't work. Use the equipment supplied by the network operator. If they supply a router and you want to use your own, then either put their router in bridge mode (which effectively turns it into just an ONT), or ask the network operator to supply you with a pure ONT - some altnets will do this on request.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

Use the equipment supplied by the network operator. If they supply a router and you want to use your own, then either put their router in bridge mode (which effectively turns it into just an ONT), or ask the network operator to supply you with a pure ONT - some altnets will do this on request.

I agree. ISP's that don't supply to an ONT as demarcation point are muddying the waters. Workarounds other than the 2 described above are the customer further muddying the waters.

It works really well with fibre if you don't see it physically or in signal terms.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

either put their router in bridge mode (which effectively turns it into just an ONT), or ask the network operator to supply you with a pure ONT

I understand that nexfibre do neither.... and the Virgin Media hub5x that handled the ONT and router functions in one unit, doesn't have a modem mode. There are apparently undocumented web pages that can force one. Double NAT with all inbound being port forwarded may be the only option.

Hub 5 = DOCSIS or RFoG areas
Hub 5x = nexfibre FTTP areas

If you have 1Gbps or slower, this can work, but you are limited to the 1Gb port. If you have 2Gbps service then don't use this or you will be limited to 1Gbps.
https://www.reddit.com/r/VirginMedia/comments/1ah1bo...


This was nearly a year ago:
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2024/04/update...

In that case, if VM doesn't offer you the service that you want, then don't buy it.

From VM's point of view: 95% of their users are happy to use the bundled router+wifi, which makes it easy to support the service, so they're not worried about losing the other 5%.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

From VM's point of view: 95% of their users are happy to use the bundled router+wifi, which makes it easy to support the service, so they're not worried about losing the other 5%.

You can say the same about 90% of the ISPs that are available over the wholesale networks, but it is an oddify that Virgin Media on DOCSIS coax or RFoG you have the modem mode, and yet with nexfibre FTTP there is no option, yet it is marketed the same on virginmedia.com - a bit odd.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

You can say the same about 90% of the ISPs that are available over the wholesale networks, but it is an oddify that Virgin Media on DOCSIS coax or RFoG you have the modem mode, and yet with nexfibre FTTP there is no option, yet it is marketed the same on virginmedia.com - a bit odd.

Not so odd: VM can't manage devices if they don't have IP addresses. Not that they can't support bridge mode on XGSPON but that they lose management of the Hub if they do. All the hubs on the RF network have at least one IP address all the time regardless of operating mode.

You lucky VM dug up my garden to install an access point to my house and now are saying my house doesnt exist. dont go with anyone that has access to the post office database but their copy is so corrupted they dont know how to fix it,.

you do know virgin media is just NTL rebranded to virgin media to keep telewest customers happy dont you.

In reply to a post by XGS_Is_On:

VM can't manage devices if they don't have IP addresses.

OLTs and ONTs communicate using special management frames. The OLT collects data from the ONT about status, light levels etc.

In reply to a post by XGS_Is_On:

In reply to a post by jchamier:

You can say the same about 90% of the ISPs that are available over the wholesale networks, but it is an oddify that Virgin Media on DOCSIS coax or RFoG you have the modem mode, and yet with nexfibre FTTP there is no option, yet it is marketed the same on virginmedia.com - a bit odd.

Not so odd: VM can't manage devices if they don't have IP addresses. Not that they can't support bridge mode on XGSPON but that they lose management of the Hub if they do. All the hubs on the RF network have at least one IP address all the time regardless of operating mode.

Why can't they assign some internal management address to the hub for management purposes (on a private VLAN that hopefully doesn't collide with the customers LAN)? I think they could support modem mode if they really wanted to, they just don't care enough to implement it properly.