ISP - ISP Router with Bridge Mode

Hi all,

I've just been informed we are now Fibre FTTC enabled in my village - eventually! (the woes of rural living).

I'm now shopping around for the best ISP to go with. I think the main factor in my decision will be whether the shipped ISP Router is able to be be configured to bridge mode. I have a nighthawk R7000 router that doesn't have a built in modem. In order to save having to buy a dedicated modem, I was wondering whether anyone has any knowledge of the standard ISP Routers. I seem to have read Openreach no longer supply free modems.

UK options include, ZEN, SKY, BT, VIRGIN, PLUS NET etc.

Any advice would be great.

Virgin Media is cable broadband and not FTTC so not relevant

The Sky Hub, Plusnet Hub One and BT Home Hub definitely don't have a bridge/modem mode, and don't think the Zen router does either.

So its either chase a Huawei HG612 from eBay or use something like the TP-Link W9970 in its modem/bridge mode. The key is that you ideally want a modem that supports Vectoring and G.INP.

Hi MrSaffron

Thanks for the response. I'll take a look at the two suggestions.

After I posted this I spoke with Zen support who informed me their new Fibre Router ZYXEL VMG 1312 can be put into bridge mode within the admin centre. The support guy said they have a number of customers who use this router in modem only mode. Definitely an option to consider I would imagine.

Edited by deleted (Thu 02-Jun-16 12:47:18)

Just had a look at the TP Link. Like the look of that. I currently have the W8960N in place as a modem for my ADSL connection, so would essentially just be an upgrade.