Chinned off that POS Sky Q router, why didn't I do it sooner.

Soldato
Joined
11 Aug 2006
Posts
5,307
Location
Pembs, Wales
Hi,

I was going to start a new post, but seeing that this is all about moving away from Sky's hub..

I've been on the phone to Sky today to discuss moving to Sky Q, however I would like to move away from Sky's Fibre Max broadband and phone, as I can get a similar package for ~£15 less a month (Plusnet for instance). The guy at Sky was obviously trying to dissuade me from this, saying that I would not get all the features of Sky Q without Sky's hub / router. Is this the case? Are there any negatives which I should be aware of?

Thanks

By features the operator probably meant the mesh WiFi network that only works with the Sky Q hub (Each Q tv box acts as a mesh repeater)

Anyway didn't want to start a new thread, I have an old Talk Talk (Huawei) Fiber router, anyone know if this can be used with a sky line?
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2002
Posts
7,176
By features the operator probably meant the mesh WiFi network that only works with the Sky Q hub (Each Q tv box acts as a mesh repeater)

Anyway didn't want to start a new thread, I have an old Talk Talk (Huawei) Fiber router, anyone know if this can be used with a sky line?

It may have helped if you’d given us some relevant details about the router such as a model number, but the answer is it’s unlikely as Sky use a slightly unconventional set-up that people often (incorrectly) refer to as MER.
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Aug 2006
Posts
5,307
Location
Pembs, Wales
It may have helped if you’d given us some relevant details about the router such as a model number, but the answer is it’s unlikely as Sky use a slightly unconventional set-up that people often (incorrectly) refer to as MER.

Ok, so what's a good replacement for the Q hub capable of streaming 4k whilst keeping three kids happy playing Fortnite / Roblox?
 
Soldato
Joined
4 Nov 2006
Posts
2,752
Location
Yorkshire
My father-in-law is suffering similar poor wifi coverage and performance issues with the SkyQ router so was looking to replace it for him. Last time I was on Sky (FTTC) many many years ago, they used MER which means you had to wireshark your MER username/password out and then find a router that supported MER which left you with Asus with Merlins firmware or a few TP-Link/Netgear options

Have they ditched MER authentication now and allow any VDSL based router?
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2002
Posts
7,176
Ok, so what's a good replacement for the Q hub capable of streaming 4k whilst keeping three kids happy playing Fortnite / Roblox?

What specifically makes you say that the Sky Q Hub isn’t capable of this? If it’s a Wi-fi issue move the router, buy an AP or where possible change the client’s. 4K isn’t particularly high bandwidth and neither are the games you mention, they are however latency sensitive, local QoS could help, but realistically if the WAN is the limit, you need to consider what’s important.
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2002
Posts
7,176
Have they ditched MER authentication now and allow any VDSL based router?

Can we stop perpetuating the Sky use MER myth? It’s DHCP option 61 and if the only issue is Wi-fi, run a cable to a central point and install an AP or buy a mesh system, it’ll do a lot better than a a single box solution shoved in a corner.
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Oct 2008
Posts
4,755
Location
SE London Born and Bred
Hi,

I was going to start a new post, but seeing that this is all about moving away from Sky's hub..

I've been on the phone to Sky today to discuss moving to Sky Q, however I would like to move away from Sky's Fibre Max broadband and phone, as I can get a similar package for ~£15 less a month (Plusnet for instance). The guy at Sky was obviously trying to dissuade me from this, saying that I would not get all the features of Sky Q without Sky's hub / router. Is this the case? Are there any negatives which I should be aware of?

Thanks

Sky should move you to the new Fibre Max they do, whereas previously it was FTTC as one charge and line rental as another, now it is a single charge (the same as Plusnet when I checked last week), so £18 less a month when you get them to update your contract.
 

V F

V F

Soldato
Joined
13 Aug 2003
Posts
21,184
Location
UK
Those who use to use the SR models, more so the SR102 black model. Did the WAN ever lockup sporadically? It was a common complaint on Thinkbroadband and the Sky forums years ago. Even with replacement models. You'd never know when it would happen but the lights remained green.

I got so sick of it and ditched it ages ago.
 
Associate
Joined
22 Dec 2019
Posts
2
Location
London
Hi all,

Thank you upfront for all the comments and feedback on this particular topic. It is something like a thorn in my side at the moment.

I am experiencing many WIFI related problems with my SKY Q router. We only got the router in June 2019 after moving into our new double story house. Previously we were on an EE Broadband router and didn't have any problems with connections.

Manufacturer: Sky
Model: ER110
Firmware: 2.12.2652.R
DSL Firmware Version: A2pv6F039m1.d24m
Modem Upstream: 20000
Modem Downstream is: 64941.

In our house we have many WIFI and LAN devices connected to the above router over two floors. The router currently sits in the Living Room where the phone line is:
  1. 1 DEVOLO Powerline Adapter A connected to SKY Q Router via CAT 6 cable,
  2. 1 Switch A connected to SKY Q Router via CAT 6 cable,
  3. 10 security alarm sensors connected to a wall hub via WIFI,
  4. 18 WIFI lights communicating to a Philips Hue Hub and also to a Smartthings Hub connected into a gigabit switch A,
    1. Living Room - 8 lights
    2. Kitchen - 4 lights
    3. Bedroom 1 - 1 light
    4. Bedroom 2 - 1 light
    5. Bedroom 3 - 1 light
    6. Hall - 1 light
    7. Outside light - 1 light
  5. 1 WIFI cat flap talking to a Hub connected into a gigabit switch A,
  6. 4 WIFI window blinds connected to a SOMFY Hub connected to gigabit switch B,
  7. 1 WIFI Chromecast Ultra,
  8. 1 Smart TV connected to gigabit switch B via CAT 6 cable,
  9. 1 SKY Q STB connected to gigabit switch B via CAT 6 cable,
  10. 3 WIFI Google Nest Mini speakers,
  11. 1 WIFI JBL Speaker,
  12. 2 WIFI Samsung Galaxy S8, S9 mobiles,
  13. 1 WIFI laptop
  14. 1 LAN connected laptop connected to Switch C, which is connected to DEVOLO 1200 Powerline adapter B via CAT 6 cable,
  15. 1 LAN NAS connected to Switch C, which is connected to DEVOLO 1200 Powerline adapter B via CAT 6 cable,
I believe most if not all of the WIFI lights, cat flap, the alarm sensors, window blinds, Google Nest speakers use the 2.4Ghz band, so it must be getting a little crowded. Also upstairs the 2.4Ghz is not great, in fact impossible to connect on with a mobile, just too slow.

Everything connected via CAT 6 cable works perfectly, and that includes connections through the Powerline adapters. At my PC upstairs I get speeds of 61 Mbps down and 20 Mbps upload via the Powerline adapter.

I also had another Powerline adapter that was a WIFI AP, but I found when it was enabled, it would make everything slow, including the devices connected via CAT 6 cable, so I disabled.

My smart home journey is not over and I am planning to get a NEST thermostat in the distant future along with more WIFI lights.

I am wondering if a router upgrade will do the trick. My intention is to use the SKY Q Router for LAN and the new router for WIFI for the many devices in my house. Would that make sense?

I am also curious if I should future proof myself and get an AX router (WIFI 6) such as TP-Link Archer AX6000, but I am not sure if it work with the SKY Q Router.

Or is that a waste of money and I should stick to a WIFI 5 router?
Any recommendations or advice would be very much welcomed.

Kind regards,
Mike
P.S. After writing the above post and reading some of the previous posts, Stoofa mention Ubiquiti, which I subsequently looked up and started watching a couple of videos on Unifi (3 part video tutorial), which I must say makes a lot of sense, especially when it comes to scaling up down the line. Has anyone got any experience with this this set up in the UK?

I am still interested though in your thoughts on the router upgrade suggestion I mentioned.
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2002
Posts
7,176
If the issue is wifi, fix the wifi. Run a cable to a central location on the top floor and add an AP, this is the single best way to improve your wifi experience in a home, allows you to move wifi away from the SkyQ Hub and will survive future upgrades. If you need additional coverage in a specific part of the house/garden such as a lower floor, add another AP. Master sockets tend to be in poor locations, save yourself the agro of replacing one technically compromised AIO device with another.
 
Associate
Joined
22 Dec 2019
Posts
2
Location
London
Thank you for the advice Avalon, I think having watched a dozen so Unifi videos that one of their AP's is the solution, with the idea of expanding the network for the future.
 
Back
Top Bottom