Sky Ultrafast Plus FTTP using a TP Link AC2800

[Tom Jenkins]

Hiya

I'm after some help and guidance to enable me to use a TP Link VR2800 on my new Sky Ultrafast Plus package. The new Sky Hub is good but the signal strength in the far to reach places, including my office / garage isn't great, so I bought the above router, noting it could connect via the MER authentication.

The current setup is FTTP to my ONT box in the cupboard, ethernet from there to a port in the wall in the living room. Connect from that to the Sky Hub WAN port and bingo, all works ... albeit a relatively weak signal in the office.

I did have an C2300 which worked perfectly as above for BT Broadband but unfortunately doesnt allow MER connections that Sky seemingly require and couldn't get it to work properly as a WAP, as it kept dropping out. I did find this but again, didn't work with the C2300:

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Broadband/Sky-FTTP-with-TP-Link-Archer-C6/td-p/3476098

So, enter the TP Link VR2800. I've spent the best part of a couple of hours this morning trying to connect it with no joy. I found this URL that mentions a generic Sky username and password, which didn't work:

https://kevq.uk/how-to-use-a-tp-link-router-with-sky-fibre-optic/

Then I found an article about getting the router username and password using Wireshark, which I did successfully but that also didn't work.

I've set it up the same as the Sky Hub, straight from the ethernet port in the wall to the WAN port on the VR2800 router but never get an internet signal icon on it. It has the two WiFi icons lit up but no DSL (Which I am not sure should be with FTTP?) and no internet signal.

I did also try and change this to be a WAP and set it up from the Sky Hub, connect that from a yellow ethernet port into the WAN in the VR2800 but again nothing

At this point I'm out of ideas, surrounded by routers and cables and the only time I can connect to the internet is by using the default Sky Hub. Any help would be hugely appreciated,

Many thanks

Tom

 

[Shawreyboy]

Hiya
I did also try and change this to be a WAP and set it up from the Sky Hub, connect that from a yellow ethernet port into the WAN in the VR2800 but again nothing

You would connect the Sky Router to the VR2800 via it's LAN port and it's WAN Port if you wanted to use it in WAP mode. The VR2800 would be a LAN device if acting in WAP mode and require DHCP from the Sky Router.

Alternatively, can you log into the Sky Router and check if it has DMZ and can alter its LAN IPs? If so, set a Static IP on the Sky Router to something like 192.168.10.1 (this will act as a Gateway IP address to your TP-Link Router) set the Sky Router to DMZ all traffic to the VR2800 on IP 192.168.10.2. On the VR2800 WAN interface, set it to Static IP of 192.168.10.2, Gateway of 192.168.10.1, and Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0 - then set your Internal LAN range on the VR2800 to be whatever you want 192.168.1.1 etc.

The method above is less than ideal but at least it will start routing your traffic correctly. We have to do this method when some of our customer's use Virgin Media and we have to route traffic to our VoIP PBX's. The VM Routers don't allow SIP ALG to be disabled so we have to bypass it via DMZ

 

[Pygmyshrew]

It is possible, I posted the answer on Skys forums, not sure if i'm allowed to paste the link directly here but search for "TP-Link Archer 2800 on FTTP Success" on the broadband area.