Using own router with Zen FTTP

[S.A.S]

Hi guys, Openreach finally decided to do fttp in my area and im switching from VM for the first time. I would like to carry on using my Asus AX86u as i have it setup using merlin firmware to allow VPN on certain devices and also use NextDNS at router level.

I see that zen router doesn’t have a ‘modem mode’ option like VM provide. Some googling brings sporadic or non-definitive results of Asus RT variant routers not being right for fttp or other mixed results or opinions using other routers in general.

Has anyone here got any first hand knowledge of attempting to use an Asus or other 3rd party router with zen, or openreach fttp in general that could give me some pointers.

Thanks

 

[Bluecube]

You’ll get an internal ONT box installed with FTTP. The ONT connects to your router using a standard network cable so make sure Openreach install the ONT in a convenient place. Once everything is hooked up, you’ll need to change your login details on your router to that provided by Zen and you’ll be good to unless they use some esoteric standard (which is unlikely)

Btw, there are better ISPs than Zen. Zen used to be good but they seem to be quite average these days

 

[S.A.S]

You’ll get an internal ONT box installed with FTTP. The ONT connects to your router using a standard network cable so make sure Openreach install the ONT in a convenient place. Once everything is hooked up, you’ll need to change your login details on your router to that provided by Zen and you’ll be good to unless they use some esoteric standard (which is unlikely)

Btw, there are better ISPs than Zen. Zen used to be good but they seem to be quite average these days

Ah ok so the Asus router can be hooked up directly to the ONT! That makes things a lot simpler.

I went with Zen based on a friends recommendation, hopefully they are ok. Honestly it’d be hard to be worse than VM for me, 3 years of insane congestion/latency issues at peak times.

 

[Mr_Orange]

I used an Asus router in the way @Bluecube said while I was on Zen FTTP last year.

Zen were fine but expensive. No complaints on the line iself. I never really had to deal with them outside of a house move and cancelling to move to Lit when they set up in my area.

 

[benjii]

Ah ok so the Asus router can be hooked up directly to the ONT! That makes things a lot simpler.

I went with Zen based on a friends recommendation, hopefully they are ok. Honestly it’d be hard to be worse than VM for me, 3 years of insane congestion/latency issues at peak times.

It doesn't really matter. They're all leasing the same Openreach lines. Pick your provider based on the quality of support and/or other bonuses they offer. I went with Aquiss.

Contact customer support and ask them for the PPPoE credentials for the ONT. Then you just enter them in the appropriate section on your router and off you go! It's worth noting that some routers have sketchy PPPoE performance, do a bit of research on your setup to see if all is well. I got rid of my Unifi Dream Machine because it crapped out when using PPPoE, they fixed it eventually, though.

 

[On Holiday]

It doesn't really matter. They're all leasing the same Openreach lines. Pick your provider based on the quality of support and/or other bonuses they offer. I went with Aquiss.

Whilst that part is true it's only half of the battle, some ISPSs/altnets will have a better core network, more capable network team, higher quality edge connectivity to the internet or just entirely resold from the consumer ONT to internet as a whole, perhaps with a BNG/subscriber management device thrown somewhere in the middle.

For Aquiss, it probably works quite well for them to have been a Cityfibre reseller given that it's a one/two-man band. I wouldn't think they have time to reliably operate their own entire network unless it's outsourced.

Zen operate their own network entirely with a good amount of internet exchange capacity, whereas Aquiss are just resold Entanet/Cityfibre (though appear to have plans to change that as of April this year, and will hopefully not single-homed isolated to VeloxServ who have 30Gb of internet exchange capacity).

 

[VaderDSL]

I’ve been with Zen for years, but when I joined they just give you the login details in your information pack and/or it’ll be there anyway on your online portal.

I don’t know how other ISPs do it but all I needed to do on my own router is just use pppoe login details, don’t think there’s anything to do with other settings.