FTTP, Digital Voice, PFSense Router - what are the options?

[Cocksy]

Evening All,

Looking round the forum, it appears there is no way to use the BT Digital Voice service without the SH2. I would like to investigate using PFSense as my router / firewall, but I'd like to keep my digital voice too, and it appears that the way round it is to use the following type set up:

ONT -> SH2 -> PFsense Router / Firewall - > home network & devices
                   |
                  V
               DECT
              Phone

and to basically pass everything through the SH2 to the alternative router. I'm not a network expert, just an interested home geek, and I'm just learn this and work out the are of the possible! I've got 2 questions:

1. As this set up basically puts the SH2 in series with alternative router / firewall, does it compromise the overall set up in terms of flexibility / speed / security?
2. My ONT has 4 or 5 ethernet ports - is there any way to connect the SH2 to one of them, purely for digital voice with all the other features (DHCP, DNS, Wifi, etc) turned off, and use one of the other ethernet ports on the ONT to connect to my own PFSense router for all my other devices?

Thanks for reading - hopefully I'll be able to work out a way ahead! Cheers.

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

In answer to the 2 questions

1. Yes in terms of flexibility but not speed or security.

2. No

[Cocksy]

Thank you @licquorice - that's nice and helpful!

So what are all the LAN ports on the ONT box for then? Could you in theory have multiple internet providers / contracts providing down the single fibre cable each to a separate router plugged into the ONT?

[licquorice]

Yes, in theory, but in practice not available. Newer ONTs are single port.

[Cocksy]

Theory's always great! Cheers for the info.

[brookheather]

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@Cocksywrote:

Could you in theory have multiple internet providers / contracts providing down the single fibre cable each to a separate router plugged into the ONT?

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Not just theory - a number of people with 4-port ONTs are running two or more FTTP services with different ISPs on each port.

[licquorice]

Interesting, I didn't think anyone was offering to provide additional FTTP service then I found this  thread on Kitz.

@Cocksy  I stand corrected.