Full Fibre To The Property with Digital Voice and Third Party Router

[Will168]

Depending on the router you are using as the "second", it may be possible to set it as just a wireless access point and then only the "first" router handles any routing.

[Will168]

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@rambleswrote:

The issue that I had was that connecting the Openreach fibre modem / ONT to the BT Smart Hub 2 gave me download speeds of 750mb, but connecting it to the Asus router (RT-AX88U) gave me download speeds of 930mb.

Whether we can actually utilise all of that bandwidth is debatable, but I don't want to bottleneck it to that extent.

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I was having the opposite issue with my Deco M9 network. The M9 on a direct PPPoE was only giving me around 700 Mbps, while the SH2 always gives a full 900+ Mbps.  I put this down to the PPPoE overheads on the M9, as it was OK just routing 1Gbps across the LAN. So I plugged the SH2 back in (also needed for DV in the end anyway) and have the M9 as access point only, with 16 port unmanaged switch handling all the wired connections around the house.

[Keith_Beddoe]

Putting a device in the DMZ (demilitarized zone), is an option within the home hub settings. Its only really only of use if you have one device connected to it, as in your case.

It allows all incoming traffic from the Internet to be directed to that device. Its not something you would normally do if you had a computer connected to it, unless the computer had a good firewall.

As you would only be using the Smart Hub 2 as a primary router, to allow Digital Voice, then wireless would be turned off, and you would have no other device directly connected to the SH2.

I do not use a home hub, so if you decide to take that route, then I am sure someone with a SH2 would be able to advise. You will still have two separate IP subnets, and if you leave the SH2 on its default subnet  192.168.1.xx, then you could put your second router LAN on 192.168.0.xx. 

It would need the correct settings for the default gateway and DNS settings.

[KennethS]

It's a very clever idea and certainly sounds like it should work. I will have to block out some time when no one else is home needing internet and give it a try.  It certainly would make life easier if BT allowed the SH2 to be used in a passthrough mode or, heaven forbid, offered a separate device solely for the use of digital voice...

[licquorice]

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@KennethS wrote:

It's a very clever idea and certainly sounds like it should work. I will have to block out some time when no one else is home needing internet and give it a try.  It certainly would make life easier if BT allowed the SH2 to be used in a passthrough mode or, heaven forbid, offered a separate device solely for the use of digital voice...

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If it had passthrough capability it would be just acting as a modem, hence the IP layer wouldn't be visible  and therefore VOIP  (DV) wouldn't be accessible either.

[Johnbrid]

 I have done a tracert at the command prompt and the first two lines read

1 ----<1ms---RT-ac86u-2D88 [192.168.2.1]

2-----<1ms------192.168.1.254

Does this mean I have double NAT? Do I need to do anything as everything is working really fast including the free proton vpn on my phone?

I suspect our other property will have double nat too as it is a similar configuration. This has multiple users ( over three years now) and no one has ever complained about problems with the wifi apart from when the modem router has disconnected from the broadband. Happens very occasionally ( maybe three times a year) , and the modem router just needs rebooting. Could double nat cause this?

[KennethS]

I don't doubt what you say @licquorice but I can't be so unique in wanting to use my own network equipment. My lament is that BT makes it harder than I think other solutions would allow.  If Vonage can supply a VoiP box that is plugged into any home network, I don't see why BT can't.  And, I am likely wrong, but believe an earlier version of the ONT had a phone port for a direct connection without using their SH2.  

[Will168]

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@Johnbridwrote:

 I have done a tracert at the command prompt and the first two lines read

1 ----<1ms---RT-ac86u-2D88 [192.168.2.1]

2-----<1ms------192.168.1.254

Does this mean I have double NAT? Do I need to do anything as everything is working really fast including the free proton vpn on my phone?

I suspect our other property will have double nat too as it is a similar configuration. This has multiple users ( over three years now) and no one has ever complained about problems with the wifi apart from when the modem router has disconnected from the broadband. Happens very occasionally ( maybe three times a year) , and the modem router just needs rebooting. Could double nat cause this?

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Both your first two hops are private addresses (192.168.2.xxx range for your Asus) and 192.168.1.254 will be your SH2 gateway. So yes, you have double NAT as your Asus is addressing in the 192.168.2.xxx range and your SH2 will be addressing on the 192.168.1.xxx range too.

Double natting is not in itself a big problem. If everything works for you and no one reports problems, then it's not an issue. I think problems you would face would likely to be more specific rather than general outages you describe but I'm no expert.

[licquorice]

@KennethS BT could, but they don't. They use their own proprietary VoIP system. There is nothing stopping you using a third party VoIP provider on your third party router.

BT have tried to simplify VoIP for the vast majority of their customers who just want a simple plug and play option. DV provides exactly that, no softphone or ATA to configure the handsets just work out of the box just like any cordless hone many customers will be familiar with.

[rambles]

There is nothing stopping you using a third party VoIP provider on your third party router.

Cost. Retaining of phone number. Multiple service providers causes additional complications.