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Forum Discussion
Netgear Orbi RBK50 with Openreach ECI modem
I want to replace my BT broadband with Plusnet. I have an Openreach ECI modem (model B-Focus v-2FUb/r Rev B) and a HomeHub 5 Type A. Can I keep the ECI modem and connect a Netgear Orbi RBK50 direct to that (+ downstream satellite(s) as/when I switch broadband supplier from BT to Plusnet? Will it work w/o any issues or require tweaks or...not at all?
8 Replies
It's perferred to keep an ISP modem as a modem only and then use the Orbi as the main host router and wifi. If you have to have a router before the Orbi, then you would probably need to configure either DMZ on this router for the Orbi if you wanted to use the Orbi in router mode or configure the Orbi in AP modem letting the other router handle the router functions.
Modem Combo Units:
Couple of options,
1. Configure the modem for transparent bridge mode. Then use the Orbi router in router mode. You'll need to contact the ISP for help and information in regards to the modem being bridged correctly.
2. If you can't bridge the modem, disable ALL wifi radios on the modem, configure the modems DMZ or IP Pass-Through for the IP address the Orbi router gets from the modem. Then you can use the Orbi router in Router mode.
3. Or disable all wifi radios on the modem leaving it in router mode and connect the Orbi router to the modem, configure AP mode on the Orbi router. https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LOcJ8GdDo&app=desktop
PEFA wrote:
I want to replace my BT broadband with Plusnet. I have an Openreach ECI modem (model B-Focus v-2FUb/r Rev B) and a HomeHub 5 Type A. Can I keep the ECI modem and connect a Netgear Orbi RBK50 direct to that (+ downstream satellite(s) as/when I switch broadband supplier from BT to Plusnet? Will it work w/o any issues or require tweaks or...not at all?
Should work fine. I used it on the Huawei Openreach modem with no problems on BT Infinity.
Many thanks for your feedback! Meantime I found a comment on a Plusnet blog saying that a Netgear WNDR4500 works with this ECI modem albeit w/o line stats available, so perhaps the Orbi does too!?
"I have a Netgear WNDR4500 router that has a PPPoE input that used to be used with a Netgear DM111P ADSL2+ modem used in RFC bridge mode. The WNDR4500 does work with the ECI B-FoCus V-2Fub/r modem supplied by BT, but the ECI modem is crippled and does not let the line stats be seen."
If I need to bridge the ECI modem...as I have zero experience of this kind of tech...is there a procedure available to be able to do that?
Line status (typically of xDSL or few for FTTx) is known on the modem or media adapter only. Router/modem combos can have access to this information, but generic routers (no matter if using transparent Ethernet or any encapsulation like PPPoE) can't get access tho this data - typically a modem (in pure modem mode) does not have an IP address.
- The Openreach modems are exactly that, a modem, so don’t need bridging. All you do is plug into the cable from the modem to the Orbi yellow wan port and set up the Orbi as PPOE with you plusnet login credentials. The reply from Furry is using his stock response but I don’t think he understood your original question. I assume he is not British as he has given several misleading responses in the past to questions about UK implementation of VDSL. Bottom line, the Orbi works exactly as designed with the Openreach modems.
timch wrote:
The Openreach modems are exactly that, a modem, so don’t need bridging. All you do is plug into the cable from the modem to the Orbi yellow wan port and set up the Orbi as PPOE with you plusnet login credentials. T... I assume he is not British as he has given several misleading responses in the past to questions about UK implementation of VDSL. Bottom line, the Orbi works exactly as designed with the Openreach modems.Agree ref. the xDSL part. Does this also apply to the FTTx implementation in place over there, and does Orbi support DHCP option 60/VCI and/or DHCP option 61/MER as required by some connection or do I have this wrong in my old grey cells?
- Yes this works fine. Just add your plusnet credentials to the router and set to always on.
