3rd party router and mesh with FTTP

[welshbryn]

Hi. I appreciate this question has been asked and discussed in many posts but some of them are very long and do not give a direct answer. 

after much faff with the supplied vodafone router i want to go 3rd party and I dont want to use the voda kit at all in my set up.

i have FTTP so although not essential id like to try keep my landline. 
i know id need a modem to go between the mesh system and the OTN box. Anyone recommend the best/ easiest option? 

ive been looking at the Deco x73-dsl which has 2 phone ports, has anyone used this?

does anyone know of another triband mesh system

that has the modem/router capability built in to save getting another piece of kit?

thanks in advance 

[Ripshod]

The only method to retain digital voice with your own router is to use a Grandstream. Nothing else has the customisations necessary.

https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Landline/Landline-phone-with-own-router-on-FTTP/m-p/2709457#M1354

SSo don't bother looking for router's with phone ports.

You're also on fttp, so a dsl modem is not needed. 

[Ripshod]

My top routers right now are both Asus - the GT-AX6000 and the RT-AX86U Pro. Best bang for the buck.

Note: other brands are available 😎

[Ripshod]

If you live in a larger home and need mesh these caught my eye:

Deal of the day: Mercusys AX6000 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System, Coverage up to 8,500 ft² (800 m²), ... 

[Jayach]

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@welshbryn wrote:

i know id need a modem to go between the mesh system and the OTN box. Anyone recommend the best/ easiest option? 

ive been looking at the Deco x73-dsl

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You've had some good advice already, but lets just correct your thinking.

You do not need a modem. The ONT fulfils that function. (some people call it a fibre modem)

So do not get a DSL device of any sort.

All you need is the mesh or router and just about any will do. 

The phone line is another matter. As far as I know nobody has yet managed to get anything other than Grandstream devices (they are VoIP phones and ATAs (Analog telephone adapters)) working on the Vodafone VoIP service, so if you want to use the Vodafone VoIP service you will need one of those. 

[CrimsonLiar]

There's also the thing about how much mesh you actually need!  I've an Asus GT-AX6000 and a single RP-AX58.  The RP-AX58 is there just to get WiFi to a couple of central heating relays in a service cupboard.  With the router well-placed thanks to a long (flat) ethernet cable everything inside the (very recent partition wall) house on 5GHz can get at least 600-700Mbps (subject to their WiFi capability) from the router alone!  That's even with the power setting on the router set a notch below maximum, and there's still enough signal to cover the garden, garage-mounted security camera (linked to the mesh node because it's closer), and a good way down the street.

I actually have a second mesh unit I could use, an RP-AX56, which the RP-AX58 replaced when I got FTTP.  There's actually nowhere to sensibly place that second mesh unit that improves WiFi significantly.

If you've a really large house with solid walls, it'll all be different (remember in older properties floors can be more WiFi transparent than walls), and a more professional (and expensive) system might become necessary.