Fibreoptic modem

A company named Hyperoptic ran a cable into my place (copper) for free and a socket and left a modem in case I take it up up.
The modem is here:
https://hyperoptic.com/hyperhub-router/
It has a WAN socket which plugs into their socket. Can this, using the right lead of course from Maplin, be plugged into the BT socket and replace my existing modem?

Simple answer is No.

If you read Hyperoptic's instructions it says their "hub" is plug-and-play. That means it is preconfigured to talk to their network only. Most ISPS do the same sort of thing with their own routers too. It simplifies the install procedure and reduces the need for service calls if the common settings have been filled in already.

There are ways to reconfigure an ISPs router settings, but if you had the right skills already then you wouldn't have asked the question you did.

Thanks. It can't be that difficult to reconfigure. It is a 1 GIG job.

Fibre modems are different to ordinary broadband modems, so if you don't already have fibre, then that's the more pertinant no. Most modems will plug into another suppliers network, and if as Lucid says) you know enough to access the routers admin system, then you can normally get a setup list for the internet, and reconfigure, but in your case, it wouldn't even connect to the internet.

Doggit said:

Fibre modems are different to ordinary broadband modems, so if you don't already have fibre, then that's the more pertinant no. Most modems will plug into another suppliers network, and if as Lucid says) you know enough to access the routers admin system, then you can normally get a setup list for the internet, and reconfigure, but in your case, it wouldn't even connect to the internet.

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From the look of it what he has coming in to the house is a regular copper broadband service. The company might well be called Hyperoptic, but it's not a fibre service here by the looks of it. If it was there would be an ONT (Optical Network Terminator) in the set-up diagram and he'd have an optical cable too.

hard-work said:

Thanks. It can't be that difficult to reconfigure. It is a 1 GIG job.

Click to expand...

Do you even know what 1 Gig really means, and why it has bugger all to do with reconfiguring the router?

Look, there's nothing to stop you having a go yourself. Everything you need to know is on the internet. Google is your friend.

So many companies offer fibre broadband, but it only normally goes the the local BT box. Hyperoptic seems to offer fibre to the building, but they've installed copper, but as the OP had BT broadband already, it seems an odd setup. Obviously, he'll only get 1Gb if he applies to get the full fibre installed, otherwise he'll only get the 20, or 100mb option.

They have fibre to the BT cabinet outside in the street and copper into the building. If you go over to Hyperoptic, BT men just move a link from the BT to the fibre line of Hyperoptic. A simple job as the BT man told me who was working in the cabinet.

I know you cannot get 1 GIG down the current BT line, but the Modem looks a better and faster job than the old Thomson wireless router I already have.

The why don't you give it a go, and see if you can get it working. I don't think you'll be able to, but I could be wrong. I had broadband from Plusnet, and upgraded to their fibre deal, and they sent me out a new modem, but the service wouldn't work. When I contacted them, they said that the normal broadband routers don't work with fibre, and I had to wait another week to get another one, but it's possible that the router is just set up differently.

Depends how Hyperwhoever have their network set up. Virgin use the serial number of the box to determine what service you get. BT USED to give you a username/password combination and details of what server the router should use for authentication, if you find your box has those options and you can find the username/password in your existing router then have a go. Enjoy

Think there might be some confusion here.

The 1Gb specification relates only to the LAN/Ethernet connections, which in layman's terms are the connections on the back of the router for stuff WITHIN your house. So if you plugged 2 PCs in using Ethernet cables, you'd have a 1Gbps (gigs bits per second) connection between the 2 for file transfers (assuming both PCs were capable of that). The Ethernet connection speeds have zero influence on the internet speeds.

As others have said, chances are the line run to your property is copper, running to a cabinet somewhere in the street at which point it'll be fibre to the exchange. This is the standard setup for all providers except Virgin where they have cable to the premises.

It is possible the installer did in fact run fibre to your property, which would be nice, but I'd imagine stupidly expensive. And fast

As for using the router, I wouldn't bother. It won't do anything your current one can't. Even if you could reconfigure it, which may or may not be possible, it'll still just provide Wifi and internet and won't be any faster. And that's before you look into whether or not you currently use fibre or standard ADSL broadband, meaning the new router would need to be ADSl and VDSL compatible.

Lot of info there but hopefully that helps.

The short answer is no, don't bother

Think there might be some confusion here.

The 1Gb specification relates only to the LAN/Ethernet connections, which in layman's terms are the connections on the back of the router for stuff WITHIN your house. So if you plugged 2 PCs in using Ethernet cables, you'd have a 1Gbps (gigs bits per second) connection between the 2 for file transfers (assuming both PCs were capable of that). The Ethernet connection speeds have zero influence on the internet speeds.

As others have said, chances are the line run to your property is copper, running to a cabinet somewhere in the street at which point it'll be fibre to the exchange. This is the standard setup for all providers except Virgin where they have cable to the premises.

It is possible the installer did in fact run fibre to your property, which would be nice, but I'd imagine stupidly expensive. And fast

As for using the router, I wouldn't bother. It won't do anything your current one can't. Even if you could reconfigure it, which may or may not be possible, it'll still just provide Wifi and internet and won't be any faster. And that's before you look into whether or not you currently use fibre or standard ADSL broadband, meaning the new router would need to be ADSl and VDSL compatible.

Lot of info there but hopefully that helps.

The short answer is no, don't bother

I was under the impression that Hyperoptic run a completely separate network to Virgin and OpenReach. They operate and maintain their own networking infrastructure, and have been running fiber lines to new build estates and, most notably, apartment blocks/conversions.
They install there DSLAM or equivalent networking infrastructure in the building, which terminates the fiber and then run a cat cable to an RJ45 faceplate in each apartment. If the occupant chooses to subscribe to Hyperoptic they are provided with the Hyperoptic modem which is connected to the RJ45 faceplate. The modem then gives access to the internet, whilst also being a router/switch and WIFI AP. The Hyperoptic modem also acts as a termination point for a standard POTS telephone, as there is no need for a traditional telephone land line.

chuckalicious said:

The 1Gb specification relates only to the LAN/Ethernet connections

Click to expand...

In this case i dont believe it does, it really is the incoming speeds although you do have to pay for it (£48/mo). I believe it is synchronous speeds too.

I suppose it is very similar to fiber leased lines from the likes of BT.

This system is being installed in an old office block that is being converted to apartments, in which i my be purchasing hence my investigations into the setup.


EDIT: forgot to answer the OP's question. No, this modem can only be used on the Hyperoptic network and not on any ADSL/VDSL service using the Openreach network, nor the Virgin Media cable network.