Questions about Sky broadband

[jettison]

1. Is the public IP address (WAN IP) assigned by Sky to the modem/router of a customer a unique IP, or is the same IP allocated to a pool of modem/routers?

2. When network traffic exits the modem/router of a customer does it pass through another Sky controlled router, or does it connect directly to the IP of the remote server?

3. Do the default domain name servers used by Sky have any built in web filtering? If NOT, what public DNS would you recommend?

4. Are there any benefits in enabling energy efficient ethernet (EEE)?

5. Can the IPv6 DHCP server be safely disabled on the LAN?

6. Why is the firewall that ships with the hub called an "IPv6 firewall" when the modem/router of a customer is allocated an IPv4 WAN IP, and NOT an IPv6 one?

7. How can access be restricted to specific LAN-side devices?

- Can devices be restricted by MAC address?
- Can the IPv4 DHCP server be safely disabled, and can static IPv4 addresses be assigned to each device on the LAN?

8. In what situations would you want to put the router into WANoE mode?

9. Can the hub be bridged - configured to act as a standalone modem?

[mae-3 · Accepted solution]

@jettison 

1. The public IP address is unique for the connection but it is a dynamic IP address.

2. It passes through many other IP addresses (routers/firewalls).

3. Yes it has web filtering, eg: Sky shield or Buddy App.

4. Slight saving in power, eg: about a 50p a year I guess at.

5. Yes IPv6 can safely be turned off on the LAN interface.

6. The WAN interface is actually dual-stack IPv4 & IPv6 concurrently.

7.  Sky Buddy can be used for restricting access to a device.

8. When you have an ONT FTTP then you'd use WANoE.

9. No the router cannot be set in a bridge.

[Chrisee]

@jettison to expand on a few of your points starting with 7 Sky hubs do not offer mac filtering but as @mae-3 says Sky offer a paid add-on called Broadband Buddy which can - it does a whole lot more including controlling mobile data usage on managed devices. See Sky Broadband Buddy | Sky Help | Sky.com

You can disable the DHCP server and use fixed IP addresses but if you intend to use that to control devices it is pretty easy to defeat.. 

On point 3 To learn about Sky Broadband Shield which is a free feature see https://www.sky.com/help/diagnostics/sky-broadband-shield/sky-broadband-shield

[jettison]

@mae-3 

I have another question. If the two LEDs on an ethernet port are green, does this mean that data is being transmitted over the link at gigabit speed?

I can't find a link that lists what each colour e.g. green, amber indicates.

Thanks,

[mae-3]

@jettison 

Green does mean Gbps connection and when there is two LED's flashing amber that data is being passed through the port in most cases with ethernet ports.