Hi all,
Before I drop ~£660 on an ASUS RT-BE96U, I'm hoping someone here has already walked this path and can confirm it works on the newer Gigafast+ service.
**My setup:**
- Sky Full Fibre 5 Gigafast+ (had it about 3 months)
- Separate ONT that plugs into the Gigafast+ Hub via RJ45
- Cat8 cabling throughout
**What I want to do:**
- Unplug the Gigafast+ Hub entirely
- Plug the ONT directly into the ASUS RT-BE96U's 10G WAN port
- Authenticate using DHCP Option 61 (Client Identifier) in ASUSWRT
- Never touch the Sky hub again
I know this technique is well-documented and reliable on Sky's 1Gb Gigafast service with older hubs like the SR203, and I know ASUS routers handle Sky's MER authentication properly via the Client Identifier field. What I can't find is anyone specifically confirming it on **Gigafast+ (2.5/5Gb)** with the new Hub.
**My questions:**
1. Has anyone successfully bypassed the Gigafast+ Hub on the 5Gb service with a third-party router (ASUS or otherwise)?
2. Is the Option 61 authentication format identical to the older 1Gb Gigafast service, or has Sky changed anything for Gigafast+?
3. Any gotchas with the new Hub or CityFibre-partnered areas I should know about before I commit?
Reason for the change: the Gigafast+ Hub's config options are very limited. I need proper static IP/DHCP reservations, port forwarding, port triggering, and VLAN support for my home network and work setup, which the Sky hub just doesn't do well.
Any confirmed success stories (or warnings) would be massively appreciated before I spend the money. Cheers!
