Replacing SR203 Router with SR204sUK version

[sidestick]

Hello - I have been offered a Sky SR204sUK Router by a family member who is using an alternative .

I have a FTTP line offering speeds up to 900 Mb , but currently have Sky's 150 Mb service (Ultrafast I believe?) which is fine for speed.

My SR203 occasionally - a couple of times a month - drops its internet connection (orange light on Voice) and requires a restart to get the internet back again which is irritating if away from the premises for a few days.

I understand the SR204 is Wifi6 AND has a auto switch over to 4g  whilst the FTTP is 'off air'.  This router is offered to Business customers and to others with (of course) a £10 pm supplement. Sounds like a much better option than the SR203.

 Is the offered SR204sUK this new Router and would it simply plug into existing ONT output given that the FTTP connection is currently using 150 Mb ??

Thanks for any tech response ---

[TimmyBGood · Accepted solution]

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@sidestick wrote:

I understand the SR204 is Wifi6 AND has a auto switch over to 4g  whilst the FTTP is 'off air'.  This router is offered to Business customers and to others with (of course) a £10 pm supplement. Sounds like a much better option than the SR203.

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I suspect you have the wrong model number: the 204 is simply a variant on the 203 intended for G.fast (Ultrafast 1 over copper), and is not the much more recent WiFi 6 Sky Business Hub (sometimes branded as Sky Connect) that has a physically different form-factor.

Both 203 and 204 date from 2019: the WiFi 6 business hub was launched earlier this year.  There's also now the WiFi 6 Max Hub for domestic subscription (at the inevitable premium rate)

Note the Business Hub failover to cellular is a subscription feature and requires both additional hardware and monthly cost: it isn't inherent to the Hub and just acquiring the hardware would not get you the failover service.

[GD1]

@sidestick  And to also point out, when this family member cancels their service with Sky they will need to return their supplied Sky Huib as it's not their to keep or even give away.

I'd give them the hub back as it is loaned to them.

[sidestick]

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

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@sidestick wrote:

I understand the SR204 is Wifi6 AND has a auto switch over to 4g  whilst the FTTP is 'off air'.  This router is offered to Business customers and to others with (of course) a £10 pm supplement. Sounds like a much better option than the SR203.

---

I suspect you have the wrong model number: the 204 is simply a variant on the 203 intended for G.fast lines (Ultrafast 1 over copper), and is not the WiFi 6 Sky Business Hub (sometimes branded as Sky Connect)

Both 203 and 204 date from 2019: the WiFi 6 business hub was launched earlier this year.  There's also now the WiFi 6 Max Hub for domestic subscription.

Note the Business Hub failover to cellular is a subscription feature and requires both additional hardware and monthly cost: it isn't inherent to the Hub itself and just acquiring the hardware would not get you the service.

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Thanks TBG -- useful and  I now see that the 204 offered isn't going to help the intermittent drop out problem  nor offer any 4g back up facility - and that the correct ref to the new WiFi6 Hub is the SR214 and doesn't offer a 4g backup  - probably !

The new Business Hub - the BR440 - on offer however, with both WiFi6 and 4g backup, appears to be this one [from ISPreview Sky Business BB Router BR440 ] :

Router Specs
– Model Number: BR440
– Manufactured by Arcadyan
– Ethernet Ports: 4 X 1Gbps Ports
– Voice Ports: 4 X Analogue Telephone Ports
– USB: 1 X USB 3.0 Type-A Port
– Wi-Fi: Concurrent dual band Wi-Fi 6 (5GHz and 2.4GHz (802.11ax)) with WPA2-PSK encryption
– External 12V, 3A, 36W AC-DC power supply

"On the 4G Dongle. Sky’s previous 4G solution for back-up was a separately powered CPE that required a managed install and a separate power supply. It connected all critical devices through a second SSID. The new Dongle removes install complexity and additional power supply requirements. A seamless failover that is customisable to support both Private and Guest Wi-Fi. The customer has the option to limit the failover to their private Wi-Fi only."

Still not clear how the Business Hub 4g backup actually operates - but it doesn't seem to require any great faffing about with other attached units,  power supplies or engineer visits. Quite appealing therefore.

On the 4g backup for Sky's Internet connection, do you know what  kit is actually needed to auto backup the standard SR203 or if it's possible at all ?   This is in the event of an internet fallover (not a powercut which effectively resets the router when the power comes back on) where an unknown unit detects no internet and switches the connection to 4g ?   There is such a device in the USA I believe , but not in the UK.  

Thanks TBG!

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

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@sidestick wrote:

I understand the SR204 is Wifi6 AND has a auto switch over to 4g  whilst the FTTP is 'off air'.  This router is offered to Business customers and to others with (of course) a £10 pm supplement. Sounds like a much better option than the SR203.

---

I suspect you have the wrong model number: the 204 is simply a variant on the 203 intended for G.fast lines (Ultrafast 1 over copper), and is not the WiFi 6 Sky Business Hub (sometimes branded as Sky Connect)

Both 203 and 204 date from 2019: the WiFi 6 business hub was launched earlier this year.  There's also now the WiFi 6 Max Hub for domestic subscription.

Note the Business Hub failover to cellular is a subscription feature and requires both additional hardware and monthly cost: it isn't inherent to the Hub itself and just acquiring the hardware would not get you the service.

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[sidestick]

A useful reminder ! Thanks GD1 🙂

[Haggis]

How can I get a new router Sky SR204sUK

[Chrisee]

@Haggis by buying a Sky Ultrafast Service over copper that uses G.Fast as they are only loaned for that  purpose. None have been sold and are required to be returned when the customer stops the service. 

In practice they are the same as the SR203 the only known difference is the modem. 

@sidestick the Sky Wifi Max has the model number SR213 not SR214. 

[TimmyBGood]

@sidestick 

Sky does not offer any cellular failover service on domestic broadband, so there's no cellular hardware from them which would be designed to operate with any of their domestic Hub models.

The Business (Connect) Hub uses a rather ungainly DLink 4G USB 'dongle' as shown in its installation instructions, but a 203/204 has no USB port.

https://business.sky.com/business/help/home/help-sky-business-broadband/4g-internet-backup/setting-u... 

[jamesn123]

@sidestick 

The Sky business hub doesnt even connect to domestic Sky lines as they use different authentication methods so it'll be useless on your line