Replacing Sky Hub with ASUS Router DSL-AX82U

[Whitfin]

Another one of these threads I'm afraid. I'm trying to upgrade my parents network due to poor signal this week, but unfortunately the setup in the UK is different to where I live (the US). I'll try aggregate where I'm at from the various other threads I've seen. 

I purchased them an ASUS DSL-AX82U, and right now we have it working as an access point by connecting the Sky Hub through to the ASUS, and disabling the WiFi on the Sky Hub. Ideally though, we want to remove their Sky Hub and just use the ASUS as the main router, which is where I'm hitting a wall because this bit is unfamiliar for me.

Their setup is an OpenReach box which has a connection from the street, an Ethernet into the Sky Hub and a power input. They have a phone line connected to the Sky Hub which apparently Sky told them was "very important" to keep connected, but they don't use this and would like to get rid of it too. They seem to think "very important" means it's critical for their network, but that doesn't make much sense to me.

I know that the ASUS I purchased should work for this (from what I can gather in other threads), but I couldn't seem to figure out what I was missing. I'm under the impression I should just pass the Ethernet from the OpenReach into the WAN port on the ASUS (when in normal router mode) and then I can just remove the Phone/Sky Hub completely. This didn't appear work though; some DHCP issues. I've seen various things about the anything@skydsl|anything setup, but it didn't appear to work. I checked in their account, and they have the "Ultrafast" plan @ 400 mbps. 

So, if anyone could tell me how I can move my ASUS DSL-AX82U from AP via the Sky Hub to just ASUS DSL-AX82U as the main router, it'd be awesome. I'm technical and know my way around, but as I'm not here long I want to avoid anything super complicated and/or anything that would be temperamental (that I wouldn't be around to deal with long term).

[mae-3]

@Whitfin 

The string you've seen mentioned in other posts is DHCP Option 61 and is used to authenticate on the WAN side with Sky and the Asus router mentioned is fully compatible with Sky UK and Ireland. The Asus has the option in its WAN interface, once you have entered the value you should leave the equipment off for half an hour and then switch the ONT and Asus router back on with those credentials. It is also wise to set up DHCPv6 PD if available on the Sky broadband exchange one is on.

[Whitfin]

@mae-3 awesome, thanks for the advice - makes sense to me.

So just to double check, before I try and report back:

- Disconnect ASUS from Sky Hub

- Switch Ethernet from OpenReach -> Sky Hub to be OpenReach -> ASUS

- Set ASUS to Router mode, configure Option 61 setting in WAN menu.

- Turn off ASUS + OpenReach, reconnect again in like an hour

I saw some other stuff mentioned aside from Option 61; is that the only thing I should need to change? 

If the above looks good, it's pretty close to what I tried earlier but I'll try again from scratch and see what happens. If I turn on after an hour and no luck, is there anything that would be the likely candidate? 

Thank you for help so far, appreciate it a lot! 

[mae-3]

@Whitfin 

You have the correct procedure for setting it up.

[Chrisee]

@Whitfin to confirm there is no requirement from Sky to keep the voice line so your parents can use a third party router if they want. Hoever tell them to keep the hub to hand as in the event they get a fault it will have to be reconnected as Sky's diagnostics require it to be used.

[DazzerCH]

@Whitfin 

Pleasecan you confirm this worked for your parents?

I am in the process of doing the same and seen on the sky router options there is a DSL only mode and WANOE mode. Just wondering if these would help me. I need to keep me SKY router for VOIP SkyTalk. But would like to add a new router for main wifi. I have direct fibre connection. I have seen if I remove the Sky router the SkyTalk will not work.

Also, I am wondering if I disable the wifi on my Sky router, connect fibre direct to my new 3rd party router and connect sky router to that whether it would possibly work?

[Chrisee]

@DazzerCH those options control the connection via the modem stage or from the WAN input and have no relevance to the voice service. 

You can connect you third party router as you propose but you will have set up a Double NAT set up which works for most but not all apps. Sky hubs have no "modem mode" so cannot pass the public IP address to the second router.