Using a third party router with Sky Fibre

[Hendo73]

Hello

I've been with Sky Fibre for about a year and am using the SR103 router that came when I bought the package, as well as three Sky Pods. Even with that number of pods, I'm finding that the WiFi coverage on the 5Ghz band is quite patchy. 

In view of this, I'm toying with the idea of purchasing a router of my own. Before I do that though, I want to know that any router I buy will authenticate seamlessly with the Sky Fibre network, and will also handle communications to my Sky Q boxes. 

If I can use my own equipment, can anyone recommend a solution that won't cost a fortune to run and will support both hardwired and wireless connections?  Ideally I'd like one that would cover the whole of my second floor flat without requiring any extenders. The flat is approximately 88 square feet and the router can't be centrally located because of where the fibre comes in to the building. 

If it isn't possible to connect my own equipment to the network, is there anything to stop me buying a WiFi extender of my own which will amplify the 5Ghz signal from the SR?

[TimmyBGood]

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@Hendo73 wrote:

Before I do that though, I want to know that any router I buy will authenticate seamlessly with the Sky Fibre network, and will also handle communications to my Sky Q boxes. 

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There isn't any non-Sky Hub which supports Sky Talk Internet Calls, and a non-Sky Hub won't talk to Q Mini boxes: their signal would come from the main Q box.

[Hendo73]

Thanks for that. We don't use our landline for voice calls. I can't actually remember the last time I had a phone plugged into our landline.  

In terms of the Q mini box, I have a pair of Powerline adapters running between the two Q boxes, which seem to do the trick. I just need to be sure that the main Q box will recognise a non-Sky hub. 

[JimM1]

@Hendo73 Should not be an issue, but until you try you will not know!

[Hendo73]

To be honest, that's very unhelpful. I'd much prefer not to drop more than £100 on a new router, only to discover that it doesn't play nicely with the Sky network. 

[JimM1]

@Hendo73 Can you review your opening post and correct which sky Hub you are using! There is no guarantee that you will not come across any problems but with having what you may have currently then its not to much off a leap...

[Hendo73]

I'm not seeing how to edit the original post. 

I've just checked the MySky app. According to that, the Sky Max hub is a HOMEHUB6, running firmware SR213_8.1p2s5_PROD_sey. 

[Waveman]

Yes you can use a third party router with Sky Q and its mini boxes. 

As long as the router supports DCHP option 61 it will work with sky fiber. The WAN port on the third party router connects to the ONT and you just need to congfigure the router to use DCHP Option 61. 

I use Draytek equipment in my home network, router, switches. & access points. My Sky  Q boxes are all are wired back to the switches and the WiFI is disabled on all of them. 

Sky Q does not require a Sky hub, it did at launch, but hasn't for many years. 

Orher manufactures routers may support Option 61, you would need to check out their support pages. 

[Chrisee]

@Waveman  & @Hendo73 in practice most users can get away with using the alternative authentication method of DHCPv6 PD which 80% of Openreach and 100% of City Fibre lines support which opens up a wider range of routers. Howver the Asus range is frequently used and works well as they do support DHCPv4 Option61.

A huge number of Sky Q customers are not using Sky hubs as they dont have Sky Broadband. However when Sky Q is not used with a black Sky hub the wifi hotspots thst can be used as WiFi extenders for third party devices stop working.