Can You Replace an Optus nbn FTTP Modem-Router with a 3-Pack Mesh Wi-Fi?

TwentyTwoCarats on 19/11/2022 - 14:03
Last edited 19/11/2022 - 14:04

Hi All,

I'm trying to sort out a for my folks who have a fairly large house and are struggling with wi-fi connectivity.

I'll try to describe their current setup here:

NBN FTTP box ——(ethernet)——> Optus Sagecomm Modem Router [SSID #1 @ 2.4GHz]

Optus Sagecomm Modem Router —-(through wall ethernet cat5)—-> 10yr old Netgear Router in Access Point Mode [SSID #2 @ 2.4GHz]

Optus Sagecomm Modem Router —-(wi-fi)—-> 10 yr old Netgear Wireless Extender [SSID #3 @ 2.4GHz]

So at the moment they've got 3 SSIDs and each one gets better or worse based on your distance to the access point. It's very clunky. I have trialled setting all the SSIDs equal to each other and all 2.4GHz and it doesn't really work that well and the device doesn't easily switch to the best one possible.

Although I've never used them, I think the current best solution to this issue is to use a 3-pack mesh wi-fi system and their ideal budget is <$200. They don't need any fancy features like what Google offers, they just need one Wi-Fi and something that works seamlessly around the house. These are what I've found in my quick search - thoughts?

  1. TP-Link AC1200 Whole-Home Mesh Wi-Fi System 3 Pack - $169 - https://amzn.asia/d/2NzpRnm
  2. TP-Link Deco S4 3-Pack - $188 - https://amzn.asia/d/1RpRIRw
  3. Tenda MW6 3-Pack - $139 - https://amzn.asia/d/3VzjpnZ
  4. D-Link COVR-1103 3-Pack - $169 - https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/d-link-covr-1103-ac1200-d…

How are these products and would it do the job? Secondly, can these mesh wi-fi boxes replace the Optus Sagecomm modem-router all together, or do you still need the Optus Sagecomm modem-router and then connect it to the mesh 3-pack on access point mode or something? If both work then which is better?

Any advice is much appreciated - thank you!

Internet Wireless Router

Comments

  • scrimshaw on 19/11/2022 - 14:12
    +1

    If you have TGG Commercial access, the Deco S7 (3 Pack) here is a better router than the ones you listed and is priced under $190.

    With Fiber to the Premise, you will not be required to keep your Sagemcom, since you weren't using it as a modem in the first place.

    FTTP means you have a network termination device somewhere in your home (it looks like this) — that is essentially your "modem" and you can plug in your routers directly into the NTD.

    You can ditch your sagemcom or sell it on eBay if not needed.

    • TwentyTwoCarats on 19/11/2022 - 14:47

      Not eligible for TGG Commercial unfortunately.

      Thanks for your advice though, would be looking to ditch the Sagecomm for sure. I'll just have to figure out how to help them install it by phone call lol.

      Also, can you connect one of the secondary mesh points to the primary one by ethernet cat5? just trying to see if we can utilise the in-built wall cabling, because even if it's cat5 surely that's better than wireless.

      • scrimshaw on 19/11/2022 - 14:48
        +1

        All mesh points can use ethernet as backhaul and is the best idea if you want maximum performance out of those. Since budget Mesh routers are usually dual-band and they sacrifice a lot of performance when you use one of the bands as backhaul.

        • TwentyTwoCarats on 19/11/2022 - 14:50

          Yep thought so. Is the setup of these mesh wifi units to NBN FTTP pretty straight forward with dynamically assigned IPs and stuff? Or does it require some tricky manual work

          • scrimshaw on 19/11/2022 - 15:03
            +1

            @TwentyTwoCarats: There are two main network protocols that all NBN providers use—PPPoE and IPoE

            If you ever used any form of ADSL internet back in the day, most likely you were using PPPoE and that would require you to enter a username / password for authentication. Those credentials be found when log in to your member account or dashboard.

            Optus is iPOE so no authentication required and with FTTP it should pretty much be plug-and-play.

            Mobile app is usually required to configure these routers, and they're designed to be as simple as possible for layman to understand. I don't think there will be much to configure, the most important being picking PPPoE or iPOE and entering your ISP provided username / password if it is required.

            Some extra configuration could be needed if you want your mesh nodes to communicate in a specific way, like which wifi band or ethernet is used for backhaul and what order they connect in,

            • TwentyTwoCarats on 19/11/2022 - 15:06

              @scrimshaw: Gotcha, sounds pretty easy and I should be able to step them through it over the phone.

              Cheers for the advice

            • TwentyTwoCarats on 19/11/2022 - 15:54

              @scrimshaw: Okay so turns out they do have a phone connected - that means we may have to keep the sagecomm device and connect the 3-pack mesh in AP mode. Do you lose any performance or have a diminished experience in this mode? Or is it no different really?

              And would you disable the wifi network of the sagecomm and only show the wifi of the mesh?

              • scrimshaw on 19/11/2022 - 16:31

                @TwentyTwoCarats: You may need to relay your Q to the Optus whirlpool forum here https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum/15 as I don't know enough about Sagecomm devices and VOIP. From what I've read you will need to do this as suggested by Jeneral Pain on WP. https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/3nk5vw19#r64839480

                • buckethat on 22/11/2022 - 13:22

                  @scrimshaw: Sorry to hijack but you seem to know a whole lot about this so hoping you'd be able to help me out as well..

                  I'm currently using fixed wireless (Lightning Broadband), been on a 50/50 connection paying $95/m for 6+ years. Back when I got it NBN wasn't a thing in my area and only up till recently, most houses were on FTTN.

                  Had a look on Tangerine and I'm eligible for free FTTP upgrade so I'm planning to sign up to their 250/25 plan for $89/m for first 6month, then maybe downgrade after that if I didn't need the speed.

                  At the same time, looking to finally upgrade to a mesh wifi system, the Eero 6+ deal you posted actually. Do you know if I will need a new modem or would the Eero 6+ just plug directly into the NTD based on your comment above.

                  Currently using an old DIR-880L as a modem/router.

                  Sidenote.. Lightning Broadband is offering to upgrade my connection to 100/100 for the $95/m and lock me in for a year. Would I still be better off getting FTTP installed at my house and hop ship to futureproof myself? I'm guessing that this free FTTP installation is subsidised by NBNco? I remember years ago reading that people paid upward of 10k to get FTTP for existing homes.. kind of amazed its free now.

  • AndyC1 on 19/11/2022 - 14:25

    If you do not use VOIP you can.
    If you have VOIP then you still can so long as you disabla WIFI on the Sagecomm and just use it for VOIP as Optus will not give you the VOIP details. There are ways of hacking some Optus modems to extract the voip settings so you can use better VOIP solutions, but you will need to find out how/if this can be done yourself.

    If you ask Optus they will try and sell you a mesh add on (and may upgrade the modem if you lock in for another x months etc etc), but IMHO ditch the Sagecomm and get a decent mesh setup.

    • TwentyTwoCarats on 19/11/2022 - 14:51

      No VoIP in their setup, and definitely won't be asking Optus for advice lol. As the other commenter said, I think I'm going to get them a 3-pack mesh wifi and ditch the sagecomm

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 21/11/2022 - 15:56

    I just bought an AC1200 TP Link Pack. The Speed was pretty ordinary so I bought an AX5400 Modem, and a AX3000 3 pack.
    Very easy to setup and good range. Solved issues with our Ring cameras.

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