Getting An R3 this week, will my current setup work with it?

[Bad Wolf]

Hi,

I am buying an R3 this week and I want to ensure my current setup is going to work with it and what information I need to get from my ISP. 

I’m with BT full fibre (FTTP) with an ONT plugged into my current router the isp provided smart hub 2. I get 1GB down, 120mb up. I believe BT uses PPPoE. Will I need to get any information on this from them or not?

I have two family members who stream Netflix/Prime/Apple TV separately and because their rooms are distanced from the router We are using a deco mesh network. A parent plugs into a regular Ethernet port on the router and then broadcast a boasted signal to 2 other mesh stations. It’s only 100 up and down, will it be possible to still use this with the R3?

My gaming device uses Ethernet. Will I also have any reduction in speed, I currently see varied speed, but avg around 880-920. Will this be lower on R3?

I am not super tech savvy but I am somewhat competent, so when comes to stepping up the router can it be done via WiFi or do you need a hard wire? As my laptop doesn’t have a Ethernet port.

[Netduma Fraser]

The PPPoE details may be on the BT Hub network settings, if so you can then copy paste into the R3 if needed or you could contact them directly. Alternatively you can just connect the R3 to the BT Hub and have the hub continue handling PPPoE which is what I would normally suggest.

We don't have specific support for mesh but from what I've seen it does work.

If you have the BT Hub handle PPPoE then speeds shouldn't be reduced much. Gaming doesn't require much bandwidth though, usually less than 1Mbps. 

You can setup over WiFi.

[Bad Wolf]

I am grateful for the Sunday response.

I am planning on talking to BT this week too, so I should able to get that info from them.

Can the R3 be used by connecting it to ONT can the bt smart hub does or does it need to go via smart hub? In terms of speed I’m thinking 25 mb for each family member if they watching 4k. Then for me, my internet requirements isn’t high as you pointed out gaming doesn’t use much.

[Netduma Fraser]

9 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

I am grateful for the Sunday response.

I am planning on talking to BT this week too, so I should able to get that info from them.

Can the R3 be used by connecting it to ONT can the bt smart hub does or does it need to go via smart hub? In terms of speed I’m thinking 25 mb for each family member if they watching 4k. Then for me, my internet requirements isn’t high as you pointed out gaming doesn’t use much.

No worries! You can have the R3 connected to the ONT and handling PPPoE but speeds will be reduced this way, perhaps by 25-50%. Then yes if you wanted to do away with the hub and are happy with the speed reduction then based on the usage you've mentioned everyone would have more than enough.

[Bad Wolf]

Thanks, for providing that information.

Am I right to assume, the R3 doesn’t do PPPoE in  hardware it does in software on its cpu hence the speed reduction?

If this is the case by using the features ping steady, ping assist, geo and smart boost I won’t be handicapping my R3 or crippling it with the PPPoE, like steady ping and smart boost will still work well?