Migration to Sky from O2 - Accept a Skyhub or choose a different ISP ?

[kgee]

As an existing O2 customer ( and very happy with O2 broadband ) I am trying to understand the likely issues when my service is eventually transferred to Sky. I believe I will have the option to move somewhere else but Sky are keen to keep O2 customers and would offer a good deal to sign up. The problem is that I already have an established Netgear wireless N Gigabit Router with extensive Gigabit switched wired network and can't believe that Sky are insisting I use one of their Skyhubs which by all accounts has very poor wireless performance and only 100mb wired LAN capability. Everything I've picked up so far indicates very complicated workarounds involving hacks to get at Username/Password and a lot of uncertainty whether a third party router would work anyway. Can someone advise whether it is achievable for a relative non techy or think of some compromise by which I could at least retain my Gigabit wired LAN. It just seems crazy that Sky are imposing such draconian rules. I haven't got a problem with the concept of a locked down modem but the thought of having to move to a service with a locked down router is just unacceptable. For example what happens if I sign up to a 12 month contract and then find out I can't use some of the devices on my network e.g ip cameras etc which need port forwarding, DynDNS access etc.

[Isitme]

From everything I have read on the subject Sky will be allowing ex-O2/BE users to keep their own router and they will continue to log in with their existing details. There does not appear to be any need to accept a Sky router even if one was offered. I doubt if Sky will supply 50,000 routers to those involved in the take-over. It seems for the time being anyway, O2/BE will be run like a separate division of Sky Broadband, this may change in the future of course.

[kgee]

From everything I have read on the subject Sky will be allowing ex-O2/BE users to keep their own router and they will continue to log in with their existing details. There does not appear to be any need to accept a Sky router even if one was offered. I doubt if Sky will supply 50,000 routers to those involved in the take-over. It seems for the time being anyway, O2/BE will be run like a separate division of Sky Broadband, this may change in the future of course.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, that sounds encouraging. I suppose the only issue is getting them to confirm the "no change" status before agreeing to sign up for a fixed period then trying to assess what things will look like after 12 months by which time I could move to someone else or Sky decide to supply some better routers.

[barrymung]

For what it's worth, I transferred to Sky from O2 last week and got provided with a Sky hub. Had to use new login details too.

[kgee]

For what it's worth, I transferred to Sky from O2 last week and got provided with a Sky hub. Had to use new login details too.

Thought that might be the case. I've also just agreed to go with Sky and guess the hub will be sent just prior to activation in a couple of weeks. Think the best thing is to just go with it initially and see how it goes. My main concern is preserving my Gigabit wired LAN so I intend to just make one connection to the hub with Ethernet to a Netgear Gigabit unmanaged 8 port switch then link all my Gigabit devices ( laptop, network disk drives etc ) to that. I've read quite a few conflicting articles on this - some saying all traffic will be passed through the router and therefore that will become the 100Mb bottleneck but then others say once the router has managed the DHCP stuff, traffic between wired Gigabit devices would be managed by the Gigabit switch and would therefore be ok. Any more clarification on this would be helpful since I have little other reason to use a different router ( as long as the wireless side of the Sky hub turns out to be ok )

[Isitme]

For what it's worth, I transferred to Sky from O2 last week and got provided with a Sky hub. Had to use new login details too.

I think that may be because you accepted an offer to join Sky and were not actually 'taken over'. If you do not accept an offer and just wait to be taken over, you will still be able to use your own router and will keep the same login details. This from the BE user group answers a few questions and will also apply to O2 users. BE Usergroup

[barrymung]

You might be right, perhaps if I'd stayed with O2 them perhaps I wouldn't have had to change a thing when changeover occurs.

Having said that, I wouldn't say the Sky Hub is any worse than the o2 router. Both are locked down. On the plus side the Sky hub looks good and was simple to set up, simply plug and go. IIRC the o2 router needed configuring before it could be used.

However, I suspect Sky will move all ex-O2 users over to their systems in due course and in any event by moving early I was able to take advantage of their free broadband & TV offer, which works out a lot cheaper than what I was paying O2...

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My main concern is preserving my Gigabit wired LAN so I intend to just make one connection to the hub with Ethernet to a Netgear Gigabit unmanaged 8 port switch then link all my Gigabit devices

That's essentially the way I have done it. Sky hub connects straight to a network switch (Via homeplugs) and everything else connects into the switch. Works fine but I'm sure someone will be along to tell me I'm doing it wrong..

[buddbuttocks]

My main concern is preserving my Gigabit wired LAN so I intend to just make one connection to the hub with Ethernet to a Netgear Gigabit unmanaged 8 port switch then link all my Gigabit devices ( laptop, network disk drives etc ) to that. I've read quite a few conflicting articles on this - some saying all traffic will be passed through the router and therefore that will become the 100Mb bottleneck but then others say once the router has managed the DHCP stuff, traffic between wired Gigabit devices would be managed by the Gigabit switch and would therefore be ok. Any more clarification on this would be helpful since I have little other reason to use a different router ( as long as the wireless side of the Sky hub turns out to be ok )

Once DHCP has done its job, LAN traffic will go no further than the switch. Routing is only needed when traversing networks (i.e. out to the internet)

[dragon2611]

Once DHCP has done its job, LAN traffic will go no further than the switch. Routing is only needed when traversing networks (i.e. out to the internet)

Depends on the complexity of the LAN But yes in a typical home setup that should be the case.