FTTP Hub 2 - Initial Configuration

[#1]

Can I please pick the collective brain ?

When I setup my new PlusNet Hub Two with my new FTTP (yet to go live), will it just 'work' or do I need to enter my account username and password ?  (eg. on first use).  Looking at the hub's PPPoE settings, it's currently got the username setup@plusdsl.net in there ?  I'd assume I'd need to change this at some point to 'myusername@plusdsl.net' and put my account password in ?

But can I do this in advance ?  Or do I need to wait until the FTTP is live, and then follow some sort of 'first use setup' which will be triggered as a result ?

The reason I ask is more complex, but in essence, my FTTP install is delayed due to a problem with the ducting being blocked in the street.  It's been ongoing for several weeks now, and OR mistakenly thought the external work was done, when in fact none of it has been !  However, yesterday, the engineer who came did do the internal work (so the ONT is fitted, etc) but obviously couldn't setup the PlusNet Hub as there was no fibre connected to the outside of the house yet.

But he did say that all that's left to do is to run the fibre from the box to the wall, and splice it outside (once the civils team have unblocked the duct), and this means that they won't need to come inside to do anything there (ie. it's been done in the opposite order to normal).  He said he doesn't know about timescales, but could potentially be within days (as it's just external work / customer not needed to be present / etc) or weeks.

But the issue is - we're going away in a couple of weeks time, and my in-laws are moving in to have the kids (yay !) for the week.  However they're in their 70s and not very tech happy.  And my fear is that if OR complete the external work and the FTTP goes live while we're away, then our current FTTC line will be switched off (and therefore my current home WiFi will stop working).  Ideally, I'd love to set the new FTTP hub up 'in advance' so that in that eventuality, I can just tell the in-laws to connect the kids devices temporarily to the new "PLUSNET-XYZ123" network instead of our usual home network [and thus avoid rioting in the streets if the little ones can't play Minecraft, etc!] 

Is this possible, or alternatively, if this happens, is the initial setup super simple ?  (ie. something my 70yr old father in law could do with me on the phone and my PlusNet username and password in hand ?)

Thanks in advance.

[#2]

@JonathanW999 Once the FTTP connection is made, and confirmed active, all you (or your in-laws) need to do is connect the Hub to the ONT and then wait 5-10 minutes for it to auto-configure.

[#3]

If you already do have broadband with PN, you can plug it in now and use it.
The come install day the cables will be switched and should continue to work with no downtime.
That's what happened in my case.

[#4]

Thanks, @dvorak . I forgot that when I posted.

In that situation, @JonathanW999 , all your in-laws would have to do is switch  the Hub from the phone master socket to the ONT.

[#5]

Ah ok - thanks.  Does it not need my PN username and password to be inputted at any stage ?

[#6]

My current setup is more complex.  I do have FTTC with PN, but I use a TP-link router purely as a modem, connected to my Unifi UDM Pro.

Ultimately, I will connect the UDM Pro directly to the ONT (as the UDM Pro supports PPPoE directly) but in the short term, I'm looking for a 'simple' backup option, in case the FTTP goes live while I'm away.

My other option, which I may do anyway (partly for fun) is to setup a mobile broadband connection as the backup WAN on the UDM Pro (as it supports 2 separate WAN inputs), so even if the FTTC drops out (eg. when the FTTP goes live), it won't matter and the current home system can continue to run off 4G until I get back and switch it over.  (My only fear with that is the cost of the 4G data given how much my 9 yr old tends to like to use streaming stuff !! hehe).  I did think about setting up the FTTP on the backup WAN port directly, but unfortunately the UDM Pro / rack is a long way away from where we've brought the FTTP into, and I don't have a spare network port to hardwire it directly (which, in retrospect, is poor forward planning from me when I setup the home network years ago !)

[#7 · Accepted solution]

Does it not need my PN username and password to be inputted at any stage ?

No, the serial no of the router is registered to your account. It makes an initial connection using the setup username, contacts the tr069 server, sends the serial no and autoconfigures with your correct account details

[#8]

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@jab1 wrote:

In that situation, @JonathanW999 , all your in-laws would have to do is switch  the Hub from the phone master socket to the ONT.

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To clarify, you need to remove the DSL cable connecting the Hub to the old BT phone Master socket and instead connect the Ethernet cable that came with the hub between the new BT ONT and the red WAN socket on the Hub.

When you switch on the Hub 2 it automatically connects to the Plusnet servers and replaces setup@plusdsl.net with your username and populates your password. If this fails to happen then you can trigger it to try again by pushing a paperclip or similar in the reset hole and holding the switch closed until you get a green light.

[#9]

Perfect. Thank you. I didn’t know the serial number was pre configured with my login details. That makes it super simple. Thank you all.