Router upgrade for FTTP

[#1]

I currently have FTTC and use a Hub One.  I don’t use the WiFi in the router as I have BT Whole Home.

I’m about to upgrade to FTTP and I am being sent a Hub Two.  

The Hub Two only has 3 Ethernet ports (the One has 4) so I’d need to buy an Ethernet switch.  Rather than do that (more expense, another powered device) I was thinking of using the Hub One for FTTP.

Is there any disadvantage of me staying with the Hub One as I don’t use the router’s WiFi?

[#2]

I'm not 100% certain on this, but you would still only have three ethernet ports - one of the four would need to be used to connect the ONT.

Maybe someone with more knowledge will confirm this - although the Hub Two is a better device overall.

[#3]

@TheJayBee to answer @jab1  's uncertainty.

The Hub 1 does have a separate WAN port , so you would still have 4 LAN ports.

However, if you are going for one of the higher speed (500Mb or higher) products then I'm not sure the Hub 1 is capable of handling the throughput. You'd have to 'suck it and see' and if not then you could always revert to the Hub 2 with a switch.

[#4]

John

The Hub One has a WAN port in addition to the 4 Ethernet ports.  I’m assuming the WAN is for the ONT.

I need to understand what “better” means.

[#5]

@TheJayBee  @MisterW  Teach me to shoot my mouth off, but thanks  for the clarification.

The 'better' I was referring to was the Wi-Fi range, and more modern circuitry - the H1 is a bit 'long in the tooth' now.

[#6]

@TheJayBee 

I think that by 'better' @jab1 is thinking wireless, which you are not using. However the limitation comes, as has been said, with the maximum upload and download speeds with which it can cope. It was designed for use on an 80/20 service, not ultra fast upload and download FTTP performance.

[#7]

Thank you all for your input.  I assume there isn’t a throughput benchmark that compares the Hub One with the Hub Two (excluding WiFi)?

[#8]

I've not seen a WAN throughput figure for the Hub 1. I know that the Hub 2 can handle the WAN throughput on a 900Mb FTTP connection.

[#9]

I think I’m just going to have to try both hubs and see if there is a difference in my environment.  I found an old forum post which said a big file transfer was faster on the Hub Two.

If I find any differences between the two hubs, I’ll report back.

Thanks everyone.

[#10 · Accepted solution]

The WAN port on the Hub One has an upstream shaping limit of ~30mbps. If you have opted for an FTTP product with upload speeds higher than this then it's going to cause a bottleneck. Other than that, it should be fine though.

If you were to go the switch route, you could probably power something small like this from the USB port of the Hub Two to save you having to plug a second device into the mains.