I want to change router, every router has a ethernet wan port?

[dbzocchi]

Hi, I'm looking at changing my router to something better, My phone line just has a normal RJ11 coming in connected to a BT/EE router I don't have superfast broadband, I only get 80/20, all the routers I have looked at have a JR45(ethernet) wan input, not an RJ11. 

What are my options? as far as I can tell I need one of those Openreach modems, will that work?

Does EE provide a modem, are they still a thing? i have never had one I've usually always been with bt and never required one, I have I've seen someone say just stick the RJ11 in the RJ45 socket.

[XRaySpeX · Accepted solution]

The routers you see that have just an Ethernet WAN port are just pure routers only; they contain no modem & are intended to be connected to a separate modem . They may have "RT" in their name & are sometimes called "Cable Routers". EE's (& BT's) and most other ISPs' supplied routers are not of that type; they will contain a modem for some DSL technology. EE don't supply separate modems.

What you should be looking for for EE Fibre is a VDSL/ADSL modem router with a DSL (RJ11) WAN port.  ASUS, Billion, DrayTek, Netgear, TP-Link & others all supply these type of routers. They may have "DSL" in their name. If you are ever thinking of moving to EE Fibre Max or for future proofing than look for a G.Fast/VDSL/ADSL modem router. There are fewer of these & they are more expensive.

[dbzocchi]

All the routers on curry's with DSL in thier name have an ethernet wan port, all the VDSL routers have ethernet ports. 

And will an open reach modem work?

[pip11]

Any DSL router can connect with an RJ11. If it doesn't have an RJ11 socket it is not a DSL router no matter what Curry's label them as.

Yes, you can use an ordinary router with an Openreach modem.

[XRaySpeX]

There's no reason for a VDSL modem router not to also have a Ethernet WAN as well. As far as I can tell 11 of the 17 "modem routers" on Currys online site are VDSL modem routers. Currys are not always accurate in their descriptions:

• Not all their "modem routers" contain a modem.
• They fail to mention the presence of a "RJ-11 WAN VDSL2 port" when there is 1.
• They even claim an ADSL2+ only router (no good to you) is "For cable or fibre optic broadband".

So you can't go by their descriptions. Always double check the explicit model on the manufacturer's site.

[XRaySpeX]

Looking deeper all but 3 of the "modem routers" on Currys online site are VDSL modem routers. The exceptions are the DrayTeks V2832N (ADSL only), V2926AC (Ethernet Cable Router), V2832-K (ADSL only). Any of the others have VDSL capability & will work unaided on EE Fibre. 3 even also have SIM slots & will work on a mobile network.

[dbzocchi]

And I'm going by pictures

I'm finding "VDSL" routers on currys and ebuyer and they all say dsl or vdsl but none of the photos have an rj11 port

[XRaySpeX]

Show me some example URLs & I'll show you the RJ11 ports.

Always check out the manufacturers' sites. If the manufacturer says it's a VDSL(2) Modem Router it is a VDSL modem router & you may safely use it for EE Fibre.

[XRaySpeX]

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@dbzocchi wrote:

I'm finding "VDSL" routers on currys ... and they all say dsl or vdsl but none of the photos have an rj11 port

I dunno why you are finding that. Most of the modem routers on Currys' site show a DSL RJ11 port in the alternative rear-view pix on the detail page of each router

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