Do you have to purchase broadband router from ISP

madelaine

Hi
At the moment we have just a desktop pc, Talk Talk are our ISP
We are planning on buying a laptop, so we will need a router, have spoken to Talk Talk and they say it will cost £49.

Now my son who lives in his own property, is planning on changing his ISP provider from Sky to O2, he has a router provided by Sky, and will be getting a new one provided by O2 would it be possible for us to use his old router? or would we need to purchase one from Talk talk.

Thanks

Donnie

No need to purchase from provider.

DatabaseError

you would need to 'unlock' the sky router, google is your friend
else just buy one, ebay £5+, speedtouch 585 modem (good) around £20

ormus

you can use any proper branded router. ie netgear.
you cannot normally use a rebranded router such as a Sky badged router, without unlocking it first.
some are just about "impossible" to unlock. bt home hub (some versions) is an example.

isofa

Good prices usually at BroadbandBuyer

Second Tony's recommend of the Speedtouch's, I've found them to be far more reliable and negotiate a far higher speed than Belkin and Netgears.

mdbarber

do you not have a router at the moment?, presume you mean you want a wireless one for the coming laptop, not all are wireless.
Normally a good ruse is to phone talktalk and say you want to cancel as sky/bt etc are offering you a free wireless router, see what they say

System

I too am with TT and have recently changed from a PC to laptop. About the same time, TT phoned to say that as I was such a good customer, they would like to invite me to extend my contract (currently £9.99) for 24/7 phone and free broadband and offer me a wifi router for about £20, I accepted. The next day I phoned them and said that if I was such a good customer, then they might like to drop the charge, which they did.

I would suggest you get straight onto them and beg!. Grovel as much as you can. They're only words, and if it gets the router free, you've SAVED MONEY, Martin would be proud of you (ha ha).

Let me know how you get on.

Yes, I forgot to add the same thing, about changing ISP, but remember they've heard it all before, hence the blatant begging.

DatabaseError

TT will almost certainly provide a wireless router for free if you ask, but they will insist on another 18 month contract, buy your own and keep your options open

System

tonyhague wrote: »

TT will almost certainly provide a wireless router for free if you ask, but they will insist on another 18 month contract, buy your own and keep your options open

But if the OP is like me, paying that small amount and if they are satisfied, there isn't much to gain I wouldn't have thought.

DatabaseError

decent quality router? potentially higher sync (though with shaping, throttling and congestion it may not matter)?!
If OPs son has finished his sky contract his router is possibly/probably the excellent netgear 834GT, decent router, and 2 mins to unlock