Full Fibre UK ISP Hyperoptic Launch New Zyxel Broadband Router UPDATE
City-focused broadband ISP Hyperoptic, which has so far extended their full fibre (FTTP/B) network to cover “more than” 1.73 million homes and 340,000 customers in parts of 64 UK towns and cities, has this afternoon informed ISPreview that they’re launching a new router – a branded version of the Zyxel EX3301.
The Zyxel EX3301 is a dual-band router with the built-in 2×2 802.11ax WiFi 6 (theoretical wireless speeds of up to c.1800Mbps) and Zyxel MPro Mesh support. As well as the usual support for VoIP, a built-in firewall, IPv6, WPA3 and multiple SSIDs, the device also features 5 x Gigabit ports (4 x LAN and 1 x WAN), 1 x USB2.0 port (file storage, 3G/4G dongles etc.) and 2 x FXS (phone) ports.
The router will also work with Hyperoptic’s Total Wi-Fi (mesh) service, which uses the provider’s Minihub Wi-Fi extenders to extend wireless coverage around your home. Overall, it’s a reasonably capable piece of kit, albeit nothing too special by modern standards. But it should do the job until they start offering packages faster than 1Gbps.
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Duncan MacDonald, CTIO of Hyperoptic, said:
“We’re excited to introduce this new Zyxel router, which represents our ongoing commitment to providing the best possible broadband experience for our customers. With the latest technology and enhanced security features, the router is designed to meet the evolving demands of today’s connected homes.”
The new Zyxel router is now available to all new Hyperoptic customers, with existing customers eligible for an upgrade (it’s unclear if this will be free or at extra cost).
UPDATE 5:57pm
We’ve been informed that existing customers who upgrade or renew will get the router at no extra cost, which is nice.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Voneus have been issuing the same router but obviously with a different logo on it. Maybe it is just new to Hyperoptic.
B4RK have been shipping that router since at least Feb 2023.
Ok routers! The VoIP software built into them doesn’t support IPv6 though, which is weird.
I hope you can use your own if you wish.
Yes you can use your own I have my own one I use as I have WiFi issues the ZTE one issued I use and have connected my second router Huawei wired upstairs to resolve my wifi dead spots
Perhaps they can teach EE how a router and all it’s functions should work!
Or maybe if you have an Alt network available, you can dump EE and use them instead.
Less than 20% takeup is really not that great considering their longevity
I had a Zyxel router from plusnet, used it for a few years, until it just would not connect to the net, if I used the Wan and my old FTTC modem it worked. A mate looked at it and got it working, something to do with a capacitor.
Apart from that it was not a bad router, even if Plusnet did lock some of the functions, like the VoIP side.
Avoid Zyxel MPro mesh – simply doesn’t work at all.
These aren’t terrible devices, Cheap sure, but they will push a gig through the wan without breaking a sweat and the firmware has quite a few decent features that will work for 99% of unsophisticated home users.
To be honest, I never thought of Zyxel being cheap, i have looked at Zyxel stuff in the past, even before I got the TP-link I have now, and the prices put me off. Not that they are that easy to get.
I would say Tp-link routers are normally cheaper than Zyxel, not saying Zyxel are better, but they do seem more expensive.
Looking forward to receiving my Zyxel EX3301-T0 from Squirrel when I move to their service this coming Friday. They supply them too.
They’re sending me offers when they’re still not available at my address yet. Pointless, I can’t even pay them if I wanted to!
There’s also the Zyxel EX5601 with a 2.5Gbps WAN port and one 2.5Gbps LAN port which is currently reserved for business customers. I posted about both of these on the HO Reddit about a month ago after finding them on their website.
I am happy with my Zyxel. I got my old used Post Office branded Zyxel VMG3925 for a fiver off eBay.
Turned the WiFi off and connected Asus Mesh CT8s in AP mode to get WiFi to the 3 floors of the house and garden.
The Zyxel connects at 930/115 (Aquiss) and has been rock steady for the past 2 years.
Originally I connected the Asus directly to the ONT but find the Zyxel and AP mode on the Asus Mesh the most reliable.