So Telstra (ISP) Told Me I Can't Buy Any 3rd Party Routers Because They Won't Work

I call bs. Like unless its specific to it being a coaxial cable originally designed for Foxtel, I see no technical reason why they would be incompatible. The business reason would be monopoly, making tech support easier for themselves and putting their remote admin access in every home.

What do you think? Do you have any good points to add to my own for when I call them back?

yeah it's nonsense. maybe they can lock the modem down (doubtful) but you can use any router you like.

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You could try making your router a gateway and add your own router after it. I don't know Telstra I only know Charter, TWC, and AT&T. Where I live and I can tell you almost every isp allows you to use your own router. In the case of router modems make sure its up to spec to theres.

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Its just easier for them that way, they pre install all the settings onto the unit they send you. I've moved house multiple times & they sent me a new modem, despite me already having one in perfect working order.

It lets them hire people who have no technical knowledge at all, as all you need to do is plug it in. They don't have to worry about incompatible units or trying to explain how to change the settings.

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That's not the point, the point is the lying to him by telling him that 3rd party hardware vendors aren't an option. This is usually because they charge a rental fee for their hardware which you don't have to pay if you provide your own.

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I wouldn't have thought there would be an issue using a sufficient DOCSIS 3 modem, unless they have locked down to the specific modem.

Being in the UK I haven't set up a DOCSIS modem, but with ADSL you need to get a user specific login to get access to your package (meaning you can change to a better/different modem than the one they give you).
Could someone in the US please confirm if this is the way it works on DOCSIS? Partially for my own interest and partially to help out the OP.

EDIT: Forget all of that, I just realized they are an Australian ISP. Could anyone shed some light on the system(s) used in Australia? Thanks.

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Telstra,

What a bunch of See you Next Tuesdays right !.

Two things, 1 they might be saying "Doesn't work" and mean we won't support it.
(this is a hypothesis) 2nd their modems might operate on a Layer 2 specific protocol, and consumer routers might only really be TCP/IP (layer 3).

I have only ever had Optus cable in the past on a SurfBoard modem. I didn't do any mucking around with it.

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Damn straight

I'm not too sure. There is the standard ADSL2+. We do something quite non-standard only offered by this 1 ISP. We use Foxtel cable (so like cable TV) for internet. Wendell mentioned in one of the Teks that if they were allowed to do that in American it would be great becase of bandwidth specs ect.

As for more technical things about DOCSIS ect, I hope someone else will reply.

Thans mactzu, that's interesting

I think they have to whitelist the device to get it to work for speeking with the guy that installed mine,as he had spen about 30 - 50min waiting in the staff Que. but its same deal here in NZ with Vodafone Cable which used to be TelstraClear, but we don't pay montly rental for the hardware.
As long it is supports Eurodocsis 3.0, it should work, maybe ring there technical department

TPG said the same to me but here i am with my own router/modem working perfectly

Well this is not allways bullshit.
This highly depends on the isp exaly.
Some isp´s only allowing their own modem with their custom firmware, which they spread to their users on their networks.
So i wouldnt call it BS persee.
An isp can exaly refusee to accept any third party modem / router
allmost every ISP in the Netherlands does this.

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I don't think TPG offer cable services, I think it is just adsl and NBN

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The cable networks all should all be capable of using DOCSIS 3 as far as i am aware. Otherwise its ADSL variants or wireless.( I was still on adsl1 till about a year ago because the line i was on was so bad adsl1 was faster than adsl2+)

Edit: In any case you can just bridge the modem they give you and use your own routers. If you really want to use a different modem i am sure there was an unofficial list of working modems but i cant seem to find it anymore.

Most of the NBN is just HFC cable (aka the same cable Telstra and Optus have been offering for the last 10 years) after Malcolm Turnbull decided it was better than fiber. So it might be that.

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Your title sez "router" but are you really talking about the "modem"? two different pieces of hardware, one forward facing (towards the internet and your ISP's network.....ie their modem) and the other faces inward (your network....ie router) while the two are connected to each other to form a connection to their network the "modem" is the only hardware they have control over.

If your talking modem, yes ISPs can dictate that you can't use a 3rd party device, but their arguments are weak and full of holes, problem is it's their network, their rules, your choices are limited unless you have a second ISP that services your area.

Yeah. Technically modem, my bad. By router I mean, router/modem combo.

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