I have been using the Pepwave Surf Soho Mk 3 (Firmware 7.1.1/Build 1342) with a Billion router configured in pure bridge mode as a modem, for the last year or so, having seen it recommended by Michael Horowitz on his excellent Routersecurity.org website, and it has been performing faultlessly via a PPPOE connection to my current UK ISP. I now wish to upgrade to fibre broadband however, and will be changing my ISP to Sky who, as far as I can work out, require a DHCP over WAN connection with the ability to send Option 61 with the DHCP request. I am aware the Surf Soho does feature extended DHCP options but can find no reference to Option 61 and would appreciate it if you could advise me if it is possible to connect to Sky with the Surf Soho and, if so, how? Thank you.
What other equipment do you have from Sky? Did they give you a modem or a router modem combo box? I know you said fiber so are you using a conversion box or how are you connecting fiber to your equipment ?
Usually on the WAN interface you configure from ppoe to DHCP In the router connecting to the modem. Then the router should pick up the new address from the cable modem. The option 61 is a unique item for Sky and Some routers donât support it. So the question is does peplink routers support it and does Sky require this on all routers that connect to their network or if they provide X type of equipment then any router or device after âdouble nat if they give you a combo boxâ does that have to be configured with DHCP opt 61?
Found some info on Netgear stuff âŚ
(any non xDSL Nighthawk Router and certain other devices), isnât able to support DHCP Option 61 or MER (Mac Encapsulated Routing).
MER authentication for Sky would be supported on an upstream device such as the Sky modem/router or a Nighthawk DSL Router.
So simply connect âsaidâ Router via its WAN port to the upstream device and thatâs it, ie., in Internet settings, set âDoes your Internet connection require a login?â to âNoâ.
Only connedtion is âsaid routerâ would inherit a private WAN IP, so a double NAT scenario. If your using a cbo box from ISP and not just a modem. If your using just a modem then no double NAT and then the question of does your peplimk support DHCP Option 61 ?
Hi Chiatt and j15425],
Iâve located this post and I will be having Sky Fibre in the UK and wish to purchase a Peplink device for load balancing 2 FTTC ISPs.
I checked the Peplink manual and I couldnât see a option under section 12 for WAN setting to do Option 61.
Iâm assuming that is a limitation?
Thanks
Has anyone in the UK actually used the Surf SOHO successfully with Sky Fibre Broadband? I donât see a DHCP option 61 on my Surf SOHOâŚ
Did you need a Draytek Vigor 130 modem?
Or have you simply connected the Surfâs WAN interface to the Sky router?
That is generally my preferred approach to ISP connections. I use multiple virgin media links here and put the ISP router into bridge mode then connect to my WANs. It makes calling their support line easier as they can run tests against their own equipment that they canât do if you have replaced it with something else.
Thatâs the thing, from what I understand the Sky routers donât have a bridge or modem mode like the VirginMedia router.
So that means both the Sky and Surf SOHO are both doing routing. Iâm sure the wireless can be disabled on the Sky router but itâs not as âcleanâ a solution as the modem mode with VirginMedia.
I see yes. In which case the Draytek Vigor 130 which does support MER on the WAN of the SOHO looks like the best bet.
DHCP Opt 61 is not supported on the SOHO (or any peplink product that Iâm aware of).
Hello @brill,
You may find this post helpful
In Australia (and from what we observe is happening more around the world), ISPs are removing the Bridge Mode from routers they supply.
Happy to Help,
Marcus 
Thanks Martin and Marcus!
How do you feel about using the Surf SOHO behind another router? As in Sky Router LAN â> going to Surf WAN.
Iâve read Steve Gibsonâs article on three dumb routers before, which seems mainly about isolating traffics on a budget (keeping those IoT devices separated), so I know itâs possible to do and would work. I already VLAN isolate on my Surf so thatâs handled. Obviously wireless would need to be turned off or at least configured on different channels.
Hello @brill,
In honesty, none of our clients uses the SOHO in Australia (though we know there another Peplink Partner here has supplied many of them with many happy clients). Once our clients start looking at the features of the Balance ONE, Balance 30 Pro and the newer models on the way, the extra cost for these as entry-level routers is appreciated.
Using the above models allows you to build segregated networks without using multiple boxes, the extra features built into these models as an entry-level and by using the inbuilt features around inbound/outbound/internal traffic rules, give all the network security of using multiple boxes in a simplified manageable and tidy solution. Bundle that over 90% of our clients now use InControl2 for the monitoring, configuration backup, random login password creation and also 2FA with the logins, the clientâs outcome is giving them good support and peace of mind.
If you are going to start using multiple SOHOâs, spend the money on a more suitable Peplink router, and save yourself a lot of complexities.
Oâ and on the side of a single point of failure, if the customer unit fails, we can load a new unit with the last known working config (from InControl2) and express ship the replacement to them (fees may apply depending on type of support agreement in place), then the customer can just plug the new unit in, how easy is that.
Happy to Help,
Marcus
SOHO isnât a really good router for enterprise networks or more than a few devices on failover via USB.
You can use a TZ350 sonicwall and any USB modem and do the same thing and have a lot better connection and more reliability. Any modem/router that canât do bridge mode like you were saying then turn off DHCP, NAT and DNS then enable transparent bridging then you need the poor cridebtals to key into the WAN port of the Peplink. Then the other way is when you disable DHCP, DNS and NAT the WAN ip is usually passed to the device connected to the LAN port of said modem/router. Comcast here in the states is this way and many other cable providers. If itâs DSL like centurylink they use pppoe a lot which require cridebtals from the ISP to put modem in transparent bridging which they do remotely. Then your on your own with configuring everything because it doesnât allow them to remote into the router anymore you have to factory reset the router and re-key in and set up the modem to get it back into a default state for it to route traffic again after itâs put in transparent bridging keep this in mind.