BTnet wires only: bring your own router

What BTnet wires only is

BTnet is BT's dedicated internet access service: a fibre access line from your premises into BT's network, with bandwidth that is yours alone and the same speed in both directions. BT offers it in three main ways, and BTnet wires only is the simplest of them. BT installs and manages the line, terminates it on a network terminating unit at your site, and stops there. There is no BT router in the picture: you connect your own.

That makes wires only a different kind of decision from the other two plans. With BTnet with a managed Cisco router, BT supplies and runs the router. With BTnet Meraki, BT supplies managed Cisco Meraki equipment and can add BTnet Security and BTnet Wi-Fi. With wires only, you take the line and keep full control of the edge of your network.

Everything else about BTnet still applies. Under BT's service schedule the standard parts of the service are:

• A dedicated access line to your site, terminated on BT's NTE for a wires only service
• Uncontended, symmetrical bandwidth at the port speed you order, from 2Mbps up to 10Gbps
• Static assigned IPv4 addresses, plus static or dynamic routed IP addresses
• Business Premium Care, BT's support level for BTnet, as set out in BT's support terms

BT also applies Cleanfeed filtering (the Internet Watch Foundation's list) to BTnet traffic as standard, whichever plan you choose. You can ask BT in writing not to apply it. See what a BT leased line is for the full picture.

Where BT's responsibility ends

Every BTnet service has a service management boundary: the point up to which BT provides, manages and supports the service. On wires only, BT's terms put that boundary at the network terminating unit of the access line BT provides. In plain words:

When BT commissions a wires only service, it confirms the access line has been delivered and runs its standard tests by pinging the port. It does not configure your router. Your router or firewall must be set up for the service before you can use it, and BT's terms ask that your equipment is technically compatible, protected against viruses and other security breaches, and follows any interface specifications and routing protocols BT gives you.

If the service ends in a data centre rather than an office, the boundary is the patch panel in the data centre's co-location room. You order the cross-connect from the data centre operator to reach your own equipment.

Who wires only suits

Wires only is a good fit when the edge of your network is already well looked after, or needs to be configured in a way a standard managed router does not cover. Typical examples:

• You already run a business firewall and want the leased line to plug straight into it, with no extra box in between
• You have in-house IT or an IT provider who prefers to own routing, VPNs, firewall rules and logging end to end
• Your network is non-standard: several routed IP ranges, servers published to the internet, site-to-site VPNs or specific routing needs
• You want one security policy across sites, enforced on equipment you already use elsewhere
• You are replacing an existing connection and want to keep your current firewall configuration as far as possible

It is less suited to organisations with no IT support of their own. If nobody is responsible for patching and configuring the router, a managed plan is usually the safer choice, because BT then runs the device at the edge of the network.

What wires only asks of you

The trade for control is responsibility. On wires only you look after the hardware, its firmware and security updates, its configuration and any spares. If the router fails, the line may be perfectly healthy while your site is offline, and the fix is on your side of the boundary. Plan for that before you order: a support contract for the firewall, a spare unit, or a resilient BTnet design with a second line.

Wires only, managed Cisco or Meraki?

The line itself is the same dedicated, symmetrical BTnet service in every case. What changes is who runs the equipment at your end, and which extras are open to you.

BT's terms make BTnet Security available only where the managed equipment supports it, and BT's product page limits it to the Cisco Meraki option. So if you want BT's security service on the line, wires only is not the route. Compare all three on our BTnet leased line plans page.

Faults, SLA and what to check before you order

BT's BTnet service levels cover availability, on-time delivery and latency on BT's network. On wires only, keep two points in mind:

• Faults on your side are outside BT's SLA. BT's terms exclude incidents caused by your own network or equipment configuration. A dead firewall is not a BTnet outage.
• Test your own kit first. Before reporting a fault, check the router, the cable to the NTE and the NTE's status lights, so the right party is fixing the right thing.
• Know your IP details. Keep a record of the static IP addresses, gateway and any routed ranges BT gives you, so a replacement router can be set up quickly. See static IP addresses on BTnet.
• Check throughput, not just port speed. BT notes that real-world throughput is typically 5-10% below the port speed because of network and IP overheads. Your firewall also needs to handle the full speed with its security features switched on. Our leased line speed test guide explains how to measure it properly.

Read more in BTnet SLA and BT leased line support.

How Forever Communications helps with wires only

Wires only works well when the line and the firewall are planned together. Forever Communications is an Authorised Supplier for BT, so you can buy BTnet wires only from us and get help with the whole design, not just the line. When you ask us for a quote, we can:

• Check what your current router or firewall can handle at the speed you are considering
• Help you choose a bearer and port speed with room to flex your bandwidth later
• Explain the IP address options and what to have ready for your IT team on the day
• Talk through resilience, from a single line to a second BTnet line on a separate route
• Help with survey, wayleave and site preparation questions

Pricing depends on your site, bearer, speed and term, so ask us for a quote. Contact us with your postcode and what you use the connection for.