Using the BE800 SFP+ port with PON Stick and ISP Fiber

In pursuit of faster internet speeds, I recently decided to upgrade my home bandwidth from 1G to 2.5G. To fully utilize this enhanced capacity, I opted to acquire a new 10G router. After conducting some research, I settled on the TP-Link Archer BE800 router. The BE800 boasts a 10G WAN port and several 2.5G LAN ports, which means that devices connected to the BE800's LAN ports can enjoy speeds of up to 2.5G!

My ISP, Bell, provided me with a modem to which I could connect the BE800's WAN port using a Cat 6 Ethernet cable. Despite successfully establishing a PPPoE connection and accessing the internet, the speeds weren't as impressive as I had hoped. After some Googling, I stumbled upon suggestions that using a PON stick (SFP+ module) could potentially deliver faster and more stable speeds compared to using the modem alone. Intrigued, I decided to give it a shot.

I purchased a fiber optic transceiver online and plugged it into the BE800's SFP+ port. Directly connecting the fiber optic cable to the transceiver. My network topology changes as:

Original:
ISP Fiber ----(Fiber Optic cable) ---- Fiber Modem ----(Ethernet cable) ---- BE800
New:
ISP Fiber ----(Fiber Optic cable) ---- PON stick ----(plugged to) ---- BE800

Then I initiated the connection process, only to find myself without internet access this time! Concerned, I reached out to TP-Link's technical support for assistance. After troubleshooting, they suggested that the issue might be due to the transceiver not being authenticated by my ISP, likely because it was purchased online. They advised me to contact my ISP for further assistance.

Taking their advice, I approached my ISP, who provided me with a new, authenticated transceiver. With the ISP-approved transceiver in hand, I repeated the process, and this time, success was on my side! My internet speeds had indeed improved compared to before, marking a significant advancement in my online experience.

For friends who want to replace the modem with a PON stick, be sure to understand the situation with the ISP!!