Can I use my own router or modem instead of the provider’s in Ireland?
EU law (Regulation 2015/2120, Article 3(1)) gives you the right to use terminal equipment of your choice, such as your own router, via your internet access service. ComReg says it has not concluded any formal assessment of provider restrictions on such equipment.
Many people prefer their own router. Whether your provider must let you connect it, and which details it must give you to set it up, depends on the rules in Ireland.
📜 The rules in Ireland
The details
- If you have a right to end the contract early and keep equipment bundled with it, any charge cannot exceed its pro rata value agreed at signing or the remaining service fee, whichever is lower. (irishstatutebook.ie)
- The provider must lift any restriction on using retained equipment on other networks free of charge, at the latest when you pay any compensation due. (irishstatutebook.ie)
- Many providers ask for their equipment back at the end of the contract and may charge a fee if you do not return it. (comreg.ie)
- At the end of a fixed-term mobile contract you can get your phone unlocked free of charge by requesting an unlock code. It can take a few days, so ask in advance. (comreg.ie)
ComReg Consumer Care Team
Takes up your complaint with the provider if it has not acknowledged it, has not replied within 10 working days, or you are unhappy with its reply.
🪜 Step by step
- Check that it fits your lineMake sure the router supports your type of connection: fibre, cable, DSL or mobile.
- Ask for the access detailsYou need the login data and settings for the internet connection and, if you have one, for phone service over the internet.
- Keep or return the provider’s deviceAsk whether you must return a rented router, and whether you keep paying for it.
- If the provider refusesAsk for the refusal in writing and contact the regulator or the dispute body.
📇 Who to contact
Sponsor this page → One labelled block, €100 a month. Founding price €75 until 31 January 2027.
❓ Questions
Will the provider still help me if something goes wrong?
Providers usually support the connection itself, not equipment you bought. Keep their device and settings so you can test with them.
Do I still pay for the provider’s router?
Check your contract. If the router is rented, ask whether you can stop paying when you use your own.
Will my own router make my internet faster?
It can improve your Wi‑Fi, but the speed of the line itself stays the same.
📎 Sources
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