Using Fritzbox in Egypt

[eslam]

Hey

First, I have to declare that I am a beginner with OpenWrt so please bear with me.
I am about to buy a router that can support OpenWrt. I found AVM Fritzbox 7530 [1] is a good option.

Questions:

1. Do I have to buy an International version of the router? I am going to use it in Egypt
2. Frizbox supports multiple Apps like MyFRITZ!App [2], Frtizbox Fon [3] & FRITZ!App Smart Home [4]. Will these apps work after flashing the router with OpenWrt?
3. Do you know If I will be able to use the router directly using VDSL In Egypt? If I cannot use it directly, This router doesn't have a WAN port. Will I be able to use it behind ISP's modem somehow?
4. Fritzbox 7520 and Fritzbox 7530 have similar hardware. Fritzbox 7520 is only available through 1&1. Can it be used with a different ISP(Egypt one) after flashing it with OpenWrt?

Thanks

[1] https://openwrt.org/toh/avm/avm_fritz_box_7530
[2] https://apps.apple.com/de/app/myfritz-app/id620435371
[3] https://apps.apple.com/de/app/fritz-app-fon/id372184475
[4] https://apps.apple.com/de/app/fritz-app-smart-home/id1477824478

[frollic]

@eslam

Will these apps work after flashing the router with OpenWrt?

No

@eslam

Do you know If I will be able to use the router directly using VDSL In Egypt

Depends on your ISP, but probably.
Search for the ISPs name here, at the forum.

@eslam

Will I be able to use it behind ISP's modem somehow?

Depends on what you want to use it for.

@eslam

Can it be used with a different ISP(Egypt one) after flashing it with OpenWrt?

Probably.

[moeller0]

@eslam

• Do I have to buy an International version of the router? I am going to use it in Egypt

If I recall correctly, there are only three profile zones for VDSL2 (Annex A, North America; Annex B, Europe; Annex C, Japan) and some even contain compatible profiles. I would guess that Egypt would use AnnexB so an international version might not be required....

@eslam

• Frizbox supports multiple Apps like MyFRITZ!App [2], Frtizbox Fon [3] & FRITZ!App Smart Home [4]. Will these apps work after flashing the router with OpenWrt?

I concurr with @frollic in all likelihood not. Also telephony will likely not work on OpenWrt either. I bought a gigaset* VoIP base years ago, when I wanted to get independent of my ISPs all-in-one VoIP router combo.

*) Which works OK and only supports DECT phones, I am sure other brands works fine as well, that is just the only one I have first hand experience with; however one can also use a stock fritzbox as VoIP base station behind an OpenWrt router, probably what I would do the next time around given that FBs can often be gotten second hand for little money.

@eslam

• Do you know If I will be able to use the router directly using VDSL In Egypt? If I cannot use it directly, This router doesn't have a WAN port. Will I be able to use it behind ISP's modem somehow?

I expect VDSL2 to be usable in Egypt, but if not, you can use one of the switch ports as WAN as well (but that has sometrade-offs, so is not ideal).

@eslam

1. Fritzbox 7520 and Fritzbox 7530 have similar hardware. Fritzbox 7520 is only available through 1&1. Can it be used with a different ISP(Egypt one) after flashing it with OpenWrt?

After you flash OpenWrt both models will be essentially idenyical. ATTENTION though, there is a newer model of the 7520 (without the two fin-like antennas on the top of the case) that is (currently?) NOT compatible with OpenWrt as it does not use a lantiq/intel/maxlinear DSL chip at all...

[slh]

The Fritz!Boxes are fine as-is, with the OEM Fritz!OS firmware, for the telephony needs behind your OpenWrt router (in IPoE mode, doing only VoIP/ SIP and acting as SIP pbx, ATA and DECT base). But using it this way would require a(nother) VDSL modem, a wireless router running OpenWrt and the Fritz!Box for the phone needs.

OpenWrt can drive them as modem and wireless router, but has no support for their telephony hardware features.