I'm considering buying a 2860N to replace a Netgear router and wireless access point with one box while also providing future-proofing by enabling me to continue using the same kit when upgrading from the present BT ADSL2+ to BT Infinity.

My research seems to suggest that the 2860N requires no additional equipment for the upgrade from ADSL to VDSL: while on ADSL the 2860N is plugged directly into the BT NTE5 using the RJ11 port; and is exactly the same when on VDSL - no Openreach modem or Home hub is required. All I need to do is reconfigure the 2860N to tell it that it's now on VDSL Is all that correct?

And the 2860N is wall-mountable?

all correct :wink:
you just need to set it into the vdsl mode with the vdsl parameters of bt infinity, just few settings in the wan section, no change of cables, you just leave it connected to the phone socket
this example is from an older 2850 but is the same UI & settings
http://www.draytek.co.uk/archive/kb/kb_vigor_v2850_setup.html

Many thanks. Now I just have to convince myself that the features (many of which I'll never use) justify the cost...

check and the 2760n, is cheaper & has the same vdsl chipset so in theory whatever speed you will get with the 2860 should get the same with the 2760n (apart the 2860 has extra incoming wan with firewall up to 200mbps, while the 2760 has not extra incoming wan)
http://www.forum.draytek.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=19075&p=79022&hilit=2860+vs+2760#p79018

Thanks for the suggestion. The 2760N certainly seems to meet my needs. Is it wall-mountable? I imagine that the strange shape and having the aerials on the same side as the ports make it a bit less practical for wall mounting.

The extra LAN ports on the 2860N could be useful, and the smaller size of the 2760N is certainly an advantage. So many choices...

As an aside, why do all manufacturers seem to make routers that are designed as works of art? They just need to be a small square box for screwing to the wall. I've discounted the Fritz! stuff purely on the basis of the stupid shape

I got the 2760n and has 4 halls under & near each corner ready for the wall

The wifi is only 2.4 G compared to fritz but is indeed one of the strongest
I got it in a small house from concrete bricks with double glass aluminium windows then small garden for about 10 meters then the signal going into (inside the room) another small house half normal bricks/concrete with minimum 60% in a mobile which is not sensitive to wifi signals, then it pass one more medium building ground in total it reaches about 50 meters far outdoor with the same mobile, laptop has higher signals

i also have an asus n55u which has build in wifi booster and 3 antennas !! it is even stronger signals than the asus

I am not saying for the draytek to look good (anyway you are in draytek forum lol 8) ) but the fritz has more dsl statistics so take your time what to do
chipset is the same with the b focus openreach modem so if you are in a B focus vdsl cabin it should work great
the 2760 is small, here i have a picture to compare sizes, this pic is with the 2850 but has the same size with the 2860