Decent wireless router?
Discussion
I've currently got a BT Home hub 4, not bad but could do with more gigabit ports to make LAN transfers/backups a bit less painful and a little more range to get into my shed. Phone/tablet can connect but struggles to hold the connection, probably not enough to justify a range extender device/cables into the shed?
As I'm at the end of my BT contract, I have the option of switching supplier and get a router from them, Sky and Plusnet seem to have decent deals atm but their routers only have 100mbit ports. The new Home hub 5 has gigabit ports, so could threaten to leave and renegotiate but might have the same wireless range as my existing Home hub 4.
Another option would be to get an aftermarket router then pick any supplier I want, which might be better than any of the routers supplied by broadband providers? Looking at fleabay throws up gigabit routers for under £40, or will these be rubbish?
Not needing anything fancy like USB ports/file sharing etc. I've already got a server for that.
As I'm at the end of my BT contract, I have the option of switching supplier and get a router from them, Sky and Plusnet seem to have decent deals atm but their routers only have 100mbit ports. The new Home hub 5 has gigabit ports, so could threaten to leave and renegotiate but might have the same wireless range as my existing Home hub 4.
Another option would be to get an aftermarket router then pick any supplier I want, which might be better than any of the routers supplied by broadband providers? Looking at fleabay throws up gigabit routers for under £40, or will these be rubbish?
Not needing anything fancy like USB ports/file sharing etc. I've already got a server for that.
A simply gigabyte switch would probably the cheapest solution for backups to your server/nas but wouldn't resolve the wireless range issue. I know you said you don't need fancy features but I still recommend the Asus RT-AC68U. Excellent wireless performance, gigabyte ports and a quick enough CPU to keep up with multiple things going on at once. You also get decent support from Asus who are still issuing firmware updates to provide extra functionality and resolve reported bugs.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-RT-AC68U-Wireless-Bro...
It is a router only so you would need to plug it into the home hub or another adsl modem (assuming you aren't already on fibre with an OpenReach modem).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-RT-AC68U-Wireless-Bro...
It is a router only so you would need to plug it into the home hub or another adsl modem (assuming you aren't already on fibre with an OpenReach modem).
Edited by colin79666 on Sunday 11th January 20:36
Did consider the gigabit switch especially as I'd only be getting a 8meg internet connection at best.
Had a look at some of the Asus routers (like this one too http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-RT-N66U-Wireless-stre... ). Might be a bit overkill as it's just me using the broadband/LAN (not like a family of 4/5/6 hammering the network with their iMacs/iPhones/PS4s etc.), would the fancy wireless features help say, if transferring stuff between a phone and a laptop if both only have 802.11 b/g/n over the 2.4GHz band?
Had a look at some of the Asus routers (like this one too http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-RT-N66U-Wireless-stre... ). Might be a bit overkill as it's just me using the broadband/LAN (not like a family of 4/5/6 hammering the network with their iMacs/iPhones/PS4s etc.), would the fancy wireless features help say, if transferring stuff between a phone and a laptop if both only have 802.11 b/g/n over the 2.4GHz band?
Edited by MarkRSi on Sunday 11th January 21:13
Edited by MarkRSi on Sunday 1st February 22:01
Depends.
Very probably ypur homehub is maxing out at about 145 mbps wireless (assuming wireless N in use)
Look simply put the Homehub 4 is variable to say the least but you can improve its performance which is a good starter if it saves you dosh.
1 Download a wifi checker such as InSSider
2.Study it to see what neighbouring networks are overlapping
3.There are 3 main channels on the 2.4GHZ band these being 1 6 and 11 they have least interference
4. It may well be that the existing channel your homehub is defaulting to is say channel 6, that may have overlap with a neighbours set up. So simply try a different channel. You will have to take auto channel selection off the homehub (or whatever its called on their) to achieve this.
If changing channels improves performance sufficiently then great look at a gigabit switch to sort out the Ethernet connections or go the new router path
Personally Id stick with BT and try renogiating. Simply because if you go with say Talk Talk or whatever you can find yourself having to argue low speed issues a lot harder than just by dealing with BT itself
Personally again I think a manufacturers router generally outperforms a service providers .
Then again I would say that as I have a business selling routers on e bay ! But I have lots of feedback from people surprised at how better their wifi is now they have jettisoned the Sp's
Some of the TP Link stuff whilst looking like a dogs dinner is actually some really great performing kit. I've been amazed at the range and speed some of that stuff can kick out. they look awful but if they work ...............
Good luck whatever you do.
Very probably ypur homehub is maxing out at about 145 mbps wireless (assuming wireless N in use)
Look simply put the Homehub 4 is variable to say the least but you can improve its performance which is a good starter if it saves you dosh.
1 Download a wifi checker such as InSSider
2.Study it to see what neighbouring networks are overlapping
3.There are 3 main channels on the 2.4GHZ band these being 1 6 and 11 they have least interference
4. It may well be that the existing channel your homehub is defaulting to is say channel 6, that may have overlap with a neighbours set up. So simply try a different channel. You will have to take auto channel selection off the homehub (or whatever its called on their) to achieve this.
If changing channels improves performance sufficiently then great look at a gigabit switch to sort out the Ethernet connections or go the new router path
Personally Id stick with BT and try renogiating. Simply because if you go with say Talk Talk or whatever you can find yourself having to argue low speed issues a lot harder than just by dealing with BT itself
Personally again I think a manufacturers router generally outperforms a service providers .
Then again I would say that as I have a business selling routers on e bay ! But I have lots of feedback from people surprised at how better their wifi is now they have jettisoned the Sp's
Some of the TP Link stuff whilst looking like a dogs dinner is actually some really great performing kit. I've been amazed at the range and speed some of that stuff can kick out. they look awful but if they work ...............
Good luck whatever you do.
Haha, cheers for the info 
I use 'Wifi Analyser' on my phone/tablet to check the channels - one of the few benefits of living in a village where the average age is the wrong side of 50 is none of my immediate neighbours use Wifi. In my house I can't detect any other networks and IIRC outside I can detect a weak connection in channel 1 so have set mine to 11 I think.
Might just go ahead and get the cheapest/best deal, then get a proper wireless router...
I use 'Wifi Analyser' on my phone/tablet to check the channels - one of the few benefits of living in a village where the average age is the wrong side of 50 is none of my immediate neighbours use Wifi. In my house I can't detect any other networks and IIRC outside I can detect a weak connection in channel 1 so have set mine to 11 I think.
Might just go ahead and get the cheapest/best deal, then get a proper wireless router...
Edited by MarkRSi on Tuesday 13th January 12:57
gpo746 said:
Depends.
Some of the TP Link stuff whilst looking like a dogs dinner is actually some really great performing kit. I've been amazed at the range and speed some of that stuff can kick out. they look awful but if they work ...............
Good luck whatever you do.
Which TP Link Routers do you recommend? I was thinking of upgrading in the near future and maybe to ac.Some of the TP Link stuff whilst looking like a dogs dinner is actually some really great performing kit. I've been amazed at the range and speed some of that stuff can kick out. they look awful but if they work ...............
Good luck whatever you do.
Thanks
YarisSi said:
Which TP Link Routers do you recommend? I was thinking of upgrading in the near future and maybe to ac.
Thanks
Finally got set up with a new provider (John Lewis - since I'm out in the sticks I can't get advertised deals from the usual providers Thanks
) I'm pretty certain I can't use my HomeHub4 now (eta checked now and it rejects the username), and the other wireless routers I have (Thomson TG585 and a rather elderly G604T) only support wireless b & g, so back to looking at wireless routers again... [/cool story bro]Spotted this, if that would be any good?
http://www.ebuyer.com/660501-tp-link-td-w9980-n600...
Or this, if you don't need "VDSL2"? (which I think if for fibre only)?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-D2-Wireless-Gigabi...
Or without 802.11ac
http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TD-W8970-Wireless-...
Edited by MarkRSi on Sunday 1st February 22:28
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