Broadband routers - current top tip?
Discussion
What's the current Best Buy for a replacement broadband router? Mine's dead, and I think it would be quicker to fly to China and collect one than wait for Plusnet to agree with me and send a new one out. 2.4 & 5GHz wireless would be nice but not absolutely essential, just a decent compromise of performance and price (and supplier perhaps?).
TIA
TIA
This is somewhat of a 'how long is a piece of string' question.
I'm assuming your PlusNet comes into the house on a telephone cable (ie DSL with an RJ11 plug) and you just want a drop in replacement for the PlusNet router?
In which case you want a router which supports DSL. I'm a bit of a fan of TP-Link stuff. Sensible price point, fairly easy for a novice to get set up, but also configurable enough if a techie wants to get in into tinkering.
In your position, I'd have this on a next day delivery https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Archer-VR400-V3-C...
I'm assuming your PlusNet comes into the house on a telephone cable (ie DSL with an RJ11 plug) and you just want a drop in replacement for the PlusNet router?
In which case you want a router which supports DSL. I'm a bit of a fan of TP-Link stuff. Sensible price point, fairly easy for a novice to get set up, but also configurable enough if a techie wants to get in into tinkering.
In your position, I'd have this on a next day delivery https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Archer-VR400-V3-C...
On plsunet and use a https://www.asus.com/Networking-IoT-Servers/Modem-... which is combined modem and router, so only the one box needed.
I also run WRT on it for additional features.
I also run WRT on it for additional features.
sjg said:
Assuming VDSL, one of the Openreach modems into a UniFi USG and WiFi setup.
[...]
I don't think this helps the OP. I think their 'modem' (plusnet router) is dead. So they need something to plug their DSL line in to.[...]
OP - the Frtiz Box (and Draytek) suggested by others is a good suggestion, but spec wise it's about the same as the TP Link VR400. It's perhaps a bit more 'robust' and configurable, but the main features like DSL support, WiFi standard, support for 4G etc are pretty much the same. It seems you can run DECT cordless phones off it, so that's a difference, but I'm assuming that feature isn't useful to you.
It is however about twice the price of the TP-Link, and you can't get it delivered tomorrow - which would be my main priority if I was at home with a dead Internet router!
Thanks everyone for the responses. I've borrowed a router from a neighbour and reconfigured it to my connection and I'm back on line with that at present. All points above noted. It's a FTTC circuit, so it just comes in on copper like normal ADSL.
Point noted about the various costs. I think the main thing which might sway me one way or another is wireless strength. Whilst I realise I could start looking at mesh options, do any of the suggestions above have a significantly better/stronger wireless signal? My house is a fairly standard-sized 4 bed detached, with a reasonable but not massive garden, but the signal in the back garden (the incoming line and router are upstairs at the front) isn't great.
Point noted about the various costs. I think the main thing which might sway me one way or another is wireless strength. Whilst I realise I could start looking at mesh options, do any of the suggestions above have a significantly better/stronger wireless signal? My house is a fairly standard-sized 4 bed detached, with a reasonable but not massive garden, but the signal in the back garden (the incoming line and router are upstairs at the front) isn't great.
walamai said:
This is somewhat of a 'how long is a piece of string' question.
I'm assuming your PlusNet comes into the house on a telephone cable (ie DSL with an RJ11 plug) and you just want a drop in replacement for the PlusNet router?
In which case you want a router which supports DSL. I'm a bit of a fan of TP-Link stuff. Sensible price point, fairly easy for a novice to get set up, but also configurable enough if a techie wants to get in into tinkering.
In your position, I'd have this on a next day delivery https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Archer-VR400-V3-C...
I'm on PlusNet and use a TP-Link VR2800 which I'll be honest, I'm very underwhelmed with for the money. The reviews were good but by the time I got round to setting it up, I'd missed the returns window - which I would've used if possible.I'm assuming your PlusNet comes into the house on a telephone cable (ie DSL with an RJ11 plug) and you just want a drop in replacement for the PlusNet router?
In which case you want a router which supports DSL. I'm a bit of a fan of TP-Link stuff. Sensible price point, fairly easy for a novice to get set up, but also configurable enough if a techie wants to get in into tinkering.
In your position, I'd have this on a next day delivery https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Archer-VR400-V3-C...
walamai said:
sjg said:
Assuming VDSL, one of the Openreach modems into a UniFi USG and WiFi setup.
[...]
I don't think this helps the OP. I think their 'modem' (plusnet router) is dead. So they need something to plug their DSL line in to.[...]
https://edspencer.me.uk/posts/2015-01-18-using-you...
The routing bit, and the wifi bit of most consumer routers are terrible, but by reducing the VDSL part to a dumb modem like the Openreach one you can run what you like beyond it.
sjg said:
The Openreach modem is what you plug your line into. Then you connect any decent ethernet router you like, set up the connection as PPPoE with your ISP username/password and off you go.
https://edspencer.me.uk/posts/2015-01-18-using-you...
The routing bit, and the wifi bit of most consumer routers are terrible, but by reducing the VDSL part to a dumb modem like the Openreach one you can run what you like beyond it.
That article says:https://edspencer.me.uk/posts/2015-01-18-using-you...
The routing bit, and the wifi bit of most consumer routers are terrible, but by reducing the VDSL part to a dumb modem like the Openreach one you can run what you like beyond it.
"BT used to supply Infinity customers with two pieces of equipment.
- A BT Home Hub (router)
- A VDSL (Very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line) Modem
However, as the technology has improved, BT now supply Infinity customers with a single combined BT Home Hub (5 onwards), which contains both a router and a modem."
PlusNet are the same. OP doesn't have a separate modem as you may have. They have a single router/modem - which is dead!
These instructions explain how to use your own modem (router) with PlusNet. PlusNet aren't supplying a separate modem.
https://www.plus.net/help/broadband/broadband-conn...
OP - TP-Link call their mesh 'OneMesh', so you can choose from a range of WiFi extenders which would work with the router I suggested.
However, I think you're probably after something different to what I originally assumed. If you've already got a stop-gap solution then I'd be tempted to spend money on some decent WiFi gear instead, rather than a 'drop in' replacement for the PlusNet Router/Wifi box.
Check out the big thread on Weapons-grade home WiFi suggestions
When the new PlusNet router shows up you can switch off the WiFi in that (and just use it as a modem, like sjg is suggesting!) and connect the decent WiFi gear to that.
It's nice to keep the ISP modem, as support will be much easier if you have problems (and the DSL modem in any after market router/modems won't really be any better). But you will then also have decent WiFi. Best of both worlds.
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