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Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

Elliot
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎29-08-2012

Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

Signed up to Plusnet's new 76Mbps fibre optic service yesterday.
It comes with a Technicolor TG582n router according to the order page.
Any information/thoughts on this router (speed etc.)? Is the Wireless N broadcast at 150Mbps or only 65Mbps?
The router is on Amazon as an ADSL 2+ router. Is ADSL 2+ used for fibre optic broadband, then?
20 REPLIES 20
Strat
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

You might like to have a read of this http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/hardware/technicolor-582n-fibre-setup-guide.shtml
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Elliot
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎29-08-2012

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

I was hoping for customer's hands-on experience with it Smiley
dick:quote
grahamt
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Registered: ‎05-04-2008

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

I haven't used the TG582n, but I was on the 80/20 trial and I've seen other users' comments.
The TG582n does have a built-in ADSL2+ modem, but it's not used for fibre connections. You connect the Openreach modem into one of the 4 ethernet ports. (This of course means you have only 3 left for your home network, which may or may not be a problem depending on your configuration).
The wireless setup is described as wireless-n 2x2, which I think means it's rated up to 300mb/s, though of course you'll never get that outside a lab. It should give you enough headroom to get a wireless signal that's as fast as an ethernet connection, provided of course that you've got a wireless device that can also connect at the fastest speed.
The other router that was tested during the 80/20 trial was the ZyXEL NBG4604. In some ways it had a better spec (e.g. 4 usable gigabit ethernet ports) but it sells for about £20 more than the TG582n. It's possible that the TG has some features the ZyXEL doesn't, e.g. the ability to disconnect/reconnect the internet connection without having to completely reboot the router. Several ISPs offer the TG582n - e.g. Be, Zen - though I'm not sure whether they use them for fibre connections.
The TG582n is not an exciting piece of kit, but I'm sure it will do the job for most users.
For what it's worth, during the trial, after using the ZyXEL, I reverted to the Netgear WNR1000v3 that was supplied when I took the original 40/2 fibre service. The Netgear's wireless is rated N150 rather than N300, but I don't have any wireless devices that can handle the higher speed. Also, I have only 1 PC that has a gigabit ethernet connection so the gigabit ports on the ZyXEL aren't an advantage (yet). I had no real complaints about the ZyXEL but I preferred some of the Netgear's features.
Graham
Gareth6
Grafter
Posts: 42
Registered: ‎17-03-2012

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

I've had the TG582n about a week and its ok... Aside from the WIFI, which is very weak. Speed drops fast and is non existent in my conservatory <10 meters away (through a floor and external wall). Never had a problem using it there before.
My neighbours seem to have decent reception thoughout the house, so I'll have to check out what they're using.  Roll_eyes
It's getting replaced in the next week, I guess it's handy for a spare.
quelquod
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Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

Yes, I would agree with that. The TG582n is supposed to manage at least 150Mb (possibly 2 x 150?) but I have found that the range isn't great and speed seems to drop off quite quickly (quicker than the Netgear which I replaced anyway). I have been using it for a few weeks with no problems but I will be replacing it because I get very poor or non-existant connection with it  to my laptop in the garden (never a problem before). Even the connection to my Duet in the next room is much weaker than before. I've only tried it in its normal (ie horizontal) position and it may work better vertical (there are a couple of mounting holes for this but I don't want screws in the wall. I think that it likely uses an aerial printed onto the circuit board (not checked this) so location and orientation will likely be important.
It can be an ADSL router and IIRC Plusnet also supply it for this. For fibre though one of the RJ45 ports is configured as the input from the BT modem and I THINK (not checked) that the firmware is different so would need a reflash to work on ADSL instead.
It is quite capable in principle but the web interface leaves a lot to be desired and only the basic functions are catered for (and documentation is abyssmal). There is a command line interface available via telnet which offers much fuller functionality but not too user friendly alas.
An interesting feature is that it has a USB socket (there has been a bit of toing and froing about this but I think the fibre one still has it though it's gone from the ADSL one) and you can set it up to serve a network drive and/or printer. My printer is USB only and this has been quite handy in making it a fair job of a network printer. PN don't seem to 'support' the USB socket according to some posts here so I'm slightly concerned that an update to the firmware might disable it sometime.

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seanebaby
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎05-01-2010

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

I've found the wifi very weak also.  You should both raise a ticket with plusnet because I have and they told me most people say the wireless is very good.  They are sending me a replacement router (same model) but I honestly think it won't make a difference.
Elliot
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎29-08-2012

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

Yeah, it's starting to sound like a duff router.
Sky, Virgin Media etc. use decent manufacturers like Netgear and D-Link.
dick:quote
Rik13
Grafter
Posts: 62
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎11-08-2011

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

I tried one for a couple of weeks, kept loosing connectivity on wireless, not very impressed. Went back to the old 585v8 router and had no problems.
seanebaby
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎05-01-2010

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

The more I read these forums the more angry I get at the "we've had no reports of problems" response I got from plusnet support.  Lots of people are having issues and almost all of them can be diagnosed with "the router has poor signal strength". 
gwillym
Grafter
Posts: 80
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

I have to agree with Gareth.The Technicolor does not seem to ahve the same wifi capability as some of the other routers.
I've upgraded to 80/20 and with the Technicolor I was managing to get average 28, peak 37!! wirelessly. Sad I had a Netgear WNR1000 lying around. Testing with that gives me peak @ 52 and average at 42, so I'm leaving the Netgear connected Cheesy Grin
dbsmith
Dabbler
Posts: 22
Registered: ‎05-11-2007

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

I received my new 582 & FTTC Service yesterday & set it up myself. It has replaced a very reliable D-link 6420 ADSL router.
1st impressions are not good. Easy to connect, despite the lack of documentation.
Documentation is awful (plus nothing useful available online either).
Firmware very flaky (running 8.C.M.0). Only randomly able to login to the router as admin.  If you change any of the wireless settings (SSID, etc.) this results in the router not broadcasting the SSID and preventing new clients attaching (and will not allow you to tick the 'broadcast network name' box). - workaround is to change it, save the configuration, reset the router physically, then reload the saved configuration. WPS also doesn't work - firmware states not supported in this configuration - but doing the above workaround seems to fix it also.
Wireless is also flaky - signal strength is actually not bad (I live in an old, large Victorian house with solid walls & strength is OK across the house) but it randomly varies/fluctuates up & down (even when sitting next to the router) and so far have had to reset the WLAN cards on my clients 3 times (win7 dell PC & ipad) in 12 hours since it seems to lose the connectivity to the client despite showing it is still associated & has good signal strength - the client show it is connected to the router but it cannot pick up web access (denoted by being able to update/load pages). I have also switched channels several times in case this was interference, but it isnt. Finally, cannot get it to connect over WLAN at speeds over 65M - it is supposed to support either 150 or 300mb connectivity. I've also noticed the unit is running VERY hot ! Still struggling to get my uPNP & storage devices working properly on it.
Overall a pretty poor unit but on a par for the quality one would expect from this manufacturer - cheap,  does the basics most of the time but will need upgrading soon as possible for a decent experience. On that note, any recommendations for an upgrade to a decent manufacturer's unit? Any good options from D-link or the like ?
cheers
Dave
oh - and any idea what the USB PORT is for ?Huh
Elliot
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎29-08-2012

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

We shouldn't have to buy a separate router ourselves. We don't need to with other ISPs 😕
w23
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Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

The same router is supplied by other (respectable) ISPs, it's not a bad router and it's not a great router.
I can't think of any ISP that supplies a great router.  BT claim that the homehub 3 is the best thing since sliced bread but some of their customers don't like it for various reasons.
I personally choose an ISP based on the internet service they provide not on the (optional) hardware they offer.  I wouldn't choose a mobile phone network based on the phone they offered me, I look at the reliability of the network and costs etc.  I prefer to buy my own hardware to get the specific features I want and leave Plusnet to supply the service that they provide (the Plusnet router does qualify as a viable backup device though, just in case I have a problem with my own router).
Call me 'w23'
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mattb26
Dabbler
Posts: 25
Registered: ‎19-11-2011

Re: Information/thoughts on the Technicolor TG582n?

Its a bit of a duff router in my experience.
Drops WiFi signal for no apparent reason, no matter what channel or how far you are away from the thing. I've had it less than a week and have already ordered a netgear of ebay as a replacement.
My old Thomson PN router never dropped signal. This was supposed to be an upgrade.
Matt