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Best router?

Devonian
Grafter
Posts: 1,854
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎01-05-2011

Best router?

I'm looking for a new router, it needs to be a good all rounder, streaming HD movies, music, gaming on 3 consoles, and have good enough wireless for a 3 bed victorian house.
My budget is £250.
So any ideas for me please chaps?
Many thanks.
19 REPLIES 19
Devonian
Grafter
Posts: 1,854
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Registered: ‎01-05-2011

Re: Best router?

AndyH
Grafter
Posts: 6,824
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Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: Best router?

Fibre or ADSL router?
w23
Pro
Posts: 6,347
Thanks: 96
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎08-01-2008

Re: Best router?

Fritz!Box 7390 is within budget - unfortunately I can't say how well the wi-fi handles solid walls as my walls are not much more than cardboard.
Call me 'w23'
At any given moment in the universe many things happen. Coincidence is a matter of how close these events are in space, time and relationship.
Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
Finguz
Grafter
Posts: 397
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎21-02-2013

Re: Best router?

I recommend the Asus RT-N66U for it's great performance ( wireless is particularly good ) and stability.
Of course, if it isn't expensive enough, there are plenty of others that cost much more and do the same job  Wink
AndyH
Grafter
Posts: 6,824
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Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: Best router?

You might be able to pick up a HomeHub 5 fairly cheaply on eBay. Wireless performance on that seems to be very good as I can pick up my neighbour's signal a good 30m away through solid brick cavity walls.
It also has the advantage of allowing you to do away with the Openreach modem.
Devonian
Grafter
Posts: 1,854
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎01-05-2011

Re: Best router?

Thanks guys.
I should have said it's ADSL2+, but fibre will be here any time, so it needs to be capable for both.
PLan
Grafter
Posts: 76
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2013

Re: Best router?

Quote from: Finguz
I recommend the Asus RT-N66U for it's great performance ( wireless is particularly good ) and stability.

I'd also give a vote for this router(AC Wifi version available) - there are also numerous 3rd party firmwares you can install if you don't like the Asus software. Very popular router...  Smiley
EDIT: I bought mine to use with ADSL, using a TP-Link ADSL ethernet modem, then just swapped out the TP-Link for the Openreach modem when fibre arrived.
AndyH
Grafter
Posts: 6,824
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Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: Best router?

The only downside of the Asus range is the lack of a fibre router/modem.
Their latest RT-AC68U looks very impressive (spec wise).
SoccerTees
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎02-12-2013

Re: Best router?

I'd go with the Asus N-66U with the merlin firmaware. Absolutely brill.
I'd suggest not going in for any AC router at the moment since it's still in draft stage so at any moment, there might be a change and your money would be down the drain. Also, unless you have AC hardware, there's no point getting an AC router. Maybe in the next 3-4 years, but now now.
However, if you really want to go AC... the Netgear N7000 is the way to go. Best AC router anywhere today.
jamesbee
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎03-12-2013

Re: Best router?

+1 for the RT-N66U plus Merlin firmware.  Using one here with a DSL-320B modem for the ADSL end - the latter syncing at 4Mb/s over 3+ miles of rural phone line. The modem is so cheap that you could write it off and replace it when fibre arrives.
David_W
Rising Star
Posts: 2,305
Thanks: 33
Registered: ‎19-07-2007

Re: Best router?

Personally, after a fair bit of looking around I have gone for the RT-N66U which has the advantage of being only a router.
It has Gigabit Ethernet and wireless (dual band) and USB sockets so you can plug in a hard drive to stream HD movies without your PC being on (it can also download torrents and such overnight with your PC being off, which is pretty groovy).
The advantage of being a router only is that you can plug in any external modem (ADSL2+ or Fibre) rather than having one with a build in ADSL2 modem which then becomes redundant when you have Fibre installed, with the RT-N66U (it's called the Dark Knight btw, which is awesome, well Black Diamond in the UK) you can simply unplug the ADSL modem and plug in the Fibre modem when you get Fibre (and with Gb connections you'll be able to run full whack).
You can use the PN supplied Tg582n as a modem only, download putty, open it up, choose "telnet" and type in the address of your Technicolor (usually 192.168.1.254) log in and copy/paste the following :
ppp relay flush
ppp flush
eth flush
atm flush
atm phonebook flush
saveall
atm phonebook add name=BrPPPoE_ph addr=0.38
atm ifadd intf=BrPPPoE_atm
atm ifconfig intf=BrPPPoE_atm dest=BrPPPoE_ph  encaps=vcmux ulp=mac
atm ifattach intf=BrPPPoE_atm
eth bridge ifadd intf=BrPPPoE_br
eth bridge ifconfig intf=BrPPPoE_br dest=BrPPPoE_atm
eth bridge ifattach intf=BrPPPoE_br
service system modify name=DHCP-S state=disabled
wireless radio state=disabled
saveall

It's now only a modem, plug it in via Ethernet cable (the red port on the back) to the router, change username in the Dark Knight interface and it'll work.  Downside, you need two plugs, one for the modem, one for the router, upside, the Dark Knight is considered one of the best (if not the best) home router.
Ebuyer are currently doing them for £110 with free next day delivery, though next day for Yodel obviously means "whenever we can be bothered to deliver it".
Routefinder
Grafter
Posts: 453
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Best router?

Hi
I see the Asus RT-N66U getting praise but needs a modem (until FTTC arrives!) but what about the DSL-N66U version this one is a Modem/Router i.e. it has a DSL WAN socket as well as and Ethernet WAN socket.  So surely a one box ADSL & FTTC 'solution'.  Or are there major differences between the two variants that mean the DSL version would be a poor choice???
w23
Pro
Posts: 6,347
Thanks: 96
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎08-01-2008

Re: Best router?

Yes, like the Fritz!Box it appears that it can be used direct on ADSL, VDSL or using the Ethernet WAN with a modem.  I'd be surprised if the DSL-N66U doesn't match the RT-N66U in other respects.
Call me 'w23'
At any given moment in the universe many things happen. Coincidence is a matter of how close these events are in space, time and relationship.
Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
pwatson
Rising Star
Posts: 2,470
Thanks: 8
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎26-11-2012

Re: Best router?

Something worth a mention - if you're likely to be interested in IPTV in the future, make sure your new router supports multicast...
From what I've read, the RT-N66U does but only if you turn off the VPN support.