Recommendation for a good router? (Storm blew up router)
My router got killed in the thunderstorms we had on Thursday. It was a TP Link AC router. Very fast and I was very happy with it - and it was only 2 months old. 
So, I'm back on my ISP cable router, which periodically just stops working on wireless for a few minutes (grrr!). And I'm in the market for a new cable router.
If there was nothing else to it, I'd buy another one the same. But, to be honest, I'm a bit leery. I've never ever had a router get killed in a thunderstorm ever - and it also took out the ethernet controller on my PC's motherboard through 10m of ethernet cable. The router (and PC ethernet controller) was the only thing affected. I don't think it was a power surge as such, as it's on a surge-protected adapter. The phone and cable modem, plugged into the same adapter (and right next to the modem), are both fine. Also, all electric and phone cables are underground and so - surely - safe from storm surges? So (in my ignorance) I'm guessing some kind of electromagnetic surge?? So I'm worried about buying the same router again if it's so vulnerable. I have no idea if this is completely rational or irrational. My TV is also connected by ethernet but fortunately its controller survived.
Needs to have 4 ethernet ports and dual band wireless N or (perhaps in terms of future-proofing) wireless AC, as I had before. It seems only TP Link have AC routers under £100 (after some browsing) and that's about as much as I want to spend ideally. But I could perhaps grin and bear it for a router that will serve years and years, as my last ADSL one did.
Would really appreciate some suggestions! As mentioned, I'm on fibre.
Thanks for reading!
So, I'm back on my ISP cable router, which periodically just stops working on wireless for a few minutes (grrr!). And I'm in the market for a new cable router.
If there was nothing else to it, I'd buy another one the same. But, to be honest, I'm a bit leery. I've never ever had a router get killed in a thunderstorm ever - and it also took out the ethernet controller on my PC's motherboard through 10m of ethernet cable. The router (and PC ethernet controller) was the only thing affected. I don't think it was a power surge as such, as it's on a surge-protected adapter. The phone and cable modem, plugged into the same adapter (and right next to the modem), are both fine. Also, all electric and phone cables are underground and so - surely - safe from storm surges? So (in my ignorance) I'm guessing some kind of electromagnetic surge?? So I'm worried about buying the same router again if it's so vulnerable. I have no idea if this is completely rational or irrational. My TV is also connected by ethernet but fortunately its controller survived.
Needs to have 4 ethernet ports and dual band wireless N or (perhaps in terms of future-proofing) wireless AC, as I had before. It seems only TP Link have AC routers under £100 (after some browsing) and that's about as much as I want to spend ideally. But I could perhaps grin and bear it for a router that will serve years and years, as my last ADSL one did.
Would really appreciate some suggestions! As mentioned, I'm on fibre.
Thanks for reading!
Hi there,
If you use the search box on these forums and drill into pages 2,3+ on this board you'll find a few posts from customers recommending routers to each other.
Sorry to hear about the bad luck with the storm damage to the router and hope you find what you're looking for.
Just out of interest is that our router you're referring to?
We can definitely offer some troubleshooting advice on resolving that in the meantime if it helps?
A factory reset is a good place to start if you haven't already.
If you use the search box on these forums and drill into pages 2,3+ on this board you'll find a few posts from customers recommending routers to each other.
Sorry to hear about the bad luck with the storm damage to the router and hope you find what you're looking for.
Quote So, I'm back on my ISP cable router, which periodically just stops working on wireless for a few minutes (grrr!). And I'm in the market for a new cable router.
Just out of interest is that our router you're referring to?
We can definitely offer some troubleshooting advice on resolving that in the meantime if it helps?
A factory reset is a good place to start if you haven't already.
It's not technically your router! It was supplied by John Lewis broadband (which is run by you of course!). I moved sideways from them to you so I never got a router from you (it's fine, honest - I don't hold it against you. ;))
I have two problems with it. First that the wireless periodically just ...actually, I'm not sure what happens. Ethernet connected devices remain fine but my tablet or phone find no internet. A couple of minutes later, all is well again. Secondly, it just does not get on well with my Samsung tablet though I have no idea why. My tablet will connect at speeds below 2mb with lots of lag even while my Samsung phone is whizzing along at high speeds and low pings. I thought it was simply a tablet problem (turning wifi on and off a couple of times tends to fix it) but the problem simply disappeared when I switched router. (Both phone and tablet fly at full fibre speed everywhere in the house on the 5ghz band).
I haven't pursued these issues because, simply, I want to use a 5ghz wireless network and I don't think your router supports that, and this Netgear definitely doesn't!
Thanks for responding. I browsed a fair number of pages looking for recommendations but should have searched.
I have two problems with it. First that the wireless periodically just ...actually, I'm not sure what happens. Ethernet connected devices remain fine but my tablet or phone find no internet. A couple of minutes later, all is well again. Secondly, it just does not get on well with my Samsung tablet though I have no idea why. My tablet will connect at speeds below 2mb with lots of lag even while my Samsung phone is whizzing along at high speeds and low pings. I thought it was simply a tablet problem (turning wifi on and off a couple of times tends to fix it) but the problem simply disappeared when I switched router. (Both phone and tablet fly at full fibre speed everywhere in the house on the 5ghz band).
I haven't pursued these issues because, simply, I want to use a 5ghz wireless network and I don't think your router supports that, and this Netgear definitely doesn't!
Thanks for responding. I browsed a fair number of pages looking for recommendations but should have searched.