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Router advice (looking to buy another)

Razer
Grafter
Posts: 1,398
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Registered: ‎17-11-2012

Router advice (looking to buy another)

ADSL2+ connection. This is just for my PC (XP), no gaming consoles involved. I do not require wireless, so any ability or performance on that front is completely irrelevant. All I want is a router that does the job properly and well (i.e. when you set something it obeys your choices, and preferably without having to reboot the router), and with an interface that is easy and straight forward to use (not having settings obscured within unintuitive click upon unintuitive click). I only need the one ethernet port, but I think it could be wiser to get one with more, just in case. I just have no idea what to look for and what is good, so I would really appreciate any advice/suggestions. Something I might be forgetting about or not aware of that I should bear in mind? Thanks.
34 REPLIES 34
ejs
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

I think it's safe to say the most routers will have firmware that's less overcomplicated than a Technicolor. Except perhaps BT Home Hubs, but some of those were made by Technicolor anyway.
The prevailing groupthink on the Internet seems to be that Broadcom chipset based routers are the best because you have to can monitor the ADSL stats 24/7.
HairyMcbiker
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

I would get a HH2 or 3 off freecycle or ebay. Your demands are very few.
I use/d a HH2 for about a year before I got fibre (it is now slaved to provide me with VOIP).
Port forwarding etc just works.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

Quote from: Hairy
Your demands are very few.

You might think that from what is described in this thread !,
but here is the underlying issue - https://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,117440
Sad
HairyMcbiker
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

Well I happily had several ports forwarded in my hh2 with no issues. P2p fixed port etc all working 100%.
Razer
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

Quote from: ejs
The prevailing groupthink on the Internet seems to be that Broadcom chipset based routers are the best because you have to can monitor the ADSL stats 24/7.

I'll bear that in mind. Thanks.
Quote from: Hairy
HH2 or 3 ... Port forwarding etc just works.

Coolio. Thanks for that. I'll look into it. Is HH the actual brand name, or does it stand for something? And are these 'broadcom' chipsets? Um, I guess I'll see when I find some to check out.
Hi Purleigh. Smiley Yes, certainly needed so my games can function properly, so I do need the easy control over port forwarding etc. and for that to really, actually work. lol
HairyMcbiker
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

Sorry BT Home Hub, or HH for short
A HH2 or a HH3 are usually available cheaply, on ebay or free on freecycle where I got mine. (Still in the box never used!)
Razer
Grafter
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

I just realised that when I searched google. I don't like the idea of BT stuff, I must say (it's a bit like buying things made by Philips in my mind), but anyway, just reading the info on wikipedia, it's doing my head in. I don't need complicated that requires this and that software to hack or crack it to make it compatible for use on other than BT services. I just want a non-network-tied or branded router that will work when I plug it in. Thanks for trying to suggest something, nevertheless.
HairyMcbiker
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

BT HH's WORK on PN nothing to do but put your login details in.
No hacking needed.
ejs
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

After terrible gaming problems mostly blamed on the Technicolor 582n router, you might at least want to avoid the version of BT Home Hubs made by Technicolor - which is apparently the 2.0A.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

It occurs to me that as you only have one PC, and you want to minimize the problems associated with routers for gaming, how about NOT using a router at all, but use an ethernet PPPoE-PPPoA bridged ADSL2+ modem such as the DrayTek Vigor 120, simply plugged into your PC's network socket.

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?ProductID=7898
http://www.draytek.co.uk/products/vigor120.html
http://www.draytek.co.uk/support/kb_vigor100_setup.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/DrayTek-Vigor-120-external-Ethernet/dp/B0032Q120Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=137...
ejs
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

That might not be a great idea if Razer is going to continue with the no software firewall and no security software setup for gaming. I would like to think that there must be some people who manage to do some gaming with a more conventional Windows setup.
HairyMcbiker
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

Quote from: ejs
After terrible gaming problems mostly blamed on the Technicolor 582n router,

I have had no issues with Thompson routers before the 582, my old Speedtouch 716 did sterling service for several years. This new router seems ok as well.
Razer
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

Quote from: Hairy
BT HH's WORK on PN nothing to do but put your login details in.
No hacking needed.

In reading the wiki article (already being mindful of what you said about those made by Technicolor, ejs Smiley ), aside from all the stuff about version this and that, was this line:
Quote
The BT Home Hub can only be used with the BT Total Broadband package without modification; the 1.0, 1.5, 2A, 2B and 3A versions can be unlocked.

Which I could only read as the HH is locked generally, so I would have to go to lengths to ensure I got the right version which can be unlocked (i.e. hacked or cracked in some way with some kind of technical messing to subvert a lockdown that I really don't want. Then it also says:
Quote
The BT Home Hub configuration software is compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems, although use of this is optional and computers without the BT software will still be able to connect to the Hub and browse the Internet normally.

All well and good that it can be used to connect, but why is there configuration software? I can only read that as meaning configuration can only be done via the software. Else what is the point of it existing? Now you say you just put your password in and go. Great. But I need to be able to configure settings.
@Purleigh. Thanks for the suggestion. I had wondered if I could do that, but ejs raises a good point. Originally I'm doing no security to eliminate it from the equation of what could be causing my gaming problems and would prefer to have security running. I have since, however, come to see that my game does just run better without AV/Firewall monitoring things and slowing it all down, hogging resources - especially when I'm recording it all too. Yeah, yeah, I know, get a better computer etc. lol So from that perspective I am still likely to run with no security even though I don't want to.
ejs
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Re: Router advice (looking to buy another)

The Wikipedia article may not be 100% accurate, I mainly looked at it to see which manufacturers made each different version of HH. I thought some versions may allow you to put in your username@plusdsl.net and password broadband details, without any hacking or unlocking, possibly because Plusnet is part of BT.
Quote from: Razer
but why is there configuration software?

There's configuration software for the sake of it really. Belkin seem pretty bad in giving out Windows software to control their routers. There used to be a "setup wizard", more Windows software, for older Thomson (before they renamed themselves to Technicolor) routers. There really isn't much point in this software existing but it's probably a good excuse to get an icon onto your desktop, in case you forget what brand router you bought or who your ISP is. The makers might claim putting a CD into your computer is easier than typing an IP address into a web browser.