cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Best wireless router

maranello
Pro
Posts: 1,267
Thanks: 200
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Best wireless router

I may have missed out on a referral bonus, and a new customer for Plusnet. My sister-in-law has finally decided to give up her light user scheme on her BT phone account so that she can have broadband at home. She has been happy in the past to visit her mum to use her Plusnet connection, but has now been tempted by the BT ads which claim that the Home Hub gives the longest range for wireless (she wants to sit in her summerhouse using her laptop, in the summer, obviously). She also has quite a long line as far as estimates indicate (5km), although her exchange is enabled for WBC. Anyone know how the Home Hub compares to either the Dlink 2640B or the Thompson routers that Plusnet supply? Also, has anyone any good or bad stories about BT broadband customer support?
My other car isn't a Ferrari
10 REPLIES 10
samuria
Grafter
Posts: 1,581
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎13-04-2007

Re: Best wireless router

All routers have more or less the same power output as they are controlled by law so in real terms there wont be a lot of difference. The difference is the antena on the router some have 2 or even 3 and of coarse the spec of the router ie is it 802.11b or  802.g.
often the problem isnt with the router but the receiver if you have a good router and a rubbish wireless card you wont do any good. All sorts of things come into play like walls, noise lights tv's. That is the problem with radio its hit and miss I have known some people who cant connect in the next room and some can connect 6 doors away.
One good trick which is a bit hit and miss is to try from the laptop and see what if any routers you can see locally there may not be any in which case its a miss but if there are a few check the signal strength a lot leave the default SID which would tell you the router make and you may be able to guess whose it is and how far away it is. It can give a good indication of which is best n your area   
mal0z
Grafter
Posts: 3,486
Registered: ‎02-10-2008

Re: Best wireless router

Quote from: maranello
(she wants to sit in her summerhouse using her laptop, in the summer, obviously).


Well some routers are claimed to have superior performance such as the Netgear DG834N
http://www.netgear.co.uk/rangemaxnext_wirelessbroadbandrouter_dg834n.php
The of course their is the question of where you site the router relative to the window overlooking the garden.
If there is a telephone socket close to the window - you could site the routeron the window cill so that it has a good radio path to the summerhouse.
chillypenguin
Grafter
Posts: 4,729
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Best wireless router

There have been a few posts about poor range on the Thompson router that plusnet are supplying at present.
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Best wireless router

Interesting I changed from a Speedtouch 585 v6 to a Netgear DG834G v4 and noticed no change in wireless range - wonder if the v7 has changed something
mal0z
Grafter
Posts: 3,486
Registered: ‎02-10-2008

Re: Best wireless router

Maybe the reason get worse results than others is the construction of the property where it being used.
I have a fairly modern house with stud partitioning / plasterboard walls and the Thomson works through the who house and reports  a very good signal.
Other houses will have brick / concrete / stone internal walls and so the expected performance would be less.
chillypenguin
Grafter
Posts: 4,729
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Best wireless router

They're mainly in comparison with the old router that the Thompson is replacing. I believe that is is more of a consistency issue than the range on the Thompson being general poor.
At the time that the Thomson routers where trialed by usergroup, I offered to do a comparative wireless site survey with http://www.airmagnet.com/, but alas I was not one of the chosen ones.
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Best wireless router

I would definitely say that the Thomson is inferior to the Netgear. (Despite building a little shelf to raise it a few feet).
But the Thomson's aerial is smaller and can't be changed for a more directional one.
I have an inter-war house and the signal must tunnel through an internal brick wall (single brick thick).

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

mal0z
Grafter
Posts: 3,486
Registered: ‎02-10-2008

Re: Best wireless router

Come on chaps - a sense of reality. Most PN users get a Thompson router cheap, albeit it ties them into a 12 month contract.
But I have always chosen to pick my own router based on my own research, and indeed that has meant a Netgear router, but at a cost of about £60 to £80.
So - horses for courses 
You want a subsidized router from your ISP - or you pay a little more to get a better product......................

VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Best wireless router

Well - I must admit that the Thomson does the job  Cheesy
Although it may possibily be the cause of a few problems I'm currently having Cry Cry

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

jackoab
Grafter
Posts: 368
Registered: ‎14-08-2007

Re: Best wireless router

At the moment CCL Computers have a very good price on the DG834N (£55 including delivery).