Replacing the standard router

[#1]

HI all; I am a bit of a techy numpty so wonder if anyone can help please? I have the standard router that came with my broad band package; which I guess is nether top of the range nor indeed particularly good, and I am thinking of replacing it. I need to have something that is more capable of pushing a signal through thick stone walls (we live in an old house) so I would like to improve the signal strength, as well as the range. Can anyone suggest a router that is compatible with my Plusnet broadband please? We are not on fibre not are likely to be in the foreseeable future as we live in a remote location and suspect that no one will push fibre out here just for a few house! Thank you very much

[#2]

Being, by your own admission, a techy numpty, this is not an easy question to answer

You could spend a great deal on a better wifi router only to find the physical constraints of your house permit only a marginal increase in performance.

My best shout would be a Draytek Vigor2862 router (no WiFi) then one or more Draytek Vigor AP802 or 903 access points. The first access point would be wired to the router and subsequent APs configured into a mesh network. This would be north of £400 quid! and not a none techy solution.

Next:

Least expensive, techy numpty friendly - keep the Plusnet router and consider a WiFi range extender (about £18.00 at Argos. other suppliers are available)

Beyond that there are other techniques to enhance WiFi signals and indeed wired solutions around the home, recently I have had great success with so called Powerline technology. Kits start at around £25 but you still need a remote AP so more techy.

There is a TP-linkTL-WPA4220T KIT V4.0 AV600 kit at CPC (and no doubt elsewhere) for £75 which looks well worth considering. This looks like a really easy solution.

HTH

Andy

[#3]

@Ozzie1 

Any ADSL/VDSL modem/router from a third party supplier of a BT Home Hub 5/Smarthub 6 will work with Plusnet but I agree with @Andy1878 it might not solve your problem. Powerline might work, it depends on your house wiring, see https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/Powerline-Unit-Performance/m-p/1607450... for a bit more information.

If you can either drill or have a route through/around your walls the best, most reliable and possibly cost effective solution is to install Ethernet cabling. With some DIY skills you can fit wall sockets and make a really professional job of the wiring. You then plug a Wireless Access Point into the remote location. Wireless Access Points are plentiful and cheap. If you have a spare router then most can also be converted to work as Access Points.

[#4]

Thanks Baldrick1; this is very helpful, sorry for the late response.

[#5]

Thanks Andy1878; I have already installed a booster and it has helped to an extent but not as much as I had hoped; I suspect the main challenge is probably our thick walls!