New Router??

Bradt Pitt

Hi,

I'm absolutely useless when it comes to tech, so apologies in advance if this is very basic.

We currently have a vodafone broadband standalone package (no phone) and the router is fairly rubbish. If you're not sitting right beside it we're always losing signal.
My wife is hoping to work from home soon and will need really good signal throughout the house.

My question is what should I buy?

I've read about people using repeaters. Would this be the way to go? Or can we buy a more powerful router?

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks in advance

Marlow

When you say Vodafone standalone:

is that down the phoneline ? What sort of speed package do you have (speed will give an indicator, if it's VDSL or ADSL)

or is it SIRO ?

/M

Bradt Pitt

Thanks for replying.

The vodafone router is connected to a phoneline but we never opted for a phone package as well - just the broadband. Se we don't have a landline number.

I just did a speedtest there and download speed was 82mb, upload was 16mb.
It's fast enough for anything we use - netflix, etc - but you have to be in the same room basically to get reception.

I've no idea what VDSL, ADSL or SIRO are, sorry!

Marlow

That's ok.

Based on your speedtest you're on VDSL / FTTC / eFiber (all the same technology ... just different names).

So what you need is a VDSL capable router, that at least supports vectoring. Best if it supports supervectoring.

AVM Fritz!Box 7430 (2.4 GHz only) or AVM Fritz!Box 7560 (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wifi) is what a lot of other providers would use, which is a lot better.

You could also try http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/6728063/Trail/searchtext%3EVDSL.htm from Argos and if you don't like it, return it.

What you need to configure the router is:

Connection type: PPPoE
VLan: 10
Username: [vodafone modem serial number]@vfiefttc.ie
Password: broadband

/M

Bradt Pitt

Thanks a million, I really appreciate you going to all that trouble.

I'll buy the one from Argos so.

Thanks again

ED E

Arent TP the OEM that dont support VLAN tags on the WAN interface...?

Marlow

ED E wrote: »

Arent TP the OEM that dont support VLAN tags on the WAN interface...?

The higher end TP-Link Archer do. And VDSL won't work without that.

So it wouldn't be a VDSL router, if it couldn't do that. Well .. I haven't seen VDSL yet, that doesn't use a Vlan. (it's the case in Ireland, Denmark and Germany anyhow)

/M

fixXxer

Why not put the Vodaphone router into bridge mode and get a cheaper router?

Marlow

fixxxer wrote: »

Why not put the Vodaphone router into bridge mode and get a cheaper router?

Because most of the cheaper routers don't have the capability of processing 50 Mbit/s upstream .. nevermind more than that. 120 EUR for a router isn't precisely expensive for something that'll do decent speeds.

/M

ED E

navi wrote: »

That TP-LINK won't do VLAN tagging AFAIK.

http://forum.tp-link.com/showthread.php?83348-how-to-configure-VLAN-Tp-Link-archer-c2

I think we need a thread with a list of known working routers.

Marlow wrote: »

I raised a ticket with TP-Link on that a while ago. You have to go quite far up in the models, before they support VLan tagging on the Wan side with their routers.

Can't remember, what model it was.

/M

Ive a C8, no tagging. Would personally be pointing towards NG.

Marlow

ED E wrote: »

Ive a C8, no tagging. Would personally be pointing towards NG.

Balls .. at least with buying it from Argos, there's always a come back.

I might actually get one to test and see, what it's like.

/M

n!ghtmancometh

Just buy an access point for 30 odd quid on Amazon and stick the Vodafone router in modem mode. Its fairly easy to do.

Bamboozling the op with terms like OEM & vectoring when they don't know what siro or VDSL is probably isn't a great idea.

Something like this would do the job:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-WA901ND-Wireless-Access-Point/dp/B013HCO332/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1530641162&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=tp+link+access+point&dpPl=1&dpID=313itV5XNxL&ref=plSrch

GarIT

Could be plenty of ways to fix it before replacing it.

1. Try talking to vodafone about it.

2. In the routers settings it might have a signal strength option, I have seen routers where that is set to less than 100% initially.

3. The channel you are using could be full. Download a channel scanning app, or software for your pc that shows which channels are used the most and switch your router to a channel that is not used so much.

4. If you have very thick walls, or walls with metal in them maybe no signal will go through from any router, you might need a powerline adaptor with an access point on the other end.

ED E

They've likely got a 658, really no point in T/Sing that. Replace or Homeplugs.

Bradt Pitt

So will the TP Link router work, do ye think?
I haven’t bought it yet, just reserved one at my local store.

Thanks for all the replies. Makes me realise how little I know about this stuff...

TomOnBoard

Lads, yeer giving the OP advice they're not going to be able to handle with yeer fancy solutions.

Use home plugs. Get a set: one with a wifi access point the other with an rj45 outlet. Place the wifi enabled one in the dead zone and the other one near the router. Link the rj45 to an rj45 on the router. Plug both in, configure the wifi as appropriate and Bob's yer Uncle...

For info:

https://www.techradar.com/news/networking/powerline-networking-what-you-need-to-know-930691/2

Bradt Pitt

Thanks. Would you recommend any particular set?

I had a look on amazon there and came across this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-WPA4220KIT-Powerline-Broadband-Configuration-UK/dp/B01LXOZ4EN/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1530702462&sr=8-3&keywords=home+plugs+wifi

Would that do the job?

I'd say I'd need a couple of the wifi type ones, as there are a good few dead spots in our house. The vodafone router is very weak really.

Thanks for all the help

TomOnBoard

Bradt Pitt wrote: »

Thanks. Would you recommend any particular set?

I had a look on amazon there and came across this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-WPA4220KIT-Powerline-Broadband-Configuration-UK/dp/B01LXOZ4EN/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1530702462&sr=8-3&keywords=home+plugs+wifi

Would that do the job?

I'd say I'd need a couple of the wifi type ones, as there are a good few dead spots in our house. The vodafone router is very weak really.

Thanks for all the help

That would work, but would be at the bottom of the league table in terms of performance if you're on a tight budget.

A more performant/future proofed system would cost more, but might make more sense if the house construction is limiting the wifi signal as you say you have a number of dead spots. Do a rough drawing of the house, plotting where the router is located and the current dead zones, and you'll get better advice if you post a photo of the drawing here.

Also advise your approx budget.

Bradt Pitt

I'll try and get some kind of drawing uploaded later but my art skills are on par with my IT ones unfortunately.

Basically, the vodafone router is plugged into the hall (inside the front door at the bottom of the stairs). The main living area of the house is in the rear of the house.
So behind the hall is a kitchen (door separating them) and the signal is ok here. Behind the kitchen and down a couple of steps is the main tv room. Signal here is very poor.

All the houses in our estate are the same design and having asked around, people who have Sky broadband don't seem to have the same signal issues as people with vodafone.
The router seems to be far stronger.
Also if I do a search for wifi on my phone for example, often the neighbours' sky router comes up first in the search.

So that's why I reckoned we just needed a stronger router.

Budget-wise I'd be happy to pay €200-€300 I guess. Thanks for all your help

TomOnBoard

Bradt Pitt wrote: »

I'll try and get some kind of drawing uploaded later but my art skills are on par with my IT ones unfortunately.

Basically, the vodafone router is plugged into the hall (inside the front door at the bottom of the stairs). The main living area of the house is in the rear of the house.
So behind the hall is a kitchen (door separating them) and the signal is ok here. Behind the kitchen and down a couple of steps is the main tv room. Signal here is very poor.

All the houses in our estate are the same design and having asked around, people who have Sky broadband don't seem to have the same signal issues as people with vodafone.
The router seems to be far stronger.
Also if I do a search for wifi on my phone for example, often the neighbours' sky router comes up first in the search.

So that's why I reckoned we just needed a stronger router.

Budget-wise I'd be happy to pay €200-€300 I guess. Thanks for all your help

Have you a spare socket near the hall router?

If you cover the tv room will you be ok with that? Do you get ok coverage upstairs? Do you need a signal out the back?

Bradt Pitt

Yes there's a spare socket by the router and coverage upstairs is generally alright. It's not brilliant in spots but it's not too important to us. We can manage for now as it is.

Ideally strong signal in the tv room would be the main concern.

Signal out the back wouldn't be overly important either.

TomOnBoard

Bradt Pitt wrote: »

Yes there's a spare socket by the router and coverage upstairs is generally alright. It's not brilliant in spots but it's not too important to us. We can manage for now as it is.

Ideally strong signal in the tv room would be the main concern.

Signal out the back wouldn't be overly important either.

OK. Two approaches:

1. Use a Range Extender. This would be sited between the Router and the TV room. It would connect to a WiFi signal from the Router (say SSID: Bart) and broadcast its own SSID (say SSID:Lisa). So, at the end of the house where your ok right now, you would connect to Bart. Down in the TV Room you would be connecting to Lisa. The only disadvantage of this is that you have 2 internal wifi nets on the go. So if you're connect to Bart and move down to the TV Room, your mobile device might stay connected to Bart whose signal would be very poor by then. At a certain point, your device would automatically switch to Lisa (after the first connection where you would supply the password) and youd be back up on full strength. All devices in the TV room that stay there would be connected to Lisa and never to Bart. The ones upstairs would probably be able to connect to either, depending on which was stronger.

Heres a graphic:

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media/vc/cf4a6460-c4f8-4889-8071-5cbb71a15752.png

Here's a device on sale at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-Extender-External-Antennas-EX6120-100UKS/dp/B01560JGQW/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_147_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=M6T2EAHFRNF911FPRJA7

Theoretically you could put a number of these range extenders in place,but they're all sharing the one wi-fi network out of the router which would might lead to congestion on that WiFi connection.

2. Use powerline adapters (homeplugs)

This has a WiFi enabled unit (A) plugged into a TV room socket and another non- WiFi unit (B) plugged in near the router. A cable is run from a connector on B into the back of the router. Unit A is set up to have either its own SSID or the same SSID as the router. In this example, A broadcasts SSID:Lisa, while the Router broadcasts Bart and the same situation/option regarding switching applies.

Option 2 allows Lisa to be much further away from the router as it is not using wifi to connect to the router; rather, it is using the house electrical wiring. Option 1 works wirelessly and only uses the wiring to receive its running power.

Theoretically you could put a number of these Type A units in different parts of the house and they would all connect back to the single Unit B and from there to the Router via a hard- wired network connection. You would have 2 separate networks then sharing your Broadband service which might result in less congestion than option 1. .

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/5585575/Trail/searchtext%3EHOMEPLUG.htm

Bradt Pitt

Jes, thanks a million for taking the time to type all that - I really appreciate it.

Two good options and they won't break the bank. Plus you explained everything.
Thanks again man