Alternative Router to solve Wi-Fi Issues

[GazzaGarratt 11,066]

I'm pretty gutted that I now have 1GB internet installed as of yesterday but the Vodafone router seems to be worse than the Virgin one I had for pushing the distance outwards. I was getting serious lag spikes last night and coupled with the fact that the PS4 gets decent download but my download speed on my PC is 3/4MB when it should be up to 900MB.

 

Some questions I have is:

 

• It says i might need an Openreach approved router if I use one but not sure if thats true based on some forums i've seen?
• What is a good router to use?
• Do i have to still have the crappy Vodafone box still there? Some talk about i still need a modem?
• For my PC is it better/cheaper to just buy a WiFi Adapter that can pick up signals further away? A good one seems to be £20.

 

Thanks for any help people!

 

P.S. The new fibre is definitely 900MB, as a quick check through wired and thats what it gives. My phone picks up 250MB next to my PC and PS4 so you can understand my confusion/frustration.

 

[BO7H B4RRELS 2,453]

41 minutes ago, GazzaGarratt said:

 

• What is a good router to use?

 

 

You can't go wrong with a Nighthawk R7000.  I've had it for about 2 years, came with a wifi extender that I used to plug into my basement and plug my PC into it.  Works great. 

 

 

[Plumbers Crack 4,068]

I have VM and I have their router set to 'modem only'. From here it goes into a Buffalo Air station which does the wi-fi and hardwiring.

Been through a couple if VM boxes but never had a problem with the Buffalo unit. It's old now so probably superceded but still works ok

Via the FG App

[Greboth 2,721]

On 4/22/2020 at 12:28 PM, BO7H B4RRELS said:

 

You can't go wrong with a Nighthawk R7000.  I've had it for about 2 years, came with a wifi extender that I used to plug into my basement and plug my PC into it.  Works great. 

 

 

Admit it, you bought it just because of the name didn't you 😄

[BO7H B4RRELS 2,453]

51 minutes ago, Greboth said:

Admit it, you bought it just because of the name didn't you 😄

lol.  While it does have a pretty sweet name, I actually did a lot of reading and asking around before buying it.  I was tired of having shitty internet equipment.  

[GazzaGarratt 11,066]

Thanks guys. What's the difference between Nighthawk R7000 and D7000? I think that D7000 are modems aswell as routers but I'm unsure.

 

I'd rather be looking at things like the R7000 because of its ratings but I need to be clear if it means another big box in the house next to the big Vodafone Router?

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[GazzaGarratt 11,066]

Also, I think I've come to the conclusion it's down to the Vodafone router because it can't travel as far neither can it hold too many devices. I need one to hold 30 to feel comfortable I dont need to expand and buy a further one.

[phil bottle 9,822]

I think you need an alternative router.

[emoji847]

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[Stretch616 697]

I think you need an alternative router

[tronic44 3,642]

Sounds like you need an alternative router dude

[tronic44 3,642]

You should just be able to use your new router but i think that's only if it's openreach approved, if it's approved then you can just use that...i think, i may be wrong

[Plumbers Crack 4,068]

If you need to be able to connect 30 devices you don't need a router, you need a server rack!! 🤣🤣

[BO7H B4RRELS 2,453]

Rumor has it, you need an alternative router.

Via the FG App

[GazzaGarratt 11,066]

You bunch of motherfuckers! 😂😂

[MrBiron 1,458]

The routers you get from ISPs are always shit.

I have one of these 

NETGEAR D6400-100UKS AC1600 Dual Band 300 + 1300 Mbps Wireless (Wifi) VDSL/ADSL Modem Router for Phone Line Connections (BT Infinity, YouView, TalkTalk, EE and Plusnet Fibre) (Amazon Echo Enabled): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

SMILE.AMAZON.CO.UK

---

Buy

It's very good. I'm with TalkTalk and I got 10Mb/s more on wifi with that router than I did with the TalkTalk router. 

 

I think you need an alternative router for sure.

[GazzaGarratt 11,066]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I've also had @crispymorgan  on the phone to help through if I needed a modem router - which i now don't - so hoping a Netgear one will work better based on a few people grabbing one of them.

 

I think I'll end up with the R8000 which if that don't fix it, nothing will 😂

[GazzaGarratt 11,066]

Router came today. Got it out, expect to auto connect - not a chance. Thought, okay, maybe it's the username stuff. Go and change that and nope, nothing.

 

@crispymorgan  kindly spend a good few hours with me sorting it out, messing about with router settings.

 

Somehow, eventually a random change on the VLAN to 911 gets it working. I was buzzing. Crispy the legend got a white light working and I thought my problems were finally over.

 

 

Alas, the connection to this seems worse overall. Not on my phone, but my sons PS4 which is miles away but still got a signal from the Vodafone standard router. Our TV further away doesn't work with it and I'm kinda at a loss.

 

If I dont get it sorted tomorrow, I'll be packing it up and getting a full refund.

 

Our house has got wall cavity breeze blocks so there should be a ton of  space for signals to flow through.

 

Any suggestions to boost the signal or change a setting?

[BO7H B4RRELS 2,453]

Bummer, man. I don't have an additional advice, but I sure hope you can get it sorted.

Via the FG App

[MrBiron 1,458]

10 hours ago, GazzaGarratt said:

 

 

Any suggestions to boost the signal or change a setting?

 

Have you tried changing the wifi channel on your router? Download this app 

Wifi Analyzer - Apps on Google Play

PLAY.GOOGLE.COM

---

Turns your android phone into a Wi-Fi analyzer!! Shows the Wi-Fi channels around you. Helps you to find a less crowded channel for your wireless router. http://wifianalyzer.mobi ########## For the USB...

 and see which channel your wifi is on. If it's the same channel as a load of other routers then swap it.

[GazzaGarratt 11,066]

After 3 days and a lot of tinkering I think I (really, we) may have solved it!

 

Checked over all the settings and options on the Netgear. I knew it wasnt the fibre to the house so checked a few more things.

 

I made the error of the century, by not having my fucking antennas on my PC. what a twat. Still though, it wasnt working fast at all still which was extremely weird.

 

I noticed 'Smart Connect' was on in the Netgear app on my phone and switched it off - spoke alot to @crispymorgan  and @Diddums across the past few days and decided to try and split devices across whatever channels i have to offer.

 

Spin forward a few more hours and last night I had my PC on Wifi received approx 200mbps download and upload - managed to delete and reinstall Star Citizen within an hour whilst the guys were online.

 

Also had my PlayStation on a different channel, playing Destiny and downloading a game. Testing it like this seemed to be the best way forward and it's seemed to have worked great!

 

The only one thing that needed abit of a push was our TV in our room - I still have my Wifi booster for the channel that 'other' stuff goes on so that's in the hallway nearer to it, so that still works.

 

Fingers crossed it will all still hold up now - suffice to say its send my round the twist but having you guys here to tap into and help me get through it all, I'm super glad and grateful! Cheers all!