wi fi router

Hi all,

need some advice written so a grey haired old codger can understand please..

I have a TP-Link 300mbps wifi router that I have to often disconnect from the mains at least 3 time per day because it just stops working....we have unlimited internet usage per month but it does slow down after 40gig (contractual control)...

guess I'm gonna need a new 1....but what to buy ?

There is only me and SWMBO, we run 2x27 iMacs, 1x mini mac, iPad and 1 iPhone.....

we hardly use the computers at the same time (emails and surfing) and at the moment never use it for catch up TV.......BUT.....this will change as we'll be moving to a place with fibre optic cables.....then we'll definitely be using catch up TV but with the same computer usage.....

So what size wifi router will I need....

thanks clogs

Who is the new supplier? BT provides the wifi as part of the package, duno what virgin is doing these days but when i was on their systems 4-5yrs ago I hada cheapo belkin at home and at the surgery we had several systems interconnecting including netgear and d-link.. frankly they all worked and it was never the wifi that sowed the system down. Even here in wales with lousy internet speeds of 2-3mb/s I can watch catchup TV without too many pauses (although easiest to be naughty and watch via a third party cos Iplayer doesn't like bottlenecks)

If you think it's the router that's the issue then that suggests problem with signals within the house... thick walls,poorly positioned router etc. havng it upstairs rather then downstairs should give a better spread and thinking about how many walls and what they're made of or consideration for one or the systems that lets you extend using the mains as a route to another wifi rather than runnign wires.

Frankly I woudn;t do anything until you move and know/see what's in the new package. If it's a new install then get the guys doing that to sort it. If it's already installed then see how the current owners are getting on.

If you are not with Virgin Media check that when you pick up the (old wired in ) phone there are no crackles and noises just silence. Noises could indicate line problems that are upsetting the router.
It could be that one of your devices has a background program (spyware etc) that is doing something the router doesn't like (even a wifi enabled TV or printer might be). Also hack attacks sometimes close down the router. If you can check the router log it might tell you. One aspect is whether it is the wifi that is going off or the internet connection which you could check by trying an Ethernet connection when it seems to be not working.

TV mostly doesn't go much above 5 Mbits/s and the highest in the next few years will be Netflix UHD (aka 4k) which will be just under 20Mbits/s. This won't strain your wifi connection but might be a problem for a non-Virgin Media modem.

Fibre Optic is only run to the house at a few trial sites at the moment so mostly it is just to the street cabinet but that's near enough for the advertisers. Even fibre really right to the home then converts to the standard router inside your house.

Edited By Bazyle on 23/02/2016 13:08:40

You could try replacing the ADSL Micro-filter ... (Also ensure every phone/modem/Sky-Box etc. is connected to the phone line via a Micro-filter)

Dave

Before rushing out and buying new, check for any firmware updates for the existing unit (lots of computer related stuff gets launched before the firmware is perfected, and only gets fixed after the consumer has discovered problems).

Make sure the router is set to have its WAN connection and WiFi 'always on' - that isn't always the default behaviour.

The support teams of the router manufacturer and/or your ISP may be able to help identify issues.

That said - a new router probably isn't a huge cost, so might be more attractive than hours of head scratching.

ta ClogsHi all,

should have said the new place is in Crete......here we have a Satellite system....don't mind buying new but prices so far are up to £170 from flea bay..........

as the new house will be in a remote location we may just have go with a Sat system again, I just want to cover all options.......and anyway even if it's only for a few months use I can't carry on like this.....

will try to update the box but I'm hopeless at this sort of thing....

Clogs, where you are now, are you getting your Internet via satellite or just TV? If you are moving to a new house in a remote location, are you sure it will have fibre - why do you refer to satellite, would that again just be for TV? But if it had fibre why would you need satellite for TV?

The "size" of a wifi router isn't really meaningful. If your current one is 300 Mbit/s it should be fine for the number of users you have. In my experience they don't last forever, I had to replace one we had with our previous broadband provider. With BT (who we use now) both their original router and the new "superfast" one (with which we get 38 Mbit/s from "fibre to the cabinet" have been bulletproof. Also the wifi performance of routers can be VERY iffy even when new.

Best would be to find out who can provide your internet in Crete and how, and try to buy a new router which is compatible and also works where you are now, in my view.

Clog's,

I live in a small village five miles in either direction from two towns, BT have made it plain that the village will not have Fibre Optic but they have improved the phone lines, our exchange is a couple of miles away in the next village, we have recently, six months, had youview installed with the BT Router which is upstairs in a spare room, the WiFi is excellent with my two laptops and printers and I have two ethernet hubs to transfer the BT router from upstairs to down stairs, nothing misses a beat and I'm very pleased with it.

Martin P

This has prompted me to email the three big businesses that share our cabinet - one that isn't getting fibre because it is a mile and a bit from the exchange and it's only a few dozen houses and the businesses.

Neil

Neil,

In our village we have a IT consultant and he and our Parish Council worked with BT to get the upgrades we have and between them got BT to bring forward the upgrade date by a couple of years.

Martin P