what is the best router and wireless sollution for a Virgin Media 20mb user?

sastusbulbas · 27 Feb 2010 at 23:46

I need a decent wireless router, my current Asus router is pathetic, I cannot even stream movies well enough to enjoy smooth frame rates. I can't even use dual gigabyte connections with the router seperate from the moddem witout it causing issues.

I would like some recommendations on what is currently the best choice for integrating a few PC's at home for internet and file sharing/streaming.

I have a 20mb internet connection with Virgin Media, and would like a router that does not cripple internet speed, and that allows me to stream/watch high quality movies from other drives within the network.

Eventually I hope to have a central storage PC with all my movies and albums on it, with three periphial media/all round PC's within the home connected to teh same router sharing the same internet connection.

So Router and PCI wireless card choices would be most welcome please

sastusbulbas · 16 Mar 2010 at 21:26

Anyone?

sastusbulbas · 21 Mar 2010 at 09:41

So is no-one here using Virgin Media 20mb broadband with wireless router at home?

tolien · 21 Mar 2010 at 12:24

No, but about a million people have asked exactly the same as what you have. If you'd looked around in this forum you'd have found that the Linksys WRT54GL is fairly commonly suggested...

sastusbulbas · 22 Mar 2010 at 20:05

tolien said:
No, but about a million people have asked exactly the same as what you have. If you'd looked around in this forum you'd have found that the Linksys WRT54GL is fairly commonly suggested...

By looking around I guess you mean using search and such? When I originally posted using "search" had not thrown any significant threads discussing alternative routers that gave the best performance with specific generalisation of Virgin 20meg.

Without a few suggestions I was unable to search for a specific, and with two kids, and a pregnant wife and being a little busy I thought asking for general help and opinion would get me more than just a single "if you had" post.

Guess I should try another thread?

Useless.........................

sastusbulbas · 22 Mar 2010 at 20:15

Are You A Virgin Media User? What Wireless Router Do You Prefer And Why?

Hi all,

Thought I would be a little more direct and see if I can find a little more info on what wireless routers Virgin Media 20mb users are choosing as a preference and why?

Is there a specific model which is generally thought of as the best performance and value?

So far I have had only one recommendation (which does not seem to be stocked by OC) the Linksys WRT54GL?
Can anyone tell me how this performs with 20MB and if it is also suitable if I upgrade to 50MB?

What other models are highly recommended? Do OC stock them?

I know "asking questions" tut tut, but trawling through various posts via the "search" function takes forever with most dribble not being constructive.

PhillyDee · 22 Mar 2010 at 20:21

For 50mb VM supply you with a Wireless N router. So no worries on that score!

I use a router that goes to a wireless access point. The WRT-54GL as it happens (Old version with tomato firmware). Handles 20mb easily!

sastusbulbas · 22 Mar 2010 at 21:08

Well I am currently on 20MB as I mentioned, I am hoping to get time to ask how much it is to "upgrade" to 50MB and if they will supply a Wireless Router with that upgrade.

We were never supplied a Wireless Router with our 20MB connection, and last year some change at Virgin Media's side rendered our Asus WL-500gP-V2 redundant as it dropped from an average 5MB-10MB to 500kb connection. This left us without a wireless connection for the last year.

As such I have little faith In Virgin Media's offerings, so is the router supplied with the 50MB connection any good, and is there any point going 50MB? Currently you pay for a 20MB connection and get 10MB so I am a little wary of paying for a 50MB connection unless there is some guarantee I will get more than 20MB.

As such if I keep the 20MB connection for now, a Router that will give me the best performance with 20MB and 50MB is currently what I am wondering about, I would like to use it for games, movies, and multiple computers around the house which will probably connect via whatever to a PC or such with central storage at some point.

My Asus WL-500gP was supposedly OK back when I purchased it, that turned out to be a waste of £60 as it is useless now due to VM. I don't want another costly mistake hence my queries.

I also have no idea what Tomato and such is, something that is simple, works out the box with superb connection speed around the house, and maybe even USB ports for media storage and printer may be nice.

Daegan · 22 Mar 2010 at 21:55

The WRT54GL is perfect for 20mb, though I'm not sure how a change at Virgin Media's end could render your Asus box redundant. It will however struggle with 50mb, upgrading to which would probably cost you an extra £8pm and a £20 fee. It's difficult to recommend anything over the wireless router they'll supply with the 50mb service (they've supplied a couple), so it's all down to whether or not you're upgrading.

sastusbulbas · 23 Mar 2010 at 22:19

Daegan said:
though I'm not sure how a change at Virgin Media's end could render your Asus box redundant.

Something I wondered myself but never got answer to, they sent a new moddem, not long after that my internet connection dropped to around 500kb wired and wireless, Virgin Media asked us to disconnect out router and the speed increased after they did whatever, they stated our router was not compatible, even though it had been working well enough for me to use the upstairs PC wirelessly for internet etc previous and had no changes or such made to it.

sastusbulbas · 27 Mar 2010 at 08:15

Well just had the 50MB package installed this morning, engineer left 5min ago.

Not yet set up wireless, but I at least have a new wireless router and USB adapter to try out later.

Recieved a D-Link 615 Wireless router and D-Link DWA-140 Wireless N USB Mini Adapter with my new VM 50MB package.

Edit,

Have it set up wireless upstairs, was a pain as no matter what I did I was not getting the connection, turned out the Wireless USB dongle was not working with the upstairs PC so I will try that downstairs later. Stuck my old Asus wireless PCI card in which is giving me 20MB internet connection according to speedtest.net didn't even have to do anything, just plugged it in and presto.

Next will be getting the PC's to share/connected etc as I seem to have trouble setting up homegroup.

spudstudios · 28 Mar 2010 at 10:09

I have the dlink 615 with my Virgin 50mb. Wireless range is ok but the firmaware stank.. I upgraded to 4.11 which worked well for a month
but now I have NAT issues - stuck on moderate no matter what i do with port forwarding... In the end i stuck my 360 in a dmz but I hate doing this........

If anyone has a good alternative I'd also be happy to hear it