Spec me a fibre router

slipd · 30 Aug 2019 at 17:28

Hi guys,

Switched to Vodafone today and already I hate their kit... had Sky, Now TV and BT in recent years - I tend to jump every 12/18 months depending on deals

Always fibre, no cable in the area, I'm after some dedicated kit. I used to use Netgear/Billion with regular DSL and had no issues over ISP gear.

What are my options?

Caged · 30 Aug 2019 at 17:30

Which version of their router did you get?

slipd · 30 Aug 2019 at 17:34

A Huawei 963168_HUAWEIVOX25?

SonicSW20 · 30 Aug 2019 at 17:52

Their router is *****, but they won't give you any support if you're not using it.

I'm back on their router while a line issue is resolved, but before I was using an Asus DSL-AC68U. The performance difference was quite noticeable.

Good thing its cheap as though... £21 a month all in.

slipd · 30 Aug 2019 at 18:20

I'm happy with the price, speed and overall service - just don't like this router. It's not just me then

sideways14a · 30 Aug 2019 at 18:29

Apparently you can swap it out for another router, its just Voda dont want you to and will say anything up until the point you want to cancel before handing you the login details for there network.

Caged · 30 Aug 2019 at 18:31

If you only just joined then I'd try and get them to send you their newest router - it's the one all over their website and is promoted https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/broadband/wi-fi-hub-and-broadband-app so you'd be within you rights to ask for the one that's actually advertised as coming with the service.

Avalon · 30 Aug 2019 at 18:33

sideways14a said:
Apparently you can swap it out for another router, its just Voda dont want you to and will say anything up until the point you want to cancel before handing you the login details for there network.

Simply untrue. They will provide you with details *if* you use approved kit (or at least tell them that they you are). As to support, almost all ISP’s will insist on you using the supplied kit to diagnose issues, it’s inefficient to try and train staff how to diagnose with multiple routers/hardware/firmware versions.

sideways14a · 30 Aug 2019 at 18:36

Well seeing as how i just had this conversation with them a few weeks back then i dont think your right.
I wanted to go pfsense and a modem route, they didnt want to play ball so i pulled the plug and then they started bleating.

Like i am ever going to call there crap 1st line idiots for help other than to log a call with a line fault.

I left, went another ISP, got my log in details 1st thing and now run my own connection with my own hard ware and software configs and get a nice speed boost out of it plus its a lot more secure.

SonicSW20 · 30 Aug 2019 at 18:44

Avalon said:
Simply untrue. They will provide you with details *if* you use approved kit (or at least tell them that they you are). As to support, almost all ISP’s will insist on you using the supplied kit to diagnose issues, it’s inefficient to try and train staff how to diagnose with multiple routers/hardware/firmware versions.

They didn't ask what I was using, I just went on the online chat and asked for the VDSL login details, they supplied it.

The DSL-AC68U isnt on the approved list, no issues when using it.

sideways14a · 30 Aug 2019 at 18:49

I also seem to remember something a long while back when i had the voda router setup, there was some "interesting" dial home or ... vodaphone connecting back in to do "stuff" on the routers.
I spotting it a few times and i was also subject of many discussions on the web.
Cant actually remember what it was but.. i dont want anyone coming to visit without my say so hence the now much much more secure setup.

Avalon · 30 Aug 2019 at 21:54

SonicSW20 said:
They didn't ask what I was using, I just went on the online chat and asked for the VDSL login details, they supplied it.

The DSL-AC68U isnt on the approved list, no issues when using it.

The DSL-AC68U owners thread suggests otherwise, it’s one of the longest threads in the networking section, largely due to users complaining about ASUS’s inability to fix the modem issues for *years*, but as long as you’re happy then good luck.

SonicSW20 · 30 Aug 2019 at 21:56

Avalon said:
The DSL-AC68U owners thread suggests otherwise, it’s one of the longest threads in the networking section, largely due to users complaining about ASUS’s inability to fix the modem issues for *years*, but as long as you’re happy then good luck.

Probably misconfiguration, seeing as there's a lot of settings you could change that will harm your connection.

I get better sync speeds and stability with it than with the Vodafone supplied unit.

sideways14a · 30 Aug 2019 at 21:58

I got 10 or so Mb's faster down sync speed moving to a draytec modem and some of the SN ratio tweeks.
Not to mention significant security improvements.

Avalon · 30 Aug 2019 at 22:01

SonicSW20 said:
Probably misconfiguration, seeing as there's a lot of settings you could change that will harm your connection.

I get better sync speeds and stability with it than with the Vodafone supplied unit.

You clearly haven’t read any of it. ASUS used a MediaTek modem chipset, it wasn’t the best, but other OEM’s got it working, ASUS constantly promised fixes and failed to deliver for years, it wasn’t a user issue, it was an acknowledged ASUS firmware problem that affected two generations of ASUS DSL products.

SonicSW20 · 30 Aug 2019 at 22:05

Avalon said:
You clearly haven’t read any of it. ASUS used a MediaTek modem chipset, it wasn’t the best, but other OEM’s got it working, ASUS constantly promised fixes and failed to deliver for years, it wasn’t a user issue, it was an acknowledged ASUS firmware problem that affected two generations of ASUS DSL products.

I've no reason to read any of it, working fine on my line, once Vodafone sorted out existing line issues

Perhaps they've now fixed those issues?

WJA96 · 30 Aug 2019 at 22:08

Vodafone Business is obviously very different. The username and password come in the 'Welcome' letter, along with the fixed IP address info.

£22.50+VAT per month for a VDSL line with a guaranteed minimum speed of 55Mbps download and 20Mbps upload. And a fixed IP address.

The home-worker that I organised it for is very happy with it using a Mikrotik RB4011 feeding a Unifi back-end.

Avalon · 30 Aug 2019 at 22:22

SonicSW20 said:
I've no reason to read any of it, working fine on my line, once Vodafone sorted out existing line issues Perhaps they've now fixed those issues?

Given it’s been 5+ years since the issue was raised and it was acknowledged and it was still an issue 3+ years after launch, it seems unlikely, but a quick look at the firmware shows they pushed out newer DSL firmware in July this year, so it’s possible. I suspect anyone who had issues (eg pretty much anyone using it on an FTTC connection) has long since moved on. 3 years of constant broken promises and eventually being ghosted by ASUS support staff tends to do that to people.

slipd · 30 Aug 2019 at 22:33

Caged said:
If you only just joined then I'd try and get them to send you their newest router - it's the one all over their website and is promoted https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/broadband/wi-fi-hub-and-broadband-app so you'd be within you rights to ask for the one that's actually advertised as coming with the service.

I literally followed your link and browsed for about 30 seconds before starting a Live Chat... I started firm, not rude but firm. A minute later I was providing my address details for a priority delivery of their latest kit :cool:

So thanks.

I'll see what it's like but if it isn't up to scratch, is the TP Link stuff any good? My master socket is on the kitchen and some of the high end Asus stuff wouldn't be in keeping...