Help with a new router with Virgin Media SH3

sybaris · 29 Sep 2017 at 09:13

My virgin superhub 3 is pushing out wireless signals at around -90dBm

1) Will buying a router and putting the SH3 in to modem mode solve this issue.
2) What router do you recommend and what cost?

I was looking at

Asus RT-AC3200 Tri band Wireless AC3200 Gigabit Router
and
Linksys WRT3200ACM AC3200 MU-MIMO Gigabit Wi-Fi Router

I have no idea what to get and selected these as they looked pretty good in my limited opinion.

neodude · 29 Sep 2017 at 11:03

Personally I would recommend a PfSense box and a Ubiquiti AP. Cost around 500 quid. But failing that I've had nothing but good experiences with ASUS routers.

sybaris · 29 Sep 2017 at 11:52

Thanks, £500 is a bit too much for me. Looking at the £150 to £200 mark, give or take.

Sp00n · 29 Sep 2017 at 12:07

Yea unless you're looking to do anything fancy I wouldn't bother with spending that much... 500 quid lol...

You could probably suffice with just running a unifi access point (or some other) instead of the wireless from the SH3, don't necessarily need a whole router if it's just the wifi thats causing you bother.

SiDeards73 · 29 Sep 2017 at 12:11

To be honest, many companies are now doing home Mesh Wifi that is expandable, find one you like and opt in with the basic units and then you have the option to upgrade from there...

Netgear Orbi
Google Wifi
Ubiqiti Amplifi
Linksys Velop
TP-Link Deco
Asus Lyra
Eero
Plume

Personally id go with Google Wifi it seems to be one of the better of the bunch and its relatively cheap to get in to, id say Plume but its USA only at the moment unfortunately

sybaris · 29 Sep 2017 at 14:26

Some areas I can't cable and so I was looking at a wireless option.
I thought if I buy a better router, it may solve the low wireless speeds issue.
Either that or homeplugs but I heard they introduce noise in to your mains power.

bremen1874 · 29 Sep 2017 at 15:01

With a mesh system you wouldn't have to cable.

SiDeards73 · 29 Sep 2017 at 15:10

sybaris said:
Some areas I can't cable and so I was looking at a wireless option.
I thought if I buy a better router, it may solve the low wireless speeds issue.
Either that or homeplugs but I heard they introduce noise in to your mains power.

Have a read of these http://www.techradar.com/reviews/google-wifi and this one is particularly good https://arstechnica.co.uk/gadgets/2017/03/google-wifi-review-compared-amplifi-plume/

sybaris · 29 Sep 2017 at 20:28

hmm still 50-50 between something like Google's wifi and plugging in an Asus or Netgear router in to the SH3.
Do these mesh systems broadcast their own wireless signal or extend the existing signal from the router? The SH3's signal is 40% to 50% at best and is around -90dBm. The best I have got from my devices, a couple of meters from the SH3 is 70mbs.

bremen1874 · 29 Sep 2017 at 20:38

They transmit their own wireless. You’d put the SH3 into modem mode and connect it to the new router with a network cable.

FredFlint · 2 Oct 2017 at 16:06

I used a Netgear Nighthawk X4 R7500 connected to a sh2ac in modem mode and the WiFi range/speed maxed my connection (200Mb). I now have a sh3 and it still works well.
I have also used a Asus EA-AC87 Media Bridge/Access Point to upgrade the WiFi on a sh1 and that worked very well also.

BigT · 2 Oct 2017 at 16:25

sybaris said:
hmm still 50-50 between something like Google's wifi and plugging in an Asus or Netgear router in to the SH3.

Not sure why. One will definitely solve your issue while the other one stands a pretty good chance of making little difference. Is it cost? If so then do neither and get the drill/hammer/tools out out and run an Ethernet cable from the SH3 to somewhere more central and hang an access point off it. That'll be the best bang for buck.

sybaris · 2 Oct 2017 at 19:54

Thanks again, will look at the options again