Spec me a router

Robbo

Robbo

Robbo

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Joined
2 Jan 2009
Posts
62,449
Hi guys, I'll try and keep this short.

I currently have a very old, very crap Philips snb6500 router.

I have a 50MB cable line. The router can't wirelessly transmit the full speed, so I download at about 1.7-2MB instead of 5MB~.

What are the minimum requirements a new router will need so it can support my full line speed? Any recommendations?

(I have decent wireless adapters, so they aren't an issue)
 
It's a bit expensive, but the Apple Airport Extreme is quite decent (when I eventually got a non-faulty one).
 
No real budget but nothing too extreme of course.

Wirelessly, my speed tests cap out with my current router at 16MB where as it's 50MB with a wire, what causes this exactly? (so I know what particular part of the specification I'm looking for if I pop to the shop later)
 
Thats the main thing on the router, I'd also look for one that has gigabit LAN as well for when you get the free speed bump to 120mb cable :)

Also, the Netgear WNDR3800 as linked to above, has Dual Band wireless so it works on the 2.4Ghz & 5Ghz frequencies, but you'd need 'N' Dual Band receivers (ie USB Dual Band receiver for the lappy etc..) Not essential but can be beneficial?
 
So dual band wireless is required for it to work with wireless N and older devices, or will the older ones be okay on a wireless N router without dual band?
 
No, just need N spec for the newer devices, it'll still be backwards compatible. The dual band is for getting a better, stronger, less congested signal strength, so not always needed depends on your current setup and location etc...
 
IIRC you can setup say your laptop on the 5Ghz wireless, with its own password etc and then say your mobile, tablet and guests on the standard 2.4Ghz wireless, so it allows some flexibility :)
 
Ah okay.

Can I ask though, what exactly makes it limited to 16MB at the moment (the crap one I have now)? The frequency? The Mbps?
 
Just looking at your specs on the old router, and it says it does upto 108mbps (which is approx 13.5MBs per sec) so it should be able to do more than the 2MBs you are currently getting?

Maybe its just not that good, the signal strength, hardware etc.. Just look at the VM Super Hub, totally pants as a wireless router (also I'm assuming you've put your Super Hub into modem only mode?)
 
I'm not on Virgin, I live in Norway and you just have to buy your own router here. :p

The 108Mbps setting is called Philips Turbo in the router settings, and if I enable that, nothing can connect to it, so I assume it's either some dodgy Philips thing or it's broken!

In England, I had this - http://www.netgear.co.uk/home/products/wirelessrouters/high-performance/DGND3300.aspx

Which was excellent, no issues with it at all but it can't be used with a cable line so it's gathering dust... :(

I imagine almost anything would be an improvement. :eek:
 
So I assume you have a cable modem that then connects to the Philips? or does the Philips connect directly?

It seems to read that the Turbo thing should just be the 'wireless g' ? Have you tried to just set your other devices to just 'g' rather than 'auto'?

But my gut is telling me anything else would be a lot better than that museum piece, I mean router ;)
 
I don't know exactly how it's set up, there is a very large wall-box with a lot of wires and such in. I'm on an extension of the line in another part of the building.

I can, using a wire, just plug my computer into the wall and it works though, so I assume there is a central network hub in that wall-box that I described (but I don't have access to it).
 
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