I wondered if with time having passed since some of the great info in the sticky threads on here, it might be worth updating some info with common answers to common problems that the community on here tend to suggest in 2017? These are my own observations which people could add to:
I need a new router, what do you recommend?
It depends on what problem you're trying to solve. Most in here will recommend things from what one might consider the 'prosumer' end of the market, with well respected brands including:
What if my problem really is just the wireless side of things in terms of speed and coverage
Then you might not necessarily find replacing the router the most cost effective solution nor will it see the best results.
Avoid range extenders. They halve the throughput and many people have mixed experiences.
Instead think of adding an access point to your existing setup. This is a device that you can locate in a good position that will provide wireless access from somewhere else, perhaps nearer black spots. Generally though they need a wired connection back to the router and power. Power of Ethernet (PoE) as found on some devices mean you can run both through one network cable. Running an ethernet cable is almost always worth the hassle.
Old routers can often be configured to act as extra access points if you don't want to buy one.
I really, really can't run an ethernet cable from my router to somewhere else
There is a technology called Powerline that will let you run your network traffic over your electrical wiring in the house and give you ports wherever you can put a plug.
People have mixed experiences. Generally it is not recommended by anyone here except in exceptional circumstances and even then be prepared for dropouts and speeds absolutely no where near those advertised. Think up to 100x slower than advertised in extreme cases.
If it's not already clear, it really is much better to take the effort and hassle of pulling up carpets or whatever you have to do to run a cable.
I know a bit about networking and I'd like a more robust/expandable/feature-rich setup
Think about separating out the jobs your typical ISP router does. You'll generally want three components:
I need a new router, what do you recommend?
It depends on what problem you're trying to solve. Most in here will recommend things from what one might consider the 'prosumer' end of the market, with well respected brands including:
- Draytek
- Ubiquiti
- Mikrotik
What if my problem really is just the wireless side of things in terms of speed and coverage
Then you might not necessarily find replacing the router the most cost effective solution nor will it see the best results.
Avoid range extenders. They halve the throughput and many people have mixed experiences.
Instead think of adding an access point to your existing setup. This is a device that you can locate in a good position that will provide wireless access from somewhere else, perhaps nearer black spots. Generally though they need a wired connection back to the router and power. Power of Ethernet (PoE) as found on some devices mean you can run both through one network cable. Running an ethernet cable is almost always worth the hassle.
Old routers can often be configured to act as extra access points if you don't want to buy one.
I really, really can't run an ethernet cable from my router to somewhere else
There is a technology called Powerline that will let you run your network traffic over your electrical wiring in the house and give you ports wherever you can put a plug.
People have mixed experiences. Generally it is not recommended by anyone here except in exceptional circumstances and even then be prepared for dropouts and speeds absolutely no where near those advertised. Think up to 100x slower than advertised in extreme cases.
If it's not already clear, it really is much better to take the effort and hassle of pulling up carpets or whatever you have to do to run a cable.
I know a bit about networking and I'd like a more robust/expandable/feature-rich setup
Think about separating out the jobs your typical ISP router does. You'll generally want three components:
- A device to make the connection to your ISP. For ADSL/VDSL an Openreach modem is easily obtainable second hand from eBay or you can buy new form other manufacturers like Draytek. For Virgin you can configure your ISP provided router to act merely as a modem.
- A device to do your routing and firewall. Ubiquiti do a great range of dedicated devices like the ER-X, ER-L and USG as do Draytek and Mikrotik. If you're confident you can make your own router, either physical or virtual, using something like pfSense.
- A device to provide your wireless access. Ubiquiti get a lot of well deserved praise on here and offer feature rich devices that lend themselves well to be located in good places.
Last edited:
