IPv6 now available?

[Simon_idnet]

The Billion 7800N held out just as well as the Netgear on a short line, syncing at just over 20Mbps. The wireless signal is a bit stronger than my Airport Extreme and has slightly better range (it does have three external aerials - compared to the AE which has none).

Apparently Billion have decided that 5Ghz offers inferior performance and so have concentrated on making 2.4Ghz a good as possible.

The IPv6 official firmware should be released soon. If anyone wants the beta firmware just drop a line to: jules at billion.uk.com (quoted by permission)

Simon

[Bill]

Thanks for that Simon

Apparently Billion have decided that 5Ghz offers inferior performance

I'd go along with that, I've not been particularly impressed with 5GHz on the AEX. It's only real advantage for me is that nobody else within range is using it!

[Simon_idnet]

We see a lot of wireless problems in densly-populated areas such as in London and in university towns where being able to jump onto a different frequency band (5Ghz) can get people away from congested 2.4Ghz channels.

Billion say that 5Ghz offers less range, less penetration and slower speeds but that their 2.4Ghz implementation is strong enough to hold it's own in congested areas.
S

[psp83]

Hi Simon, Whats the control panel like for this router?

Aiming to get one for work and it just won't be me using it.

[Gary]

We see a lot of wireless problems in densly-populated areas such as in London and in university towns where being able to jump onto a different frequency band (5Ghz) can get people away from congested 2.4Ghz channels.

Billion say that 5Ghz offers less range, less penetration and slower speeds but that their 2.4Ghz implementation is strong enough to hold it's own in congested areas.
S

I would not agree with all of that statement, 5ghz is bound to have less penetration as its a higher frequency same as mobile phones 900Mhz vs 1800 Mhz etc, as to slower speeds, I get much faster speeds over 5Ghz than I do over 2.4 Ghz using 802.n. I think your home/office enviroment and placement of router can have a lot to do with that.

[Simon_idnet]

Hi Simon, Whats the control panel like for this router?

Aiming to get one for work and it just won't be me using it.

The control panel is easy - I can't find anything bad about this router.

[Rik]

That's good to hear, Simon.

[Bill]

It's better be, I've just ordered one

I'll get the hang of it using the standard firmware before trying the beta.

[Steve]

I thought one of the bonuses of the 5Ghz bandwidth was to stop N devices been dragged down to the legacy 'g' devices speed. I agree with -ve comments about 5GHz but it's good to have it all to oneself nevertheless. 

[Bill]

That's a good point, but (with the exception of the Kindle, which usually has its wireless turned off anyway) everything on my LAN is "n".

[Adam]

I thought one of the bonuses of the 5Ghz bandwidth was to stop N devices been dragged down to the legacy 'g' devices speed.

That is also my understanding, I have an Apple Time Capsule which is dual-band and use the 5Ghz range for supported 802.11n devices (including the iPad) and have yet to notice any major problems with range or speed. Legacy devices are sometimes connected to the 2.4Ghz range which negates many of the 802.11n benefits.

The benefits or downsides of the 5Ghz range are going to differ for each individual case; one use case may see clients connecting meters away from the base, one may see them in a city area where 2.4Ghz is crowded, one may be in a large building and they need the range 2.4Ghz offers, etc. The fact is the router lacks 5Ghz so you don't have the choice, and no matter how good they claim their 2.4Ghz is it isn't the same as 5Ghz. For the price of the router it should have 5Ghz or even dual-band.

[Steve]

I guess you could also have the 'old' dual band acting as an additional wireless access point.