Modem router suggestions for ADSL Max

[dudwell]

An increasing number of dropouts cause me to suspect that it might be time to replace my seven and a half year old Thomson TG585 v6 modem/router which has given excellent service.

I have an array of wireless-connected devices: Samsung RC520 laptop, Asus Eee PC notebook, Kindle Fire, Humax PVR, NowTV box, Chromecast of which up to 3 might be connected at any one time. Only ADSL Max is available from my sleepy village's exchange – no ADSL2+, no LLU, no fibre. I don't do gaming.

I need something easy to set up, reliable and with a decent wireless range - I like to be able to recline beneath a pear tree at the end of the garden on a fine summer's day and use my Kindle Fire. Price is secondary but I don't want something massively over-specified. Perhaps it should be dual band though?

I'm bewildered by the options and would welcome suggestions.

[stevenrw]

You don't say how far away your favourite tree is, but your Thompson is only 802.11b&g so any modern unit will comply with the latest "n" or "ac" standard which will automatically give you far better range.
I subscribe to ComputerActive magazine and they have been recommending the Trendnet TEW-812DRU router for sometime now. You can buy it here http://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/15026-trendnet-tew-812dru/.
Now whilst I can't endorse the mag's router recommendation from first hand experience, I can recommend Broadband buyer having bought routers from them in the past. You might benefit from calling them and discussing your particular situation.
Are you absolutely certain that there is no possibility of Fibre coming your way anytime soon? If there is a chance you may want to consider future proofing your purchase by ensuring the router you buy has an EWAN port to attach a fibre modem, even if you don't use it for several years.
You also need to consider whether you would require NAS sometime in the future and factor that into your considerations.

[dudwell]

Steven: thanks for your response and you have made some interesting points but I fear that the Trendnet TEW-812DRU router will not do. Unless I'm missing something it appears to be just a router and, because I want to keep boxes/power supplies/connections to the minimum, I want an all-in-one ADSL modem router. Trendnet do offer just such an item but it is suspiciously cheap at only £24 and the reviews are poor.   

I'm inclining towards the TP-LINK range but there are so many models covering a wide range of prices that I'm having trouble deciding. A completely daft point is that many of their products strike me as ugly.

[stevenrw]

I think you will find that they are pretty much all combined modem/routers, just the "modem" is dropped because it is understood that if the unit is suitable for ADSL, then it will include the modem, and of course the power supply. I don't know any unit that needs a separate brick (power supply) these days unless its been designed for the US market primarily.
AFAIK the only scenario these days is when you have a two box solution for BT Infinity (aka FTTC or Fibre to the cabinet) where you have a BT supplied modem, which plugs in to the router. This would be the EWAN port I alluded to.
There are, however one box solutions out there that are suitable for fibre, but thats not what you need at the mo.
With pretty much every unit designated as a "Router" you just plug your ADSL RJ11 cable into it, (thats the little plug lead that comes from your telephone box via the microfilter) put in your username and password, set up your wireless security and away you go.
If you look at any website selling networking equipment, none are referred to as "modem/routers", just "routers"

[Steve]

I think a Billion BiPac 7800N off EBay would serve you well, it's got a good reliable modem, N wireless with decent range. They initially retailed for £160-£180 , there's a few for sale secondhand.

[stevenrw]

I also use the Billion unit, I can certainly endorse Steves recommendation. It aint the prettiest router in the world, but it is reliable, has UK based support is easy to set up and has the EWAN port should you need it in the future. Many consider it superior in performance to its sucessors. This looks worth a punt..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Billion-Electric-BiPAC-7800N-300-Mbps-Gigabit-Wireless-N-Router-/111634410907?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item19fdeded9b

[pctech]

Would recommend a Billion BiPac 8800NL.

Had a couple of 7800Ns and had a couple of hardware failures but I've probably just been unlucky but I would comment that in my experience at least the 8800NL runs cooler than the 7800N.

[dudwell]

I had previously thought Billion modem routers to be all a bit too "advanced" for simple souls like me but your suggestions have made me reconsider. There are several possibilities:-

7800N doesn't seem to be too widely available new and I don't want a used  item. There's just one new from an Amazon seller at  £177 (!) and some on eBay at £145.

7800NXL at £99 is supposed to be the successor to the 7800N. There are not too many reviews but they are reasonably positive though one claims wireless range to be terrible, elsewhere performance is said to be "solid".

7800DXL at £137 appears to be the top of the range but there are several comments that wireless range is poor. It really does seem to be a bit "over the top" for my purposes.

8800NL at £66 is one I hadn't thought of but again I find comments about poor wireless range and some suggestions that it's tricky to set up.

Anyway after days of study I have decided to go for the 7800NXL. If I'm not pleased with it I'll return it and go back to the drawing board.

Many thanks for your help. I'll report how I get on in due course.

[stevenrw]

I'm sure you'll be fine with it. You'll certainly notice a difference from an old design b&g router.
With just about anything you'll find somebody who has had a problem, in my experience its only when you find repeated reports of the same problem that you need to take notice.
Just take some time, maybe a couple of weeks, to let the line settle, and you may well benefit from changing the wireless channel. Its easy to do and can have quite pronounced effects.
Billion update their firmware quite regularly so its worth keeping on top of that, because that's the first thing their (normally very helpful) UK tech support will want you to do. Again, its easy to do, and the knowledge base on their website will show you how.

[dudwell]

 

[pctech]

Just for your info the wireless range on the 8800nl is fine.

It 'lives' in my computer desk cupboard in a downstairs extension and I have three Roku streaming sticks wirelessly linked to it, onw in the upstairs of the house and two downstairs and to reach one the signal has to penetrate a brick wall, I also connect my mobile to the Wi-Fi when at home.

Obviously one's mileage may vary and it will depend on the building construction.

I did purchase a DXL when my last 7800 decided it was going to give up and found the range to be a bit poor as the antennas on it are blade shaped rather than rounded as on the 7800N which did give good wireless signal.

The 8800NL ones are internal so if this one doesn't work out, dont dismiss it as it holds the line well too.

[dudwell]

There's really not much to report. Setting up the 7800NXL was easy and it just works. I can't say that I notice much difference except that there's no more dropouts. I've tinkered with SNR to little effect, I've set it to 5. innSSIDer shows that all the neighbours are on channels 1 and 11 so leaving mine on 6 as supplied is obviously correct.