Recommend a router (UK)

Posted by: Gavin B on 07 March 2011

Can anyone recommend a new router for me? I'd like to replace the standard 'g' one that was supplied by Talk Talk. I assume an 'n' router would be the type to go for. I'm in the UK and don't want to spend too much (less than £100).

Thanks

Gavin

Posted on: 07 March 2011 by garyi

What is your requirment Gavin? i.e. are you connecting a uniti via wireless or what ever?

Posted on: 07 March 2011 by 0rangutan

Gavin,

I would keep the router and instead add a wireless switch for your LAN (eg. Apple Airport Extreme). This can then handle your (W)LAN traffic and just use the TalkTalk box for upstream Internet access.

802.11n support is sensible for your other devices, but bear in mind that (for whatever reason) Naim's wireless devices are 802.11g only.

John

Posted on: 07 March 2011 by Guido Fawkes

I use an Apple Airport Extreme connected to my Juniper router and it works fine using Airplay to a remote Mac. However, because of the proximity of the UQ to my music server I use its S/PDIF connection.

Posted on: 08 March 2011 by Gavin B

Thanks for the comments so far. I hadn't thought about using a switch.

As Gary requests, here are my uses.

I use the router to connect my Dell laptop to (wirelessly) for internet and email. I bought a NAS to house my iTunes collection to feed my recently acquired Unitiqute. The Qute also uses the wireless LAN to connect to internet radio stations. The Qute is a secondary source - I'd use CD or LP through preference.

I've had trouble copying my iTunes over onto the NAS and thought the speed of the router might be the issue - it gets part way through then falls over.

How does a switch connect in to the router and the NAS?

Thanks

Gavin

Posted on: 08 March 2011 by garyi

I assume the dell houses the itunes in which you are trying to copy to the nas?

Wireless for all its popularity really when all is said and done is not very good. It soulds very much like your router is a bit rubbish and losing it half way through big copies.

Invitably ploading to a NAS is always slower than downloading and you can assume say 10MB/s copy speed, but if your routers wireless is G then you will be getting at most 4MB/s i.e. its not likely to be th NAS at fault.

As mentioned you can simply use your router for internet access and dishing out IPs, then connect say an airport extreme for wireless duites. However other wireless switches are available.

For my money I would get a decent ADSL/router and be done, less plugs if nothing else. Netgear rangemax are supposed to be good, but I would always recommend Draytek as thats all I use.

Posted on: 08 March 2011 by Michael Chare

I got PlusNet to send me a Netgear DGN2200 wireless N router FOC. It won't cost me anything so long as I stay for a year. Prior to that I did buy a Netgear DGN2000 wireless N router which has been replaced 3 times because the wired Ethernet ports fail. I use these boxes to provide wireless N wifi.

The Billion BiPAC 7800N has a good reputation.

I use a Thomson TG585v7 for my broadband connection as it generally gets the best sync speed, and has been very reliable since I installed the 8.2.6.5 firmware