Caveat Plusnet Fibre Optic

JenniWR

NonGeographicalMan wrote: »

Its not my router but Plusnet's and one that they have explicitly chosen for use with FTTC connections where the downstream speed can be as high as 80Mbps at the present time.

wrong, router's are all customer's own. If you bought a router from PC World or Amazon, would this be PC World/Amazon's router?

Because the router's wireless speed drop off with distance as a percentage of connection speed at the router itself is higher and higher as the Sync speed increases in my opinion it is not fit for purpose as a router to be used with an 80Mbps FTTC connection, even though it may serve perfectly well in its original designed purpose as an up to 24Mbps modem/router for ADSL2+ connections,

The TG582n is a wireless N 150Mbps wireless router - almost double the maximum 76Mbps available on FTTC. It is sufficient. If you have a specific reason for a faster internal connection (as I do) get a gigabit LAN/N600 router.

Plusnet are using it only because they got a cheap deal on x hundred thousand routers from Technicolor and not because it is a suitable piece of equipment. They would have been far better not to do so and either adviser customers to either buy their own router and/or offer one that does the job properly at a competitive price to customers (which they would be able to obtain as a bulk buyer).

probably

NonGeographicalMan

JenniWR wrote: »

wrong, router's are all customer's own. If you bought a router from PC World or Amazon, would this be PC World/Amazon's router?

If you bought a Router from PC World or Amazon it would clearly be your own but you would only be likely to buy one from them as a typical ADSL customer of an ISP if the ISP did not provide you with a loan router.

Whilst arrangements may vary by ISP with BeUnlimited, who we have just moved from to Plusnet, the modem/router was clearly their property and had to be returned when their broadband service was discontinued. With other ISP's like Sky or Plusnet the router may become your property at the end of a minimum contract term.

When Plusnet choose to supply a router as part of the total package they are clearly endorsing its suitability, especially with their premium fibre unlimited FTTC service at £20 per month compared to their bargain basement copper broadband in the cheapest exchange areas at £2.49 per month for the first 12 months the customer may have no great expectations as to its quality due to the cheap and cheeful nature of the entire broadband service being purchased

Plusnet's mistake is not to tailor the router quality to the likely expectations of different types of broadband customer paying differently monthly amounts for service.

The TG582n is a wireless N 150Mbps wireless router - almost double the maximum 76Mbps available on FTTC. It is sufficient. If you have a specific reason for a faster internal connection (as I do) get a gigabit LAN/N600 router.probably

But the 582m does not have a physical aerial but is reliant on something printed on the circuit board. This may not experience too much speed loss with distance from the router up 20Mbps or so with ADSL2+ but at speeds like 56Mbps under VDSL loss of speed with only a small move away from the router is very large in percentage as well as absolute terms.

With much slower broadband services ISPs used to supply much better quality routers. But now that speeds are rising ISPs are supplying third rate routers in the name of price competition without any reference to whether or not they may be "Fit For The Purpose".

When it comes to FTTC VDSL the Technicolor 582n is most definitely not Fit For The Purpose.

JenniWR

I have previously used a TG582n, and got wireless speeds of 90+ Mbps even in my attic. The router is fine.

You either have a duff router (in which case, I'm sure it's under warranty) or you have a lot of interference interference in your area (hardly the ISP's fault).

No ISPs guarantee wireless speeds for precisely these reasons. Why not - as suggested already on this thread - change the channel, try the router in another location, use ethernet or buy your own router - these are all reasonable options.

Remember that you are not paying for "wireless broadband" - you are paying for broadband, and happen to have a wireless LAN, whoever supplies the router.

NonGeographicalMan

JenniWR wrote: »

I have previously used a TG582n, and got wireless speeds of 90+ Mbps even in my attic. The router is fine.

You either have a duff router (in which case, I'm sure it's under warranty) or you have a lot of interference interference in your area (hardly the ISP's fault).

Its in a detached house with a largeish garden (0.25 hectares) and the nearest house is about 80 feet away and others are 150 feet away plus. Only three other wifi networks are detectable.

As I have experienced before Channel 13 provided better throughput (its one of only three truly segregated wifi channels) but then has issues about allowing laptops that have not been connected to the router for several days to reconnect to it.

The router is on the ground floor at the master socket near to two external walls. But other routers perform perfectly well at this location in the house without the rapid speed drop off.

I notice that you repeatedly refer to your internal wifi speeds on this router and do not mention your ADSL or VDSL throughput speeds when broadcast wirelessly via the router. Since your originating internal data traffic may be running at several hundred Mbps before the router has to transmit it then it is much more likely that such traffic would achieve wireless speeds near to the router's maximum capability. Also you don't say where your router is. If it is located in your attic in a three storey house it is far more likely you will get high wifi speeds.

What I am talking about is this router's wifi performance in locations in a building that are less than truly optimal. As an FTTC service requires modem connection at the master socket it is far more likely that router location will also be less optimal with an FTTC broadband service.

Also how I do know that you are not the marketing director of either Technicolor or Plusnet?;):(

bod1467

Homeplugs = wifi problem (mostly) solved.

JenniWR

NonGeographicalMan wrote: »

I notice that you repeatedly refer to your internal wifi speeds on this router and do not mention your ADSL or VDSL throughput speeds when broadcast wirelessly via the router.

It's essentially the same thing. If your FTTC speed is 76Mbps and your WLAN speed is 100Mbps, then it is sufficient. If WLAN speed is 50Mbps, you have an inferior wireless connection. There is no specific reason why throughput will be inferior to internal transfer rates, ie the rate-limiting factor will normally (ie should be) your sync speed.

Also you don't say where your router is. If it is located in your attic in a three storey house it is far more likely you will get high wifi speeds.

I specifically mentioned I got a high throughput in my attic because my router was on the ground floor (you may note I talk of my TG582n in the prefect tense. Infer from that what you will ).

As an FTTC service requires modem connection at the master socket it is far more likely that router location will also be less optimal with an FTTC broadband service.

ADSL also requires the modem at the master socket, incidentally. What FTTC does not need though, is the router <1ft from the modem. This is why Openreach supply data extension kits (essentially a long ethernet cable) on all FTTC installations to more optimally locate the router. So, we return to: Phone Plusnet and get a new router (as I say, I assume it's under warranty), relocate the router or buy a new router.

Also how I do know that you are not the marketing director of either Technicolor or Plusnet?;):(

You don't