best fibre broadband + router

JJ_Egan

SH 2 works well for me upstairs ,75 at router  55 to 74 via wifi dongle .

JeffMason

Thanks all.

I'm aware that the BT Smart Hub is pretty good for a ISP supplied router, and am tempted to go with PlusNet (owned by BT) and buy a Smart Hub from ebay to use.

The TalkTalk Fibre 65 is a good deal too, but it's the 'Wifi Hub' that is supposed to be pretty good and that only comes with the higher priced packages. The identical exterior but quite different inside 'Wifi Hub Black' is what they offer with that package, and I don't think is as good.

It's a two bed victorian property, so not huge but might have some thick walls. I think the Smart Hub or Wifi Hub would be fine, or I would happily get something as good as or slightly better myself - but am not quite sure what that should be and depending on the price, whether it will be worth it.  

Do the routers with giant aerials sticking out the top work so well that I could put them in a cupboard? If so, then it doesn't matter how ridiculous they look...

JJ_Egan

But what is available at the new house 3meg or 300meg .

Mister_G

The PlusNet hub is just a rebadged BT Smarthub.

Why not wait and try out the ISP supplied hub (they always supply one) first?

Zellah

Irrespective of whether a router has external aerials or internal ones, it should never be kept in an enclosed place (eg cupboard) if you plan on using its WiFi. 

Re: TalkTalk WiFi hub, they will almost certainly supply this free of charge on any package if you ask them nicely over the phone. 

JeffMason

Mister_G said:

The PlusNet hub is just a rebadged BT Smarthub.

Why not wait and try out the ISP supplied hub (they always supply one) first?

I thought the PlusNet hub was a rebadged BT Home Hub 4 or 5. So somewhat older and not as good as either of the latest two 'Smart' Hubs...

What I'm trying to do is either pay a little more and go with an ISP that will supply a router that is pretty good and will do the job. Or go with a cheaper ISP and a not great router, but spend the money I'm saving over the contract on a better router. So I need to plan in advance and not just try it out and see. 

I'm thinking that Plusnet is the best bet right now. And an eBay SmartHub to use instead of supplied older one. 

JeffMason

JJ_Egan said:

But what is available at the new house 3meg or 300meg .

Apoligies, but I don't know what that means. And how do I find out what is available?

JeffMason

Zellah said:

Irrespective of whether a router has external aerials or internal ones, it should never be kept in an enclosed place (eg cupboard) if you plan on using its WiFi. 

Re: TalkTalk WiFi hub, they will almost certainly supply this free of charge on any package if you ask them nicely over the phone. 

Good to know. I'd hoped that the scary looking multi-aerial routers might be so good that they can be hidden away and still work really well. I'll steer clear of those then. 

I asked TalkTalk about getting the fancier hub (over chat though, not phone) and they said that the lesser one is all I can have with that package. 

Mister_G

JeffMason said:

Mister_G said:

The PlusNet hub is just a rebadged BT Smarthub.

Why not wait and try out the ISP supplied hub (they always supply one) first?

I thought the PlusNet hub was a rebadged BT Home Hub 4 or 5. So somewhat older and not as good as either of the latest two 'Smart' Hubs...

What I'm trying to do is either pay a little more and go with an ISP that will supply a router that is pretty good and will do the job. Or go with a cheaper ISP and a not great router, but spend the money I'm saving over the contract on a better router. So I need to plan in advance and not just try it out and see. 

I'm thinking that Plusnet is the best bet right now. And an eBay SmartHub to use instead of supplied older one. 

Sorry, yes I should have said Home Hub rather than Smart Hub.  Although I understand that the Smart Hub really isn't much better than the Home Hub 6.

JeffMason

Mister_G said:

JeffMason said:

Mister_G said:

The PlusNet hub is just a rebadged BT Smarthub.

Why not wait and try out the ISP supplied hub (they always supply one) first?

I thought the PlusNet hub was a rebadged BT Home Hub 4 or 5. So somewhat older and not as good as either of the latest two 'Smart' Hubs...

What I'm trying to do is either pay a little more and go with an ISP that will supply a router that is pretty good and will do the job. Or go with a cheaper ISP and a not great router, but spend the money I'm saving over the contract on a better router. So I need to plan in advance and not just try it out and see. 

I'm thinking that Plusnet is the best bet right now. And an eBay SmartHub to use instead of supplied older one. 

Sorry, yes I should have said Home Hub rather than Smart Hub.  Although I understand that the Smart Hub really isn't much better than the Home Hub 6.

The Home Hub 6 is the other name for the first Smart Hub. The latest is the Smart Hub 2. So the Smart Hub and the Home Hub 6 are the exact same thing. But yes, the Smart Hub 2 isn't any better - unless you need to use the extra disc things that only work with the newer one.

But the PlusNet router is the same as older Home Hubs, so not as good and I'd defintely want to upgrade.