New Router??

Associate
Joined
3 Aug 2014
Posts
13
Hi all,

I’m currently on Virgin 300mb 3.0 hub. What I’m trying to find out with my current situation is if a new router, mesh, booster or setup of some devices would need to be changed.

I currently have 12 devices connected 10 of those are WiFi of which 8 are 2.4ghz the remaining 2 are 5ghz, then 2 devices connected via Ethernet. Is this overloaded already for this router?

I have 4 Ring cameras, 1 is connected EoP, 2 WiFi to router 1 via the chime pro (which obviously connects to the router) so the EoP is fine 99% of the time for the obvious reason, one of the camera connected via WiFi is great like 80% of the time. The door and floodlight… now from my router to both of them devices is say 6-7m, so I’m guessing there is a lot of interference with other devices, the walls etc. Is there any way I can help reduce all of this? I mean I don’t get massive amounts of lag to a certain extent but there signal strength isn’t great!

Right now I’m at download speed of 340 (same room as router) by the doorbell it’s at 130 and for the flood light it’s at 2-3mbs bare in mind from the door to the flood light is about a meter.

I know to a certain extent there is a bit more too it, such as Ring’s servers etc but I feel the router being a standard from Virgin isn’t best cut out for this operation? The camera on WiFi is about 4-5 meters from the router and it’s RSSI is showing 45, the front door is 61 and the spotlight is 67… just seeing if I can get those numbers down basically?

also apologies in advance if this is in the wrong sections on the forums. Any help would be much appreciated.
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2002
Posts
7,176
Your router can handle significantly more devices (wireless or otherwise) than you have connected. Ring has issues, they’re more obvious on certain generations than others, but they are well documented online. Combine that with what is likely double course brick work with plasterboard lining and WiFi struggles - it’s the same when you try to deal with coverage for extensions or out in gardens.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
3 Aug 2014
Posts
13
Is they’re anyway I can maybe attempt to make the signal slightly better for it? To be fair I’ve noticed it doesn’t seem to be that bad, just thinking anything to help it alone really?
 
Soldato
Joined
27 Mar 2006
Posts
4,051
Hub 3.0 imo is quite poo. I had a similar situation (went from Plusnet to Virgin <74 Meg from plusnet v 500 Meg from virgin) . I put hub into modem mode. Used my old tp link wifi router (required its functions but disabled its WiFi as it was poorly located and would cover less than a quarter of my property ) and hard wired devices with that and gigabit switches. WiFi in my house was rubbish. I then aquired a tp link Deco M4 3 unit mesh wifi set up. Hard wired them around 3 locations around the house (added a forth to give the garden full coversge aswell) and now it's brilliant. No cheap solution but decos cost me about £100 and the WiFi router I already had. Ring works great now BTW. When WiFi 6 becomes more readily available I'll upgrade the Deco's to that (currently only 1 laptop &my phone support wifi 6, everything else is 5ghz and a couple of 2.4ghz (Ring & a few light bulbs and WiFi sockets)
Additional. You can use the deco system as a router if you don't need more fancy operations a more dedicated top of the range WiFi router offers you.
 
Last edited:
Associate
OP
Joined
3 Aug 2014
Posts
13
I actually bought a D-Link set it all up and to be fair I think it’s done the trick, I just need to place it in a more central location.

one thing I am confused on is that 2 devices are plugged into the VM router are still working, yet the other 2 aren’t? I would have though in modem mode they wouldn’t even work?
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Jul 2005
Posts
19,205
Location
Norfolk, South Scotland
I actually bought a D-Link set it all up and to be fair I think it’s done the trick, I just need to place it in a more central location.

one thing I am confused on is that 2 devices are plugged into the VM router are still working, yet the other 2 aren’t? I would have though in modem mode they wouldn’t even work?

The modem is a DHCP server, so anything plugged in will be given an IP address (that’s how your other router gets a WAN IP address but unless they are configured to use the modems IP address as a gateway and DNS server they won’t do a lot.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
3 Aug 2014
Posts
13
The modem is a DHCP server, so anything plugged in will be given an IP address (that’s how your other router gets a WAN IP address but unless they are configured to use the modems IP address as a gateway and DNS server they won’t do a lot.

I am (obviously) a noob to this is there anyway I can make it so all the devices connected via Ethernet work on the VM router?
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Jul 2005
Posts
19,205
Location
Norfolk, South Scotland
The speed from your iPhone will depend on what sort of iPhone you have and what sort of D-link router you bought.

2x2 speeds are typically 150-250Mbps
4x4 speeds are typically 300-600Mbps

It’s unlikely you’ll see any benefit from 3x3 over 2x2 because it drops to 2x2 as soon as a 2x2 client attaches to the access point on the D-link device.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
3 Aug 2014
Posts
13
The speed from your iPhone will depend on what sort of iPhone you have and what sort of D-link router you bought.

2x2 speeds are typically 150-250Mbps
4x4 speeds are typically 300-600Mbps

It’s unlikely you’ll see any benefit from 3x3 over 2x2 because it drops to 2x2 as soon as a 2x2 client attaches to the access point on the D-link device.

currently on a 12 pro, which before I got the new router was showing speeds of 300 easy, now it’s down to 50 ‍♂️ not sure why a sharp drop, especially as the new router is basically
Sat next to the old one just on the other side of the wall, there isn’t any difference in interference except a glass door?

the one I bought was Gaming AX1800 , EXO AX WiFi 6
 
Associate
OP
Joined
3 Aug 2014
Posts
13
That should be very quick. WiFi6 router/access point and a WiFi6 phone. It should be 700Mbps easily.

have I set the router up incorrectly then? As before when it was connected to VM hub it was hitting max speed easily. It’s just weird that the D-Link app says 370 yet the speed test app says 50
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Jul 2005
Posts
19,205
Location
Norfolk, South Scotland
have I set the router up incorrectly then? As before when it was connected to VM hub it was hitting max speed easily. It’s just weird that the D-Link app says 370 yet the speed test app says 50

It certainly sounds like something is wrong. Bear in mind that Speed Test is actually checking your speed from the router to the server, so if the server you picked can only handle 50Mbps that’s all you’ll get.

But to be getting 50Mbps it sounds like you’re only running at a 1x1 5GHz AC rate. Before WiFi6 I would have said it’s the slowest device on your network dragging you back to the slowest speed. With WiFi6 your slowest device shouldn’t be an issue anymore. They should all run as fast as they are capable of. Have you googled for compatibility issues between the iPhone 12 and your new router?
 
Associate
OP
Joined
3 Aug 2014
Posts
13
It certainly sounds like something is wrong. Bear in mind that Speed Test is actually checking your speed from the router to the server, so if the server you picked can only handle 50Mbps that’s all you’ll get.

But to be getting 50Mbps it sounds like you’re only running at a 1x1 5GHz AC rate. Before WiFi6 I would have said it’s the slowest device on your network dragging you back to the slowest speed. With WiFi6 your slowest device shouldn’t be an issue anymore. They should all run as fast as they are capable of. Have you googled for compatibility issues between the iPhone 12 and your new router?


Figured out the problem, there was a setting on the app that says ‘use 2.4ghz for 5ghz’ I’ve unticked that and my iPhone speed is back up to 360mb like it was before, seems to have done the trick for now!

hopefully the router was the best option to do, as I’m still all new too this
 
Back
Top Bottom