Home Network Issues

rctneil · 26 Dec 2018 at 11:40

Hey,

I've been having some network issues for a while now so the other day I purchased a new router (Netgear Nighthawk R7000). I connected it to my existing Plus Net Hub One from one of its LAN ports to the Netgears WAN port. I disabled all extra features of the Hub One in the hopes of using it just as a modem. Unfortunately this is not possible so now I need to ask you guys some questions:

Do I return the R7000 and get a new router with integrated modem? If so then which would you recommend?

Or

Do I keep the R7000 and get a separate modem? If so then what modem would you recommend?

If I go the separate router and modem route then which router out of the following would you guys recommend as I've actually been looking at them both or would you rather something different?

Would a separate setup be more future proof or is that not correct?

Netgear Nighthawk R7000
Or
Linksys Velop Dual band 2 pack

Thanks in advance,
Neil

andy_mk3 · 26 Dec 2018 at 11:45

Personally I like to have separate devices. I have a Draytek Vigor 130 modem, anything like this or the BT Openreach modems will do the job (assuming you have VDSL). There's still nothing wrong with a router with an integrated modem though. Seeing that you already have the R7000, picking up a HG612 would be an easy and hassle-free way of making it work. The BTO modems are solid units.

Bluecube · 26 Dec 2018 at 12:08

Disabling all the features on the Plusnet router won’t turn it into a modem. There is (or should be) a specific switch in the admin screen of the router that’ll change it from a router to a dumb modem.

If there isn’t then a HG612 from eBay will sort you out.

andy_mk3 · 26 Dec 2018 at 12:11

Bluecube said:
Disabling all the features on the Plusnet router won’t turn it into a modem. There is (or should be) a specific switch in the admin screen of the router that’ll change it from a router to a dumb modem.

They don't have that option sadly. But yes, disabling all features still leaves you with double-NAT issues

Avalon · 26 Dec 2018 at 13:29

HG612 or ECI ex Openreach modem should set you back £10-15 delivered and do the job perfectly. People seem to prefer the HG612 as it has improved starts availability and it's also capable of ADSL standards as well as VDSL, don't pay a premium for 'unlocked' as it quite literally takes 2 minutes to update the firmware.

Steveocee · 26 Dec 2018 at 17:26

Avalon said:
HG612 or ECI ex Openreach modem should set you back £10-15 delivered and do the job perfectly. People seem to prefer the HG612 as it has improved starts availability and it's also capable of ADSL standards as well as VDSL, don't pay a premium for 'unlocked' as it quite literally takes 2 minutes to update the firmware.

If your want stats though get a HG612 as they are easiest and try to get a 3B model as they are the most recent and have the best thermals. Mount vertically if you can.

rctneil · 26 Dec 2018 at 18:03

Ok, Cool. Thanks all. Going to keep the R7000 and just purchased a 3B HG612 from Amazon. Should be here in about a week.

Steveocee · 26 Dec 2018 at 20:57

rctneil said:
Ok, Cool. Thanks all. Going to keep the R7000 and just purchased a 3B HG612 from Amazon. Should be here in about a week.

Good move! Just make sure when it arrives it is genuinely a 3B. I bought one and it arrived as a v2 which are known to have a lesser reliability. You can tell easily as the 3B's have a big sticker with 3B on and they take a higher input current (1.2A compared to the earlier 0.75-0.8's IIRC).

rctneil · 29 Dec 2018 at 21:47

The HG612 arrived today. It is a 3B one and all is connected and configured and working perfectly! Thanks for the advice all.

andy_mk3 · 30 Dec 2018 at 11:24

Thays good to hear

~cw · 3 Jan 2019 at 17:31

Glad you got it fixed. I kept my ECI OR FTTC modem as PN stopped sending those out soon after my install.

I've read that the TP-Link TD-W9970 can do bridge mode when used on a fibre line, but not on an ADSL line. Ended up not buying one as fibre became available more quickly than I expected after moving house. Anyone own one and can report back on reliability?

The other alternative is to get a Draytek Vigor 130 as previously mentioned - great units, bit expensive but worth it.

andy_mk3 · 3 Jan 2019 at 18:59

~cw said:
The other alternative is to get a Draytek Vigor 130 as previously mentioned - great units, bit expensive but worth it.

Picked mine up off eBay for £40. Seller said it was only used for a short period of time, and it looked brand new. Replaced my BT OR modem as I had the ECI one which is hard to get the DSL stats from.