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Modem / Router (non-WiFi) Recommendation Please

Whaleblue

Whaleblue

Southbound
I’ve just spoken to a helpful chap at our Broadband provider (Plusnet) Tech support. We’ve got good download speeds, but have annoying drop-outs. He checked the line, and it’s showing as solid, with very few failures - normally one or two weeks between.

We had bought a Gryphon MESH WiFi router as we were having trouble getting decent coverage in the house (solid brick walls) - and we’re really happy with it. It connects to the modem/router via a single Ethernet cable, and the Plusnet device’s WiFi is turned off. This tech support chap suggested our issue is with the Plusnet supplied router not handling the traffic it’s getting on that single port connected to the Gryphon, and that a better VDSL modem/router would likely be our solution.

So, my question is “which one?”. Presumably a dedicated VDSL modem / router - with no WiFi of its own would be best.
 
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I would say Draytek too, I used mine for years and years, support was good if you needed help and firmware updates were frequent (a good sign if there are any potential security bugs in the device)

Sadly it collapsed recently, so at present using a cheap linksys from a fellow PFM'er, but when that collapses I will be back to Draytek.

S
 
Whaleblue said:
This tech support chap suggested our issue is with the Plusnet supplied router not handling the traffic it’s getting on that single port connected to the Gryphon
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I don't buy that. An ethernet connection not keeping up with DSL speeds? Could be a bad cable I suppose.
Could it be your devices are having difficulty switching between different nodes/transmitters 'on the mesh'? When you have these 'drop outs', does switching wifi off and on (on your laptop, or phone etc) fix things? Firmware. upto date on the Gryphon devices?
 
The Plusnet router is a poor BT Home Hub 5 a cheap low end device. I have one in my holiday pad and its utter crap. It is a weak low cost computer that has to service both the A/VDSL stream and drive the Ethernet ports and just doesn't have the balls for other than basic throughput.

I also had a HH for my home office and within a few days replaced it with a Draytek and never looked back.

Cheers,

DV

PS thanks again for the OS X Server image.
 
It must be really crap to cause 'drop-outs' on the ethernet port, if the DSL connection is good!

Whaleblue, you're in Portslade/Shoreham? I could lend an HG612 modem. You would have to configure PPPoE (Plusnet username/password) and enable DHCP in the Gryphon router, but I think you'd have to do this for the Draytek too.
 
s1h1 said:
It must be really crap to cause 'drop-outs' on the ethernet port, if the DSL connection is good!

Whaleblue, you're in Portslade/Shoreham? I could lend an HG612 modem. You would have to configure PPPoE (Plusnet username/password) and enable DHCP in the Gryphon router, but I think you'd have to do this for the Draytek too.
Click to expand...

I think the explanation is that it can’t put all the traffic through reliably on just the one port. Yes, it’s a cheap and cheerful box!

Anyway, many thanks for the offer (I’m not a million miles away :) ), but I’ve got a DrayTek 130 coming, so hopefully that’ll sort me out.
 
Hmm. I received the 130, and now realise it’s just a modem. I’ve put it in place, but, of course (???), it has to feed the original Plusnet router (via the WAN port now).

We still have problems with dropouts!

Am I missing something?
 
Million dollar question, has the new modem helped? Is your wi-fi stable? Is it too early to tell :)

S
 
Did you use the Draytek with the lastest 'BT firmware' straight or did you make any adjustments to the settings?
 
Update. Either the Draytek or the Gryphon is playing up. About once an hour I lose internet connection (WiFi still there).

I rather suspect the Draytek as the I never had full drop-out with the Plusnet and Gryphon combo, just the odd freeze which impacted only some devices.

Anyway, is there a good alternative to the Draytek Vigor 130? A Cisco perhaps?
 
Whaleblue said:
Update. Either the Draytek or the Gryphon is playing up. About once an hour I lose internet connection (WiFi still there).

I rather suspect the Draytek as the I never had full drop-out with the Plusnet and Gryphon combo, just the odd freeze which impacted only some devices.

Anyway, is there a good alternative to the Draytek Vigor 130? A Cisco perhaps?
Click to expand...

The Drayteks have been around for years, so it ought to be just fine. Try going back to the previous firmware 3.1.4

https://www.draytek.co.uk/support/downloads/vigor-130/older-firmware
 
When you loose the connection, try switching wifi off then on (on the laptop/tablet). Does this fix the problem?
If so, then try renewing the IP address. (e.g. Network Preferences, WiFi, Advanced, TCP/IP, Renew DHCP lease on a Mac)

(In changing from the Plusnet router to the Draytek modem, IP addresses are now being distributed by the Gryphon DHCP server)

Also, if you have more than one Gryphon unit, then switch off all apart from the master and see if that makes any difference.
 
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