Upgrading DSL modem router

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Upgrading DSL modem router - advice

casewindow

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#223714 14-Oct-2017 09:56

I currently have a TP-Link W8960N Modem Router

I've disabled wireless as I have dedicated APs. It does the job ok but struggles when people are streaming video, downloading files and browsing the web. I think it overheats. It needs rebooting at least once a fortnight.

Sometimes the whole network has an issue and I have to do a complete shutdown of all machines and switches and then restart the router first, then one switch then one machine etc.

I run about 20 devices on a mixed DHCP and Static IP network. They range from desktops, to a NAS server, to RPis to iPhones to iPads to AppleTVs and four TP-Link wireless access points. There are five switches in the mix chained throughout the house. Wiring is CAT5e.

Anyway,

I am thinking either of these will probably be more up to the job?

TD-W9980 ADSL/VDSL Modem router

TD-W8980 ADSL Modem router

My logic is that the W8960N is being stretched too far under load (and some forum posts back this up). But I don't want to get something that is too overpowered as I want it really just for the modem capabilities

What do you think?

1101

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#1884224 16-Oct-2017 11:06

Perhaps you are expecting too much from DSL internet ?

Whats your connect speed ? Whats the speed you get on speedtest.net , on the various devices
Perhaps part of the issue is the other Wifi Access points, (since the modems wifi is disabled)
or just marginal wifi ?

"It needs rebooting at least once a fortnight."
Definitely replace it then. DSL modems are now dirt cheap on trademe, just an option

"My logic is that the W8960N is being stretched too far under load (and some forum posts back this up)"
perhaps those forum posts were refering to its wifi, that you arnt using

Maybee a used Draytek from trademe is worth a try ?
I bought a used N600 from trademe really cheap . DSL modems are being sold off cheap as people move to fibre.

Upgrade to fibre would be a good place to start, if its available :-) And you'll get a new router

casewindow

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#1884630 16-Oct-2017 21:58

Connect speed is ~15Mbps

Speedtest gives around 11Mbps

Wifi and ethernet devices all give good speed in general, but the router seems to become overwhelmed after a few days.

Good point about the wifi bit - the whole router definitely suffered much more when wifi was enabled (I thought I'd try it out to see if it was better than the dedicated APs I have)

I'll check Trademe out - fibre isn't available where we are yet, sadly.

wratterus

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#1885173 17-Oct-2017 15:50

The best thing you can do without breaking the bank is to get a Draytek DV130. It should be noticeably better than either of the TP-Links.

Running a DV130 in bridge mode with a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter is an even better option. I'm doing this at home with 16Mbps ADSL and for what it is, it runs amazingly.

An EdgeRouter would also be able to connect directly to your ONT when (if?) you get Fibre.

casewindow

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#1885262 17-Oct-2017 19:19

What advantage does bridge mode have?

richms

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#1885268 17-Oct-2017 19:41

casewindow:

What advantage does bridge mode have?

Means that your router behind the draytek is doing the PPP connection, so it has the real routable IP on it, and can do as it likes for fowards and accepting VPN connections from the internet etc. Only other way is to put the router as the DMZ on the other router and hope that its ok with not knowing the real IP, and having no way for it to know when the PPP connection is down so having to rely on timeouts etc to fall over to another connection,

Richard rich.ms