Reasonable good all in one router good enough Wifi for 3 bedroom?

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Reasonable good all in one router good enough Wifi for 3 bedroom?

pstar008

362 posts

Ultimate Geek

#272502 27-Jun-2020 21:51

Hi,

We have the ONT in the living room, also the Fritz!Box 7490 as the Modem and Router, at one end of our house, make the Wifi signal tricky on the other side of the house. It's never bother myself enough as my PC is using Ethernet cable and the Living room TV as well. When we got the Fritz!Box, the Wifi is not that Stellar, and to cover a new TV in the living room streaming internet content I just got a TP-Link Wifi extender,without doing any research at all, not my brightest moment. Now we do got 5G Wifi signal in the other end of the house, 2.4G is weak, but still fine without the extender, but still the iPad and Phone keep losing Wifi signal from time to time. I think the issue likely due to the extender not 100% compatible with Fritz!Box, so it create a separate set of Wifi channels competing with Fritz!Box's own channels.

As my broadband contract expire soon, I am considering got a decent all in one router (Huawei HG659 or preferably the Skinny/Spark one) to have good enough Wifi to cover the house, still plan to keep the router/modem at the living room to minimize change and probably get rid of the Wifi extender. As we are on Fiber 100 plan, is it a reasonable plan to use a single router/modem to cover the whole house with 2-4 adults?

michaelmurfy

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#2513778 27-Jun-2020 22:16

Are you on 2degrees?

If you're on 2degrees just order another Fritz!Box and pop it into mesh mode. This will bridge the gap and provide a seamless wireless network. Else if you're thinking of moving to them you can use your existing Fritz!Box as a mesh node and use the new Fritz!Box you get given as your main router.

If you're on Spark just contact them to sort getting one of their new Spark Smart Modems. I believe they also have a promo on currently for 2x mesh extenders for the price of one ($150) so you can essentially pop a few mesh extenders around and be done with it.

These are your cheapest options and IMO the best options for your average home user. Don't get tempted to buying one of those routers with massive antennas as their performance in most cases are absolute rubbish. The ISP provided options are almost always best for your average home user.

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pstar008

362 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2513846 28-Jun-2020 09:02

michaelmurfy:

Are you on 2degrees?

If you're on 2degrees just order another Fritz!Box and pop it into mesh mode. This will bridge the gap and provide a seamless wireless network. Else if you're thinking of moving to them you can use your existing Fritz!Box as a mesh node and use the new Fritz!Box you get given as your main router.

If you're on Spark just contact them to sort getting one of their new Spark Smart Modems. I believe they also have a promo on currently for 2x mesh extenders for the price of one ($150) so you can essentially pop a few mesh extenders around and be done with it.

These are your cheapest options and IMO the best options for your average home user. Don't get tempted to buying one of those routers with massive antennas as their performance in most cases are absolute rubbish. The ISP provided options are almost always best for your average home user.

Thanks Michael Murfy, Just want to mention that I read your 'the router guide', and its very helpful. I used to have an expensive ASUS router which cost me around $250 retail and got good reviews all over the place, a while ago (ADS era), and yes, the internet speed I got from the ASUS router is about/below average compare a few budget one's either bought by myself or supplied by ISP.

No, I am currently not with either 2degrees or Spark, but with BigPipe and I don't have their router anymore. Currently I am looking at either switch Orcon as they have promotion going on, and get a second hand Fritz!Box or to switch to Skinny/Spark to get a Smart modem or to 2dgree again to get a Fritz!Box (unfortunately 2degrees Fritz!Box is rental only, so don't think go with 2degree any cheaper than buy a 2nd hand one anymore).

If not with my Fritz!Box has Wifi drop out issue, I will mostly like go with Fritz!Box mesh route, but I still need looking at the reason we are having Wifi issue with fritz!Box with/without the range extender, hence still on the fence.

So your suggestion is either to get a Fritz!Box mesh, or Spark Smart Modem with mesh extender just to be sure with the Wifi coverage?

TheMaskedOnion

51 posts

Master Geek

#2514059 28-Jun-2020 16:41

Does the Fritz guest wifi function work correctly when using them in a mesh? so the guest wifi will be active on both fritzboxes and won't allow guest wifi users to access the LAN\Wifi devices?

michaelmurfy

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#2514138 28-Jun-2020 20:41

@pstar008 I wouldn't go Orcon personally. Just pick between Spark or 2degrees for your use as they have for starters the best routers. Regarding the drop out issue this sounds like DFS, read this: https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=85&topicid=252788

Spark have the slight edge with their Spark Smart Modem which has excellent WiFi. You buy their mesh units separately.

Remember, the cost difference between broadband between providers is next to nothing these days however service level and the general broadband service differs greatly between providers.

@TheMaskedOnion Yes, guest mode works in mesh mode.

timmmay

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#2514146 28-Jun-2020 21:01

Which Fritzbox do you have? Mesh works best from the 7490 up. 7390 doesn't as a mesh client. You can set it up as an IP client, if you happen to have one. It works great, except weirdly Surface laptops upload speeds are basically zero, while all other devices work fine - very odd that one. I've used all kinds of routers as WAPs, but the older ones cause interference - the WRT54GL has been relegated to a box.

Alternately just plug in a standard WiFi access point and set up another WiFi network. If you don't have Ethernet to the place you want it run a powerline network.

I have a Fritzbox 7590 up high in the center of my house. Its signal goes significantly further than the old 7390, and it was a free upgrade as I resigned up for a year with 2degrees. It's also faster.

2degrees is a good ISP. Very rarely have issues, and when I do support is good. When I locked myself out of my router they can remote in and fix it - much easier than a hard reset, though I did have to tell the 1st level person exactly how to fix what I broke when I disabled a user.

pstar008

362 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2514647 29-Jun-2020 17:10

michaelmurfy:

@pstar008 I wouldn't go Orcon personally. Just pick between Spark or 2degrees for your use as they have for starters the best routers. Regarding the drop out issue this sounds like DFS, read this: https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=85&topicid=252788

Spark have the slight edge with their Spark Smart Modem which has excellent WiFi. You buy their mesh units separately.

Remember, the cost difference between broadband between providers is next to nothing these days however service level and the general broadband service differs greatly between providers.

@TheMaskedOnion Yes, guest mode works in mesh mode.

I agree there is not much different price wise for all the major providers. I think the skinny smart modem link here: (https://www.broadbandunlimited.nz/support-centre/the-skinny-smart-modem/skinny-smart-modem-technical-specifications) is the same as the Spark smart modem, and I assume that I can buy the Spark modem from the spark shops if I think I need one?

And yes I am aware that you mentioned the DFS issue for the Fritz!Box in another thread, I suspect it might be what happens over here, as I occasionally have Wifi drop from my imported Chromebook, it will cost probably double what I paid if I can find the same model in NZ, and wife's Oneplus phone from Aliexpress. But I just never saw any suspicious log entries in my Fritz!Box, so still need put bit more time trying to change the Channel and test to see if it indeed fix my issue.

Another thing is, if I am using the the Spark/Skinny smart modem, can I keep my Fritz!Box as the router and still using the Spark mesh with the Spark modem? I am still happy with the Fritz!Box if the Wifi drop out issue can be fixed, and if I have to replacing it with the smart modem, will the smart modem able to do VoIP and control access/block access to kids laptop? That's is probably the only advanced thing I need from my router?

Cheers

pstar008

362 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2514654 29-Jun-2020 17:26

timmmay:

Which Fritzbox do you have? Mesh works best from the 7490 up. 7390 doesn't as a mesh client. You can set it up as an IP client, if you happen to have one. It works great, except weirdly Surface laptops upload speeds are basically zero, while all other devices work fine - very odd that one. I've used all kinds of routers as WAPs, but the older ones cause interference - the WRT54GL has been relegated to a box.

Alternately just plug in a standard WiFi access point and set up another WiFi network. If you don't have Ethernet to the place you want it run a powerline network.

I have a Fritzbox 7590 up high in the center of my house. Its signal goes significantly further than the old 7390, and it was a free upgrade as I resigned up for a year with 2degrees. It's also faster.

2degrees is a good ISP. Very rarely have issues, and when I do support is good. When I locked myself out of my router they can remote in and fix it - much easier than a hard reset, though I did have to tell the 1st level person exactly how to fix what I broke when I disabled a user.

My one is 7490, and it sets on my desk behind my 27 monitor, so I might just hang it higher and problem solved :D

Wait! You got a 7590 from 2Degrees? When I was with 2Degrees, I asked them to provide me a new modem, and they said my one is actually slightly better than what they are offering now? And from their new T&C my understanding is the modem need to be returned if you leave say after a year, might be able to keep it if stay for three years or more?

Yes powerline might be another option, don't want run cable through living room, or drill holes to run from outside/underneath of house.

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timmmay

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#2514730 29-Jun-2020 19:28

pstar008:

My one is 7490, and it sets on my desk behind my 27 monitor, so I might just hang it higher and problem solved :D

Wait! You got a 7590 from 2Degrees? When I was with 2Degrees, I asked them to provide me a new modem, and they said my one is actually slightly better than what they are offering now? And from their new T&C my understanding is the modem need to be returned if you leave say after a year, might be able to keep it if stay for three years or more?

Yes powerline might be another option, don't want run cable through living room, or drill holes to run from outside/underneath of house.

I got a 7590 maybe 2-3 months ago, they'd only just started supplying them. It's a monthly rental, free because I signed up for 12 months. If I leave I give it back regardless of how long that is.

The 7390 I purchased outright years ago when I first signed up with Snap before 2degrees purchased them.

maoriboy

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#2514750 29-Jun-2020 21:08

Currently with Spark. Does anyone know, if I sign up for another 12 months by upgrading my plan - do I get the Smart modem as well?