Wired modem/router for broadband

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RossB

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#303975 25-Mar-2023 09:55

Hi all,

I am looking for a great wired modem for NZ broadband connection, I don’t need the wireless feature as the location of the modem/router is not ideal for wifi and I am using a wireless access point elsewhere on the premises. Does anyone have a suggestion?

Thanks,

Ross

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#3054388 25-Mar-2023 10:12

What type of broadband connection have you got?

Do you require a modem or router?

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3054403 25-Mar-2023 11:56

The wireless function is cheap enough and ubiquitous enough that you're basically not going to find a consumer product without it. Commercial, yes. But it's easiest to just disable the wireless.

As above, the answer will depend on internet connection - VDSL, fibre, HFC, something else?

RossB

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#3054422 25-Mar-2023 13:30

Thanks for your replies, I feel like such a fool for not specifying the broadband type. We are using fibre in Hamilton. I was hoping to find a wired only option, are there any commercial options that you could recommend?

anatokidave

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#3054424 25-Mar-2023 13:34

I'm on Voyager fibre at home and use a MikroTik RouterBoard hEX RB750Gr3 as my router. Plugs into a couple of GB switches around the house for extra ports where needed, and a Grandstream wireless access point.

Available at various outlets, incl PB tech.

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3054425 25-Mar-2023 13:37

OK; you don't need a modem. The ONT fulfills that purpose. All you need is an ethernet WAN port.

PB Tech has a 'wired routers' category, and I think most of the cheaper ones on that list more-or-less match what I've seen recommended here. Bear in mind that setup is likely to be somewhat more convoluted than with plug & play consumer-grade stuff.

michaelmurfy

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#3054426 25-Mar-2023 13:37

@anatokidave I wouldn’t recommend Mikrotik for your average home user - they’re, by design, not simple routers to manage.

What are you needing from the router? There are many simpler options out there like a Fritzbox along with another to use the fritz mesh capability but also many routers have the ability to have a wired mesh these days too.

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RunningMan

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#3054427 25-Mar-2023 13:38

Mikrotik have a number of good options, dending on your conection speed and requirements such as number of ports etc. Pretty steep learing curve though if you are used to a consumer device.

robjg63

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#3054436 25-Mar-2023 14:19

What are you specifically hoping to achieve with "a great wired router"?

In the average NZ home, pretty much any recent router *should* be ok if you are only wanting to use an ethernet port to plug into your own wifi setup.

Do you have a lot of devices that you want/need to plug in using cables?

How many wireless devices do you have?

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#3054535 25-Mar-2023 14:57

Draytek make very good routers, business grade, feature rich and not as complex as Mikrotik.

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Rickles

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#3054589 25-Mar-2023 17:27

>We are using fibre in Hamilton. I was hoping to find a wired only option,<

Isn't that just a switch?

RunningMan

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#3054590 25-Mar-2023 17:34

Nope. You need a router.

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SomeoneSomewhere

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#3054619 25-Mar-2023 21:03

Unless you can convince your ISP to set up the ONT as the Residential Gateway. But then you lose a whole bunch of configurability.

darylblake

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#3054620 25-Mar-2023 21:27

A mikrotik will be a pretty solid solution. The problem is, you may struggle to set it up... it is a somewhat complex unit, but once its set up it will pretty much work forever.

Other options that are wired only are Ubquiti edge routers not sure what the latest units are.

Generally if you got good wifi coverage in your place then you dont want to buy an all in one type unit. Getting a wired only router and using it as the network gateway on the network edge is probably what you want.

You cant use a switch. You can use a PC with an ethernet adapter.. but you my struggle with that too from a setup perspective.

I use a AMD Epyc Supermicro Machine running VMware as my home router. This strips off the Vlan tags, then bridges it to a Router VM. That VM runs a fortinet vm router.

Then i have other VMs on that machine. So yeh an even more complex setup. But then again I am the exception, rather than the rule.