Wireless networking with Orcon NF4V router and ADSL connection.

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Wireless networking with Orcon NF4V router and ADSL connection.

OldGeek

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#231860 16-Mar-2018 22:03

I use the above router with native WIFI enabled. The issue I have is that the router offers WIFI to the n standard, but the 2 PCs and 1 laptop I have all have WIFI devices that have compatibility with the ac standard along with sundry phones whose connectivity speeds are not a concern. I have an IDE hard drive in a USB enclosure that is connected to one of the USB ports on the router - used for automated local backups from the PCs and laptop with Idrive software. The router was originally supplied as a 'Genius' product so I have a VOIP landline involved. All devices connect via WIFI

The issue I have is that the router is a WIFI speed bottleneck. In principle this sucks. As far as I know there is no Orcon-supplied router that has WIFI to the ac standard for my current requirements. My address shows that Fibre is due in November 2018 - near enough to be a factor in planning but too far away for immediate consideration. I simply dont know whether the NF4V is used by Orcon Fibre customers.

Plan A would be that I disable WIFI on the NF4V and use a mesh AP plugged into a LAN port on the router. Plan B is that a fibre-enabled router comes with ac-standard WIFI, although this does not deliver mesh-related features. My questions are as follows:

- When Fibre becomes available will Orcon replace the NF4V with a router that has WIFI ac built-in?

- Are there other options, both now and when Fibre is available, that I should consider?

jamesrt

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#1978875 16-Mar-2018 22:25

Orcon still supply NF4V with UFB connections.

I don’t use the WiFi on it either; I use better WiFi APs instead.

sbiddle

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#1978937 17-Mar-2018 08:04

Orcon supply a Fritz!box now on a number of UFB plans.

myndlyz

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#1978968 17-Mar-2018 10:35

sbiddle:

Orcon supply a Fritz!box now on a number of UFB plans.

not anymore

its the nf18 now

OldGeek

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#1979335 18-Mar-2018 14:24

myndlyz:

sbiddle:

Orcon supply a Fritz!box now on a number of UFB plans.

not anymore

its the nf18 now

Looked at the specs of the nf18acv and WIFI specs are good - but USB port is 2.0. This means that data transfer to and from a file server on the USB port bottlenecks on the USB port (max 480 Mbits/sec) not the network (max 1600 Mbits/sec). I would have thought the USB port should be at least 3.0. Am I missing something here?

richms

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#1979339 18-Mar-2018 14:37

If you has NAS needs then buy a NAS, ISPs are in the business of supplying communications not network infrastructure so expecting them to get gear that does anything more than let you browse the net and talk on the phone (if you pay for that) is a tall ask IMO.

Richard rich.ms

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#1979341 18-Mar-2018 14:49

OldGeek:

Looked at the specs of the nf18acv and WIFI specs are good - but USB port is 2.0. This means that data transfer to and from a file server on the USB port bottlenecks on the USB port (max 480 Mbits/sec) not the network (max 1600 Mbits/sec). I would have thought the USB port should be at least 3.0. Am I missing something here?

You live in a fantasy world if you think you'll get even 480 Mbps to a SMB share via USB on any router.

sbiddle

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#1979397 18-Mar-2018 17:38

OldGeek:

myndlyz:

sbiddle:

Orcon supply a Fritz!box now on a number of UFB plans.

not anymore

its the nf18 now

Looked at the specs of the nf18acv and WIFI specs are good - but USB port is 2.0. This means that data transfer to and from a file server on the USB port bottlenecks on the USB port (max 480 Mbits/sec) not the network (max 1600 Mbits/sec). I would have thought the USB port should be at least 3.0. Am I missing something here?

I could literally count the number of people I know or posts I've seen from people trying to use a router as a cheap NAS. It's not something I would ever recommend and it's normally fraught with issues. There isn't any way in the world you'd ever get close to maxing out a USB2 port on such a setup, let along needing USB3.

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Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

OldGeek

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#1979446 18-Mar-2018 20:11

sbiddle:

I could literally count the number of people I know or posts I've seen from people trying to use a router as a cheap NAS. It's not something I would ever recommend and it's normally fraught with issues. There isn't any way in the world you'd ever get close to maxing out a USB2 port on such a setup, let along needing USB3.

When I started to use the router USB port it was because this was the only way of having storage exposed to all devices at all times for file backup purposes. I had used one of the PCs on the network for this purpose but this required the PC to be powered up at all times. I took the (SATA) hard drive out of the PC and put it in a SATA case (about $40 IIRC) with USB connectivity.

Is there a better way of doing this?

Spyware

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#1979460 18-Mar-2018 20:19

Build a headless Ubuntu box with a mini-iTX board.

richms

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#1979868 19-Mar-2018 14:01

Buy something from Synology or qnap is my suggestion.

Richard rich.ms

michaelmurfy

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#1979880 19-Mar-2018 14:27

Your data is still at the mercy of a single hard drive connected to a router - buy a NAS with at-least 2x hard drive bays and set up an online backup solution (a bit harder given you've got ADSL however if you can get VDSL then maybe run with that).

You still outside of UFB? Your area has had a bit of Chorus work go on lately: https://chorus.co.nz/maps

As for the access point side of things - I'd recommend just grabbing either the Ubiquiti Amplifi or the Orbi and disabling WiFi on the router.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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Mistenfuru

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#1979885 19-Mar-2018 14:34

We've just started using the NF18, AC is great on this model and the rest of its settings are basically cloned from the NF4 Model.

OldGeek

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#1980110 19-Mar-2018 20:07

michaelmurfy:

Your data is still at the mercy of a single hard drive connected to a router - buy a NAS with at-least 2x hard drive bays and set up an online backup solution (a bit harder given you've got ADSL however if you can get VDSL then maybe run with that).

Not strictly correct. I use IDRIVE and have cloud backup. The router-connected drive is my 'local secondary' for use if file recovery is needed and there is no internet connectivity available.

You still outside of UFB? Your area has had a bit of Chorus work go on lately: https://chorus.co.nz/maps

Ooops - my date has slipped from Nov 18 to Jan 19 8-(

As for the access point side of things - I'd recommend just grabbing either the Ubiquiti Amplifi or the Orbi and disabling WiFi on the router.

Understood - and most likely I will do this.

michaelmurfy

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#1980190 19-Mar-2018 22:21

@OldGeek Glad you're not just using the HDD attached to the router! I've seen people do this, had that drive fail (often an el-cheapo USB drive not designed for 24/7 operation in my cases) and lost all their data.

But is lame that you're having to wait this long for UFB given most of our area has it. You don't happen to be on a hill or anything in view of a friend with UFB?