Any critical reasons to use 2Degrees-supplied router over current HG659B?

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Any critical reasons to use 2Degrees-supplied router over current HG659B?

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#248662 4-Apr-2019 15:25

I was in the process of switching ISPs (to 2D) when I came to the router question - accept the 'free' one, or BYOD.

I'm happy with the current performance of my Spark-supplied HG659:

- it's all set up for my needs (VOIP via 2Talk; IP range, reserved addresses etc)

- I don't care about relative wifi performance as I use separate APs anyway

- it's only a year old, and

- I don't like the idea of getting a new bit of technology just because I can, if what I've got works fine - seems unnecessary and wasteful.

So my question is - are there any strong reasons as to why I should get the Fritzbox (and then have to on-sell/dispose of my Huawei router)?

1 | 2

3075 posts

Uber Geek

#2210848 4-Apr-2019 16:51

I trialed the same setup when we recently moved to 2d. In the end I just opted to use the Fritzbox full time as it just seems way easier to manage. Performance seemed the same for both so it ultimately was down to UI.

It was quite easy to setup the HG659B for fibre. I don’t think I had to change any settings to facilitate that other than supplying the 2degrees username and pass.

You might not be able to onsell the 2d provided fritzbox btw. It’s technically a rental with $0 monthly fee and you’re expected to give it back when you leave.

Edit; just read you were asking about onselling your current modem. If you don’t want the fritzbox I would decline it and go BYO. But there’s no charge so no benefit in doing that. Just tuck it in a cupboard for troubleshooting purposes if needed later on.

Wise

Send money globally for less with Wise - one free transfer up to NZ$900 (affiliate link).

michaelmurfy

meow
13191 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2210850 4-Apr-2019 16:54

I recommend using the Fritz!Box. It is a better router with better WiFi and is fully supported by 2degrees.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? Please consider supporting us by subscribing.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#2210864 4-Apr-2019 18:30

Thanks for the feedback.

As mentioned, I don't care about the wifi as I have it disabled on my current router due to having ceiling-mounted APs, so that's not a factor.

I remember not loving my previous Fritzbox's interface at all (it went on the fritz; this was back before 2D took over Snap), so am assuming newer models/firmware improve on this. And I'm happy enough with the Huawei's interface, and it does what I need.

The lack of 2D support is, at this point, the only decent reason I see to get the Fritz; that said, as tardtasticx points out, I can elect to get it but simply have it on hand for troubleshooting etc. That loses me points in terms of wasting resources, though...

sqishy

470 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2210877 4-Apr-2019 19:01

The HG is fine, it had earlier issue when 5G was on and over heated needing a reboot every other day. If you have wifi off stick with it.

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2211119 5-Apr-2019 09:22

HG659 has a 32 device limit. (16 devices for its inbuilt wifi) Not aware of an equivalent one on the Fritzbox.

timmmay

20426 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2211123 5-Apr-2019 09:38

A few weeks ago I changed a setting on my Fritzbox router that locked me out of it, something to do with users. Because it's 2degrees managed I called them up and they logged in remotely and changed the setting back. That's a big advantage IMHO. They can't do that if you supply your own router. The Fritzbox 7390 I have works well, and I hear that the later ones are even better.

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#2211150 5-Apr-2019 10:00

Aredwood: HG659 has a 32 device limit. (16 devices for its inbuilt wifi) Not aware of an equivalent one on the Fritzbox.

Interesting. Are you saying that 32 is the maximum number of devices that can be connected on our home network at any one time, whether wired or wireless?

Do the wireless devices connected to the APs count towards this limit (given DHCP is still being managed by the router) or is it just the two APs that would count?

If the former, then I can certainly see a day not not far away when we'd exceed 32.

Sorry, very rudimentary understanding of this, so thanks for any clarification.

robjg63

4087 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2211159 5-Apr-2019 10:13

I got an ISP provided HG659 so figured I should use it. It has quite strong wifi and a nice interface.

It seems unclear exactly what the limitations are - Maybe there is an 'authoritive' document somewhere - would love to see it.

Also can't see why on earth it cant be fixed.

Some people said 32 devices max for everything (wifi and ethernet). Someone said 16 devices on 2.4Ghz and 16 on 5Ghz.

I can tell you I started getting issues with 'running out' of devices (not at 32 devices - so suspect the 16 per band may be true) and discovered that one very annoying feature is the maximum number does not just include currently connected devices - The router does not forget devices that might have been since disconnected (e.g. guest devices). You have to power it off to clear those.

I reverted back to my TP-Link Archer c7 and have had no issues with maximum devices since.

EDIT: I actually found an Australian site that mentioned an 8 device limit under one firmware version as recently as 12 months ago!

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

ObidiahSlope

260 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2211175 5-Apr-2019 10:45

If you choose the 2degreesbroadband telephone addon I recommend the FritzBox modem-router and the FritzFon portable handset combination.

I was having problems getting portable handsets from the usual appliance retailers working satisfactorily The FritzFon just works. It also imports your contacts from the FritzBox and has a extensive menu system allowing you to control functions on the modem.

The FrizFon is no longer available from 2degreesbroadband so you need to purchase it from a third party supplier.

Obsequious hypocrite

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#2211184 5-Apr-2019 11:09

Thanks for the feedback.

I've done a quick tally in my head of the devices around the house that are regularly if not permanently connected to our network, and got to 30 - 18 wireless, 12 wired.

Depending on what that 32 device limit means in reality, I could certainly be close to exceeding that - it's bizarre there's not a well-defined understanding of the device limit on what is surely the most common router in NZ homes by now?!

I'll hold off signing up just to see if anyone has that definitive answer (@Aredwood - do you have more detail as per this earlier post?), but this issue could well justify accepting the new router.

michaelmurfy

meow
13191 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2211185 5-Apr-2019 11:13

Just accept the router anyway. There are many things better about it then the HG659 so even with WiFi turned off, it'll still serve your needs well.

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2211189 5-Apr-2019 11:21

From other threads, the 32 devices includes both wifi and Ethernet devices. So you currently have 30 devices connected going by your figures.

And yes, it does include previously connected devices as well. There was a thread where someone was using an HG659 in a photo printing shop. And the customers needed to connect to the wifi to print their photos. And they had to constantly restart the router, due to that 32 device limit. Even though they only ever had a few devices connected at any time.

BoerieGalore

45 posts

Geek
Inactive user

#2211245 5-Apr-2019 11:56

2 Degrees Fritzbox 7490 has AC1300 wireless, I had a linksys wrt3200ac so I opted to rather use the linksys which provides much better wireless performance than the fritzbox 7490.

I think you only get the 7490 if you signup to a gigabit plan. If you signup to the basic 100/20 plan then I think its a 7560, which has even slower wireless.

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#2211249 5-Apr-2019 12:05

I can't say I was impressed with the wireless performance of the 7360 I had when we were with Snap, but whether or not the newer/better models have superior wifi is moot in my case: as mentioned in the original post, I have two access points that provide all the wireless goodness we need.

Anyway, I've signed up and accepted the router; the potential device limit was the main reason for doing so, the additional benefit being that it is supported by 2D.

I simply didn't want to be getting a device because it was 'free', if it offered little or no benefit over a device I already had. I'm aware of how many different routers and modems I've had over the past few years, and I didn't want to unnecessarily add to that ever-growing pile of IT junk.

Thanks for everyone's input.

BoerieGalore

45 posts

Geek
Inactive user

#2211253 5-Apr-2019 12:09

There is a good page here to compare the different fritzbox models:

https://en.avm.de/products/comparing-avm-products/fritzbox/all-connections/

1 | 2