Replacing main vodafone router and Setting up a second router as an access point

[richard_moore]

Hello guys

I had enough issues with Vodafon's router, which is not providing me wifi signal upstairs and outside of my house.

So i decided to get new routers, meaning i would like to replace the main one, and also to add a second one (why not a third one) to get better wifi signal all over the house.

I need help regarding this, as i don't know what routers are better, as i am using 2.4ghz also 5ghz for my wifi outdoor cameras, i don't want to spend a lot, so if cheaper ones available, i will be interested.

Also i will need to know the correct settings and the correct way to do them, one time for easy setup.

I've seen a lot of routers online with good specs that comes with 8pin ports all over. So the one that i need as the (main router) needs to have 4pin port and lets say 2-4 lan ports (8 pin ports), as what i understood the 4pin ports are ADSL, DSL or ADSL2 port. Can anyone clarify this?

Meaning i will get one of this routers with 4pin port as main, can i get the second router, the one with 8 pin port?

I don't know why, but the routers with 8pin ports are cheaper then the other ones.

Please let me know what's the suggestions and recommendations.

Curently i am with Vodafone on SuperFiber 2 and i have the following routers available:

Vodafone Smart Hub THG3000

Vodafone HHG2500

BT Smart Hub 6 - Type A

What routers i found:

1. TP-Link AC1200 (4 pin port for internet as main router)  £60

2. TP-Link AC1750 (8 pin port mainly used as access point)  £56

3. TP-Link AC2100 (4 pin port for internet as main router)  £85

Any better then this one for same price or less? And which combination to choose:

Nr 1 as main + BT or Vodafone as access point

Nr 2 as main + Nr 1 or BT or Vodafone as access point

Nr 3 as main + Nr 2 or  Nr 1 or BT or Vodafone as access point

Nr 2 as main + BT or Vodafone as access point

BT or Vodafone as main + any of them 1, 2 or 3 as access point?

What's the best combination?

Best Regards

[richard_moore]

Sorry for confusion.

Yes LAN RJ45 cable between the routers correct.

I was talking about the cable from the cabinet (IPS socket to the router) which is the RJ11 cable so 4 pin one i think. My current one is 2m and a thin flat cable.

I will need to move the router probably somewhere close to middle of the house to spread the signal even better, but my question was, can this R11 4 pin cable be extended to longer sizes? Like 10m-15m without loosing from internet quality, signal etc? I've seen on amazon RJ11 cables 15m High Speed ADSL2 twisted for £10.

Update:  Just been with vadafone on chat at the moment, and as i am curently on SuperFast 2 for which i pay £22/month for 24months contract, they offered me the (New Vodafone Pro Broadband) for £30/month for 24 months contract, which comes with new hub + additional extender hub from what they said to get wifi all over the house.

Any ideea if this is really good option, insteed of heaving the two routers setup which is what i am trying to do?

Link: New Vodafone Pro Broadband Wifi 

[Jayach]

You can certainly use a longer DSL cable as long as it is the correct twisted pair type. The flat cables are usually parallel wires and are terrible with xDSL. The DSL cable you got with the THG3000 should be circular. Try it, you may get a better sync, but over a very short distance it may not be much.

The Vodafone Pro system gives very little info on the extenders. If they are just that, extenders, and not a mesh I would think they would not perform particularly well.

You do however get the opportunity to leave penalty free if they don't work (or so they say) so may just be worth it for that reason.

[richard_moore]

Had a chat again with them, and exactly as you said, nothing like a mesh system, so the extender will be connect via wifi to the existing router, which i don't want.

I tried to connect the BT HUB 6 as the access point, and found out that it is only working on 2.4ghz. On settings it's clearly saying 5Ghz is on, but i cannot find the wifi with any device, might be a faulty hub probably, last firmware update on it was done in Jan 2017 and no option to update it automatically from the hub itself.

Any ideas?

Update:

I connected the AC1750 as access point last night via 10m ethernet cable and fitted the router at the end of the house, all working like a charm, huge increase of wifi signal outside of the house. Connecting the new router as an access point was done in 10min time, super easy.

Has anyone seen the picture i added with plan of my house and where i have my router and socket located?

Where do you think will be best location to move the Vodafone router? I received the DSL 15m High Speed twisted cable and need advice where to locate the main Vodafone hub now.

Currently Vodafone hub it's located as in the picture, but i moved it on top of the shelf on the living room furniture, so close to the ceiling, as from what i understood is better to have it higher then lower. Any better ideas? 

Can you tell me if there is any available routers, even if i will need to choose a SH from ebay or so, that can suit the needs of 2021? Maybe a good top end one, even older version but with specs to suit 2021 needs.

Thank you in advance

[Cynric]

Be aware that the 5GHz spectrum covers three "zones" with channels 36-64, 100-144, and 149-177. Not all transmitters provide the whole range and not all devices can see the whole range too.

On Android I have an app called "WiFiAnalyzer" which does a fairly good job of surveying.

[richard_moore]

It is setted to Channel 40 as default. I have also tried other channels in the spctrum and no fix, nothing come up while scanning for 5ghz with multiple devices. 

On forums i found a lot of issues with them Hub6 and faulty 5Ghz bands, so probably faulty routers, corrupted firmware etc. But only ingineers from BT can update it's firmware so i believe i will leave this away and get something else.

Any ideea of any other WIFI AC, 2.4Ghz and 5GHZ good SH old routers?

[richard_moore]

Ok guys, so i have to choose between Archer C7 v5 and Archer A7 v5.

What's the actual differences between them? I havent found any good informations about.

A friend of mine has the C7 v2 and also A7 v5.

From the pictures i added bellow, it seems that:

1. C7 v2 is really well made and more sturdy, more compact, bigger and richer motherboard, more components, 3 internal antennas + 4 external detachable aswell, 2 USB ports - (found that v3 was released back in 2013, but curently V5 is available for sale, which i don't know how it looks on the inside)

2. A7 V5 is basically the same looking device but inside, seems really poor, smaller and lighter motherboard, little components, only 3 visible fixed external antennas. 1 USB port - (Currently V5 is available for sale)

I have the occasion to get each of them A7 V5 and C7 v5 at the same price.

Any ideea which will be the best choice?

[Cynric]

Are these reviews any help? They do seem very similar.

https://www.windowscentral.com/tp-link-archer-c7-ac1750-wi-fi-router-vs-tp-link-archer-a7

https://community.tp-link.com/us/home/forum/topic/209616

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/compare/?typeId=9&productIds=26649%2C31387

[richard_moore]

I am facing some weird issues now.

With only main router connected or with access point connected aswell, i am getting under wifi networks, ( Connected - No internet). So network dropouts, like yesterday i had 3 dropouts.

Checked the network status on router, and find out - No Connection.

Now sure why is happening now this often?

I had experienced previous, but in a year time maybe 5-6 times dropouts.

I hooked vodafone router only, so same as before, and i had dropputs on it aswell.

Also when internet was working, i had my TV wired to main router so 1 LAN port, and access point to 2nd LAN port. 

But TV was not getting an internet connection, until i disconnect the 2nd LAN (access point)

Any ideas?

Is this problem an IPS issue?

[gipjon]

Sorry not followed thus post for a wile as been busy . What did you connected in the end and how . and are you saying its the main router thats is disconnecting from the internet ( sync or PPPoE ) (is the main router still connected directly to the openreach socket or on a long cable etc . Or is it the lan that is disconnecting between the first and secondary router 

[richard_moore]

Hi

Well i choosed the TP-Link VR600 as the main one and Vodafone as the access point.

I did some tests, and basically there are really no huge differences between AC1750 and vodafone router, got the same signal range and strengh with both, so decided to keep the free one.

Now the problem i have is within the main router, whatever i choose, even tp-link or vodafone as main, the line drops some times in a day, and checking the router status, it is saying no connection, also under wifi networks on smarphone, tablet, laptop, tv etc it is saying Connected - No internet.

I had to do each time the reconnect option on router in order to get connected.

And yes, main modem-router is connected to master socket via high speed 15m cable. Will this be the issue for dropping connections?

The other issue i said about, is that while heaving TP-link as main, and Vodafone as access point, or reverse, my TV is wired connected to the main router, and i have no internet connection on it. I need to disconnect the lan cable that goes to the access point in order to get internet connection on TV. Any idea why?