Alternative Router for Smart hub 2

[noopy66]

Hi, I have been having trouble with the BT smart hub 2 and complete wifi (2 discs), the wifi speed drops when moving from hub connection to disc and back again, the speed is only half of what I had when connected to hub via wifi. I found that by disconnecting my ipad or Android phone from wifi SSID and then reconnecting, my speed went up to the full speed. I cant keep doing this every time I walk around the house 😞

I raised faults with BT, they tested everything (Broadband has always been good speed for DSL line), I was sent a new smart hub 2 to replace but no difference, then a special BT engineer came to check and advise on my home setup and could not find out why, instead they set up a 3rd disc and said see if that helps - it has not and the speed of my wifi is slowly getting on my nerves.

So I am thinking of replacing the hub for a different router with a good wifi system, but dont know what router to buy, do I need a modem as well?

Can anybody suggest a good replacement for my smart hub 2?

I know the discs wont work without the BT hub

Thanks

[Keith_Beddoe]

@noopy66 

Which BT Broadband package do you have?

Is it an FTTC (copper) connection, or an FTTP (full fibre) connection?

Do you use BT Digital Voice for your phone calls?

[noopy66]

I have Fibre with Halo 1, this is a FTTC and copper into premises.

I dont use digital voice for phone calls, just basic phone 

[Keith_Beddoe]

---

@noopy66 wrote:

I have Fibre with Halo 1, this is a FTTC and copper into premises.

I dont use digital voice for phone calls, just basic phone 

TP-Link AC1200 Wireless Dual Band VDSL/ADSL.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/service-provider/dsl-router/archer-vr400/

This is  very popular device, but will not work with Digital Voice, if you are changed over to.

[noopy66]

Thanks, that looks like just what I wanted 🙂

[Keith_Beddoe]

---

@noopy66 wrote:

Thanks, that looks like just what I wanted 🙂

---

Its very easy to configure. If you need help, please ask on this forum.

[noopy66]

Thanks, I will ask if I have any trouble setting it up.

I notice they sell other routers, such as AC2100, AC2800 etc, are these routers a better option, if I am buying a replacement then I might spend a bit more for a faster wifi/router, thanks.

[licquorice]

There is no point in having faster wifi unless you stream or transfer very large files within your LAN as the governing speed will be the slowest link in the chain, your broadband connection.

[noopy66]

Thanks for all your advice, I purchased anew TP Link Archer AC2100, connected it up and configured everything OK, however the Broadband speed is not consistent and at the moment quite slow, most time I can get just below 30Mbps, but some days like today it drops to 20Mbps or has been lot less. 

I have used Speedtest and directly from the TP Link  router to measure speeds and they are both the same, so its not my iPad or mobile phone that's causing this, it appears to be the speed from BT exchange.

I have seen that I need to leave the router on so BT can increase speed on a steady line, which I have done, however if I report these slow speeds to BT will they be able to test to my TP Link router as I dont have the BT Hub attached.

Any help please. 

[TimCurtis]

@noopy66 

Speedtests can vary considerably depending on overall loading of various servers.

Somewhere you'll find the connection stats and these are what we need to see.