Which of these is the better router ?

[OilSheikh]

BT Smart Hub :
2.4GHz = 217Mb/s
5GHz = 1733Mb/s
Number of antennas 7 (3x2.4GHz, 4x5GHz)

NETGEAR R6400 :
2.4GHz = 450
5GHz = 1300
Number of antennas ?? UNKNOWN

[oldboy47]

Cannot compare as have not had a BT Smart Hub but I have found the 6400 (3 antennas) to give pretty decent performance. I replaced several BT hub 5's with the 6800 model as the BT hub failed handling & maintaining multiple DHCP/wireless connections/data volumes/throughput.

[OilSheikh]

This is a new Smart Hub. The antennas are all built inside.

[Dareos]

A general rule of thumb is that the router you pay for will be better than the router an ISP gives away free. Not sure about the new BT models but the previous hubs have been poor.

I also vastly prefer external antennae

I cant speak for that particular netgear router but my 7800 is fantastic, all the nighthawk series are

[Spreadie]

I've found the BT Hubs severely wanting in Wifi performance - streaming/copying from my server to my laptop in the bedroom, saw speeds under 2Mbytes/sec.

I opted for a VDSL modem feeding a Cable Router - in my case the Asus RT-AC87U (£80 mis-price in Currys/PC World), which gives 30+Mbytes/sec when streaming to the same location.

[AGTDenton]

I have a Nighthawk EX7000. The WiFi performance is great. This connects to an Asus Router downstairs. The model is roughly 4 years old.
What I will say about Netgear is their Web interfaces get worse with each generation. You get less and less advanced features and this is why I have switched to Asus. All the advanced features you used to get with Netgear and then some.
I can't comment on the latest BT Smart Hub but the one we had at work couldn't even cater for VPNs.

[adidan]

I've found the BT Hubs severely wanting in Wifi performance - streaming/copying from my server to my laptop in the bedroom, saw speeds under 2Mbytes/sec.

I think it may depend on the version mate. I've just switched out my new providers router for my BT Hub (version 6A) and it's giving me a more stable connection and 40mb+ to my laptop even in the loft room.

Some versions are shonky though, the more recent ones seem better. I could test some out (i have several older ones kicking about) but i can't be arrsed