Powerline/WiFi mesh or new router for VM superhub 3

[Saracen999]

Had VM (200MB-ish) for a while and a Hub 2ac and I'm increasingly getting Wii dropouts. I will be talking to VM about the dropouts but it's got me thinking about speed optimisation on other floors to the hub, and two possibilities cross my mind :-

1) Powerline/Wifi extender, something like Devolo Magic 1 1200 or Magic 2 2400

2) Turn off the Hub WiFi and add an additional Wifi router. Options include Asus (AC68U or aC86U), Netgear Nighthawk (R7000 or R8000), etc.

I'm inclined towards option 2), and the Nighthawks but my router experience is way out of date.

Also, I might upgrade the VM service from 200 to 350, and want to at least future-proof to that extent.

Budget = £200-ish, less if possible with speed or reliability/stability loss.

Opinions and benefit of your expertise/experience much appreciated.

TIA

Edit - Title says hub 3 but currently have hub 2ac. Assuming WiFi is crapping out, I'm assuming a hub 3 replacement but may well up the BB package at the same time.

[Jonj1611]

I have had mixed results with powerlines, especially if they go over 2 circuits as they frequently would drop out and the speed seemed all over the place

I have recently had 2 weeks of issues with Virgin where my speed dropped to 1mbps, now you may think thats ok but with at least 12 devices it seriously isn't. Tech support was a joke at best, the online checker said everything was fine, the app said it was fine, the checker on the router said everything was fine, the "tech" guy said I need a new box, sent one and still the same speed then all of a sudden the speed went back to normal after 2 weeks, I did everything in that time including pulling my hair out, crazy. Sorry not related to your question but wanted to get that off my chest.

The hub 3 is naff, there is a new hub 4 out now which I believe you can upgrade to, if not ask for it. Its supposed to be a lot better than the hub 3

If you are going hub 3 I would get a top notch Nighthawk with mesh, something like this :- https://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-XRM.../dp/B07SFPNLSW

Or if you felt very flush, this is the one : https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-ZenWiF.../dp/B082T48132 - 6.6Gbps

[Saracen999]

Like most things, Jonj, it's a case of how far to push things.

I was looking more at this

The Netgear is not too bad, but a I'm not really a gamer, I'm not convinced the extra £40 is justified. I'd need a really convincing reason to go to £400. I'd rather keep it below £200.

In fact, I'm not only not a gamer, I'm also not that demanding a user. I don't, and almost certainly won't be video streaming very often, and as for gaming I'd MUCH rather play standalone or local co-op.

What I'm after is good speed for file downloads, though I don't do that much of that, and a solid, fast local connection around my home kit. I'll do the £200, even £240 if I have to, but if I can get good, solid performance and quality for less, so much the better.

[Smudger]

I bought an Asus AC87U for about £100 because my VM modem at the time couldn't do 2.4 and 5GHz at the same time and not looked back. Sitting on my sofa, even with the newer modem (Hub3) and router behind the telly, 30mbps with hub3, 220mpbs with Asus. That's on 5GHz as well. I think that router's a bit more expensive now, but totally worth it.

[ik9000]

avoid hub3, keep on hub2.5 to avoid the awful latency spikes and packet loss. Stick it in modem mode. Run into a decent router, any modern mid-high end netgear/asus will do. Use that for all your wifi and running into homeplugs etc. Homeplugs work well on the same mains ring circuit. Not as good otherwise in my experience. You won't get same as standard LAN, but good enough compared to wireless N. I'm using hub 2.5 into netgear R7500. Plays very nicely. Had wifi issues last few days, but that can't be the VM hub at fault given it's in modem mode. Unless they've activated something without me knowing that is interfering? Hmm interesting, time to make a foil shroud and see if it has any effect... (obv don't block the air vents...)

[cheesemp]

I was having big issues with wifi on my EE smarthub (basically a BT smarthub with different branding) - I tried powerline wifi and it didn't help as 90% of the time phones just stuck with the EE signal which use to just randomly stop responding to requests. In the end I picked up a 3 pack of TP-link M4s on a one day amazon deal for £110. It has fixed all my wifi issues 100% (With the smarthub in modem only duties). I went for the M4's over the E4's for 1Gb ethernet (just in case I ever get a decent Internet option). The signal is so good I've stopped using the powerline adaptors to wiring in my PC (Its the otherside of a thick brick wall to the smarthub in an extension) and instead just have one unit either side of the wall with the slave unit proving ethernet to my PC. I then have the final unit at the other end of the house in the kitchen. I have good signal through out now - even in the garden and my family have stop complaining. I did turn the Wifi handover setting which warned it could break wifi on older devices but I've had no issues even on old amazon fire tablets. Definitely worth a looking out for a deal (and with Amazon its easy returns)

[Apex]

Seems very similar to our setup at home.

VM 200Mbit
Hub 2 (modem mode) >
pfSense router >
switch >
BT WholeHome WiFi Mesh up stairs
other devices in the same switch
tp-link home plug
tp-link home plug in lounge > other BT WholeHome Wi-Fi

I can max the WAN link out. From a reliability pov its been stable enough, few times over the last few 2 years i have had to power cycle the homeplugs and has for the mesh disc's, think I've force rebooted them twice since i got them.

Wish i had gone mesh when they came out, the issues i have had for the last 5 yrs with wi-fi would not have been there and are to me well worth the 100 quid it cost for the refurb kit. The homeplugs, if i could hardwire i would to at least allow the mesh to use the ethernet backhaul that way rather then homeplug.

What we had before was separate access points ( both asus routers )and with each firmware update it felt like it was all getting slower and slower and just odd issues; i've had less moaning at me since this which makes me happy.

[pp05]

I bought Tenda mw3 mesh setup for 60 quid. Sorted out my connectivity issues across the house. It's only 100mbps lan port but that's fine for now. I'm on 36mb fibre.

With your setup you check out Tenda mw6 model. it's 100. It's same design, just more coverage and a gigabit lan port.

[ik9000]

the worst bit of networking kit i ever bought was a tenda switch. Never again!

[g8ina]

I did the same some time ago and might still have the router, Ill check and get back to you, as I reverted to just using the VM SH. It does the job as Sally only ever uses the wifi in the living room, within 5m of it

[jimborae]

1. Turn off Wi-FI on the the PoS VM router. Or better still put it in modem mode and connect a much better one such as the Asus or TP-Link ones mentioned.
2. Purchase & place powerline adapters around the house where you want wi-fi, connect one of them to the router.
3. Purchase BT Wholehome Mesh Wi-Fi discs and connect them to the powerline adapters and use the powerline adapters to backhaul the wi-fi over ethernet for the best speeds.

Simples & relatively cheap

[jimborae]

Also I have an Asus RT-AC87U sat on my desk, running Merlin firmware, doing nothing, so PM me if you're interested in it.