3rd party higher end router recommendation

[#1]

Hi, at some point in the future I’d like to replace my hub 2 with a fuller featured higher end router. Does anyone have any suggestions of 3rd party router replacements that work well on Plus Net full fibre please? Thanks

[#2]

@Star-Light100 

Any router that works on FTTP can be used. PN have always been happy for customers to use their own equipment and provider the settings required in their Help pages.

Can't offer any specific advice but in general I believe FritzBox routers come well recommeded. Zen Internet use them and they have a good reputation overall.

Brian

[#3]

But, @bmc , AIUI, they are (a) a  little expensive and (b) hard to come by with UK software.

[#4]

@bmc,  @jab1,  Depending on ability and inclination Fritzbox routers can be FULLY factory reset with Fritz original firmware in English. You can also use other firmware e.g. openWRT.

They (7530) are available second hand from the likes of eBay although in my case I bought from CEX which was cheaper and in theory has a 24 month warranty? I paid £35 but they are currently £30 from CEX !

All the ones you see for sale second hand (inc CEX) are ex ZEN and have TR069 auto set-set but this is not a problem. You can put your own (e.g. Plusnet) settings in or follow the link below to FULLY factory reset removing TR069 

Other advantages include seperate 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz wifi and a built in ATA so overall a very cost effective project.

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=85&topicid=148507

[#5]

Cheers, @Batfrog . As a Zen customer, I have one, and am very happy with it. As a point of interest, mine, on the current (7.59) f/w, does not have separate bands, but that doesn't cause any issue.

[#6]

@jab1,  Curious, with mine also 7.59 you can have separate SSIDs for 2.4 and 5Ghz. You can also set the wifi channel for each manually or automatically. I leave them on auto but then again there are very few wifi networks near me.

I wonder if the ZEN firmware has other differences apart from TR069 ?

You might find this link informative.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Fritz!Box_devices

[#7]

@Batfrog As supplied/configured when received, the Zen version has both networks on the same SSID. Doing a bit of checking, it is possible to split them, but I am one of those who take the attitude 'if it works, why introduce complications?'

I'll save that wiki-link for later, thanks.

[#8]

For info, my Wi-Fi Network page:

[#9]

You might want to remove that QR code @jab1  

[#10]

Cheers @RobPN  - done! 😉

[#11]

@jab1 Ah Ah, I have the ‘Different Names for WiFi box ticked’. I must confess I thought it odd that ZEN would supply a good router and then restrict it’s options other than adding TR069.

Fritz presumably supply direct to ZEN since the label on the base says’ Zen Edition’.

[#12]

@Batfrog I could do that - see the 'Additional settings' option, but as I said, I don't change defaults unless I need to - if it causes issues later, you may have forgotten what you did.

Yes, it is a 'customised' version for Zen - I remember seeing a 'UK version' on the open market long ago, but the price was, even then, £100+, IIRC.

[#13]

@jab1 If I had to criticise the Fritzbox it would be the signal strength on the 5Ghz band, in my property at least.

I’m not sure if and where you could source external antennas but they do exist and the PCB has connectors for them. They would probably cost more than I paid for the router !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae5GSURRSh0

[#14]

@Batfrog Maybe, but in my home - admittedly a small two-up, two-down place - I have no issues using any kit on 5Ghz in the upstairs room furthest from the routers location, not that I do it often.

[#15]

@Star-Light100 

The GL.iNet GL-MT6000 (Flint 2) looks like a nifty piece of kit.

https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-mt6000/ 

It has:
dual-band 4×4 WiFi 6
two 2.5Gbit WAN
four 1Gbit LAN
1GB DDR4 RAM
8GB eMMC storage
and one USB 3.1.

The manufacturer has built it with their own version of OpenWrt, but it is a trivial option to upgrade it to the current stable release of OpenWrt.

https://openwrt.org/toh/gl.inet/gl-mt6000 

I think we are future-proofed here for a good while, with it set up and waiting to take over when required.

Regards,

Alistair