Broadband Router

[Piff]

Have been with TalkTalk on standard (up to 17Mb) broadband for nearly a year. They have just contacted to advise a price increase at the end of the contract or the option to move onto another fixed price deal, saving £7.00/month or changing to Fibre (up to 38Mb), saving £0.45/month

Generally happy with the TalkTalk package which includes a free sim card (father in law's mobile needs sorted) and free caller display which with new BT8610 phones has totally eliminated the nuisance calls.

But the router provided TT HUAWEI HG633 doesn't seem as good as the previous BT HomeHub which we had, the TalkTalk one seems prone to occasional wifi signal drop out and slower wifi speed.

Initial web chat with TalkTalk suggests that as their router is only a year old, they would not provide a new one even if we switched to Fibre - is this correct, the same router for regular broadband as well as fibre?

I still have the old BT HomeHub 4 - can it be reconfigured to work with TalkTalk?

What are the other router options?

 

[grober]

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Broadband/Huawei-HG633-firmware-upgrade/td-p/1892446

 

[Piff]

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Broadband/Huawei-HG633-firmware-upgrade/td-p/1892446

Hmmm.
Any ideas how I view the firmware version on mine?
Running windows 10 if it makes a difference

I think I found it - it lists software version v1.20t
The above link is regarding upgrading to v1.17t

 

[markjay]

Have a read here:

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5...3-router-firmware-upgrade/m-p/2059418#M143109

Apparently the latest version is 1.21t. Also, my understanding is that the firmware updates for this device are pushed remotely from the network by the ISP - you may need to check this with TalkTalk support.

As far as I know you can't use the BT Hub router with non-BT broadband, but you should be able to purchase and install your own router with the TalkTalk connection.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Struggling to understand why you're certain its the router...

Someone smarter than me can comment, but I'm struggling to understand why you're certain it's the router that's the core of the problem.

The issues you describe could be the router but they could also be to do with service provider throttling, WIFI interference from neighbours and internal walls, and evolving patterns of usage (e.g. more Tablet and phone access, rather than purely laptop; and greater video streaming / iPlayer usage)

Why do I highlight this? Just because lots of people currently find a "need" to upgrade line speed just because they (and their neighbours) are using the service more regularly.

To put this all in context, what line speeds do you actually see (as opposed to service provider "up to" claims, which are all nonsense)? And do you notice that speeds drop in the evenings, especially on Saturday? And can your devices "see" lots of WIFI signals from neighbours, or are you fairly much on your own?

And, as a parting shot, I don't know any reason why you can't just put any old (decent) router on your existing connection. Used ones can be bought for very little money on eBay. Lots of people have to dump their old bell wire routers (that you will need) when they switch to proper Fibre To The Home (FTTH) services.

 

[Piff]

Someone smarter than me can comment, but I'm struggling to understand why you're certain it's the router that's the core of the problem.

The issues you describe could be the router but they could also be to do with service provider throttling, WIFI interference from neighbours and internal walls, and evolving patterns of usage (e.g. more Tablet and phone access, rather than purely laptop; and greater video streaming / iPlayer usage)

Why do I highlight this? Just because lots of people currently find a "need" to upgrade line speed just because they (and their neighbours) are using the service more regularly.

To put this all in context, what line speeds do you actually see (as opposed to service provider "up to" claims, which are all nonsense)? And do you notice that speeds drop in the evenings, especially on Saturday? And can your devices "see" lots of WIFI signals from neighbours, or are you fairly much on your own?

And, as a parting shot, I don't know any reason why you can't just put any old (decent) router on your existing connection. Used ones can be bought for very little money on eBay. Lots of people have to dump their old bell wire routers (that you will need) when they switch to proper Fibre To The Home (FTTH) services.

We think it is the router because:-
Same phone line as before
Previous provider BT had no problems.
I also have problems from time to time with the connection being dropped on my desktop pc which has a wired connection to router.
Number 1 son who was the "heavy" user left home a few weeks ago and the problems have not changed
When we bought into the service a year ago, all the family complained that the new service was not as good as the old one.

 

[GeeJayW]

We had some problems with our broadband, especially when using FaceTime or sending/receiving MMS. After some digging around I went into the router settings and changed to a different DNS provider. Has worked fine since.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Sure it's not Talktalk?

We think it is the router because:-
Same phone line as before
Previous provider BT had no problems.
I also have problems from time to time with the connection being dropped on my desktop pc which has a wired connection to router.
Number 1 son who was the "heavy" user left home a few weeks ago and the problems have not changed
When we bought into the service a year ago, all the family complained that the new service was not as good as the old one.

Well, it could be the router, but from what you've said here, the problems started when you switched provider to Talktalk (or have i misunderstood?)

Talktalk use the same BT Openreach network to reach you as BT would have done before, but is their infrastructure to blame?

Any techies got thoughts on whether Talktalk's network is just letting our friend down, both in reliability and in terms of throttling? Or is it some kind of issue with router settings?

 

[optimusprime]

Sorry to say this but talktalk are one of the wrst provider you can get .They set up on line as many people as they can , without any other help from bt .The lines are overloaded at tea time, dinnertime , and Saturday and Sunday, its hard to get logged in at all on these times . How do i know , they are my provider . Just do a google on talktalk there is even a talk talk are S--- forum . But i will be on the move soon .But tell them you want a mack code to leave .You will get a offer of a lower monthly fee just to stop with them , but you will have to take on another 12 monthes contract.

 

[grober]

https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/guides/broadband/what-is-contention-ratio

 

[400ixl]

Sorry to say this but talktalk are one of the wrst provider you can get .They set up on line as many people as they can , without any other help from bt .The lines are overloaded at tea time, dinnertime , and Saturday and Sunday, its hard to get logged in at all on these times . How do i know , they are my provider . Just do a google on talktalk there is even a talk talk are S--- forum . But i will be on the move soon .But tell them you want a mack code to leave .You will get a offer of a lower monthly fee just to stop with them , but you will have to take on another 12 monthes contract.

Talk Talk do do a lot of throttling (which is not at the exchange level), but the scenario you describe is on exchanges where they have put in their own equipment with local loop unbundling (LLU), which is far from the majority of exchanges. They can suffer with congestion at their exchange connection which is what you describe. If this is not present then you are using the openreach hardware in the exchange as you would have been for a BT connection, which can also suffer from congestion on busy exchanges).

https://availability.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search and entering your exchange name will tell you if this is the case.

 

[Piff]

Talk Talk do do a lot of throttling (which is not at the exchange level), but the scenario you describe is on exchanges where they have put in their own equipment with local loop unbundling (LLU), which is far from the majority of exchanges. They can suffer with congestion at their exchange connection which is what you describe. If this is not present then you are using the openreach hardware in the exchange as you would have been for a BT connection, which can also suffer from congestion on busy exchanges).

https://availability.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search and entering your exchange name will tell you if this is the case.

Our exchange lists, amongst others:-
TalkTalk (CPW):
Enabled
Would changing to Fibre improve our connection drop outs?

 

[moonloops]

In my experience TalkTalk have been totally rubbish, along with Sky Broadband.

Happy as larry with plusnet, but recently got BT fibre broadband @ 300 Mpbs and it's only dropped out briefly once every few months.

 

[grober]

Our exchange lists, amongst others:-
TalkTalk (CPW):
Enabled
Would changing to Fibre improve our connection drop outs?

Chances are it would. However the " fibre" bit usually only goes as far as a box on the street [ they are usually green and can be identified as they are usually new, have cooling vents, and emit a quiet mains hum - because they are powered.] Not far away will be the normal BT telephone junction box which is connected to the Fibre box. Thus the final link in the chain is still the BT twisted pair telephone line from the old BT junction box to your house. However contention ratios are likely to be better due to greater data bandwidth but once more its " speeds up to" Your best guide is going to be the experience of other fibre users in your locality and using the same internet provider and fibre box in the street.

 

[kid-jensen]

I've got a couple iof Home Hub 5's hanging around if you want one.

Trying one out seems easier than thinking about it..

 

[zipdip]

We had some problems with our broadband, especially when using FaceTime or sending/receiving MMS. After some digging around I went into the router settings and changed to a different DNS provider. Has worked fine since.

This might be the answer,look on the wireless signals around you and see who your neighbours are using,most people will stick to the same DNS change it for Open DNS you may well be the only person around you using it this may cure your problem.