[Closed] New internet provider - any suggestions? Maybe a new router?

I would go with a mesh set-up if you have the money, your existing router might be fine as the termination point in that case (as you'd hard-wire the first mesh device to the existing router). Depending on how big your house is/how many access points you need it could be £200-400 though

New router won't help with thick walls - tried it and still need extenders in a couple of rooms. I'd try a mesh system if I could go back.

I changed from sky to john lewis, went from struggling for 6 Mbps to averaging 14Mbps

Or just a second wireless access point. My house is made of cardboard but for some reason WiFi from one end to the other is useless.

I ran a cable to the lounge under the floor and plugged a Linksys Wireless AP in. Works fine as long as you connect to the right network at each end of the house.

I'd go for mesh setup but this only cost £50

First thing to do is verify if it’s a wireless issue or an isp issue.

Easiest way is when every one else is out the house plug into your router with a cable and see if your problems vanish or continue (turning the wireless of completely in the routers setiimgs makes this test more conclusive but is a bit harder)

If you have a big house a mesh network is defiantly the way to go.

Mesh is best but TP Link powerline adaptors (there are wifi plus cable port options) work for me well enough, once I'd cloned the SSID from the router to each point. Have 2 adaptors that link back to the router and a cable only one on an XBox. No. 1 son has a wifi point in his room and hasn't complained about laaaaaaaaaaaaag on his XBox so I figure its all working well enough.

Their default DSL router is pants - I got an Archer VR600 TP Link thing for £80 from Currys (as my DSL got switched before it arrived and I couldn't wait) - wifi coverage is much better, but still not good enough for my place. Connection stability is better on this too, for a one off purchase I think its worth it on balance.

I changed from sky to john lewis, went from struggling for 6 Mbps to averaging 14Mbps

John Lewis is run by Plusnet. I know because I'm on it too.

I had problems with full house wifi cover (brick intetnal walls) until they sent me a new router. Nothing special, just an up to date model. Now I can get wifi at the end of our drive.

I'd be tempted to use some proper wifi access points and cable them in to where the router is, that way you get guaranteed throughput to the router at least and access points can be had cheap.

Can turn the wifi off on the router then and just allow it to do the internet bit.

First thing to do is verify if it’s a wireless issue or an isp issue.

This.

In order to provide a solution one must first define the problem.

I hate the way Plusnet make it virtually impossible to contact them. Ours is £40 a month too. Thanks for the reminder I will cancel it immediately.

I use the Apple Airport express and the WiFi stretches out the house and down the street. 35 quid used off eBay. You can use more than one to cover a larger area.

The BT Home Hub was useless, reset itself constantly.

The wifi has got worse over the last couple of days - drops in an out and thats in a room really close to the router where it used to be fine. Works Windows laptop is OK but my Apple devices and Humax box are really inconsistent!
Best Plusnet seem to want to do (i'm out of contract) is "let me" take a new contact out so I can get a new router which I'm not keen to do. Are all the providers as bad as each other or can anyone recommend a decent provider?

My BT Home Hub has been faultless since I turned it on about 2 years ago. All you can conclude is no provider is good for everyone.

As per previous suggestions a mesh network will make an amazing difference. I had regular WiFi issues before and often thought the actual internet was dropping in and out. Since installing a mesh network using the existing router internet speed has doubled and is always perfect. Not cheap but likely to make a much bigger difference than a new router.

Have you installed a WiFi testing app on your phone and tested the signal strength around the house and ensured your not getting any conflicts on channel number from close neighbours?

Understand the problems before you throw money at it.

I'm surprised to hear people complaining about Plusnet. They've been great for me over 4 years, multiple contracts and through a house move that required tech support. Yes it can take s while to get through on the phone but once you do I've always found them helpful. They sent me a new router recently as I'd had my old one for so long, no charges at all.

I now have my mobile SIM with them too due to combination of cost and service they provide.

Never use talk talk though. Ever.

Im on plusnet (fibre) and when the One hub died, i replaced it with a Billion 8800nl r2 for circa £60: improved the connection reliability & wireless signal strength (so much so i ditched the tplink powerline adapters)...owned it a year now & had to touch it once

Nuke - was it easy enough to set up the new router to replace the Plusnet one?

Yep, just googled for the plusnet setup spec & i can't recall had any problems at all

BT Home hub 6 has a pretty strong signal. I can get the Wifi out in the detatched garage, but I have a TP Link mains wifi extender in there to cover the 'summer house' which is at the far end of the garden. I use the extender to connect to LAN for Zwift and CCTV.

Plus net switched me off last night - just back on one now and just wondering if I should buy an aftermarket router or change provider

i recently bought 4 google mesh hubs to replace our Tplink extenders (with wifi add-on bit).

The mesh - for the price - was no different. Cost me £300, but apparently worth £500. Rubbish for the money. It went back

I bought another (updated) tplink for £40 (in the amazon 'open box' bit). Solved all problems

Another issue - Vodafone broadband recently had an issue with their system, in that the DNS servers needed a kick up the jacksy. The 'official' recommendation from vodafone was to change the DNS settings to reflect the google ones. Wifi has been 'quicker' since; less latency I assume.