Advice please. ER115 vs buying new TP-Link VC2800

[greenbike]

Hi can anyone advise me please.

I have FTTC and a ER115

I am considering buying a TP-Link VC2800. 

On a reply elsewhere in one of the forums someone mentioned the chipset of the modem.

Can anyone please tell me:

1) which of the two has the best chipset for modem

2)which of the two has the best wifi transmission

3)which of the two has the best 'switch'

FYI my ER115 is centrally located on the ground floor of a Victorian house with solid 2 brick thick walls. Total 3 floors.

Also, I run ethernet cable from the ER115 to a switch and then ethernet to two APs.

I am considering getting a mesh system but am not certain as the best system is rather too expensive for me.

Thanks for any help

[Skull+Treaty]

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@greenbike wrote:

Hi can anyone advise me please.

I have FTTC and a ER115

I am considering buying a TP-Link VC2800. 

On a reply elsewhere in one of the forums someone mentioned the chipset of the modem.

Can anyone please tell me:

1) which of the two has the best chipset for modem - not sure of the chipset, the AC2800 is much more recent than the ER115

2)which of the two has the best wifi transmission- the poor design of the ER115 means that most other wireless routers will offer a much better range. 

3)which of the two has the best 'switch' - I'm not sure what your mean, the VC2800 has four Ethernet ports. 

FYI my ER115 is centrally located on the ground floor of a Victorian house with solid 2 brick thick walls. Total 3 floors.

Also, I run ethernet cable from the ER115 to a switch and then ethernet to two APs.

I am considering getting a mesh system but am not certain as the best system is rather too expensive for me. - check whether the VC2800 is 'one mesh' compatible, if so when it may open the options for other TP link one mesh products

Thanks for any help

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Some comments above @greenbike 

[Chrisee]

@greenbike Any wifi system in a Victorian property is always going to struggle for any single router. Using ethernet as a backhaul to access points as you do currently is sensible. Solid walls and multiple floors are distinctly wifi unfriendly.

The ER115 has a standard ADSL/VDSL modem and there is no evidence that a third party modem would sync at a higher speed on FTTC there maybe a marginal difference but by far the biggest factor in the speed of VDSL is line length and quality.

You do get what you pay for with wifi routers so a £150 to £200 router like the AC2800 will have better wifi than the very cheap er115 (guess £40 retail value at most). However no router can overcome the laws of physics that solid walls introduce. All routers produce similar power for wifi (its limited by regulation) but more powerful processor and better aerials do make a difference. The TPLink gets great reviews for wifi and. In most homes would give much better wifi BUT whether it will in yours is not certain.

The ethernet switches on both will not be an issue each will offer gigabit ethernet. One of the major gains for the Archer is its QOS option which allows you to prioritise certain traffic which is importnst if you have a keen gamer in amulti user household.

[greenbike]

Many thanks S+T and C

Very interesting. 

One issue is that the VC2800 has two seperate wifi's. 2.4 and 5GHz. Whereas the ER115 only has one setting.

Is that better or worse? Because it would seem betterif the device receiving could choose automatically what is best, wifi strength may vary during the day for any given location. Does that happen with the ER115? Presume it can't happen with the VR2800 because the device would be logged into either the 2.4 or the 2800.

Finally, any known issues with the VR2800?

Thanks again

[TimmyBGood]

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@greenbike wrote:

Whereas the ER115 only has one setting.

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By default, yes, but it's easy to split them.

[Skull+Treaty]

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@greenbike wrote:

Many thanks S+T and C

Very interesting. 

One issue is that theVC28000 has twoseperatee wifi's. 2.4 and5GHzz. Whereas theER1155 only has one setting.

Is that better or worse? Because it would seembetteriff the device receiving could choose automatically what is best,wifii strength may vary during the day for any given location. Does that happen with theER1155? Presume it can't happen with theVR28000 because the device would be logged into either the 2.4 or the 2800.

Finally, any known issues with theVR28000?

Thanks again

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@greenbike 

TheER1155 is also dual band (24Ghzz & 5Ghzz) and it's likely that you have these bands synchronised currently.

You can do the same on theTPP-Link and in fact split them on theER1155. Some users like themunn-synchronised and others may need to in order for certain devices to connect. I use theVR21000 and as yet, never need to un-synchronisee the bands.

[greenbike]

Many thanks both. I hadn't realised I could sync the 2.4 and 5 on the TP-Link.

What is best? Set them synced and then hopefully? the devices will choose the best band?

[Skull+Treaty]

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@greenbike wrote:

Many thanks both. I hadn't realised I could sync the 2.4 and 5 on the TP-Link.

What is best? Set them synced and then hopefully? the devices will choose the best band?

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Personal preference, some want certain devices to connect on one band and others on the other band.

I would leave them as is and only look at changing if there were issues with devices connecting. Whichever you choose, you can do the other at any time.

[greenbike]

Thanks again.

Also, I was having dropouts with the ER115. Is that less likely with the 2800?

Thanks

[Chrisee]

@greenbike less likely certainly but not guaranteed if you live in a solidly built house. The Victorians unfortunately did not design houses to be wifi friendly. 

[greenbike]

Many thanks for your help Chrisee.

Best wishes.

[greenbike]

Final question

Having looked through some reviews I am wondering if the Fritz Box would work with Sky? Anyone got any experience?

Thanks again

[Skull+Treaty]

I'm not sure the the Fritzbox devices have the required "Option 61" authentication that Sky use on FTTC & FTTP services in the UK