Wifi Max user review

[Chrisee]

I had heard a lot about the new hub that Sky were launching so I ordered Sky Max on Monday. I thought it might help others if I posted my impressions.

The order process most people can.order online my account won't allow that so I had to call Sky. It was pretty painless but if you want to add Sky Max it starts a new 18 month contract for both the Wifi Max bundle and your broadband service in my case Ultrafast +. Before I put the phone down I had emails confirming the order. 

Delivery Sky used DPD whokept me informed and a large box appeared while I was eating breakfast. As with other Sky products the packaging has no plastic. The largecshipping box had a smaller box with the router, its power supply and an ethernet cable.

Setting up I actually read the included instructions and followed them. It was very easy and quick simply plug it all in and turn on the power. There is only one LED which changes colour but it went white within a couple of minutes significantly faster then older Sky hubs. 

Connecting devices is simple there is a card in the packaging with a QR code you scan with a camera which connected my phone in seconds. For my Sky Glass and Sky Stream pucks the process took a little longer as you have tomuse the WPS function using the button on the side of the unit. Each unit took seconds to connect. Of coursectgerecwill be some devices that need you to type in the wifi passcode but only do that if you have to.

You can simply change the SSID and passcode usingbthe My Sky app to match your last router if you prefer which is even easier.

[Chrisee]

Control while there is a web interface like the old hubs you actually are encouraged to use the My Sky app. If like me the app doesnt pick up that you have the new unit log out and log back in. It is pretty simple just go to the Broadband section and the new sections are there

The hub's web interface is still there but apart from diagnostics it is not necessary to access it but if you do its quite different and much easier to understand. It works with ios devices which the old Sky routers struggled with.

Performance like any wifi device performance depends on the layout and construction of the home. My hub sits on a surface in our main living area and throughout that level I can fully access the 500Mb/s my connection delivers. I ran some tests using a piece of software called Wifi Sweetspots which measures the true network speed to the hub and the new hub delivers over 800Mb/s to a device with Wifi6 on Wifi5 devices it is 600Mb/s the same as the older SR203 it replaces. 

The wifi range is not suprisingly similar to the older hub (after all they have the same transmission power and probably aerial design) so on other levels in my home speeds are much the same as the older router delivered. I have ordered a pod unit from Sky who can see the speeds etc from their end. When that arrives I will post some tests at greater distance.

Verdict its early days but overall I like the new router it certainly looks smart and modern. The control is a huge improvement over the older hubs web interface which always had issues. This is not a unit for the enthusiast as it is heavily locked down however it seems significantly faster so hopefully should be ablecto deal with a modern household's requirements. It has better security by offering WPA3 and configurable security levels. It supports wifi6 and so for those with devices that offer that it should give faster speeds. It offers parental control something I know many users want.

The key unknown is how it works with the pods I would prefer it if Sky sent at least one pod with each hub as I suspect most homes will need at least one. Time will tell on that.

If people have questions I will do my best to answer them. 

[Ney02]

Have been offered this for extra £10 a month but as I only joined Sky FTTC after moving fromBT just under 3 months ago . Have decided to hold of until nearer the end of the year before thinking about getting it. 
I do currently have Sky wifi boost with my package.

[Chrisee]

@Ney02 probably a sensible decision if only intersted in getting better wifi as the new unit is really only a gain for customers with FTTP systems you also need devices thst support wifi 6 and which can use the higher speeds it provides. The package also includes a quite good parental control function allowing control at a device level on when and what can be accessed. I no longer have young kids at home somthat is not something I have tested. There are also improvements in security - the unit supports wpa3 the latest wifi security level and offers some better protection against security threats. 

The Wifi Max package replaces the Boost package so the on cost is not great as you should becablecto access the pakage at £7.50 a month so only adding £1.50 to your bill.

Since I wrote the review I have added a pod to improve the range which is working to some extent. I am waiting on an engineer to visit both of these have not cost me any more.

[Davy58]

I got mine today for only £5 a month extra. As I had Netflix for 3 tvs at £8 a month extra via Sky, I downgraded to the £4 a month for 2 tvs instead so only costing £1 a month for the hub. 
anyway, I set it up and speeds for glass tv are slightly lower than old sky router even with Ethernet connection. Upstairs, my Amazon Cube kept loosing internet constantly so swapped it with the one

downstairs which is a new one and ok now. 
not particularly impressed with the speed. Thought it would have been better. Downstairs with cube connected its constant but upstairs is where I've lost the Wi-Fi speed. Thought if I'd got it and paid extra for it the Wi-Fi would have been a lot better 

would I be better calling them for a booster they do or send it back and use old sky router instead? What are the thoughts on this and are they not so easy in getting a new booster? Thanks. 

WiFi Max

[jamesn123]

@Davy58 

You shouldn't have lost ethernet speed. What was the speed before & now?

[Davy58]

It's the Wi-Fi that has suffered upstairs. Ethernet is ok as it's connected directly to the router 

[jamesn123]

@Davy58 

Okay I was just referring to this part of your post;

---

@Davy58 wrote:

I set it up and speeds for glass tv are slightly lower than old sky router even with Ethernet

---

Regarding your WiFi, coverage should be pretty similar, not really any better or worse. The speed should be better closer to the hub but then further away iit should perform similar to your old hub.

If the signal isnt reaching in the same places or its slower then I'd just request a pod to see if that improves it for you. 

[neillondragan]

Hi There

I also received my new Sky Max router on Friday and whilst it looks great I was not impressed by the speeds at all and my old router is now back in place.  Upstairs ion the house was hard toreach,  plus on doing Netflix speed tests from my Sky Glass TV was only giving 150MBPS yes I know that is fast but the old black router is giving 550MBPS on Wi Fi.  So not impressed really not sure why it is slower?

[Davy58]

I contacted sky to disconnect this and for me to send it back and use old router. Got the usual, please stay etc but got through to cancellation and woman very good at her job. No problem, will revert everything way it was but have still charged me delivery for the new router after she said they wouldn't. Told me I don't need to send it back and use as an ordinary router. I've disconnected it and packed in original box with label to be sent to them in case they ask for it. Speed on old router back to exactly way it was before plus my laptop couldn't pick out the name of new router but has with old one so that's working again. Speed on new router dropped and was intermittent upstairs so no good at all. Old one didn't have these problems. Why pay for something that is worse than what you already have?

[vectra62]

will this improve sreaming quality as it is quite poor at the moment.

[Chrisee]

@vectra62 impossible to answer as actually you dont need wifi6 speeds for streaming as UHD streams can only use less than 50Mb/s but require a clean signal free from interference.

The Wifi Max hub has very similar range as the Broadband Hub and the main gain is the provision of the pods which act as extenders although Sky make you jump through hoops to get those to get more than one an engineer has to come out and authorise them.. With extenders forming a wifi mesh streaming should improve but an awful lot depends on the layout and type of construction of you home. There are multiple other ways of getting a stable network which can work out cheaper than paying the wifi max fee every month.

[John+B1]

What are these pods? Are they wifi 6 and set up a mesh.

I am thinking about wifi max but the info on what they provide is not great.

I have a large thick walled house and will need boosters which I assume these pods are.

I would want them to be wifi 6 as well. Are they. Secondly can they be plugged into my ethernet network ad my old hubs are.

Many thanks

[jamesn123]

@John+B1 

The Max router itself is WiFi 6 but the pods are WiFi 5 I believe

[GWILLIAMS34343]

returned it, the range was not as I expected and couldnt be bothered with the rigmarole of their customer services