Hi folks,
I'm new to the forum, so 'Hello', and all that.
Despite considering myself relatively tech-y, when it comes to internet connectivity I'm about as useful as a drunken orangutan. I wondered whether you good people could give me some advice regarding VDSL connectivity...
I've been having intermittent connectivity issues recently with my ADSL, which I think may have something to do with my old Netgear DG834Gv5 router which heats up like crazy. Currently I have ADSL with Uno, but I'm looking to upgrade to VDSL asap.
My goal is to have a stable internet connection that rarely drops out. I'm not too concerned about speed, but there are around 8-10 devices in my household that are connected to wifi. I only have my main PC connected by RJ45 cable. I'm not doing anything crazy download wise. I'm an average Joe user. Netflix, Spotify, youtube, downloads... moderate to heavy internet usage.
I live in a relatively new build apartment complex of around 300 people. But there must be at least 2500+ people connected to the local cabinet. Speeds slow down considerably between 5-8pm and on weekends.
My property is approximately 200m from my cabinet (most likely a Huawei 288 /384HD). I am about 2 miles from my local exchange.
Do you think it's better to buy a modem and a router separately? If so, which ones?
I've noticed that, on this forum in particular, people seem to talk a lot about the ZyXEL VMG8924-B10A, which ironically seems to get one-star reviews elsewhere online. Other sites mention the Huawei HG612 or an ECI modem. Am I shooting in the right direction here? Do I have much choice in terms of modems? The models I've mentioned all seem to be worth about £5 second hand. Does that sound right?
And what about a router? Should I be going for anything in particular? Something with a Broadcom chipset perhaps? Is that even a thing? Why does it even matter?
Would it be preferable to go for a dual band router, or could I simply buy something quite cheap?
And what's 'Bridge Mode' when it's at home? Will this help me? You may as well be showing a dog a card trick.
Anyhoo, any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.