Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Retro~Burn]

I've just ordered a replacement VR2800 router as my old one developed a power fault following the power being tripped by a light switch (router was connected to a surge protector). However, I've just noticed the VR2100 which was released this year. You can see a comparison between the two here.

Unless I'm missing something. The key distinctions seems to be:

1) The VR2800 has 2167Mbps on 5GHz and 600Mbps on 2.4GHz whereas the VR2100 has 1733 Mbps on 5GHz and 300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz.
2) The VR2100 has support for TP Link's 'One Mesh' networking whilst the VR2800 doesn't.
3) The VR2100 has Super VDSL (VDSL2 Profile 35b) with speeds up to 350Mbps whilst the VR2800 has just the standard VDSL up to 100Mbps.
4) The VR2100 uses a MediaTek chipset whilst the VR2800 uses a Broadcom chipset (see post by Pirate Steve on the Whirlpool forum).
5) The VR2100 is cheaper (£115 on Amazon) than the VR2800 (£159)

Both utilise 4×4 MU-MIMO so the two can handle a lot of fast connections.

At the moment we only get just over 40Mbps download so we won't be be able to take advantage of the Super VDSL but it's good future proofing. I'm also keen to switch to a mesh network but the VR2800 doesn't support it (I'd rather not use an extender again).

Can anyone advise if it's best sticking to the VR2800 in the hope TP Link release a firmware to support OneMesh? Or time to switch the VR2100 and take advantage of the new features?

[j0hn]

I'd advise strongly against using a Mediatek chipset on VDSL2 on the OpenReach network.
Horrible chipsets.

G.INP is disabled on Asus modems with Mediatek chipsets.
No idea if that TP-Link model is the same.

A strong no from me for that reason alone.

To add, VDSL2 profile 30a or 35b isn't future proofing in the UK.
Neither will be used in the UK because G.Fast uses that spectrum.

[burakkucat]

I'd advise strongly against using a Mediatek chipset on VDSL2 on the OpenReach network.
Horrible chipsets.

I'll second that.

Mediatek?   Just say no. 

[Retro~Burn]

I'd advise strongly against using a Mediatek chipset on VDSL2 on the OpenReach network.
Horrible chipsets.

G.INP is disabled on Asus modems with Mediatek chipsets.
No idea if that TP-Link model is the same.

A strong no from me for that reason alone.

Thanks for the reply j0hn.

To add, VDSL2 profile 30a or 35b isn't future proofing in the UK.
Neither will be used in the UK because G.Fast uses that spectrum.

I know very little about the latest broadband technology. I thought 'G.Fast' uses VDSL2 30a/35b profiles? The VR2100 uses 35b.

I'll second that.

Mediatek?   Just say no. 

Thanks burakkucat. What are your issues with it?

Cheers

[j0hn]

VDSL2 Profile 17a goes up to 17.664MHz
VDSL2 Profile 30a goes up to 30MHz
VDSL2 Profile 35b goes up to 35.328MHz
OpenReach's flavour of G.Fast starts at 17.69MHz

G.Fast is completely different to VDSL2 and they don't coexist well.
VDSL2 profile 17a and 35b use identical tone spacing and can even use Vectoring between different profiles.

They could in theory use profile 35b in non G.Fast areas but only Huawei cabinets support it (ECI don't). It couldn't be used in areas with both ECI and Huawei cabinets either.

The focus is on FTTP now. I'll say with confidence they won't roll out profile 35b.

[mofa2020]

I were thinking about getting the VR2100 since my ISP is planning to provide 200Mb speed but since it has a mediatek that would be not a good decision since mediatek performance is not that stable compared to BCM or even Triductor chipsets (from experience on my line not from UK).

 

[parkdale]

Thanks burakkucat. What are your issues with it?

Cheers

Mediatek chipsets have some nice settings on some models, which play havoc with other users Broadband connections to the same cab

[tubaman]

I'd agree that staying away from Mediatek VDSL chips is a good plan. Unless you are sitting right next to the cabinet (and it sounds like you aren't) you're almost certainly going to get worse speeds and error rates than with either a Broadcom or Lantiq based modem. Just don't go there.

[parkdale]

Or you could consider a Fritz!Box 7530... Ok so it has a Lantiq VRX518 Dsl ... but will give you good WiFi and the ability to run a mesh system if required. Additionally can act as a base any dect phone.
Only downside, there are no stats in the same format as Broadcom, that can be accessed via telnet.

https://mightygadget.co.uk/avm-fritzbox-7530-router-with-vdsl-adsl-modem-review/

[psychopomp1]

Or you could consider a Fritz!Box 7530... Ok so it has a Lantiq VRX518 Dsl ... but will give you good WiFi and the ability to run a mesh system if required. Additionally can act as a base any dect phone.
Only downside, there are no stats in the same format as Broadcom, that can be accessed via telnet.

https://mightygadget.co.uk/avm-fritzbox-7530-router-with-vdsl-adsl-modem-review/

The VR2800 blows the Fritzbox 7530 out of the water for wifi as the VR200 is 4x4 whilst the Fritzbox 7530 is only 2x2. Even on 2x2 clients or less, the VR2800 would still perform far better as its uses much newer (better) wifi radios.

[Retro~Burn]

Thanks all for the replies. You helped convince me to stick with the VR2800 which I did order in the end. Although now we have a broadband fault with a BT engineer not able to visit until Wed 28th October but given the pandemic that's to be expected.

I only heard of G.Fast recently when posting about my router. I understand it works through a small box attached to the street cabinet that essentially speed boosts the copper line connection? On the face of it, it sounds cheaper than rolling out FTTP although I'm not familiar with the specifics of the technology. But BT are rolling out FTTP now it seems (finally). Why the sudden change?

Cheers guys!

[knewt]

Hi there
I am new to this site and I found this post which has my exact same question, I am also a novice when it comes to Broadband technicality. The only difference with the poster is that I am with Talktalk Fibre, would that be the same thing?
Is it still unadvisable to this day to use a Modem with a Mediatek chipset as the one that comes with the VR2100?
If I understood through this post would that depend on the cbinet model I am connected too?
I can see that booth the VR2100 and 2800 have had a Firmware update last year, when I seen other TP-Link models where Firmware had not been updates since 2020 I thought to leave them alone, like the VR900 for example.
Thanks for your help

[Alex Atkin UK]

Is it still unadvisable to this day to use a Modem with a Mediatek chipset as the one that comes with the VR2100?

Its unlikely to change especially given VDSL will slowly be phased out anyway in favour of REAL fibre.

You can never be sure how your own line will behave though, but given the history of issue with such chipsets I think its reasonable to avoid it.