Wireless Internet Router

[Mekong Bob]

Need some helpful advice on selecting a good router in my home. Good range and throughput. Price and availability in Chiang Mai?

If I plan to switch to fiber optic, should I hold off on a router?

Thanks!

[onthedarkside]

If you switch to a 3BB fiber line then 3BB will supply the router.

[kcore]

How much ate the fiber lines these days. I had tot last year at 1500/mo. Blazing speed most of the time. I have heard the packages have come down substantially.

[onthedarkside]

3BB 30 Meg fiber package is 1,200 baht/month + 7% tax = 1,284 Baht.

[noise]

Now I have had TOT fiber for a year so they may have "advanced" this year, but I doubt it. And I will hypothesize that 3BB is the same.

The cable modem router provided is built to the old, old international spec 802.11g and may or may not give you the coverage you want. An option would be to bridge the provider's mdem router and buy a spec 802.11n wireless router for a better signal. And if you have dual channel devices, you can get a dual channel (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz ) router. Which ever one you opt for, check the spec for the signal strength, do not go strictly by cost.

ASIDE; I thought I did a good job in selecting the "strongest" router I could find, but everyone now tells me I probably didn't because it has no external pole antennas and that maybe even the TOT provided modem router might give me better coverage than I seem to have achieved. Occassionally the dual channel capability of the router makes a difference, but not often.

Below are the front and back of the TOT Cisco cable modem router and the Belking N600 wireless router I added.

[harrry]

The Tplink w8980 which I use says thps on the webpage:

nterchangeable LAN/WAN Port - Versatile Connectivity

The TD-W8980 supports ADSL or Ethernet WAN connections (EWAN) that allow users to have the flexibility of different Internet connections among ADSL, cable or fiber modem using its interchangeable LAN/WAN port. This unique feature makes it easier when users need to change to fiber or cable services when necessary.

[worgeordie]

I changed over to TOT fiber 2 U, as was fed up with the slow speeds of wired line,

the monthly bill is now 50% more,but at the time I thought it would be worth it if

I could stream ,movies etc without buffering.

I was the first in the MooBahn to get connected,and for about the first two weeks

it was very good, THEN it just got slower and slower and it was no better than

what I had in the first place, phoned TOT up, they must of tweaked it as speed

increased, for a couple of weeks , now its slow again, all these providers seem

to be selling more a more bigger packages to more people,BUT don't increase

their bandwidth, its like 100 people with straws drinking from a glass,next month

it will be 200 ,but the glass will be same size!

regards Worgeordie

[rawhod]

Just bought a Tenda wireless router from CM (computer mall) near Ratsuprack for 700baht to replace my failed 3BB router. Seems OK.

Edited February 15, 2014 by rawhod

[Mekong Bob]

If you switch to a 3BB fiber line then 3BB will supply the router.

But the free router from 3BB is not a top-quality router, correct?

Same for the ADSL Wireless router (free) from 3BB - not a good one..

[Mekong Bob]

The Tplink w8980 which I use says thps on the webpage:

nterchangeable LAN/WAN Port - Versatile Connectivity

The TD-W8980 supports ADSL or Ethernet WAN connections (EWAN) that allow users to have the flexibility of different Internet connections among ADSL, cable or fiber modem using its interchangeable LAN/WAN port. This unique feature makes it easier when users need to change to fiber or cable services when necessary.

So, if I buy a router for my ADSL connection now, it won't work on a future fiber optic connection?

[harrry]

redundant

Edited February 15, 2014 by harrry

[harrry]

If you switch to a 3BB fiber line then 3BB will supply the router.

But the free router from 3BB is not a top-quality router, correct?

Same for the ADSL Wireless router (free) from 3BB - not a good one..

Possibly not the top featured one but CISCO is probably the most respected name in networking.

[onthedarkside]

you must have an optic input connection for fiber, so the usual AdSL routers only have phone jack inputs. So far I have not seen any fiber routers at my local computer shops. So I am stuck with 3BBs offering, interestingly it also has annput for standard line I put.

[Mekong Bob]

anybody using "Sinet" fiber optic? 1,200 baht per month. Available in Chiang Mai - Hang Dong area?

[Saan]

I live opposite an apartment block with 32 units and it is from there that my 3BBB signal comes - my place and the apartments are owned by the same man.. The signal looks pretty good on my computer but the speed is appalling even in the early hours of the morning when I am the only one on line. Would a router help increase the speed. If so what sought should I buy.

I would appreciate any advice in lay terms as I am pretty near computer illiterate.

[noise]

you must have an optic input connection for fiber, so the usual AdSL routers only have phone jack inputs. So far I have not seen any fiber routers at my local computer shops. So I am stuck with 3BBs offering, interestingly it also has annput for standard line I put.

I will say that in my case and for everyone else that I know of that has gotten "fiber", the fiber runs are limited to the poles along the street and they run normal copper cable to the house. But, yes, the ADSL modem with its phone jack input port will not work.

I opted for True's Ulltra Hi-Speed lnternet 15M/1.5M Plan at 899.00 baht. Add in VAT of 62.93, and I pay 961.93/month. It comes with cable modem router and something like 80 channels of free TV and the TV box/remote.

They ran the copper cable to my in-wall wiring. Ran copper coax from the wall connection to their Cisco cable modem router and then did the same to their provided TV box.

I have seen only one cable modem for sale in Chiangmai, but it did not seem to be any better than the Cisco and it was relatively expensive. I have not looked for a long time.

I was not getting my "paid for speed" so I went to the True office in Central Festival and they said they would send out a technician. WORD OF CAUTION -- do not accept the theory that there are too many users on line for you to get what you pay for.

In my case, a English speaking rep called to discuss the problem and arrange the technicians date and time, 3 way conversation with the technician. When I said I was getting 12Mbps vice my paid for 15Mbps, the tech said in Thai that 80% was good, expected. The rep then tried to say that to me but I just interrupted and said no, not what I am paying for. The rep readilly acquiesced and scheduled a rep. He came out, we made the necesssary adjustments to get me back to the 15M/1.5M.

One of the tweaks was the tech going up the pole and checking the fiber to cable ports and connections, trying to see if there might be corrosion or some other problem. Change the connection just to be on the safe side. Then the other tweaks were inside. One of the problems turned out to be that even though I had a LAN connection to my wireless router, I was still getting the 12 Mbps while the tech got 15M connected to the Cisco. I moved my LAN over to the Cisco and got the 15M.

EDITED TO ADD HERE: I will say uncategorically that they can not just tweak it at their servers and say that is all that can be done. If you have a speed problem, get the tech to the house to thoroughly investigate the problem.

Why was I losing 3Mbps in the PC LAN to ROUTER and ROUTER LAN to MODEM then CABLE TO TRUE? Have not figured that out yet, but PC LAN to MODEM works. Forgot to have the tech connect LAN to router to see if he got only 12M also. Next time?

Edited February 17, 2014 by noise

[kcore]

/\

Excellent post!