Should I upgrade my router?

GreekTzatziki

Commendable
Apr 19, 2016
78
0
1,630
Ok, so I have an old ZTE router my isp gave, and today I found that the wlan speed is 54 mbps and the lan is only 100mbps! I am paying for 24mpbs download and unknown upload (I live in Greece that why). With the router-modem I have right now I only get 9mbps down and 1mbps up. I also have an adsl2+ connection and I live some kilometers away from an isp centre (or whatever it is called). I'm thinking of buying the TP-LINK TD-W9980 v1 which literally has 1000mbps lan speed and 600mbps wlan speed. I'm kind of concerned because I don't know if it is gonna make a huge difference mainly because I think that the low speeds I get is because there is a large distance between my house and the isp center. What other router-modem would you recommend?
 
Solution
Call you ISP and ask them what speed you should really be getting at the distance you are at. Avoid telling them the 9m speed you tested at..play dumb. Ask if you can not get the 24m what speed you should expect.

They can actually see the distance to your house on their equipment and be able to do rough calculations. If they say 24m or some higher number then you need to tell them to come out and fix it. Even though your router is older you should be able to get 24m when you are connected by ethernet cable if the internet connection can run that fast.

Since they game you/recommend the router you are using it makes it harder for them to blame the router. If you were to buy a new router and still have the problems they will of...

PhysX_HW

Distinguished
Well, speaking of the TD-W9980, I'm using one of those as I write this comment, and it's quite good. But if the low speeds are caused by the long distance between you and the exchange, it's not going to help you at all. I get 80/20Mbps on a VDSL2 line, but I can see the exchange from my window.

So, what I suggest is you can try a different phone line cable (RJ-11) between the outlet and the modem, and measure the speeds over a wired lan connection. If you are still not getting an increase, it's probably down to the long adsl line and another modem wouldn't help.
 
Call you ISP and ask them what speed you should really be getting at the distance you are at. Avoid telling them the 9m speed you tested at..play dumb. Ask if you can not get the 24m what speed you should expect.

They can actually see the distance to your house on their equipment and be able to do rough calculations. If they say 24m or some higher number then you need to tell them to come out and fix it. Even though your router is older you should be able to get 24m when you are connected by ethernet cable if the internet connection can run that fast.

Since they game you/recommend the router you are using it makes it harder for them to blame the router. If you were to buy a new router and still have the problems they will of course say it is your new router causing it.
 
Solution