ADSL 2+ - Would Changing My Modem Make It Faster?

Hi all need some advice.

I have been using my Adsl2+ modem for ages now ( with Tpg ) and Internet connection is really slow. Would changing my modem makes it faster ( I have no clue obviously) if yes can someone recommend me a good modem . My house is a double storey home and currently there is no internet connection upstairs. By changing the modem would it solve the problem or do I need a booster upstairs? The modem is in the study room on the ground floor in front of the house.

Thank you all

Comments

  • You'd have to work out whether it's your wireless that is weak (phone app like Wifi Analzyer should tell you) or whether or not it's a slower ADSL connection. If you have slow Wifi consider upgrading to a new modem that does the latest Wifi AC protocol or consider hooking up a wireless access point to it, like a Ubiquiti AP.

    If you have slow ADSL, only thing you can do is to upgrade to cable or hope that you will get NBN someday.

    As for getting Wifi signals to reach a second floor, I use a cheap $10 dollar Xiaomi Repeater but also a TP-Link gigabit Powerline adapter to go with my main office desktop upstairs. It doesn't matter how expensive your router is, Wifi signals will still be blocked by obstructions and the easiest way to extend it is to deploy a repeater or AP.

  • +2

    as above, you can test by pluggin lan network cable straight from modem to your laptop and run speedtest then compare it with wifi speed upstairs

    adsl2+ best case - near exchange at less than 1km + good copper = 17mbps to 20mbps (25mbps max theoretical)
    if far from exchange, then 5mbps or less , some modem with broadcom chipset able to sync at higher speed/stability, so not all modems are created equal

    for wifi coverage, best to use powerline (check GPO on same circuit to work) then another AP for upstairs.

    • Thanks for the help! I'm not very into tech stuffs what is an AP? Also how do I run a speedtest?

      • +1

        You just google 'Speedtest' and google will give you a widget for speed testing… or you can download Speedtest by Ookla app on smartphone.

        an AP is an "Access Point". To put it in a noob friendly way, its similar to a router in that it allows devices to connect to it, and it passes the traffic through to your existing modem/router. However, it cannot be used as a standalone device and has to be connected to your current modem.

        What I would do first:

        1. Connect a computer directly to the modem using cable (ethernet). Speed test and record results.
        2. Connect your computer to the Wifi network, and unplug cable. Move a distance away (different room) and repeat the test, and compare results

        Expected outcome should be that your speeds are worse on Wifi and if that's the case you just need to either buy a repeater or an access point.

        If the speeds are the same or are very similar between tests, that means you aren't seeing a huge disparity between wired and wireless, and that your ADSL internet is the culprit.
        Getting a better modem with a chipset that is suitable for your ADSL connection may improve your sync speeds, but mileage will vary and improvements can be marginal.

        • Thanks I'll give it a go

  • I had a really slow ADSL2 connection with TPG - neither changing the modem nor sending out multiple TPG technicians solved the issue - I ended up cancelling my internet with them. TPG couldn't tell me why it was slow, all they could tell me is that they couldn't fix it.

  • I have been using my Adsl2+ modem for ages now ( with Tpg ) and Internet connection is really slow. Would changing my modem makes it faster ( I have no clue obviously) if yes can someone recommend me a good modem . My house is a double storey home and currently there is no internet connection upstairs. By changing the modem would it solve the problem or do I need a booster upstairs? The modem is in the study room on the ground floor in front of the house.

    I think you need to work out why your internet connection is slow because you're referencing a few issues here.

    Start by removing all variables. So plug in an ethernet cable directly to your modem/router (I assume you're using one of those integrated units) and run an online speedtest. Next, use WiFi and go to the places where you're usually using the internet and see if the speeds are different. If the speeds are basically the same, then it's an issue with your connection. Your only real option if you don't have NBN is to consider HFC (sometimes called cable) which is much faster than ADSL 2+ and near NBN speeds.

    If you find different speeds throughout your house, then you need to get a modem/router unit with better WiFi. Or, alternatively, you can just get a new access point. There are units made by Ubiquiti are quite good and also very affordable, but you'll need to understand some basic things about networks to set them up. Your other comment about not having internet upstairs is almost definitely a WiFi problem. It's always difficult for wireless connections to cover wide areas. If you have a really big house, you might need to get two access points or perhaps run ethernet cables to the places where you generally use internet.

  • Some modems (I'm sure there are plenty — i still use an old Billion 7800N) allow you to change your SNR settings. This boosted me from 14mbps to 18.5. That said, my speeds were okay to start with. If you are only getting 1.5-2mbps to start with, it may just be how far you are from the exchange.

    I know TPG have different speed profiles (slower yet more stable, faster yet more volatile) which you may be able to call them to ask about changing.

    +1 for the other comments that refer to testing your connections in multiple rooms first, and ensuring you have filters on any phonelines/foxtel boxes etc.

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