The internet modem/router that is provided by ISP’s (internet service providers) is always of low quality. They are not designed for streaming, rather to get you online with simple internet use such as web browsing. We always praise the NETGEAR brand, and have now decided to stock them ourselves. You can find them by clicking here.

Below are a few things to note:

  1. If you find that your internet tends to stop working and you frequently have to restart your internet modem/router > this is a sign of your internet modem/router not being able to keep up with the pressure of your home network. This can be due to various reasons, such as; the modem has low specs and locks up under load (similar to an old PC or laptop freezing when you do too many things at the same time), the modem is not designed for heavy use, the modem is faulty &/or more. In reality if a modem requires restarting its not fit for the job.
  2. If you find that your internet speeds are inconsistent and there are no faults with the line to your home, this is a sign that it may be time to update your modem/router.
  3. If you are not getting close to the advertised internet speeds that you are paying for, this can be due to your modem/router not having the best hardware to push those figures, especially on WiFi. The modem/router plays a huge role in terms of network performance and internet speed – you’ll be surprised.

Case Study:

We finally had NBN available in our area – so we made the switch. We are very familiar with all the devices on our network, aswell as the speeds they receive on average using our Netgear router. Signing up to NBN, we received a ‘Sagemcom’ f@st branded modem (Sagemcom’ NBN modems are provided by many ISP’s such as Belong, Optus & Telstra for NBN) – so we plugged it into the new NBN box and off we go. Our RK3188 android dongle had full WiFi reception, but the speed was so slow (1.5mbps), while other devices on the network (such as laptops and phones) were getting approx 21mbps. This was really strange, so we tried to make some configuration changes, including; changing the WiFi channel, changing WiFi width 20 40, resetting the NBN box & resetting the router we gave up. The highest speed we got it too was 3.5mbps. It was impossible for there to be an ‘incompatibility’ issue as the android dongle uses the wireless N network which is fully compatible with the Sagemcom router, and this is what most devices in people’s homes use. After switching the router to a Netgear branded one, the speed literally went from approx 3mbps to 16mbps instantly. This is one example, of many, which we have seen &/or experienced when it comes to modems/routers. This is not a marketing gimmick, you can purchase a quality router from the store of your choice – just don’t make the mistake of using the ISP provided one, if you wish to stream with ease.