Suggest me modem + router. How is W8968 v3?

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avi

avi

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I am looking to buy a modem + router. I have BSNL internet. I don't mind having separate modem + router or a combined one.

I was set on TP Link W8968, but seems v3 has issues. One of the review also says that it comes with single antenna. A friend of mine also complained about frequent disconnections. So anyone here has a V3? Hows your experience?

If not W8968, I will go with TP Link 740N plus TP Link 8817. Or do you have any better/cheaper modem recommendation?

PS: Have already ordered W8968 last night, but will cancel if its not a good device.
 
I have the V3. Got it off FK for 1.5K some two months back. I too have a BSNL connection and the device is on 24x7 except for a couple of hours every two days when I just turn it off. Also, it has two 5 dbi antennas and the range is quite good because of them. My sister's room is around 15 feet away from mine (where the router is placed) and after two 6 inch walls, that room still gets almost half the signal strength. If there is a more precise way to measure these aspects of a router, please do tell me so that I can report back here.

There has been the rare disconnection but almost to the point where I can say it doesn't matter. In no way is the disconnection frequent. Also, by disconnections, do you mean all the lights on the device go out before coming back on or the instances when all the lights are on as they should be but the internet still doesn't work. The latter is what I have experienced more than the former but in either case, it has been way too rare. And also, how much of those disconnections can be put down to BSNL themselves?

Any other queries?
 
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^thanks for the review.

In those scenarios mentioned, if latter, then issue could be with BSNL. Either PPP Server is down or DNS. That's not a fault of router.

There are tools to measure signal strength. Can you install any app on your phone and check?
 
prateek give it a good review but that was before. std recommend here until party Monger found it unreliable and returned it (!)
 
Its the most flexible out there, works with adsl as well as cable internet.

so i'm surprised to find out v3 isn't meeting expectations. almost incredulous.
 
Screenshot_2015-04-06-18-45-47.jpg

Above is signal strength across in sister's room. The room is 20 ft. away with two 6-inch walls in between. There's a bathroom as well in between but am not sure if it affects the signal strength much unlike the other two walls.

Screenshot_2015-04-06-18-46-53.jpg

This is in my room standing just a few feet away from the router.

Guys, I'd be willing to put this router through its paces for a better review so just tell me what needs to be done. This is the first time I've bought a modem+router myself (had Tata Docomo earlier and they had their own router) so am not very well versed on how to test/look for problems!

P.S. - Lemme know if I've blacked out or left un-blacked-out anything imp in above pictures :D.
 
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blr_p said:
Its the most flexible out there, works with adsl as well as cable internet.

so i'm surprised to find out v3 isn't meeting expectations. almost incredulous.
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Incredulous? LOL Whats so "incredulous" about a router not living up to what it promises? Even people with V2 have had to tinker around switching off or on unrelated services just to get a stable connection. The thread exists here on TE.

Are you suggesting that maybe the router was good and it was something stupid from my end? If yes, it could be. Im not trying to sell anyone on my opinion. Fee free to take it as you like. I put it out there. If it works for you that's great, if not, told you so. You do with that information what you will.

Unless you are the person that manufactures each and every piece of the device that makes it into the market with your own hands, you can not rule out anything except that there is a general opinion out there. Even that general opinion doesnt matter when there are multiple hardware versions out there each with varying degrees of reviews.

Dlink had a brilliant router in 2750U untill they quietly change the chipset from the brilliant broadcom one to a shitty and almost unkown realtek model, while the router model number remained the same. These companies use tactics to quite possibly get a good profit on famous and well received models by switching to cheaper parts later on and increasing their profits.

Nothing incredulous, plenty of bad reviews out here, you only need to look.
 
eternoMind said:
Above is signal strength across in sister's room. The room is 20 ft. away with two 6-inch walls in between. There's a bathroom as well in between but am not sure if it affects the signal strength much unlike the other two walls.


This is in my room standing just a few feet away from the router.

Guys, I'd be willing to put this router through its paces for a better review so just tell me what needs to be done. This is the first time I've bought a modem+router myself (had Tata Docomo earlier and they had their own router) so am not very well versed on how to test/look for problems!

P.S. - Lemme know if I've blacked out or left un-blacked-out anything imp in above pictures :D.
Click to expand...
Show the spedometer kinda window which shows the signal strength. (swipe left or right)
 
eternoMind said:
View attachment 56087

Above is signal strength across in sister's room. The room is 20 ft. away with two 6-inch walls in between. There's a bathroom as well in between but am not sure if it affects the signal strength much unlike the other two walls.
Click to expand...
That's a good signal and as expected for 2 x 6 inch walls.

eternoMind said:
Guys, I'd be willing to put this router through its paces for a better review so just tell me what needs to be done. This is the first time I've bought a modem+router myself (had Tata Docomo earlier and they had their own router) so am not very well versed on how to test/look for problems!

P.S. - Lemme know if I've blacked out or left un-blacked-out anything imp in above pictures :D.
Click to expand...
This let Party Monger do, since he had the issues.

did he get a faulty product or is it firmware.
 
Party Monger said:
Incredulous? LOL Whats so "incredulous" about a router not living up to what it promises? Even people with V2 have had to tinker around switching off or on unrelated services just to get a stable connection. The thread exists here on TE.
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did not see much complaints here for that product. prateek give it a good review. So it used to be a safe recommend for someone that wanted a modem+ router. wth a unique USP of being flexible over which ISP you went with. Only one of its kind.

Are you suggesting that maybe the router was good and it was something stupid from my end? If yes, it could be. Im not trying to sell anyone on my opinion. Fee free to take it as you like. I put it out there. If it works for you that's great, if not, told you so. You do with that information what you will.
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No, i don't think you did anything wrong, it was not stable which means its not reliable.

You said you have no other wifi networks in your vicinity, your adsl signal is very good. Ideal conditions. it should have been rock solid. A reboot maybe once every other month, stable.

You've read the threads and tried what was recommended still you returned it.

Dlink had a brilliant router in 2750U untill they quietly change the chipset from the brilliant broadcom one to a shitty and almost unkown realtek model, while the router model number remained the same. These companies use tactics to quite possibly get a good profit on famous and well received models by switching to cheaper parts later on and increasing their profits.

Nothing incredulous, plenty of bad reviews out here, you only need to look.
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This is the headache, the good rep of the previous version maybe anything but with the next version.

Weird, v3 of a product is generally stable. All the kinks worked out. But with routers it would seem that is usually v1 or possibly v2, buggy but has the best hardware, then they start cheaping out in subsequent versions.
 
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Guys received it today. And running it from past one hour without any issues.

However it comes with only one antenna. :eek:
 
It comes with two antennas, but internally only one is functional, to be precise left side one (from back)

They have not mentioned about antennas or signal strength on the box. So how do I check it?
 

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@avi this is really strange. I bought mine in the middle of Jan this year and it's safe to assume that our routers are the same. So I should be mostly having the same issue. Also, I too would like to know how you surmised that only one antenna is working?

@Party Monger ,

Screenshot_2015-04-11-13-10-56.jpg

Above one is of my room where the router is kept.

Screenshot_2015-04-11-13-13-40.jpg

Across over in my sister's room.

Screenshot_2015-04-11-13-14-22.jpg

Absolute worst I got in sister's room. Standing at a point that is farthest from my room.
 
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First I removed both antennas and find out the range where without antennas I cannot get signal.

Added antenna to right side, checked if i am getting the signal or not

Then removed it and added at left side. And checked again.

If you remove left side one and keep the right side one only, then signal drops.
 
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Okay, doing what you did above, I have the results same as yours!

EDIT:

One of the reviews for this product from Amazon.
@avi

Capture.JPG
 
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