VDSL router(s)

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PsyCLown

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Hi all,

So I need to get myself a new router and am thinking about getting a VDSL one as I am contemplating upgrading to 20Mbit in the near future.

Seems people dislike the Zyxel and Pace ones, what other options are there?
Also between the Zyxel and Pace - which do you guys think is the better one?

Thanks,
Psy



EDIT: Make info easier for people to find. Credit for the nice, neat table goes to Splat.
SplaT said:
I've been looking for a VDSL router myself and from the thread, I have learned:

PACE 921VNX

This is the router Telkom tries to sell VDSL customers.
[table="width: 500, class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD]Pros[/TD]
[TD]Cons[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Backwards compatibility[/TD]
[TD]Basic [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]USB (File Sharing, 3G)[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Where to buy:
Telkom.co.za : R1249

Feedback: NOT RECOMMENDED


________________________________________________
TP-Link TD-W9980

[table="width: 500, class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD]Pros[/TD]
[TD]Cons[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Backwards compatibility[/TD]
[TD]No stock in SA[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dual Band 5Ghz[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]USB (File Sharing, 3G)[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Where to buy:
No stock

Feedback: RECOMMENDED


______________________________________________________________
Zyxel VMG1312-B

[table="width: 500, class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD]Pros[/TD]
[TD]Cons[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Backwards compatibility[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]USB (File Sharing, 3G)[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cheap[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Where to buy:
Nivo.co.za : R888
WebAfrica: R899

Feedback: RECOMMENDED


______________________________________________________________
Zyxel SBG3300-N

[table="width: 500, class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD]Pros[/TD]
[TD]Cons[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Backwards compatibility[/TD]
[TD]Build Quality[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]USB (File Sharing & 3G)[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Supports Fibre[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Multi-Wan / Load Balancing[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Where to buy:
Webafrica: R1799
Nivo.co.za: R1948.10
Webantics.com: R1980.71

Feedback: RECOMMENDED


______________________________________________________________
Billion B-8800NXL

[table="width: 500, class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD]Pros[/TD]
[TD]Cons[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Backwards compatibility[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]USB (File Sharing & 3G)[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dual Band[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Triple WAN support[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Where to buy:
WebAntics.com: R1276.60
JustIT.co.za: R1191

Feedback: HIGLY RECOMMENDED


______________________________________________________________
ASUS DSL-AC68U

[table="width: 500, class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD]Pros[/TD]
[TD]Cons[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Backwards compatibility[/TD]
[TD]One USB Port[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]USB 3.0 (File Sharing & 3G)[/TD]
[TD]Bit expensive[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dual Band[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Where to buy:
wootware.co.za: R3456
comX: R3400
loot.co.za: R3338

Feedback: HIGLY RECOMMENDED
Click to expand...


EDIT: So Draytek also have some VDSL routers available
MrDraytek said:
Hi all

We provide 3 SoHo and business-grade VDSL routers of varying size, with rich functionality.

Apart from the basic single ethernet port Vigor130, the two full-featured models are:

DrayTek Vigor2760 series (Delight version available in SA)
Features include VDSL and ADSL support with 2 USB ports for 3G/LTE fail-over or NAS.
Other specs include 4 gigabit LAN ports, 2 VPN tunnels and a 30-day trial of the integrated Web Content Filter.
There are wired-only, WiFi-n, as well as VoIP+WiFi-n versions of the DrayTek Vigor2760 series available.

DrayTek Vigor2860 series
Features include VDSL and ADSL support and a second ethernet WAN port along with 2 USB ports for 3G/LTE. All 3 WAN links may be configured for load-balancing or fail-over.
Other specs include 6 gigabit LAN ports, 32 VPN tunnels and a 30-day trial of the integrated Web Content Filter.
There are wired-only, single and dual-band WiFi-n+VoIP versions available, as well as the WiFi-ac version of the DrayTek Vigor2860 series.

For a Live Web Demo of the web user interface here is the Vigor2760 and here is the Vigor2860

Give me a shout if you have any queries about DrayTek.
Click to expand...


MrDraytek is on this forum as well, so should there be issue I would imagine it to be much easier to get some support from him!
 
Last edited:
The pace one is absolute rubbish, I hear billion also made one, I've had very good experiences with the brand
 
Ok, so the Pace is crap.

Seems this is the Billion one, although it does not support Gigabit: http://www.billion.com/product/vdsl2/BiPAC8200M-VDSL2-Modem.html Then there is this one which has gigabit support as well as 802.11AC if you want - not sure if they are available in SA? http://www.billion.com/product/vdsl2/BiPAC8800AXL-VDSL2-Modem.html

Then there is the TP-Link as well. Anyone here had any experiences with the TP-Link or Billion?

Also what is the 30a VDSL profile? Seems some only support upto 17a?
 
Last edited:
So lets do a quick summary here... After much Googling and researching I have put together the below.

VDSL routers:
Telkom Pace 921VNX
TP-Link - TD-W9980 & TD-W8980*
ZyXEL - VMG1312-B, P-2812HNU-Fx & SBG3300-N
Billion - BiPAC 8200 & BiPAC 8800 (Are they available in SA yet?)
Asus - DSL-AC68U & DSL-N66U

*The W8980 is an ADSL2+ router but has the same hardware as the 9980 and can be flashed with the 9980 firmware to get VDSL support

In terms of chipsets and how they effect your line stats with the distance from the exchange, I stumbled upon this link: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1954308
Quite interesting actually. The main three chipsets being Broadcom, Lantiq and Trendchip (Not sure if Trendchip make for VDSL or just ADSL).

Chipsets which the routers have:
Telkom Pace - Unknown
TP Link - Lantiq
ZyXEL - Broadcom
Billion - Broadcom
Asus - Econet / Lantiq
 
Last edited:
Hey Guys, I am also looking to purchase a VDSL wifi router for home. I am upgrading to VDSL from next month and I currently am using the Netgear N300 DGN2200, any suggestions as to what VDSL router to purchase. I have heard bad things about telcoms pace router, looked at the Netgear options, but according to this thread a no no.

Give you an idea it would be used mainly for streaming although both minix devices are wired in, only the tablets and pc are on the wifi network.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Jarrud
 
Sabrezn said:
Hey Guys, I am also looking to purchase a VDSL wifi router for home. I am upgrading to VDSL from next month and I currently am using the Netgear N300 DGN2200, any suggestions as to what VDSL router to purchase. I have heard bad things about telcoms pace router, looked at the Netgear options, but according to this thread a no no.

Give you an idea it would be used mainly for streaming although both minix devices are wired in, only the tablets and pc are on the wifi network.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Jarrud
Click to expand...

I wasn't able to find any Netgear VDSL routers locally??

The TP Link is out of stock at the moment.
The ZyXEL routers seem to have issues with their firmware and tons of bugs - well with the VMG8924-B10A / VMG8324-B10A at least. ZyXEL in general seem a bit slow with releasing new firmware though. :/

I am personally waiting for the TP Link to hopefully come back in stock by the end of the month, not willing to spend the money for the Asus - although I'd love one! :D
 
Hey guys.

I need a VDSL modem, not router. I have a firewall and Wireless AP that handles all the routing.

Alternatively, can the locally available modems be put into Bridge Mode to allow manual PPPoE connections?
 
XperiAnce said:
Hey guys.

I need a VDSL modem, not router. I have a firewall and Wireless AP that handles all the routing.

Alternatively, can the locally available modems be put into Bridge Mode to allow manual PPPoE connections?
Click to expand...

Why not just get a cheaper router and use it as a modem?


BTW It seems as if Billion have a VDSL router out in South Africa - the B-8800 NXL. I have ordered one from Tarsus and they should be getting stock in around the 18th, so hopefully I will have it before the weekend.
People on the Kitz forum seem to have great things to say about it, basically the same Broadcom chipset as some of the ZyXEL Although the firmware does not have the same amount of bugs / issues as the ZyXEL, it also works properly with DSLstats and is very stable and people in the UK say that it provides them with better line sync speeds and better attainable rates (Note: they are using the 8800 NL, the NXL seems to be the same just with 3G/4G support).
 
There we go, as long as it is stable it should make for a decent "modem".
Pace were unable to assist me with what chipset is used in these Telkom Pace routers, they said I would need to ask Telkom for the details.

I somehow doubt we will get such information out of Telkom, doubt they would know what we are talking about.
 
I know a lot of people have said the Pace is crap, but I have found it very stable and my wireless coverage has been decent considering its placement in my house.
The only downfall of it is the inability to change DNS settings. I just do it at a device level now.
If you are using it just as a modem it should work well for you.
 
Okay so i have got the Mweb Fon VDSL router (TG589vn v3) I have stripped the mweb firmware and I have installed the Techicolor firmware.

Unfortunately I have to wait about 15 more days before my VDSL becomes active, so I will give you guys feedback then.

Shot for the advice guys.

Cheers

J
 
mercenary said:
Does the tg589vn-v3 work with the current vdsl product?
Click to expand...

The Mweb FON? If Mweb are providing it then it kinda has to :P Pointless giving out a router which is locked to their network yet doesn't work.

I saw a thread somewhere where the guy managed to unbrand his Mweb one - flashed it with stock / official Technicolor firmware and is now able to use it with different ISP's.
 
PsyCLown said:
The Mweb FON? If Mweb are providing it then it kinda has to :P Pointless giving out a router which is locked to their network yet doesn't work.

I saw a thread somewhere where the guy managed to unbrand his Mweb one - flashed it with stock / official Technicolor firmware and is now able to use it with different ISP's.
Click to expand...

on the mweb firmware you can use any isp , i am using it atm.

Remember its illegal in s.a to lock to devices to a network anymore.
 
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