Where does your router live?

Hi everyone,

Some of you might know that we’ve recently been working with the New Things team at CHOICE to understand the problems people may be having with the products that they own.

We’re experimenting with the idea of putting a screen on a router that would provide you with information about your broadband connection and your network of devices.

With this in mind, we’ve got a question for you. It’s a simple one. Where does your router live? Is it hidden away, or is it on display? Feel free to let us know more in the comments.

  • Hidden away (In a cupboard, behind your tv)
  • On display (under your TV, on a shelf, in your hallway)

0 voters

4 Likes

Me, always hidden away.

There are usually ugly cables running out the back of it, even if I did have a pretty router it brings a mess.

I’ve often needed to position the router in odd positions to get the best coverage. e.g. For a house built with internal brick walls I had to hang the router in the roof space to get coverage across every room.

1 Like

Plugged in behind TV, NBN satellite modem is behind TV for now (planning on moving TV soon), but router is sitting on an inside window sill to get decent signal inside, and outside for wi-fi temperature loggers in my fish tanks. It is hidden behind a curtain from inside, but is sort of on display if you are outside on the end of the veranda :wink:

1 Like

On top of a cabinet so that it sits high up for best range.

But why would you need a screen on a router? Your computer’s connected to it, and it has its own dedicated HTML page that lets you see and manage all its operations.

1 Like

We have 1 MikroTik Router (hapLite) with PoE to a mast Ubiquiti Receiver/transmitter and 1 Cisco smart Switch (8 gigabit ports) plus a Ubiquiti Unifier (N Band) for the wireless coverage around the house.

Both the Router and Switch are visible on a desk and the Unifier is installed close to the ceiling in the same room about 1/3 the way down length of the house. We are used to always checking connectivity both internally (household) and externally (Wifi connection to our ISP) as we use quite a lot of bandwidth streaming TV, movies (Netflix, Stan,Hulu), Internet gaming, music, and browsing (around 2 to 3 TB a month). Any interruption or reduction in our rates of connection are felt and we try to either remedy them or have our ISP made aware of the issues. We find the basic lights on the boxes can help us diagnose if it is likely an internal or external disruption to the service.

If you are on a Pad or Smartphone you don’t always have those tools handy and if you can’t connect with wireless then you are in trouble. Also if it is purely a wireless modem then you can’t plug in to browse the management console.

2 Likes

:astonished:
I don’t think my calculator has enough digits to calculate how much that would cost me!

Our package is unmetered usage for $110 a month through a smaller local ISP. Our ISP runs a Wireless network with point to point transmission to the users and then connects via Fibre to the internet through a Top Layer provider. We get speeds of around 50 Mbps Down and 10 - 15 Mbps up, those who have 200 GB or less limits can get about 100 Mbps Down.

We don’t get a faster allocation as we are unmetered, if it was faster it would suck other users bandwidth availability. The big providers tend to be focused purely on profit so provide the cheapest solution (to them) to connect and this means generally ADSL (both 1 and 2), Cable, 3G/4G and now the NBN (FTTN, FTTP, Fixed Wireless and Satellite).

1 Like

I didn’t know that there were purely wireless modems! That seems like not a particularly good idea. :open_mouth: It’d be very frustrating to try to set up a wireless-only router, particularly if you were setting up or changing the wireless parameters. Equally with an ethernet-capable router, setting it up using a wireless-only device like a tablet or a phone.

They have a USB connection but it isn’t recommended for everyday use, and not all Pads/smartphones like USB like this.

1 Like

Sounds like a timely warning not to buy them. :wink:

Mine is on display but in a spare room, it is located here to provide best access throughout the house

Hidden away. My landline cable entry leads into my home security and the splitter for the landline and ADSL, then goes into the router, which has CAT5 cabling to some rooms but also WiFi

You dont need a screen, I have just updated to a new one that comes with an app, all the info you need without having to check the modem. Also most basic functions such as connection and wifi are displayed with status lights on the modem.

2 Likes

Hidden away in the fusebox

On my desk (mezzanine level); Wi-Fi (5 GHz) covers the rest of the house from there. Because Blu-ray player understands only 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, I also use Ethernet-over-Power to get internet access to Blu-ray player. My (quite old) TV does not have direct internet functionality.

Behind the books on a bookshelf. Central location, shelving and books do not impede the signal - and very consciously - I can’t see it!

Moved into our brand new house in February of this yea. Had designed it with data ports in every bedroom and study with 2 behind the main TV in the family room and one in the kitchen. It’s all open plan so kitchen, dining and family are in one area. Data ports terminate in the Garage as does the new NBN setup which is now a must in Armidale NSW. NBN patches through from the garage to router next to TV in the family room then the data port is re-routed back to the garage via the second outlet into an 8 port switch. Any other room that requires a physical connection simply plugs into the switch so all cabling, switches and cable clutter is in the garage and out of sight. Wireless works really well throughout the whole house but I decided to have physical connections put in as a back up plan and plus, I am a big believer in having physical connections where possible. Could put the router in the garage if I really want to but the wireless coverage would be better in the family room and plus, it’s not really an eyesore and the cables coming out of the back are not really visible anyway.

Of course this was only made possible by the fact that we were able to build our home from scratch.

As for a screen on a router, might work for some but not for others as it is purely a personal preference and plus if the screen decides to play up, you’ll still need a tablet/computer to play with the settings anyway.

I agree, why a screen? If I need to check anything on my router I go to the HTML page. I have checked my router using my Blackberry phone while in Rome. Just recently while in Perth I checked the router using my Nexus 7. I live in a Brisbane suburb. I think anyone that cannot access their router through the router webpage, really shouldn’t be touching the the router. There are plenty of apps built for WiFi connected phones and tablets that allow changes and diagnostics. And there are plenty of apps for WiFi that let you spy on everyone using WiFi. Just ask News Corp London office.