ADSL routers with built-in gigabit ports/switches

Does such a thing exist?

I see a few ADSL routers with a single gigabit port (for connecting to the wired LAN I presume) but where's the point in that when the other LAN ports on the router are 100Mbps? Why aren't more ADSL routers fitted with gigabit ethernet ports? Surely it'd add little or no cost to making the router in the first place?

Why aren't more ADSL routers fitted with gigabit ethernet ports?

cos ADSL doesn't need gigabit and price is king ? Plug the 100M ethernet port of the router into a GigE switch and away you go...

That means using a separate switch for gigabit though, which quite a lot of people probably don't need for their networks. And with wireless, 802.11n especially, 100Mbit ports are kind of a bottleneck so gigabit ports do make a difference to that.

true. Single port ADSL router with 100M ethernet, gigabit wireless N access point with 4 port switch, sorted. Actually 802.11n doesn't get near 100M ethernet when I've tried it.

In reply to a post by yarwell:

true. Single port ADSL router with 100M ethernet, gigabit wireless N access point with 4 port switch, sorted. Actually 802.11n doesn't get near 100M ethernet when I've tried it.

Some N implementations can; in dual channel (40mhz) locations with no interference. ie, nobody in a town

You'll find this is the reason routers such as the BT HomeHub and the Draytek 2820 have a single GigE port and three 100m, along with N wireless.

In reply to a post by yarwell:

Why aren't more ADSL routers fitted with gigabit ethernet ports?

cos ADSL doesn't need gigabit and price is king ? Plug the 100M ethernet port of the router into a GigE switch and away you go...

So I end up with an extra box sitting in my media cabinet requiring power. Even top-end ADSL routers don't have gigabit ports and given the very small extra cost and greater convenience, it just doesn't make sense.

Joconnell
As no ADSL goes upto 100Mb why would they go to the cost of putting a Gb port in.

The new BT HH3 has a Ge port in but only so that it can be connected to FTTP if/when it is available. This would enable the 110Mb linespeed, 100Mb throughput promised speed.

But you would only need Gb port when you use fibre.

I presume you are trying to run a Ge LAN around your premises which suggests business use ( 100s of units). and most ADSL routers are designed for the dirt cheap domestic markets (100000s of units) where margins are in the pence / month range.

ADSL routers work on the basis of upto 24Mb out so only need 100Mb ports in,
VDSL/Cable routers on the basis of upto 100Mb out so still only need 100Mb ports in,

FTTP is Gb out, so need Ge ports, I would expect more than 1, but they may be working on the basis that noone will need more than 1 if they are using N wireless as well

Kitkat

They do exist. Try Billion's 7800N for starters.

I've just bought a Belkin dual band router with four 1Gb ports and 2 USB ports.
I only bought it because of the 5Ghz wireless as all the users round here just use Channel 1,6 and 11 rather than 1,5, 9 and 13 keeping a 2 channel separation and allow additional users. With 2 or 3 users on each channel, wireless is almost unusable unless within cable distance which defeats the object.

if the extra cost is anything more than zero and there's no perceived demand it makes a lot of sense. Horses for courses - switch for switching, AP for wireless, modem/router for internet gateway.

Same argument as hi-fi separates really, the all-in-one units tended not to be the best or to suit everyone's taste.

Power consumption probably same.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

The new BT HH3 has a Ge port in but only so that it can be connected to FTTP if/when it is available. This would enable the 110Mb linespeed, 100Mb throughput promised speed.

I thought I read (on the register perhaps) the HH3 had a 100mb WAN port alongside the ADSL WAN port, and then 4 internal ports of which one is 1000mb (GigE) and the others 100mb (FastE).

But you would only need Gb port when you use fibre.

If N works you get 300mb/sec - and even in my congested wireless area my Draytek gets 140mbps to my laptop.

The Draytek 2820Vn has a single GigE and 3 FastE LAN switch ports, and a single 100mbps WAN port alongside an ADSL2+ port - same as the BT HH3.

Same reasoning for the GigE port - the N wireless is supposed to go faster than 100mbps.


I understand your reasoning, its logical, but I disagree with it. As others have stated there are other routers with four GigE LAN ports, and a GigE WAN port - such as the BIllion. Also what about Virgin Media, who now offer 100mbps, and are talking about 200mbps.

A colleague of mine has 80mbps symmetric VDSL in Sweden - he can't find a router that can keep up with the throughput.

In reply to a post by joconnell:

Does such a thing exist?

I see a few ADSL routers with a single gigabit port (for connecting to the wired LAN I presume) but where's the point in that when the other LAN ports on the router are 100Mbps? Why aren't more ADSL routers fitted with gigabit ethernet ports? Surely it'd add little or no cost to making the router in the first place?

Hi joconnell, I found one! I just stumbled on this super-duper-router by Netgear, it has (4) Gigabit Ethernet ports and looks a good future proof router to have, it will work connected with cable/fibre broadband and ADSL2+, I would like one myself.

http://www.netgear.co.uk/home/products/wirelessroute...

In reply to a post by E7er:

Hi joconnell, I found one! I just stumbled on this super-duper-router by Netgear, it has (4) Gigabit Ethernet ports and looks a good future proof router to have, it will work connected with cable/fibre broadband and ADSL2+, I would like one myself.

Hope its not a relative of the (apparently bad) Virgin Media SuperHub by NetGear

and even in my congested wireless area my Draytek gets 140mbps to my laptop

actual throughput ? or a willy waving number on a GUI

Future proof? No VDSL ... so not even ready for today's technology.

Read the whole spec - it is full of marketing hype.

In reply to a post by yarwell:

actual throughput ? or a willy waving number on a GUI

Good question, I've not benchtested since getting the N laptop - so its probably just "marketing" programming

It connects to the BT VDSL2 modem, true it might be a load of rubbish.

What is the point of buying one with an ADSL front end if the plan is to connect it to a modem?

Read the specs carefully and out of the box it single wireless channel only and needs an extra cost adapter to achieve the acclaimed 2.4 & 5 GHz operation.