Billion 7700n v Netgear DG834G

I just purchased a 7700N to use at a different location. As it is wise to test things as soon as they arrived I hooked it up to my adsl line here.
My Netgear syncs at 28xxmbps with a resulting SNR of 6db. Attenuation here is 63.5db. I have a long line but it is very stable.

I was surprised to see that the Billion only synced at 18xx on the first sync so I checked all my settings and rebooted the router and saw no difference in the sync speed. SNR was the same at 6db and attenuation was seen as the same value - 63.5.

The Billion is destined for a location with a much shorter line using an 8mbps service I know I will get full speed out of it and will benefit from the 300mbps wireless too. But if I were to use it here then I would be losing 1000mbps of sync speed. Which would be the difference between a 2500 and a 1500 ip profile.

I am posting this to point out that difference that I have found between the two different Broadcom chipsets used here, 6348 in the Netgear and 6328 in the Billion.
Based on my brief testing there is no doubt which is the better router on a long slow line.

I have also used a Billion 7800N here for a few days. This actually synced at a faster speed than the Netgear but it is a big clunky ugly looking beast and does not fit in here so it was sent back.

In reply to a post by jaba:

I have also used a Billion 7800N here for a few days. This actually synced at a faster speed than the Netgear but it is a big clunky ugly looking beast and does not fit in here so it was sent back.

I'll be the first to agree that the Billion 7800N isn't the most attractive of routers but its easily the best in terms of performance (imho). Surely you should choose a router based on its performance only? If you plan on putting your router in the display cabinet then perhaps you should go for Linksys garbage? <rolls eyes>

Well, I'm sitting about three feet from my 7800N and it doesn't look bad to me. I admit the three aerials looked slightly odd to start with - and maybe still do ....... But it's an excellent router and I didn't buy it as an ornament.

p

In reply to a post by jaba:

My Netgear syncs at 28xxmbps with a resulting SNR of 6db. Attenuation here is 63.5db.

You need to sort out your Mega (or even milli) with your Kilo. You mean "Kbps" throughout!

In reply to a post by jaba:

I have also used a Billion 7800N here for a few days. This actually synced at a faster speed than the Netgear but it is a big clunky ugly looking beast and does not fit in here so it was sent back.

Many think like you, that is why Apple is so profitable. Style will never win over substance on my watch.

DrT

In reply to a post by baby_frogmella:

I'll be the first to agree that the Billion 7800N isn't the most attractive of routers but its easily the best in terms of performance (imho). Surely you should choose a router based on its performance only? If you plan on putting your router in the display cabinet then perhaps you should go for Linksys garbage? <rolls eyes>

But, but, I was posting about the poor performance of the 7700. I only tried the 7800, no question that I found it to be very good, but too big to fit in here and as I did not need its extra performance sent it back to save £120 of unnecessary expenditure.

The elephant in the room is that there is a significant difference in the performance of the different Broadcom chips. The manufacturers never tell you this.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by jaba:

My Netgear syncs at 28xxmbps with a resulting SNR of 6db. Attenuation here is 63.5db.

You need to sort out your Mega (or even milli) with your Kilo. You mean "Kbps" throughout!

You are absolutely right sir. I am duly humbled and will retract my candidature for the international standards organisation (ISO) committee and withdraw my proposal that shedloads and s**tloads be included as ISO and SI units of measurement.

In reply to a post by DrTeeth:

In reply to a post by jaba:

I have also used a Billion 7800N here for a few days. This actually synced at a faster speed than the Netgear but it is a big clunky ugly looking beast and does not fit in here so it was sent back.

Many think like you, that is why Apple is so profitable. Style will never win over substance on my watch.

DrT

Wrong, I do not choose on appearance but on performance and need. I did not need the slight extra performance the 7800 offered over my Netgear so it was rejected both for this and its size and appearance even though it could probably be the best router around.

I gave in last year and bought an iPod. What an overpriced but well designed external hard disk that is.

I need the smallest wireless N router available for a very tiny secondary location so bought the 7700. I just could not believe the large difference in performance of the different Broadcom chips. Pity there is no way of finding this out in advance ?

The difference may be nothing to do with the Broadcom chips. PSU noise and input circuit noise rejection and line impedance matching can affect performance.

Well i've just tried the 7700N (kept as a spare) on my TalkTalk ADSL2+ line and it syncs only 0.1 meg lower than my trusty 7800N. So perhaps you were sent a lemon and might be worth getting it replaced?