Does anyone have any advice on what sort of router/internet connection combination we should be looking at for a business of 15 people?
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Friday, April 26, 2024 12:27:38 PM
Which is the best DrayTek router for SME use and what sort of connection to the internet should I get?
Simon
- 1
sircles
- Moderator
- 189
There are a few considerations here, and the most important is what kind of internet connection is it that you are planning.
You must start by investigating what sort of service you can expect from the postcode of the business in question. You will need to consider the following options:
1. Can I get fibre broadband (VDSL, FTTC or FTTP services) connectivity to my office and what sort of speed can I expect. In the UK you can check on https://www.broadband.co.uk/checker/ which will check against all of the major UK providers. If you can get fibre optic broadband it will tell you here.
2. If I am stuck with traditional broadband (ADSL) then what sort of speed can I expect? Once again https://www.broadband.co.uk/checker/ should give you an approximate speed. If you are looking at a slow service below 5MB then you need to consider 4G as your main internet browsing service.
3. If you are considering a 4G broadband service for your browsing traffic you must investigate the signal available in the area. you can do this by just taking your mobile phone along and using a speed checker app such as 'speedtest' which you can get from the Apple or Google stores. This is the safest way and make sure that you get a 4G SIM with the same provider as the SIM in your phone if you choose this route. you can also check on https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/mobile-coverage for mobile broadband coverage, but a check with your phone is always best as the building itself may have odd characteristics.
4. If you are struggling with decent speed on any of the connections above, have you already commited to that office? Perhaps another might suit you better. If you are committed then you may want to consider dedicated fibre of EoFTTC services, which are expensive but are guaranteed no matter what. There are restrictions on where these can be provided and it may be worth contacting us to get some help.
Once you have decided on the above, the choices for a suitable DrayTek router get a little easier.
The Ln series - such as the DrayTek 2862Ln - are for the 4G users. You can get two SIMS onboard, and although the SIM 4G support is great on a standard DrayTek router, these will give you more flexibility and still allow for a slower broadband connection with which to arrange remote access to the office. If you are interested in 4G deals with static IP addresses for remote access then contact us for more details.
If you are using Virgin superfast broadband then one of the standard DrayTek 2862n routers will be fine. They have a very fast throughput - around 400 MB/s - which will be fine for almost any SME; this option features Wi-Fi.
The DrayTek 2862 would hang off the back of the Virgin Hub or Router via WAN2 and give you all of the features with this configuration as would be available with any other provider. You would need to ensure that the Virgin Hub recognises the second router but this is usually automatic nowadays.
As concerns security, the firewall and security settings are very flexible if you wish to lock down dangerous traffic. A decent spam free email provider is important and Office 365 or Google Suite are the premier providers, you can contact us for any further information on these services.
If you are interested in dedicated fibre for a larger office then you really should get some expert advice from sircles.net where we can gladly help you with every part of the decision concerning your internet connectivity. In this case a larger DrayTek router
You must start by investigating what sort of service you can expect from the postcode of the business in question. You will need to consider the following options:
1. Can I get fibre broadband (VDSL, FTTC or FTTP services) connectivity to my office and what sort of speed can I expect. In the UK you can check on https://www.broadband.co.uk/checker/ which will check against all of the major UK providers. If you can get fibre optic broadband it will tell you here.
2. If I am stuck with traditional broadband (ADSL) then what sort of speed can I expect? Once again https://www.broadband.co.uk/checker/ should give you an approximate speed. If you are looking at a slow service below 5MB then you need to consider 4G as your main internet browsing service.
3. If you are considering a 4G broadband service for your browsing traffic you must investigate the signal available in the area. you can do this by just taking your mobile phone along and using a speed checker app such as 'speedtest' which you can get from the Apple or Google stores. This is the safest way and make sure that you get a 4G SIM with the same provider as the SIM in your phone if you choose this route. you can also check on https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/mobile-coverage for mobile broadband coverage, but a check with your phone is always best as the building itself may have odd characteristics.
4. If you are struggling with decent speed on any of the connections above, have you already commited to that office? Perhaps another might suit you better. If you are committed then you may want to consider dedicated fibre of EoFTTC services, which are expensive but are guaranteed no matter what. There are restrictions on where these can be provided and it may be worth contacting us to get some help.
Once you have decided on the above, the choices for a suitable DrayTek router get a little easier.
The Ln series - such as the DrayTek 2862Ln - are for the 4G users. You can get two SIMS onboard, and although the SIM 4G support is great on a standard DrayTek router, these will give you more flexibility and still allow for a slower broadband connection with which to arrange remote access to the office. If you are interested in 4G deals with static IP addresses for remote access then contact us for more details.
If you are using Virgin superfast broadband then one of the standard DrayTek 2862n routers will be fine. They have a very fast throughput - around 400 MB/s - which will be fine for almost any SME; this option features Wi-Fi.
The DrayTek 2862 would hang off the back of the Virgin Hub or Router via WAN2 and give you all of the features with this configuration as would be available with any other provider. You would need to ensure that the Virgin Hub recognises the second router but this is usually automatic nowadays.
As concerns security, the firewall and security settings are very flexible if you wish to lock down dangerous traffic. A decent spam free email provider is important and Office 365 or Google Suite are the premier providers, you can contact us for any further information on these services.
If you are interested in dedicated fibre for a larger office then you really should get some expert advice from sircles.net where we can gladly help you with every part of the decision concerning your internet connectivity. In this case a larger DrayTek router
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