TP-Link Archer C7 AC cable router - 70 Euro PC World

Mr McBoatface

Just picked up an Archer C7 in PC World Liffey Valley for 70 Euro. Seems a good price for a well received cable AC router. It's Version 2, looks like it can run Open-WRT and DD-WRT for those who might want a more in-depth user interface.

bk

Just make sure it is the Version 2 one you buy. The Version 1 is buggy and doesn't work properly with Apple devices.

Excellent device and very good price, I have one myself and highly recommend it.

Mr McBoatface

bk wrote: »

Just make sure it is the Version 2 one you buy. The Version 1 is buggy and doesn't work properly with Apple devices.

Excellent device and very good price, I have one myself and highly recommend it.

I gave your sticky thread in broadband a read before getting it:pac:. I made sure it was Version 2 Being DD-WRT compatible is a big plus, I hope to configure it so only my media devices use DNS servers for iplayer, itvplayer etc

Ste-

If I have port forwards installed on the stock firmware of the C7 and upgrade to dd-wrt will I need to input these and the static ips again ?

Greta price for this aswell.

bromley52

Ste- wrote: »

If I have port forwards installed on the stock firmware of the C7 and upgrade to dd-wrt will I need to input these and the static ips again ?

Greta price for this aswell.

Yes

bromley52

If you are installing firmware such as dd-wrt, blocking Google DNS is also useful. Zattoo, Netflix etc.

JimsAlterEgo

anyone use this with Virgin Media?

Shlippery

JimsAlterEgo wrote: »

anyone use this with Virgin Media?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057367191

It comes highly recommended in this thread!

damagegt

If I'm switching from vodafones HG658c can I just get this or do I need a separate modem as well ?

crabbypaddy

damagegt wrote: »

If I'm switching from vodafones HG658c can I just get this or do I need a separate modem as well ?

This is a router has no modem.

You should be able to flash the o2 firmware which unlocks all options to the hg658c though.

Ask over on this thread if someone still have the O2 file.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057168096

Plascebo

jobyrne30 wrote: »

Just picked up an Archer C7 in PC World Liffey Valley for 70 Euro. Seems a good price for a well received cable AC router. It's Version 2, looks like it can run Open-WRT and DD-WRT for those who might want a more in-depth user interface.

Are you sure it is a C7, not a C2?

Etnies

Wi-Fi speeds?

beauf

What model are we talking about

beauf

beauf wrote: »

What model are we talking about

I picked one up as well. Thanks for the heads up. Been looking to replace mine for ages.

white_westie

beauf wrote: »

I picked one up as well. Thanks for the heads up. Been looking to replace mine for ages.

Not on their website - are they managers specials or something?

beauf

It was marked clearance or something similar. Only one on shelf in Blanch.

white_westie

:cool:Well done

Mr McBoatface

Yeah it's the Archer C7 it is marked as a clearance item. If you live near a PC world/curry's they are worth the odd trip every couple of weeks to check out the in store discounts.... Wouldn't normally buy things from them but occasionally you can get a really nice deal.

Haven't set it up yet but will soon enough :-)

Nonoperational

crabbypaddy wrote: »

This is a router has no modem.

You should be able to flash the o2 firmware which unlocks all options to the hg658c though.

Ask over on this thread if someone still have the O2 file.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057168096

You don't need to do that, just bridge the HG658.

white_westie

jobyrne30 wrote: »

Yeah it's the Archer C7 it is marked as a clearance item. If you live near a PC world/curry's they are worth the odd trip every couple of weeks to check out the in store discounts.... Wouldn't normally buy things from them but occasionally you can get a really nice deal.

Haven't set it up yet but will soon enough :-)

Just picked last one up in Swords (none in airside).
Same as yourself, never really go into store - might start doing it from now on...Thks for info

crabbypaddy

Nonoperational wrote: »

You don't need to do that, just bridge the HG658.

I though the hg658 was 100Mb ethernet?

guil

crabbypaddy wrote: »

I though the hg658 was 100Mb ethernet?

What does it matter? That's the fastest Vodafone offer at the moment.

Nonoperational

crabbypaddy wrote: »

I though the hg658 was 100Mb ethernet?

That's not going to change with any firmware update.

crabbypaddy

guil wrote: »

What does it matter? That's the fastest Vodafone offer at the moment.

Nonoperational wrote: »

That's not going to change with any firmware update.

My point is the archer isnt going to improve internet speed if it has 100Mbit ports. Throughput of that port will be 10MB/s if you're lucky due to TCP and Ethernet overheads then the archer would have to reprocess all that its going to be slower. The unlocked o2 firmware allows you to change most settings you need to.

I suppose with dd-wrt you could setup multiple wans and use 2 or more of the ports.

If you have a media server or something like that tge archer is worth it obviously

guil

crabbypaddy wrote: »

My point is the archer isnt going to improve internet speed if it has 100Mbit ports. Throughput of that port will be 10MB/s if you're lucky due to TCP and Ethernet overheads then the archer would have to reprocess all that its going to be slower. The unlocked o2 firmware allows you to change most settings you need to.

I suppose with dd-wrt you could setup multiple wans and use 2 or more of the ports.

If you have a media server or something like that tge archer is worth it obviously

You're talking nonsense. I have 30mb from Vodafone and have the hg-658c bridged to a tp-link WDR3600 and there is no degradation whatsoever.

crabbypaddy

guil wrote: »

You're talking nonsense. I have 30mb from Vodafone and have the hg-658c bridged to a tp-link WDR3600 and there is no degradation whatsoever.

That's because 30Mb is far slower than ethernet.

crabbypaddy

guil wrote: »

You're talking nonsense. I have 30mb from Vodafone and have the hg-658c bridged to a tp-link WDR3600 and there is no degradation whatsoever.

That's because 30Mb is far slower than ethernet so you don't have a bottle neck.

guil

crabbypaddy wrote: »

That's because 30Mb is far slower than ethernet.

100mb isn't going to drop to 10mb whatever way you look at it. A couple of mb might be lost but nothing you will notice at those speeds.

VeVeX

guil wrote: »

100mb isn't going to drop to 10mb whatever way you look at it. A couple of mb might be lost but nothing you will notice at those speeds.

Megabits vs. Megabytes

bk

While it will not help give you broadband speeds if you are on Vodafone, it can help speed up your internal network.

For example transfers between laptop and a NAS or smart TV.

Not for most people, but very important for power users.

massy086

jobyrne30 wrote: »

I gave your sticky thread in broadband a read before getting it:pac:. I made sure it was Version 2 Being DD-WRT compatible is a big plus, I hope to configure it so only my media devices use DNS servers for iplayer, itvplayer etc

How can you make sure that I am buying the v2 model?

clancger

It says v2 on the box, beside the barcode

Question from a Luddite - what is this thing and why would I want one?

massy086

clancger wrote: »

It says v2 on the box, beside the barcode

thanks 4 that

richardw001

Katelyn Repulsive Teenager wrote: »

Question from a Luddite - what is this thing and why would I want one?

its basically a fancier router for your home than the one you will get with your internet provider.

For many people the sheer volume of devices using the internet in the house has got so large that they need to put a bit more money into the device that directs/routes these onto the internet (it also improves how they to talk to one another. For example streaming music or video from say a laptop to a tablet.)

Nonoperational

bk wrote: »

While it will not help give you broadband speeds if you are on Vodafone, it can help speed up your internal network.

For example transfers between laptop and a NAS or smart TV.

Not for most people, but very important for power users.

Exactly. The only thing limited by the 100Mbit ethernet is the WAN connection. For all other internal networking I connect to the ports on the C7. It's made the network really rock solid and very fast. Great device.

richardw001

richardw001 wrote: »

its basically a fancier router for your home than the one you will get with your internet provider.

For many people the sheer volume of devices using the internet in the house has got so large that they need to put a bit more money into the device that directs/routes these onto the internet (it also improves how they to talk to one another. For example streaming music or video from say a laptop to a tablet.)

Thanks for that, don't think this is something I need to worry about then, cheers!

beauf

richardw001 wrote: »

its basically a fancier router for your home than the one you will get with your internet provider....

Also UPC used to supply very poor wifi routers. Many people had to get their own to get a decent wifi signal and speed. Thats why I got it. Also I want better parental features.

white_westie

Was in Swords and Airside yesterday and they had a C7 in each on the shelf - still at €70

guil

Anyone know if there is any in Carlow? I'm in Kildare but there's none in naas.

richardw001

They have the Archer C8 on amazon at the moment for 74 sterling with free supersaver delivery (also one left in amazon warehouse deals for 64 sterling).

25 euro more expensive - however it has a usb 3.0 port (if you are planning on using this to serve a media/usb drive). And a faster processor.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-Archer-C8-Wireless-Gigabit/dp/B00OZG8ZDO/ref=pd_sim_sbs_147_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=31v3mmd-G8L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=00TQA84JK6XXZ5K4TVKS

zom

richardw001 wrote: »

They have the Archer C8 on amazon at the moment for 74 sterling with free supersaver delivery (also one left in amazon warehouse deals for 64 sterling). 25 euro more expensive - however it has a usb 3.0 port (if you are planning on using this to serve a media/usb drive). And a faster processor.

....and you don't have to deal with PCWord / Currys, which may be the biggest pro of that offer.

richardw001

zom wrote: »

....and you don't have to deal with PCWord / Currys, which may be the biggest pro of that offer.

Strange thing is that the C7 is more expensive on amazon than the C8 - however looking at the specs - it doesn't make sense really.

Anyhow I would tend to agree that purchasing from Amazon is better :-) however I guess some people like the whole bricks and mortar experience.

djmarkus

C8 doesnt support openwrt FYI.

richardw001

djmarkus wrote: »

C8 doesnt support openwrt FYI.

I hadn't realised that thanks

In terms of a comparison/discussion between the two there's one below

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/archer-c7-vs-c8.24697/