Wifi Range Extender with the Archer VR1600v - not great

[Kingsta102]

Hi all,

I've recently moved across to TPG from Telstra, and given the layout of my house need to use a wifi range extender, and the one I have is a EX7500 – AC2200 Nighthawk X4S Tri Band WiFi Mesh Extender.  This all worked fine with the standard Telstra NBN modem. Now with TPG modem the signal is null if I move it more than 5mtrs from the modem.

Does anyone know if the TPG provided modem is a reduced signal/strength to that of the Telstra one?

What are the thoughts on a solution?

• Purchase multiple (additional) wifi extenders?  
• Purchase a stronger modem?  (I understand my VoIP will cease working if I do not use the TPG supplied modem)
• (Learn how to) set up a bridge + purchase an additional router + use the range extenders?  (so I don't lose VoIP and internet works in my granny flat)

I'm after advice - I don't have a large house, but it is all double brick and the teenage gaming retreat is in the granny flat - so no internet = unhappy teenagers...

Cheers

Tracey

PS: In addition to this, I still don't have any inbound calls working on my landline. There is an engineering ticket raised with TPG. When I dial my home number I get the message "the number you have called is not connected". Internet and outbound calls are fine. Does anyone have/had a similar issue? Tips on a solution?

[chicaneau]

Hi Kingsta102,

I also moved across from Telstra NBN (to TPG FTTB). I also have the Archer VR1600v modem.

Compared to my old modem that worked flawlessly, the new modem is a nightmare.

Firstly, the supplied firmware caused the 5GHz radio to crash when doing bandwith intensive uploads (multiple speedtest.net tests would cause it to happen, as well as uploading to cloud storage). After wasting many hours with support, they eventually pushed out a new firmware that solved this issue.

Secondly, the 2.4GHz WiFi doesn't agree with my WiFi power points (they stop working). I had no problems with them with the old Telstra router.

The firmware updates are only done upon request, so the majority of TPG's customers would be using the faulty firmware. They have no strategy in place to do widespread firmware updates like other providers. It's baffling why they dont, and ultimately dissapointing to have a downgraded user experience with TPG.