Check whether the broadband service or the Wi-Fi inside your home is causing the problem before buying equipment: Ofcom notes that Wi-Fi cannot outperform the broadband connection. A wired connection suits a fixed device, an extender can address one weak area, and mesh is a route for wider coverage. Consider a replacement router only after checking your provider’s connection requirements; keeping an ISP hub may make provider support and connected services simpler.
If streaming, gaming, studying and video calls coincide, work out whether the broadband connection or the in-home network is limiting use. Ofcom advises checking what other devices are doing on the connection.
Note where the signal becomes unreliable before choosing equipment. Ofcom’s Wi-Fi guidance makes the broadband service a separate consideration; Which? distinguishes targeted extension from wider mesh coverage.
Check the exact provider and broadband access type before replacing a hub. EE specifies PPPoE support for its network, while TalkTalk says a non-TalkTalk router needs manually entered connection settings.
Start with the scope of the problem, then choose between a wired device connection, targeted coverage equipment and a change to the main router.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Service or Wi-Fi? | Check provider status and which devices are affected. Compare a direct Ethernet connection with Wi-Fi where practical; Ofcom says Wi-Fi cannot outperform the broadband service. | Everything is slow, or just devices in certain rooms? I want to know which problem I am addressing before buying coverage equipment. |
| Coverage | Check hub placement and locate the weak areas. Which? describes an extender as the simpler option for a targeted area and mesh as a wider, whole-home route. | One room needs attention, or several rooms and floors do. The pattern matters more to me than a coverage claim on a box. |
| Simultaneous use | Check whether problems coincide with other data-heavy tasks. For a fixed device, check whether a cable and the required Ethernet ports or adapter are practical; a wired connection avoids that device’s Wi-Fi link. | Video calls or games become unreliable when others are online. I can wire up a stationary device if the cable route works in my home. |
| Provider compatibility | Identify the broadband access type and ask for the provider’s own-router settings. EE specifies PPPoE support; TalkTalk requires manual settings for non-TalkTalk routers, and Plusnet says a router must be compatible with its network. | If I replace the hub, I need the new router to connect to my particular service, not merely carry a general compatibility claim. |
| Connected services | Check whether the hub serves a digital landline or other dependent equipment before reconfiguring it. Ofcom says a digital landline works through the broadband router. | Our home phone or connected support equipment must be considered before I change how the hub is connected. |
| Ongoing upkeep | Check how the device receives firmware updates and how to administer it. The National Cyber Security Centre says firmware updates deliver bug fixes and security updates. | I want networking equipment I can keep updated and manage after installation. |
A service fault or slow broadband connection can remain after a Wi-Fi upgrade. Ofcom notes that Wi-Fi cannot outperform the broadband service.
Check provider status and compare a wired connection where practical. Note whether all devices are affected or the problem is confined to distant rooms.
Connection requirements depend on the provider and service type. EE specifies PPPoE support, TalkTalk requires manual settings for a non-TalkTalk router, and Plusnet requires a compatible router.
Identify your access type and check your provider’s own-router instructions against the exact model before buying.
Virgin Media describes modem mode as turning its Hub into a cable modem for your own Wi-Fi equipment. That changes the role of the Hub in the household network.
Check which existing Hub functions and connected devices you rely on before enabling modem mode, and keep the provider’s instructions for restoring your setup.
Ofcom says digital landlines work through the broadband router, so a hub change may affect how the phone is connected.
Speak to the provider before changing the setup if your household uses a digital landline, telecare equipment or an alarm connected through it.
Which? includes TP-Link, Amazon Eero and Asus among the router brands in its UK testing; that does not establish how every model will perform in your home.
A brand to consider when comparing third-party routers; Which? includes TP-Link in its UK router testing.
Which? includes Amazon Eero among the router brands it tests for UK readers.
Which? includes Asus among the third-party router brands in its UK testing.
These options cover wider mesh coverage, one-area Wi-Fi extension, a wired adapter and a third-party router. Choose a route only after checking whether your existing broadband service or in-home connection needs attention.
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Consider a three-unit mesh setup when weak Wi-Fi affects several rooms, rather than one isolated spot.
The listed variant is dual-band BE3600 with 2.5Gbps Ethernet. Check how it will connect to your existing modem or gateway, and plan unit placement for your home.
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This three-unit mesh option is relevant when coverage is weak across multiple parts of a home.
Plan where the units would sit and check how one will connect to your existing broadband equipment. Room layout and building materials matter when assessing the intended coverage.
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Consider an extender when one area has weak Wi-Fi but the existing router otherwise meets your needs.
Place it where it can still receive the router’s signal. If you want EasyMesh features, check that your existing router is compatible.
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An adapter can give a compatible computer a wired connection for a fixed workspace or a comparison with its Wi-Fi connection.
This variant has an RJ45 LAN connection and three USB 3.0 ports. Check the computer’s USB port and whether you need to obtain a separate Ethernet cable.
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Consider this router only after deciding whether changing the main network equipment, rather than extending coverage, addresses the household’s problem.
Check your fixed-broadband provider’s access and setup requirements before connecting it to that service. If you plan to use its 5G/4G route, check the SIM service and coverage at your location; mesh expansion requires compatible additional equipment.
Check provider status and compare Wi-Fi with a direct Ethernet connection where practical. If the problem affects the underlying service, new Wi-Fi equipment alone will not resolve it: Ofcom says Wi-Fi cannot outperform broadband.
Consider an extender for one targeted weak area when the rest of the home works adequately; consider mesh when coverage is weak across several rooms or floors. Which? describes mesh as a wider whole-home solution and an extender as the simpler targeted option.
You can consider one if it supports your particular service and provider settings. EE specifies PPPoE support, TalkTalk requires manual connection settings for a non-TalkTalk router, and Plusnet says an own-router model must be compatible with its network. Check your provider’s instructions before buying.
Check the instructions for your Hub model and the functions your household uses. Virgin Media describes modem mode as turning the Hub into a cable modem to connect your own Wi-Fi equipment, so plan how the rest of your setup will work before changing modes.
Yes, if your digital landline connects through the broadband router. Ofcom advises households with dependent connected equipment to involve their provider when the landline setup changes; speak to yours before reconfiguring the hub if a phone, telecare device or alarm relies on it.