I got 99 problems but my WiFi ain't one

Internet use starts to peak at those times - Most connections are shared to some extent, and the more people hammering it, the slower the speeds.

Makes sense, just don’t understand how it only seems to affect her usage and not mine, if I’m using same wifi network at the same time..
She says it doesn’t make any difference if she’s on wifi or using an Ethernet connection, I’m dubious about this, but as I’m de facto I.T. Support it’s upto me to fix it..

What is the Adguard DHCP server configured to send out? Could it be sending itself as the default gateway rather than your router?

It's configured with the same gateway IP, IP ranges and subnet mask as the router's DHCP settings, then I just switch them over.

Does that mean it's sending itself as the default gateway?

I'll look into nextdns. How would that work? I'd configure it through my Unifi access point?

While it creates additional expense why not grab a UniFi USG from eBay circa £65.00 or so and run the controller and Pi-Hole on your Pi. Baller option UDM.

How would that work? I'd configure it through my Unifi access point?

Nah, you configure your router to hand out the nextdns address for DNS to all DHCP clients.

IF you can't do this on your Plusnet router, then you'll need to switch it to modem mode and get a separate router. Like a Unifi Security Gateway

how it only seems to affect her usage and not mine

Proximity to high strength sex vibrators can interfere with WiFi.

Does that mean it's sending itself as the default gateway?

Sounds like it is okay. Worth checking the DHCP lease on a client (eg ipconfig /all on Windows)

I will check this:

Worth checking the DHCP lease on a client

As much out of interest as anything, but I'm convinced that having to use Adguard Home/pihole as the DHCP server is part of the problem and I had been looking at the Unifi Security Gateway as a solution.

So I might take this as vindication of my wanting to buy more Ubiqiti stuff :)

You can set it up on the individual devices but really you want to set it up on your router.

I have a unifi security gateway which it's very easy to set it up on. Lots of guides on the nextdns website. Most ISP routers are rebranded ones from big manufacturers so you may be able to get it working on your Plusnet one.

So I might take this as vindication of my wanting to buy more Ubiqiti stuff :)

Definitely do this. Buy a USG and then repurpose your PiHole as a Unifi controller. Perfect solution.

I basically followed the same path (from PiHole to nextdns) but I bought a UDM (Dream Machine), which acts as my controller as well as router and another WiFi AP.

In all honesty I wouldn't recommend the UDM, since a) it is a lot more expensive and b) it is a bit shackled compared to the USG as it is more of a domestic product. (Long threads are easily findable detailing it's limitations.)

The main thing that forced my hand to migrate away from PiHole was that it was my DHCP server and that it was a single point of failure on a PiHole depending on an SD Card. After having a card failure that brought down my whole network, whilst I was away from home, I started getting twitchy.

For a while I ran the PiHole in read only mode, to mitigate the risk, but that was a ball ache when it came to updates, whitelist additions etc.

NextDNS is so much more robust and simple.

Only thing to remember: sometimes something on the internet doesn't work and you can't figure out why (e.g. adding Sonos to Google Assistant for voice control). Go and check the nextdns logs to see what it is blocking. Often an API or CDN is being blocked. Add them to the whitelist and away you go.

high strength sex vibrator

Not the first time Corny's been called that...

Just upgraded from a 40/10 to 80/20 FTTC line with Plusnet, that's all I know technically. I'm thinking about a little hardware upgrade to eek the best out of the bits with the upgrade, advice welcomed.

Currently, we use the Plusnet branded hardware as a modem. It's wired into a more powerful Asus router which looks after our LAN and wireless needs. I'd like to replace the Plusnet box with a dedicated modem. Mainly to have functionality to choose my own DNS servers, but also to neaten up our internet-cupboard and cable management and as a bonus maybe we might see some long term stability improvements.

Can anyone recommend a third-party modem that will be compatible with our connection, neat and industrially reliable?

An Openreach branded one from eBay, eg https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224315980766

Make sure your router can run PPPoE on the WAN port

Seems far too straightforward and cheap.

Have also taken your advice from a while ago to identify a matching Huawei cabinet to go with our Huawei manufactured Openreach modem which is on the way. Repped.

Hope this is the right place to ask... I’ve just moved to a new house where the router is in the front room.

There is a wired cat5 link to the back room which I have set up as an office/studio space and I’d like to have another access point there for wifi and wired connection. Do I need a bridge, a switch or something else?

My old router can be set up as a bridge, but no matter how I’ve looked it up I’ve not been able to figure out the actual difference between a switch and a bridge and the potential pros and cons...?!

Sorry if it’s a bit of a dumb question!

I’ve got a version of this, and I run the Ethernet cable to a switch and then run another Ethernet cable to a wifi access point.
Having a switch there means I can also cable up the desktop and my missus laptop if the wifi connection drops out for any reason..

Makes sense. What I was hoping though was that the Zyxel router I already had could do both wifi and wired connection when set up as bridge, or is that not something it’s likely to do?

I’m probably going to have a go at it later this week as I have all the pieces for this particular puzzle, hopefully it will tick both boxes!

I've found the trouble with using stock routers as half of a set-up with multiple wi-fi points is they're not very good at handing the signal over to the other access point so phones, etc which go from one to the other often get stuck on the shit wi-fi.

Ah thanks for raising the point - it definitely would be quite annoying moving back and forth. What devices would handle this better?

You need a switch for the wired connections, and an access point for the wireless connections. Or a device that can do both.

Forget the bridge bit, not relevant in this case. That's about joining multiple networks.

Given you have a spare router, configure it as an access point, and test to (a) confirm it acts as a switch (b) see if wireless handoff is really an issue.

Then worry about whether you need new kit.

That’s great, thank you! So it will be a case of connecting it to the main router via the wan port and set up the wifi (possibly with the same id/pswrd as the main?) as I normally would?

If you have the cash I'd advise turning off WiFi in your router, add a switch in the office (~£30) and a pair of dedicated access points (eg Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LITE ~£75 each).

Switch in the office has three ports in use (to the router, to the AP and to your PC in there). Your router probably has a switch to connect the front AP.

This is what I have..