New to O2 lookign for a new modem.

[trebor27]

Hi Guys,

First
I'm not sure this is the correct place for this post. Please forgive me! ;-)

Second
Hi from a new O2 Broadband customer. I just sumbled upon this place and it looks good to me!!!!
We signed up to O2, and got connected on Wednesday. Previously Zen Internet.....
I'm currently syncing at ~16/1 mbits, which I guess is pretty good... I get ~8 -> 10M in speed tests. (highest was 13 on the very evening we got connected!) So I'm over the moon so far!

Third and most importantly.
I'm looking for some hardware advice.....
Being a paranoid and reasonable tech savvy type person. I'm looking to change my modem from the O2 wireless II box, Not knowing 100% for sure what remote access holes may be in there, plsu I liek having control over my own hardware....

So I'm looking for the best box to match to my O2 ADSL2+ service, here are my requirements:
Must have's:
Maximum O2 boradband performance/match.....
Support for VPN tunneling for the occasional working from home stints.

Nice to have's:
BRCM chipset (Company loyalty)
802.11n would be nice.... (BRCM chipset again)
USB print server
USB NAT (large usb hdd, which is plugged into the desktop for now...)

I've seen netgear have a announced a new home adsl router, with 2.4G/5G wireless, that would be nice int eh very crowded 2.4G area I'm in... I can see no less than 12 WLAN's from my front room! 1 is even totally OPEN!!! yikes!

But I'd have to wait a while to see what it has in it and see what others thing for O"! performance again......

What of the O2 Wireless box III? Which box is that really? Also a thompson?

Cheers
Rob

[trebor27]

I've just seen the Thompson TG587n, but I'm wondering if it's available yet, as their is precious little info on it at the moment....


Cheers
Rob

[Saturday]

As far as I'm aware the III is the same as the II but with wireless N i.e. a TG585n.

By far the most favoured choice amongst O2/Be* users who don't want to use the O2 box is to use one of the various 834 model Netgear routers. The DG834GT is ridiculously cheap off eBay (ex Sky).

[trebor27]

Now I have the v1 DG834G. I think it's the old TI chipset. But when I tried to use that it would only sync at 7meg. So I suspect it's doing ADSL not ADSL2+. But wasn't sure....

I suspect the O2 wireless box III is the Thompson TG585n also, as there is no mention of the O2 box sporting USB ports for printer server and NAT functionality.....

So I may wait for the 587 as I don't think any of the DG834 series have USB ports....

I'll take a look through the Netgear ones again all the same, Thanks!
Cheers
Rob