Modem/router And Router Connections

[bigbanana]

I was supplied a few years back with a bog standard modem router by my ISP, TalkTalk. The wifi signal was not reaching everywhere in the house, so I recently bought a DLink DIR-890L router to boost the signal and everything has been fine to date. The DLink is connected to the TalkTalk modem router by a cable between them. All my wifi connected equipment is connected to the DLink wifi signal rather than the TalkTalk wifi signal via the Dlink password

I've now been sent a new "super" modem router by TalkTalk, a Huawei HG633, which is not having particularly good reviews. Nevertheless, if I replace the old TalkTalk modem router with the new one, do I simply have to unplug the old one and plug in the new one without going through the set-up stuff? As I see it, as all my stuff is getting the signal from the DLink, nothing changes there, so there are no changes to the passwords needed. Is this correct?

I'm seriously thinking of buying a better modem/router than this so called "super" router, so I take it that if I simply need to unplug the old and plug in the new, it will all work, no matter what new modem router I use?

Thank you.

[Old_Geezer]

I've little knowledge of the devices you mention but the D-link seems to have an Internet port, so I'm wondering why you are plugging it into your Talk Talk modems rather than dispensing with them and connecting the D-link directly to the Net.

[ivor4781]

you just have to put on the new routers wireless password,usually all the isp supplied routers are auto set up apart from that, they sent me the same router and the signal is a lot better than the old one

[bigbanana]

OG, the Dlink doesn't have a socket to plug in a RJ11 cable into. The talktalk modem/router output on a RJ11 socket is connected via a patch cable to the yellow RJ45 input on the Dlink. The cable from the BT master socket cannot be connected directly to the router as it does not have the necessary socket.

The Dlink is a router only and does not contain a modem. Hence the need for the TalkTalk modem/router.

I must admit that nowadays all such devices seem to be called routers regardless of whether they are stand alone routers (such as my Dlink) or modem/routers. The box of the HG633 refers to it as a "router" not a modem/router.

[bhg481]

I think the answer to your original question is "Yes". The different password on your new modem/router is only for deices connected wirelessly to that. Your Dlink is connected to it via cable and your devices are connected to the Dlink wirelessly, so need that password.
The simple thing is to try it, you can't do any damage.
The other thing is to try the new TalkTalk router; the new ones are better than the old ones (I have one) and you'll be able to do away with your Dlink.
Please let us know how you get on.

[bigbanana]

Thank you bhg481. Your answer has inspired me to give it a go. I thought twice about changing the present set-up as I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get things back working if I made any changes and I really didn't fancy having to change passwords for every device I've got connected wirelessly.

I'm very grateful. Thank you again.

[bhg481]

Well done you!
What you can do now, just for fun, is to go into your computer network settings and see if it can "see" your new TalkTalk router, which will be pushing out a wifi signal as well as the wired one that you're using via the DLink. If you can, try connecting to it (don't tick the "connect automatically" box at this stage). If it connects you'll need the password printed on the TalkTalk router and then see how you get on. As I said in my earlier post, the new TalkTalk routers are better than the old ones, so there's a good chance it will work well. If it does you can remove the DLink from the circuit (or just power it off) and then allow your computer to automatically connect to the TalkTalk box.
Go on, give it a go!

[waterboatman]

I'm with Talktalk too. I have one of the new generation routers. After a wee problem with the first one, which was faulty, they sent me another one and it's fine, nothing else needed, the signal reaches all over the house and into the back garden.