Wi-Fi signal not so good as when I used my Netgear R8000

[SFraser]

I have just switched to Now TV and am now using the Now Hub 2.  The wi-fi signal using the Now Hub doesn't seem to be as strong as that with the Netgear.  In fact, I now have some dead areas which I didn't have when I was using the Netgear.  Is there any way I can set up the Netgear rather than the Now hub?  Is this the only way to get technical support from Now?

[Jayach]

I wouldn't expect any ISP supplied router to match your R8000.

I don't know that router, but if it has an AP (Access Point) mode you can use it to replace the Now router's poor Wi-Fi..

How do I change my NETGEAR router to AP mode? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

[SFraser]

Thanks for your answer.  I absolutely agree - ISPs normally supply poor quality routers which is why I thought I'd be able to swap it with my Netgear.  This is what I have done with other ISPs in the past.  Unfortunately, the Now Hub 2 only has 2 ethernet ports whereas my Netgear has 4, and the Now Hub 2 doesn't have any USB sockets - whereas the Netgear has 2.  I had hoped that I could replace the Hub 2 with the Netgear to get round all these inadequacies in the supplied equipment.

[chilli2]

There could be a solution here: https://community.netgear.com/t5/DSL-Modems-Routers/NightHawk-X8-D8500-VDSL-Connection-to-SKY-Fibre-...

 This quote from that link

"After inputing UK and SKY it then asked me for the Client Identifier string (Option 61) and the Mac Address(Clone). I input the Sky username/password and the Mac address of the Sky Hub and a couple of minutes later was congratulated on being connected to the Internet 🙂(Note the Yellow Exclam and No Internet connection were still showing against the Windows LAN Icon) Anyway all working perfetly now."

As you can see Sky and Now use a slightly different authentication method , if the device asks for a username/password try this:

 Username: abcdefgh@nowtv

password: 1234567890abcdef

[Jayach]

Unless I'm mistaken, the R8000 isn't a DSL router. so would need an external modem to do that.

@SFraser Who were you using it on before?

[SFraser]

Hi, we used the BT Openreach hub and the Plusnet router was plugged into that.  We simply removed their router and replaced it with the R8000 using the settings from the Plusnet router to access Plusnet eg username, password etc.  We had hoped that we could have done similar with the Now hub.

[Jayach]

What do you mean by the Openreach hub? If you mean an ONT, you were on FTTP. If you mean a modem then that could (possibly) be used on Now.

[SFraser]

Its the Openreach modem - which the Now instructions said we could send for recycling.  However, the settings to access Plusnet (username, password, etc) were held on the Netgear R8000.

[Jayach]

In that case you could use it with the R8000 on Now, but would have to get the authentication working, and I'm not sure if that is possible. Do let us know if you manage it.

You could try looking on the Sky forum to see if anyone there has managed to use a 3rd party router and separate modem.

[SFraser]

Thanks.  I'll try this tomorrow.  Can I just clarify, the username and password you gave do I substitute these for my own username and password, or literally use the ones you gave.