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That’s how bad (or good) are the routers that your operator gives you (2020)


Routers are the heart of our smart homes. Communications between computers, consoles, smart TVs, stereos, household appliances, smartphones and tablets inevitably pass through our main router when we use WiFi, where they can be slowed down and run into major bottlenecks.

One of the main causes of these problems is found in the modest equipment that the operators kindly give us, give or rent , in general designed to support the basic services that we have contracted but little else. We have seen the general characteristics of this type of device for a long time and now is the time to dig a little deeper and check exactly what the most popular models offer that most of us have installed at home.

But before starting, ask me to clarify that given the huge number of different brands and models of routers distributed by operators in recent years, it would be very complex and extensive to list the characteristics of all of them, so we are going to focus on a representative sample with those that in general tend to be the most common, the most widely distributed and the ones most likely to have in our homes, both for ADSL and cable and fiber optic connections .

So if yours is not on the list, it is better or worse than one of those that we are going to point out, do not think that we have something against it, you can comment on it at the end of the article. We started!

Fiber optic and coaxial cable connections

Fiber optic and cable connections are now the present for many Spanish Internet users who can access speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps and with much lower latencies than in the case of ADSL.

Operators tend to be more generous with the performance of the routers they deliver on these connections and are more likely to renew equipment, especially when they launch new access speeds on the market.

Home Gateway Unit (Movistar)

In 2015, Movistar took a very interesting step towards the hardware sector, designing, establishing the specifications and supervising the manufacturing process of its new router for fiber connections that they named the Home Gateway Unit or HGU and whose objective is to clear the number of devices in the living room incorporating in the same equipment the functions of ONT, router and videobridge (although not the video decoder, requiring a separate equipment).

The HGU is designed with a compact size of 20 x 20 x 5 centimeters and a minimalist finish where the typical LED connection status lights have been reduced in size, number and power so as not to disturb or attract attention. The antennas are internal, with four of them for WiFi AC in the 5GHz band and 2 more for WiFi N in the 2.4GHz band, achieving a better range than in previous routers of the operator but not as good as in the case of routers with external antennas , so we can have coverage problems if we use it in large homes.


At the rear we find 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports and an additional FXS VoiP port for voice calls. All this controlled by a Broadcom BCM68380 SoC with support for when future symmetric 1 Gbps connections arrive . However, there are no extra connections such as USB ports to share disks or network devices, which reduces points to the equipment with respect to other models.

WPS 2.0 technology has also been incorporated into this router to facilitate and speed up the configuration and installation of new wireless equipment in the home using QR codes printed on the HGU’s own housing. In addition, in the latest versions of the firmware the option is given (in fact it is activated by default) to use Band Steering technology , which automatically selects the best band available at any time (2.4 or 5 GHz), something that in general it works fine but in some old devices it can give access problems.

However, we are facing the best home router of the operator to date , comparable to the average ranges of the free market, which works very well, is very stable (I have it for two years and it has never crashed) and complies perfectly your mission in medium-sized homes with multiple simultaneous users.

Livebox Fibra (Orange)

Orange also wanted to switch to the router system plus ONT for fiber optics integrated in the same device, allowing to eliminate equipment from the room and reduce cables. For this they have their LiveBox Fibra , an all-in-one router that they offer to their fiber clients and that is capable of supporting connections of up to 1 Gbps, so it is prepared for future updates in the operator’s network.

With a very discreet external appearance, front LEDs and internal antennas, its minimalist design goes unnoticed, offering dual band WiFi AC MU-MIMO 4×4 and N MIMO 2×2, being capable of reaching 5 GHz up to 1,700 Mbps with 80 MHz channels and 2 , 4 GHz up to 300 Mbps with 40 MHz channels, making it, in theory, one of the fastest in the current offering .

It has a 600 MHz dual-core MIPS-32 CPU with 256 MB of DDRAM and 128 MB of NAND that allow the simultaneous use of multiple devices without problems of slowdowns, and the wired connectivity is served by 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports , two more RJ11 for VoIP telephones and a 1A USB 2.0 connector to share equipment on a network.

In other words, it is a powerful device and more than enough for the connections offered by the orange operator, although its wireless coverage can sometimes be compromised by the use of internal antennas, especially in large or multi-story homes.

ZTE F680 (Jazztel, MÁSMÓVIL, Pepephone, Yoigo)

Jazztel bet since the beginning of 2015 for an advanced router for its new fiber clients in connections of up to 200 Mbps symmetric . It was the ZTE F680 model, a simultaneous dual band AC WiFi equipment that the MÁSMÓVIL Group (MÁSMÓVIL, Yoigo, Pepephone) also offers in its own fiber network and which incorporates three external antennas (two for 5 GHz and one for 2, 4 GHz) with which to improve the speed and especially the coverage inside the house and in homes with patios or outdoor gardens .

It offers maximum theoretical speeds of up to 450 Mbps in the 2.4GHz band and up to 1,300 Mbps. In the 5 GHz band over WiFi AC, assuming that we have devices compatible with this protocol.

For wired connections it offers us four Gigabit Ethernet ports , it also has two telephone outputs with an RJ-11 plug and two USB 2.0 ports from which we can share audio and video content up to Full HD (it is compatible with DLNA) without cutting problems. no interruptions.

It stands out, therefore, for the fact of having multiple external antennas, which should improve the quality of the wireless network when there are several users accessing at the same time and the coverage in large homes, being a great option for customers They can squeeze their symmetrical fiber connections to the fullest.

Sagemcom Fast5655 v2 AC (MOBILE, Pepephone, Yoigo)

After a few years with the ZTE F680 router model mentioned above, the new fiber customers of Yoigo and the rest of the brands of the MÁSMÓVIL Group have seen how their operator has progressively provided them with a new model called Sagemcom Fast5655 v2 AC , with a clearer and easier to use interface and improved features for the average user , although with some difficulties to configure advanced parameters as administrator.

It is a compact device with an internal antenna design that incorporates the router and the ONT in the same device , so it is not necessary to have a separate one. It has a BCM 68380 CPU, 256MB of DDR3 RAM and is capable of generating a dual-band WiFi access point (AC + N) in 5GHz (with 20/40/80 MHz channels) and 2.4GHz (20/40 channels). 40 MHz) with wireless speeds of up to 1,300 Mbps and its ONT supporting fiber optic connections of up to 2,488 Mbps, so you should be seamlessly prepared for the Internet connections of the future.

As for the wired connections, it incorporates 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports , two RJ-11 ports for landlines and a USB 2.0 connector for external hard drives and share content through the SAMBA, FTP and DLNA protocols. It is a better device than the previous ZTE F680 in almost all aspects, but sometimes it can fall short in terms of WiFi coverage , having to resort in these situations to an extender or complementary PLC network.

Technicolor CGA2121 (Euskaltel)

Another of the operators that has been updating the router that they install for their customers has been Euskaltel , which in recent years has chosen to add the Technicolor CGA2121 to its catalog of equipment for cable connections.

It is a model compatible with the docsis 3.0 standard with up to 24 download carriers and 8 upload carriers capable of reaching connection speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps , so it is prepared for future speed extensions offered by the cable company. on your network.

It has a wireless interface already typical in this type of equipment with dual band WiFi N in 2.4 GHz (2×2) of up to 300 Mbps (with channels of 20 and 40 MHz) and WiFi AC in 5 GHz (3×3) of up to 1,300 Mbps (with 20/40/80 MHz channels), enough for most users who connect in a medium-sized home, but its internal antennas mean that the coverage of the WiFi network is not sufficient in large homes, with several floors or exterior gardens.

It also has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports to connect equipment by network cable, two RJ22 ports for fixed VoIP telephony and a USB 2.0 port from which to share content on the network, supporting encryption of WPA2 connections, Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) security and the possibility of managing up to 8 wireless networks with independent SSID. It is, therefore, a good enough equipment for the service provided by the operator but somewhat scarce in terms of wireless coverage .

Comtrend VG-8050 (Movistar)

Another of the models in Movistar’s fiber connections that has been widely distributed to support 100 Mbps but that has also become clearly obsolete if we have contracted a higher speed, such as its 600 Mbps, which we will not be able to take advantage of. by WiFi .

It is compatible only with the 802.11n wireless protocol, offering maximum speeds of up to 300 Mbps with WiFi N in the 2.4 GHz band. It has an RJ-45 port for the 1 Gbps WAN to which we must connect the ONT and another 4 RJ-45 ports for LAN also Gigabit. It has a reset button, another for creating secure WPS networks, one for turning Wi-Fi on and off, and two 3dBi antennas that should offer good coverage in a medium-sized home .

The wired ports offer good performance, but the wireless network can present speed problems if we demand several sequences in Full HD streaming or we are downloading at maximum speed, so a multiband system that also relies on that of 5 GHz .

We are, therefore, a clearly outdated model for current fiber connections and if we have it installed at home it would be advisable to ask the operator to change it to achieve better performance in all aspects.

Livebox+ (Jazztel)

With an aspect and specifications very similar to the Livebox Fiber, the Livebox + router incorporates a few improvements as standard with respect to it (which also supports said improvements after an update) and especially with respect to other basic routers of the operators.

It is what its creators have called “smart WiFi” (or Band Steering also present in Movistar’s HGU) that is capable of automatically switching between the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands depending on which one offers the best coverage. The main difference between both models is that the Livebox Fibra includes the ONT and this one does not (so we will need to have another device more connected in the living room), also losing an Ethernet port (it has 3 available for the user), leaving the fourth reserved for the WAN that will be connected to the operator’s ONT .

Inside we find a 600 MHz MIPS-32 Dual Core CPU , 256 MB of RAM, 128 MB of Flash, and its housing offers a 1 A USB 2.0 port and two RJ11 ports for telephony. Wireless connectivity is served by 300 Mbps WiFi N with 40 MHz channels and 1,700 Mbps AC with 80 MHz channels, so it is also at the fore in this regard, although its internal antennas make the coverage of the wireless network is somewhat scarce and insufficient in large homes.

Comtrend C5813 (Movistar)

The Comtrend C5813 is one of the most popular fiber routers that Movistar installed a few years ago and it offers sufficient performance only for the most basic connections. It is a fiber router compatible with the 802.11n wireless protocol (also with 802.11g / b) capable of creating a network of up to 300 Mbps , so it is clearly insufficient if we think about hiring higher speeds .

It has an RJ-45 port for Giga Ethernet WAN to which we must connect the ONT and with 4 RJ-45 ports for the LAN also at Gigabit speeds. It has a Reset button, another WPS for the quick establishment of secure networks, another to activate and deactivate the WiFi and two steerable antennas with SMA connectors.

It is a suitable router for fiber optic installations that offers good performance in connections of up to 100 Mbps , but if we have one of 300 Mbps or higher, it will probably be quite short in terms of the wireless connection, since via WiFi we will never be able to reach the maximum it offers us , which is why we would need to buy an additional model or ask Movistar to give us a more powerful one.

Livebox Next (Orange)

Following in the footsteps of the New Livebox, Orange surprised in 2014 with the launch of the Livebox Next, a router designed especially for fiber clients (it is also compatible with ADSL2 +) and which stands out for its high performance for being a model provided by an operator. It has a Lantiq PSB 80920 XWAY VRX288 CPU at 500 MHz and 256 MB of RAM with which to move dual band WiFi AC connections without problems .

In the 2.4 GHz it is capable of reaching maximum speeds of 300 Mbps and in the 5 GHz it reaches 1,300 Mbps thanks to its two internal antennas in MIMO 2T2R configuration and the Beamforming technology that focuses the signal power towards the target device.

It has two RJ-11 ports to connect the telephone cable and if we need it to have an Internet connection through ADSL2 +, it also comes with a Gigabit Ethernet port to which to connect the output from the fiber optic ONT and with 4 Gigabit ports. for home LAN.

It has two USB 2.0 ports to share files on a local network, supports FTP, DLNA for streaming playback and is compatible with DECT wireless technology so that we can connect any phone and make calls via the operator’s VoIP service. It is, therefore, a good router with the latest features, although in some cases with coverage problems in large homes, as it only has internal antennas.

Compal CG7486E (Ono / Vodafone)

At the end of 2014, Ono began to distribute the Compal CG7486E router to new customers, a WiFi AC device with which to guarantee connections greater than 200 Mbps without slowdowns for the operator’s cable customers.

It is therefore a cable-modem compatible with the EuroDocsis 3.0 standard that is capable of creating a dual-band wireless access point in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz over the 802.11b / g / n / ac protocols. It is compatible with WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) for the fast creation of secure networks, it has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports , a port for VoIP and another USB 2.0 from which to share content on the network or to which to connect a printer. It also offers interesting functionalities to create an advanced firewall.

Technicolor TC7210 (Telecable)

Another of the operators that has joined the WiFi AC trend has been Telecable. In the summer of 2015, it announced the distribution of its new router, the Technicolor TC7210 , a dual-band cable-modem device capable of working in 2.4 and 5 GHz to reach theoretical maximum speeds of 1,300 Mbps.

It uses a 3×3 internal antenna configuration and Beamforming technology to focus signal power to target devices. It has two Rj11 ports for connecting VoIP phones and 4 Gigabit Ethernet for wired LAN.

It is certified EuroDOCSIS 3.0 and EuroPacketCable 1.5, so it will not become obsolete in the medium term. In addition, it has a USB 2.0 input to which we can connect external hard drives with content that it will play on any device that is compatible with the DLNA standard. Therefore, it is also a model that comes to the last in benefits, although it lacks a limited wireless coverage in large homes. It will allow the operator’s customers to squeeze their cable connections to the maximum, especially if we do not move too far from where it is installed or use an Ethernet connection.

XDSL connections

The loyal customers of ADSL and its derivatives (ADSL2, ADSL2 + and VDSL) have been the great forgotten by operators in recent years. If you do not have fiber or cable coverage and there is no other ISP with its own network in your area, you will probably continue with the same old router and you will not be offered the updated models and advantages that do reach new customers, a bitter reward for your loyalty. forced towards the company. But let’s see some examples of routers that we have right now in the houses:

Livebox Evolution (Orange)

Being without Internet due to a problem on the telephone line is not usual, but it does happen more frequently in rural areas, making life difficult for both domestic and professional users. For this reason, in 2017 Orange launched its Livebox Evolution , a hybrid router that combines ADSL connectivity with the 4G wireless typical of mobile telephony.

The idea is that the user is always connected by the fixed ADSL connection and when this totally or partially fails, it will automatically switch to 4G . In its 257 x 51 x 161 mm we find 4 Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 LAN ports , 2 FXS RJ11 ports for telephony and a 900 mA USB 2.0 port.

It is compatible with ADSL2 + and 3G / 4G connectivity, supporting the Orange TV television service and having DLNA and UPnP capabilities. Regarding WiFi connectivity, it offers dual band with up to 300 Mbps in 2.4 GHz under 2 × 2 MIMO and another 1,300 Mbps in 5 GHz with AC WiFi and 3 × 3 MIMO, being a recommended model if we live in places where the ADSL connection is frequently cut off or if we want to directly choose to connect via 3G / 4G. It is, therefore, a powerful router with decent wireless connectivity to squeeze basic ADSL and even 4G connections, being one of the most powerful provided by operators outside the fiber optic market.

Sercomm H500-s (Vodafone-ONO)

Vodafone bet a couple of years ago on a new router model that would offer service to both its ONO fiber and ADSL customers . The chosen one was the Sercomm H500-s model , with a rectangular shape designed to be placed vertically and that has a port for direct connection of the telephone line or xDSL.

In addition to two ports for telephony, we can find three Gigabit Ethernet LANs at the back , with which we lose one compared to the usual 4 of the rest of routers, having another additional Gigabit for the WAN , that is, to connect to the ONT of the fiber optic or to a cable modem and also has a USB 2.0 port on the side of the computer for memory and network printers.

The CPU chosen to govern the team is a Broadcom BCM63167 at 400 MHz with two cores and accompanied by 128 MB of RAM. It offers 2.4 and 5 GHz dual-band connectivity and support for WiFi Beamforming technology that focuses the energy beam to improve wireless signal coverage. It is enough to manage the basic Internet access of one or two clients , but it can fall a bit short if we ask for several data streams from multiple users at the same time.

New Livebox (Orange)

At the end of 2012, Orange was betting on an original high-performance router for its ADSL clients, the New Livebox , a successor to a somewhat less powerful previous model known as Livebox 2.0. With a Lantiq psb 80920 500 MHz CPU and 128 MB RAM , it supports ADSL2 + connections and comes with a MIMO 2T2R antenna configuration for wireless connectivity that allows you to establish WiFi N links of up to 300 Mbps over the bandwidth. 2.4 GHz, but it does not have support for 5 GHz or WiFi AC , something already essential today.

It has its own button to turn the WiFi network on and off, another for the pairing of WPS connections and two high-capacity USB 2.0 ports with a total current close to 1 amp to connect without problems external 2.5-inch hard drives that do not use extra power supply.

At the rear we find 2 FXS ports to connect conventional telephone terminals, the port for the ADSL line and 4 Fast-Ethernet 10/100 Mbps ports and another Gigabit-Ethernet 1,000 Mbps. Supports up to 3 phones connected simultaneously , 2 conventional and one for HD calls, it is compatible with DLNA and allows 3G connectivity through an external modem connected by USB. It is a suitable router for basic ADSL connections but given its wireless limitations and the absence of WiFi in 5 GHz it has fallen short if we want to transmit data in the local network at high speed.

Comtrend CT-5365 (Movistar)

One of the “star” routers that Movistar distributed with ease in recent years was the Comtrend CT-5365 . It is an ADSL2 + wireless multiport device that was customized with the Telefónica brand, including as standard everything necessary to start browsing if we have one of its lines.

It is a somewhat old model that was distributed especially in the 2010-2012 period, but it is widely installed in many homes with ADSL connections of 10 Mbps or lower , although it has clearly become obsolete in terms of performance, as we can. see below. Based on the Broadcom BCM6348 b0 SOC, the Comtrend CT-5365 has a 240 MHz BMIPS3300 CPU, a meager 16 MB of RAM, another 4 MB of Flash memory for upgrades and a single steerable antenna to establish wireless communications in a single 2.4 GHz band .

On the back we find an RJ-11 port for the ADSL line, four RJ-45 for the 10/100 BaseT LAN connection, a button for WPS connections, another to restart the equipment and a general power switch. Regarding the wireless section, it is compatible with WiFi networks that comply with the 802.11g standard (it is also backward compatible with 802.11b networks) supporting a maximum of 54 Mbps , so it does not support either WiFi N or AC or 5GHz connections , resulting in a poor wireless connection insufficient to view videos fluently.

It is very stable if we are one or two users at home with a basic ADSL connection, but not if we want to stream HD content over WiFi and even not over a wired network, since sometimes it gets stuck with the most demanding Full HD content (with 720p videos are usually not a problem). The solution? Call to be updated to a more modern one that has at least WiFi N.

Comtrend CT-5374 (Jazztel)

Also renamed VR-3025U, it is the wireless router widely offered by Jazztel for its 30 Mbps VDSL2 and ADSL2 + connections . It has support for Annex M, so that we can get a few more megabytes of upload if used with this technology or configure it to improve the downstream channel and latency, according to our needs.

It is compatible with connections of up to 100 Mbps in download and 60 Mbps in upload in the event that the VDSL2 network is capable of offering them (which is not the case in Spain) and 24 Mbps in download with 1.2 Mbps in upload for ADSL2 + connections. It has 4 Ethernet ports of 100Mbps, WiFi with double antenna and support for 802.11 b / g / n with a speed of up to 300Mbps over 2.4 GHz, not supporting links in 5 GHz or WiFi AC, so it is clearly obsolete in this aspect.

It also has a USB 1.1 port that, given its low transfer speed, limits its use to printers and network peripherals without extensive bandwidth requirements. It supports WEP, WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK, as well as DNS caching and basic QoS. It is, therefore, a suitable router for the connections contracted by the user that could perhaps give something more of itself in the wireless network but that is not as short as other models of the competition.

Huawei HG556 (Vodafone)

If you are Vodafone customers, you probably have or have had, from 2012, one of the operator’s most “popular” ADSL2 + routers, the Huawei HG556, capable of creating WiFi N networks of up to 300 Mbps and which stood out at the time for the possibility to connect a 3G or higher modem to support coverage in the event of a drop in the wired network.

It has a Broadcom BCM6358SKFBG CPU with a speed of 300MHz and 64 MB of RAM that falls a bit short when it comes to managing multiple network connections through its 4 Fast Ethernet ports at 100 Mbps. , Especially if we are several users at home asking you for streaming videos with HD resolutions.

It has 3 USB 2.0 ports , one of them reserved for the 3G modem, two connectors for the operator’s phones, and it is compatible with FTP, Samba and DLNA to stream content to televisions and multimedia equipment. Again we are faced with a sufficient model for the contracted ADSL connections but that perhaps could give something more of itself in the local network if it incorporated better Ethernet ports and dual-band WiFi.

Features Summary

As we pointed out at the beginning, the loyal (voluntarily or necessarily) xDSL clients are the great forgotten by the operators . The routers that many of us have installed at home have become clearly obsolete in terms of wireless connectivity, wired and functionalities. Some also use coaxial cable.

Although those that are being installed right now are much better than those of a few years ago, old customers usually do not have access to them as they do have new registrations, except for the threat of cancellation or breakdown, something that they should take into account ISPs since it is not the ideal formula to retain customers.

With fiber cable companies and operators, the situation seems to have improved a lot . The increases in the speeds that the networks are able to provide are causing ISPs to renew many of the routers that they delivered years ago, with which the park is rejuvenating little by little.

The new models with AC WiFi and Gigabit Ethernet ports that we have discussed are quite good and are theoretically at the height of the mid-range of the free market. However, some advanced traffic management technologies are missing and perhaps tri-band wireless networks that do incorporate the high-end routers of the most popular brands (with prices of more than 150 euros, of course).

Model

Operator

Internet connection technology

Red WiFi

Wired Network

Others

Sercomm H500-s Vodafone ADSL2 + and fiber WiFi N in 2.4 GHz up to 300 Mbps and AC in 5 GHz 3 Gigabit-Ethernet ports and another Gigabit WAN. Two ports for IP telephony, USB 2.0 port for network sharing.
Livebox Evolution Orange ADSL2 + y 4G WiFi N in 2.4 GHz up to 300 Mbps and AC in 5 GHz up to 1,300 Mbps 4 puertos Gigabit-Ethernet. Two ports for IP telephony, USB 2.0 port up to 900 mA.
New Livebox Orange ADSL2 + WiFi N up to 300 Mbps in MIMO 2T2R configuration 4 10/100 Mbps Fast-Ethernet ports. And another 1,000 Mbps Gigabit-Ethernet. two USB 2.0 ports, 2 FXS ports, DLNA, optional 3G connectivity
Comtrend CT-5365 Movistar ADSL2 + WiFi G up to 54 Mbps. With a single antenna 4 puertos Fast-Ethernet 10/100 Mbps. One RJ-11 port, good stability for connections of 10 Mbps or less.
Comtrend CT-5374 Jazztel VDSL2 and ADSL2 + WiFi N up to 300 Mbps. 4 puertos Fast-Ethernet de 10/100Mbps. One USB 1.1 port for printers
Huawei HG556 Vodafone ADSL2 + WiFi N up to 300 Mbps. 4 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet ports. 3 USB 2.0 ports, FTP, Samba and DLNA
Home Gateway Unit Movistar Optical fiber WiFi dual band N and AC up to 1.93Gbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet WPS 2.0 technology, integrates ONT, router and videobridge, FXS port for VoiP
LiveBox Fibra Orange Optical fiber WiFi dual band N 300 Mbps and AC up to 1,700 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet Two RJ11 ports for VoIP telephony and another 1A USB 2.0
LiveBox + Jazztel (Orange) Optical fiber WiFi dual band N 300 Mbps and AC up to 1,700 Mbps. 3 Gigabit Ethernet ports and another Gigabit WAN Two RJ11 ports for VoIP telephony and another 1A USB 2.0
Comtrend C5813 Movistar Optical fiber WiFi N up to 300 Mbps. One Giga Ethernet WAN port and another 4 gigabit ports for the LAN Two steerable antennas with SMA connectors
Comtrend VG-8050 Movistar Optical fiber WiFi N up to 300 Mbps. One Giga Ethernet WAN port and another 4 gigabit ports for the LAN Two 3dBi steerable antennas
ZTE F680 Jazztel, MÁSMÓVIL, Pepephone, Yoigo Optical fiber Dual band 450 + 1,300 Mbps AC WiFi. One Giga Ethernet WAN port and another 4 gigabit ports for the LAN Two RJ-11 jack phone jacks and two USB 2.0 ports
Livebox Next Orange Fiber optic and ADSL2 + Dual band WiFi AC 300 + 1,300 Mbps. One Giga Ethernet WAN port and another 4 gigabit ports for the LAN 256 MB RAM, two RJ-11 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, DECT compatible
Compal CG7486E IT Cable coaxial Dual band AC WiFi up to 1,300 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet One port for VoIP and another USB 2.0
Technicolor TC7210 Telecable Cable coaxial Dual band AC WiFi up to 1,300 Mbps + 300 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet Two telephone jacks with RJ-11 plug, one USB 2.0 input
Sagemcom Fast5655 v2 AC MÁSMÓVIL, Pepephone, Yoigo optical fiber Dual band AC WiFi up to 1,300 Mbps + 300 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet Two telephone jacks with RJ-11 plug, USB 2.0, SAMBA, FTP and DLNA
Technicolor CGA2121 Euskaltel cable coaxial Dual band AC WiFi up to 1,300 Mbps + 300 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet Docsis 3.0, two telephone jacks with RJ-22 plug, USB 2.0

Updated in 2020 with current routers

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Ξ TREND

Deal : Nivona NIVO 8101 in the test: The coffee tastes really good here!

The successor to the NICR 8 series comes with a new brewing group that is supposed to make everything even better. The test of the Nivona NIVO 8000 shows whether this is successful.

Table of contents

  • The new brewing group is convincing
  • Integrated milk system
  • Simple control via rotary or app

  • Outstanding espresso

  • Not suitable for the dishwasher
  • Nivona NIVO 8000: prices and models
  • Nivona NIVO 8101 in the test: conclusion

Next to the Hybrid coffee machine Cube 4 Nivona presented another innovation, the NIVO 8000 series, at IFA 2023 (September 1st to 5th in Berlin). The successor to the upper classFully automatic coffee machines The NICR 800 series didn’t cause as much of a stir as the “coffee cube”. But a technical innovation made fans of bean infusion sit up and take notice when they tried it out. We have tested the Nivona NIVO 8101 extensively and revealed what it is all about.

The new brewing group is convincing

The big special feature of the Nivona NIVO 8101 is the newly designed brewing group. Compared to the previous brewing units in the previous models, the so-called “RomanticaPlus” is more compact and has a closed design. In this way, fewer coffee residues end up inside the machine and the maintenance effort is significantly reduced. For weekly cleaning, the brewing group is removed from behind the service flap on the right, rinsed under running water, dried briefly and can then be reinserted straight away. Nivona recommends in the very detailed operation manual cold water, but warm water shouldn’t cause any problems.

Even apart from maintenance, the brewing group does an excellent job and, in conjunction with the other device elements, ensures excellent coffee results. The entire concept appears sophisticated because it has a positive impact on all areas of the fully automatic coffee machine. For this reason, the Nivona NIVO 8000 gets a small upgrade for the new brewing group.

Integrated milk system

On the top right you will find the bean container of the Nivona NIVO 8101. Up to 250 grams of whole coffee beans can fit here. A conical grinder made of stainless steel works one floor below. And it’s particularly quiet: In our test, the machine emitted a maximum of 52 decibels during espresso preparation – the top value to date among the fully automatic coffee machines tested. The grinding level can be adjusted to five levels using the slider behind the service flap on the right side.

The water tank is on the left side and can be removed upwards. Around 1.8 liter capacity is sufficient for daily use in most households. Optionally, a Claris filter cartridge can be inserted into the designated position in the tank. This allows you to improve the general water quality and means you have to descale the device less often. The water is pumped through the pipes by a 15 bar pump.

For the preparation of milk coffee drinks, the Nivona NIVO 8000 has an integrated milk system, the “OneTouch DUOplus”. There is a removable cappuccinatore in the central spout (height adjustable from 8.5 to 14.5 cm; double cover possible). The rubber hose provided is inserted into the spout on the right, the other end goes into the milk container. Great: Two milk drinks can be prepared at the same time. Not every fully automatic coffee machine can master this art.

Simple control via rotary or app

The Nivona NIVO 8101 is operated via a smooth-running knob, which the manufacturer calls a “rotary”, and a color display. A well-known concept that has worked well with Nuremberg’s previous machines. This also applies to the 8000 series: the menu navigation is self-explanatory and precise after a short period of getting used to it. By turning the knob you can navigate between the individual coffee programs; a short press starts preparation.

If you hold the button down, you will go to the recipe menu, where you can adjust the drink parameters. These include the coffee strength (five levels), temperature (three levels), the amount of coffee (20 to 240 milliliters), the amount of milk (foam) and the amount of water. The “Aroma Balance System” is also back on board and now offers five profiles (“Quick”, “Dynamic”, “Constant”, “Harmonic” and “Intense”). This changes the brewing parameters, especially the throughput time of the water during preparation. In practice, however, we always recommend using the “Constant” setting.

In addition to the rotary knob, the NIVO 8000 can be controlled via the Nivona app (iOS and Android). The connection works via Bluetooth, online registration or WLAN (except for downloading the application) is not necessary. As with the other app-enabled Nivona machines, operation is extremely easy. The app is intuitive and logical, offers useful functions and instructions and makes customizing the drinks child’s play. There are nine in total own recipes create, name, save and control via the favorites menu (in the app and on the fully automatic machine itself). There is also a small upgrade for the practical app control.

Outstanding espresso

With the Nivona NIVO 8101 you have the choice between six factory-installed coffee programs. The three drinks without milk include coffee, Americano and espresso. In the taste test, the latter classic showed outstanding balance. The mixture of acidity and bitterness is unparalleled, the espresso is very full-bodied, has a good strength and is also convincing in terms of temperature and smell. In addition, the different flavors come into their own wonderfully. The Nivona machine gets a huge amount out of the coffee beans and ranks among the top machines Siemens, Miele, law and DeLonghi and comes dangerously close to portafilter machines. Similarly, the espresso crema also scores points in all areas.

Many users rely on fully automatic machines, especially because of the milk coffee drinks. You can choose between cappuccino, latte macchiato and caffè latte. The milk foam reaches the cup nice and hot and creamy and also tastes great. Anyone who likes to drink cappuccinos etc. will definitely get their money’s worth here. Aside from coffee drinks, the Nivona NIVO 8000 has programs for milk foam and hot water.

Not suitable for the dishwasher

When it comes to care and maintenance, the Nivona NIVO 8101 also performs well. The fully automatic coffee machine notifies you in good time when cleaning or descaling is required and indicates when the water tank needs to be filled or the drip tray and the pulp container need to be emptied. Automatic programs with cleaning tablets or descaling agents are available for thorough cleaning of the machine and descaling. There are also simple rinsing programs for the coffee circuit and the milk pipes. Cleaning the brewing group is also easy – as described above. Last but not least, the maintenance status can be viewed at any time via the settings menu.

Simply wipe the housing with a damp cloth, it works effortlessly overall. According to the instructions, the individual parts – i.e. the drip tray including the drip grid, pulp container, cappuccinatore, milk hose and water tank – must not be put in the dishwasher, otherwise warranty claims could be void. However, cleaning by hand with a dish or bottle brush, sponge and dishwashing liquid is easy. You can find tips and tricks for using and maintaining your fully automatic coffee machine in our guide.

Nivona NIVO 8000: prices and models

The Nivona fully automatic coffee machines from the NIVO 8000 series are available in two color versions that are technically identical. In addition to the tested model in black (model number: 8101), there is a variant in titanium gray (model number: 8103). Depending on the version, the price is around 1,169 to 1,249 euros – appropriate for the scope of services.

Test results

Test results

Nivona NIVO 8101
Color variants: Black (8101), titanium gray (8103)
Price: 1,169 euros
Power / pressure: 1500 watts / 15 bar
Water tank / coffee bean container capacity: 1.8 l / 250 g

Furnishing
(30%)

 Central spout height adjustable up to 14.5 cm
2 cup spouts
Water filter and powder compartment available
6 (espresso, coffee, Americano, cappuccino, latte macchiato, caffè latte)
Adjustment of coffee quantity, milk quantity, temperature and grinding degree possible
Up to 9 favorites

Grade: 1.8

Service &
The taste
(40%)

 Instruction manual very detailed
Easy to operate via rotary knob and display
Espresso taste and crema quality very good
Even more practical milk system with hose and frother in the central spout

Grade: 1.6

cleaning
(15%)

 Programs for descaling and cleaning available, water hardness adjustment possible
Easy to clean surface, water tank, drip tray and pulp container, no dishwasher-safe parts
Brewing group can only be cleaned by hand (removal from the side)

Grade: 2.0

Technical tests
(15%)

 Average power consumption when making espresso, low in standby
Very quiet grinder
Somewhat uncompact design

Grade: 2.2

Upgrades

 Intuitive app controls
Excellent brewing group

-0.2

Test results

 good (grade: 1.6)

Nivona NIVO 8101 in the test: conclusion

The fully automatic coffee machines from Nivona’s NIVO 8000 series have practically no weaknesses and are convincing across the board. The coffee quality is outstanding, the equipment and technology are good and the handling, both in everyday use and in terms of care, works without any problems. Thanks in particular to the new brewing group, the NIVO 8000 is becoming the new top device in the Nuremberger range and can easily compete with the competition.

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Deal : Six reasons why the Samsung S24 Ultra could be really good


On January 17th, Samsung will present its new S24 series at Galaxy Unpacked 2024 – we’ll reveal why the top model S24 Ultra in particular has what it takes to be the most important Android smartphone of the year.

Since the publication of the Galaxy S20 Ultra Samsung combines the best possible technology in its Ultra models Samsung 23 Ultra With this concept, it was the first cell phone to stay at number 1 for a whole year best smartphones from our test. The expectations for the successor Galaxy S24 Ultra are correspondingly high. Based on the current (already pretty watertight) rumors, we show the six most important strengths of the S24 Ultra.

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1. Artificial intelligence for everyday life

With the S24, Samsung is making artificial intelligence (AI) the center of a new generation of smartphones. With the one from Samsung already officially announced Live translation will even be usable for telephone calls and will apparently even enable live translation in at least the most important languages. All S24 variants have this strength, but the Ultra has a little more performance under the hood for AI applications thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor (see point 3).

2. More flexible telephoto shooting

The combination of two telephoto lenses and 200 megapixel main camera made zooming with the predecessor S23 Ultra very powerful. The triple optical telephoto and the tenx optical telephoto together covered an enormous zoom range and the 200 MP sensor had more than sufficient sharpness reserves for double zooming. But there was a larger gap between the two zoom lenses. When zoomed between magnification factors between 4 and 9, the 10 MP sensor of the smaller telephoto no longer offered sharp images. With the S24 Ultra, Samsung is reportedly adapting the telephoto pair better to the requirements of everyday life. The second telephoto intervenes at zoom factor 5 (with 5x optical magnification), and a 50 MP sensor should ensure sufficient sharpness, even at 10x zoom. This means that the image quality remains consistently high over a larger zoom range. The only weak point: the smaller telephoto unfortunately remains at only 10 MP, so the quality of photos with 4x zoom will not change much. The main camera will probably stay at 200 MP, but will supposedly spit out standard photos in 24 MP instead of 12 MP – if that’s true, Samsung learned this trick from Apple. According to rumors, a new sensor will also be installed that can absorb more light thanks to larger sensor pixels. The camera of the basic models S24 and S24 Plus is much simpler, only has a telephoto and no 200 MP main camera.

3. New super processor only on the S24 Ultra

The S24 series comes with new processors. But the S24 Ultra will probably be the only model that will benefit from the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. It has what it takes to be the fastest processor in the Android world and, in addition to a slightly faster CPU (only clocked higher for Samsung), offers stronger graphics, for example for games and, above all, a much stronger neural processor unit (NPU), so that AI Applications run directly on the device even without the cloud. Let’s hope that Samsung gives the S24 Ultra an improved cooling system, like we saw with the Fold 5. The basic models S24 and S24 Plus also get a new processor, but “only” the Exynos 2400 directly from Samsung. In some details the Exynos is behind the Snapdragon, but the general level is probably similar.

4. OLED display – brighter than Apple!

The S24 Ultra is rumored to have a display with a brightness of up to 2,600 nits. This is a huge leap compared to the already good 1,750 nits of the predecessor, and therefore overtakes it Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max (almost 2,100 nits or candelas per square meter).

5. Wifi 7: More speed, less disruption

2024 will be WiFi 7 is picking up speed – also because Germany’s most important router manufacturer AVM is finally bringing new FritzBox models with Wifi 7 onto the market. Wifi 7 offers more robustness and speed, especially in congested metropolitan areas. Since Wifi 7 is integrated directly into the new Snapdragon processor, the base models could remain with Wifi 6E.

6. New design with titanium power

Model Apple: Like the iPhone 15 Pro models, the S24 Ultra comes with a frame made of titanium alloy. Basically, titanium as a metal is lighter than steel but stronger than aluminum. However, the test of the iPhone 15 Pro showed that titanium does not work wonders when it comes to robustness and scratch resistance – but the price could be slightly higher than its predecessor at 1,469 euros for the 256 GB version (smallest storage size). But titanium looks and feels great and will probably also come with a matt surface that is easier to grip. The new design also has measurable advantages: the display frame should be slightly narrower. And S-Pen users will be pleased that the display is no longer so rounded at the edges. This leaves more space for drawing and writing.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: An assessment

Faster, better camera, new WiFi – the S24 Ultra could actually top last year’s high-flyer. But if the new Samsung really wants to overtake its predecessor, it also has to score points in terms of battery, charging speed and the standardized camera tests (including the 4x zoom level, which is unfortunate for the S24 Ultra). However, the charging speed is likely to remain low and there can always be surprises, especially when it comes to the battery.


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How to get the good ending in Supernormal

Supernormal places you at the center of a deadly mystery, and depending on your actions, you might not survive the night. Here’s how to get the good ending in Supernormal.

How to get the good ending in Supernormal

As you unravel the clues in Supernormal, you’ll find yourself faced with two possible endings. The good and the bad. And it’s exceptionally easy to get either, assuming you know the right method. Here’s how to get the good ending in Supernormal.

So the main clue you need to get the “good” ending is in the main menu when you start the game. Death affects your ending. Never die means you’ll get the good ending, even if you don’t collect all the clues beyond the email and password. This means that if you ever get caught by the ghost girl, rendered unconscious, and wake up in the living room, you’re going to have a bad ending.

How not to die in Supernormal

To avoid getting the bad ending you can use Audible and visual cues to avoid getting caught.

In the middle of the game, the ghost will mainly hide on the first floor in the middle of the house. It’s near the telephone, the stairs and the entrance. You can avoid this area by staying near the kitchen table.

Likewise, keeping the lights on during the first part of the game can help. But once you get to the end of the game, you’ll really have to rely on audio cues, as she can be invisible and will be much more aggressive.

Read also : How to complete the Pluripotent Prophecy in Diablo 4

Other important things to note are that when you go down the stairs following the bloody footprints, Don’t get ahead of them. This will cause him to kill you. If she says, “Look behind you,” don’t do it. Sometimes there will be nothing, but every once in a while she will kill you.

How to Easily Get the Good Ending of Supernormal

So you can play the game normally and do your best to avoid Sophia… Or you can just enter the password into the laptop.

Spoilers ahead.

Once you receive the phone call that will allow you to access the laptop in the living room, access the laptop immediately.

Screenshots by blog

  • Click the email icon at the bottom left of the screen.
  • Once there, fill out the login with »MARK2009“.
  • Enter the password with »SWEETPJK“.

  • Go upstairs to the laundry room.

You’ll get a cutscene and a paragraph summarizing what Wyatt discovered and his fate. If you managed to get from the laundry room to the laundry room, Wyatt will survive.

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If you were planning to buy Baldur’s Gate 3, you better have a good SSD hard drive and plenty of free space ready.


Baldur’s Gate 3 has all the necessary ingredients to be one of the best games of 2023 and one of the most outstanding RPGs on the international scene For a long time. Although it is still a bit early to talk about, it is what one can infer seeing everything that Larian Studios has prepared as well as the time they have dedicated to the project. Also, of course, it is very related to what we have already seen in, for example, early access.

What many may not like is that, since it was announced, the game has had to toughen its requirements in order to respond adequately. This has caused us to need larger components. Unfortunately, it is not the only thing that will require us. If we take a look at the game’s official Steam page, we can see – and this has been known for a long time – that we will need 150 GB of storage on an SSD hard drive. Nevertheless, in the end it will be somewhat less: 122 GB. At least that’s how Larian Studios has reported it through an official statement.

Larian Studios confirms that the game will occupy 122 GB of SSD

Despite this, it continues to be an important space, which it will force us to have a fairly important SSD storage hard drive. It is not nonsense, since in the case of many users it could occupy up to a quarter of the storage of their systems. At least it seems so if we review the latest Steam reviews.

Today, the usual measurements of the SSD that we can find in many computers are 256 GB, 500 GB or, failing that, 1 TB. For those who have the latter, Baldur’s Gate 3 will be no problem, but for the first two it can be somewhat more complicated to manage. In many cases, there will be players who are forced to delete other games in order to have only the new Larian.

However, this is not a situation that only occurred with Baldur’s Gate 3. More of the same will happen with Starfield and other releases like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order did too. Thus, it seems that the new standards of the video game industry will require us to have more space than ever if we want to continue enjoying its virtues.