DrayTek Vigor 2860Ln 3G/4G LTE & VDSL Router

This is an "entry level" router for the small business or an upgrade for a very serious home user. It is not for the faint hearted - while there are wizards and the like, its ability to be configured is far in advanced of a standard home router and requires a fair amount of technical skill.Once up and running it is very fast and very stable. I have it set up with three separate broadband connections (ADSL, a satellite and a mobile network) and it handles load balancing and routing seamlessly.

I purchased this Draytek router because my existing 3G/4G router (a TP LINK model) required constant hard-booting because it frequently froze. Although pricey, the Draytek is highly stable, fast and handles multiple data streams.I live in a rural area with very poor copper broadband (the 5% that Openreach may eventually get around to serving in the next century) so switched to a sim card based solution. Step 1 was to evaluate which of the different providers provide 4G LTE in our area, giving it a try on a PAYG deal before purchasing a monthly contract (after some negotiating with the network sales centre). I settled for EE which provides 4G LTE service and managed to get a reasonable deal for 35GB per month. You simply place the SIM card into a slot in the router (which has a screw fix cover) and power on. Connect wirelessly and then look through the network settings and adjust. The Draytek is highly flexible and there are multiple settings for those who like the flexibility and complete control over their network. However, if you are like me and just want to get a decent internet over a SIM network, then its just checking the 4G LTE network parameters. The only thing I had to do was type in the network name but you may need to contact the provider for all the details. Once this was done, the mobile network was working with typical download speeds from 18Mb/s to 24 Mb/s and with no hanging or latency. I now get iplayer in wonderful HD while running a high spec IP based CCTV camera system and a music sever running high quality FLAC files without any issues. The wireless range is really good within the house compared to the previous TP link. It runs over 2.5 and 5 GHz simultaneously. The mobile network signal is strong and helped by the 2 remote external arials provided in the box. You may need to experiment to get the best signal. However, not a glitch after 8 weeks of operation so I am very pleased. Best of luck with your project. InSync March 2017.

I have had several Draytek routers and WiFi access points now. This one caught my attention because of the built-in 3G/4G modem, which you can configure to act as a backup link if the main broadband link(s) go down. I prefer this approach to an external modem, especially since it comes with twin external antennas, which you can mount away from the main unit.I ended up buying a 5m SMA extension cable and a high gain antenna to mount outside of the building, and the performance is excellent. It takes a while to get your head around the Draytek configuration menus and functionality, but once you are familiar with it, there is a lot of flexibility and power available, especially when it comes to multiple LAN/VLAN segments, VPN functions etc..All in all an excellent multi-interface router, good for home or office use.

product faultydon't buy itkeeps freezing, with the latest firmwareDraytek support, have no answers, other than wasting out time on the phone

Excellent. House is on top of a hill with a cracking 4G signal. Use it with a 4G SIM on an excellent 30GB / all you can eat tariff; and do not have a landline. Draytek kit is excellent and is well known in 'professional' circles. This box is full of useful configuration options. some of which allow you to manage users and the amount of bandwidth they can consume which is great for holiday homes etc.Only word of caution for the non technical is that Draytek boxes are VERY sophisticated 'professional' boxes. If you are not technically savvy with setting up LAN / WAN / firewalls / routers / switches / network access management and even VLAN etc then you may find the setup beyond the basics rather bewildering and should either get help or be prepared to play and learn.