TALKTALK ROUTERS AND EQUIPMENT REVIEW
TalkTalk routers review: How good are they?
TalkTalk, like BT, Plusnet and one or two others, offers just the one router no matter which package you choose: the TalkTalk Hub 3. That means there’s a hell of a lot riding on its capabilities. Let’s take a look.
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TalkTalk routers and equipment scorecard
Six key areas. One overall score. All calculated using our transparent methodology.
Wi-Fi quality
How good the standard routers’ Wi-Fi is in everyday use, looking at specifications, Wi-Fi bands/type, and how many devices they can support.
Wi-Fi range
How far the router’s Wi-Fi should reach around the home, with consideration given to local factors like large homes or thick walls.
Whole-home Wi-Fi
Whether the provider offers a mesh router system or extra help for larger homes, whether it’s good, and whether it’ll cost you extra.
Wired connectivity
How well the router supports Ethernet and wired devices, looking at number of ports, their speeds, and how accessible they are.
Router controls
How much control you get through the app, admin page and any controls you might have on the router itself.
Using your own router
How easily you can use your own third-party router or mesh hardware – whether you can use anything you like or if it’s limited in any way.
Fibredog Router Comparison Tool
Compare this provider's routers with each other, or with any other national provider.
Fibredog Router Range Estimator
Provides a visual mock-up of how Wi-Fi is likely to behave in your home with this provider's routers.
Fibredog Whole Home Wi-Fi Calculator
Calculates whether you need additional mesh routers, how many, and even where you should put them.
Wi-Fi quality
Every current TalkTalk Full Fibre package includes the same Wi-Fi Hub 3, and it’s a capable Wi-Fi 6 router rather than a weaker model designed to push you towards an upgrade. There’s no premium router above it, but most homes won’t need one.
Key differences
One router covers every package
Whether you choose Full Fibre 65 or Full Fibre 900, you get the Wi-Fi Hub 3. TalkTalk doesn’t reserve its best router for expensive packages or ask you to pay more to unlock the hardware your connection deserves.
The wireless hardware is properly modern
The Hub 3 combines Wi-Fi 6 with OFDMA, MU-MIMO and beamforming, helping it divide capacity efficiently and direct the signal towards connected devices. Its 4x4 5GHz radio is particularly respectable for a standard provider router.
There’s no 6GHz band
This is dual-band Wi-Fi 6, not tri-band Wi-Fi 6E. You get 2.4GHz and 5GHz, but no cleaner 6GHz band for compatible devices. That prevents the Hub 3 from being cutting edge, although it’s hardly a serious failing at this level.
The ceiling is beginning to show
All four LAN ports and the WAN input are limited to 1Gbps. That’s fine for TalkTalk’s current packages, but its 900Mbps service already pushes close to the hardware limit. There’s no faster premium router available if you want more headroom.
INTERACTIVE TOOL
Compare routers from any provider
This provider’s routers are pre-selected for comparison with one another. However, you can use this tool to compare any router from any major provider using the dropdown menus below.
| Feature | Choose router | Choose router |
|---|---|---|
| Fibredog rating | — | — |
| Router included as standard | — | — |
| Router manufacturer | — | — |
| Router model | — | — |
| Wi-Fi standard | — | — |
| Wi-Fi bands | — | — |
| 2.4GHz supported | — | — |
| 5GHz supported | — | — |
| 6GHz supported | — | — |
| Beamforming | — | — |
| Antenna count | — | — |
| Maximum connected devices | — | — |
| Stated coverage | — | — |
| Total Ethernet ports | — | — |
| MU-MIMO | — | — |
| OFDMA | — | — |
| WPA3 security | — | — |
| Guest network | — | — |
| Antenna type | — | — |
| Gigabit Ethernet ports | — | — |
| 2.5Gb Ethernet ports | — | — |
| 5Gb Ethernet ports | — | — |
| 10Gb Ethernet ports | — | — |
| WAN port speed | — | — |
| USB ports | — | — |
| Telephone ports | — | — |
| ONT Ethernet input | — | — |
| Coaxial input | — | — |
| Power connection | — | — |
| Mesh support | — | — |
| Provider mesh product | — | — |
| Third-party router use | — | — |
| Modem mode | — | — |
| Compatible broadband technology | — | — |
| App management | — | — |
| Parental controls | — | — |
| QoS | — | — |
| Automated QoS | — | — |
| Device prioritisation | — | — |
| Anti-bufferbloat controls | — | — |
| Manual queue management (SQM/CAKE) | — | — |
| Smart channel selection | — | — |
| Security features | — | — |
| Gamer mode | — | — |
| Game traffic prioritisation | — | — |
| Gaming QoS profiles | — | — |
| Server ping routing tools | — | — |
| Latency dashboards | — | — |
| Per-device gaming presets | — | — |
| Gaming VPN routing features | — | — |
| Work from home mode | — | — |
| Automatic firmware updates | — | — |
| Firmware update notes | — | — |
| Router height | — | — |
| Router width | — | — |
| Router depth | — | — |
| Router weight | — | — |
| Power consumption | — | — |
| Router orientation | — | — |
| Wall mountable | — | — |
| Router colour | — | — |
| Self-installation | — | — |
| Browser admin interface | — | — |
| WPS | — | — |
| Status light control | — | — |
| Reset button | — | — |
| Wi-Fi on/off button | — | — |
| Where would you like to go next? | See all tools | See all tools |
Which TalkTalk router do you get?
TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub 3
Included with every current TalkTalk Full Fibre package.
It is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router with WPA3, Gigabit Ethernet and support for TalkTalk's mesh boosters.
Total Home Wi-Fi
Adds mesh boosters to the Wi-Fi Hub 3 on eligible packages.
This is a paid coverage add-on rather than a better main router, so the Wi-Fi Hub 3 remains at the centre of the network.
No premium router tier
Package speed does not change the supplied main router.
TalkTalk does allow a compatible third-party router, but it does not offer another premium router at checkout.
Wi-Fi quality from the TalkTalk Hub 3
The Wi-Fi Hub 3 is manufactured by Sagemcom and based on its F@ST 5359 platform. It uses a 2x2 radio on 2.4GHz and a more capable 4x4 arrangement on 5GHz, giving it a sensible balance between longer-range coverage and faster connections closer to the router.
Its supporting technology is better than TalkTalk’s fairly basic product pages might lead you to believe. OFDMA helps divide the network efficiently between devices, MU-MIMO lets the router communicate with several compatible devices at once, and beamforming concentrates the signal where it’s needed. WPA3 provides the latest mainstream Wi-Fi security too.
TalkTalk says the Hub 3 can connect up to 128 devices. That’s a technical ceiling rather than an invitation to hammer all 128 simultaneously, but it does show this isn’t an underpowered box intended only for small households. For normal broadband use, it should cope comfortably with a busy collection of phones, laptops, TVs and smart-home devices.
The obvious limitation is that it stops at dual-band Wi-Fi 6. There’s no 6GHz band, no Wi-Fi 7 and no premium-router tier for anyone wanting more. Even so, TalkTalk has made the right compromise. Everyone receives the same well-equipped router as standard, and you aren’t asked to pay extra simply to get respectable Wi-Fi hardware.
INTERACTIVE TOOL
Router range estimator
See how wall materials and router choice affect the quality of Wi-Fi around a typical home.
Where would you like to go next?
How to use the Router Range Estimator
It’s pretty straightforward. Select the router from this provider, and the main construction materials of your internal walls. It’s important to remember, though, that this is just an estimator.
It can give you a rough idea, but local factors like neighbouring network interference or mixed material wall set-ups can mean the results vary considerably from the estimate. It’s meant to give you a rule of thumb and only that.
How to maximise your TalkTalk router's range
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Start with placement
Put the TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub 3 near the middle of your home if you can, out in the open and away from thick walls or cupboards.
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Test every room
Run a speed test where you actually use Wi-Fi. Our Whole Home Wi-Fi Calculator further down this page is built for exactly that.
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Use My Connection
Use My Connection and the TalkTalk app to check the line, broadband speed and connected equipment before changing the setup.
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Move obvious blockers
Keep the hub away from TVs, mirrors, metal objects, appliances and anything that boxes it in. Give the signal space to leave the router.
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Add Total Home Wi-Fi
If rooms still struggle, the paid Total Home Wi-Fi service adds mesh boosters around the Wi-Fi Hub 3, with up to two boosters supported.
Faster Wi-Fi has shorter legs
Wi-Fi behaves exactly like sound. Ever notice how you hear the bass, meaning the low frequencies, a few rooms away, but can't hear the treble? It's the same here. The higher the frequency, the more detail there is in the signal, but lower frequencies make it through far more walls.
That's the difference between Wi-Fi bands. 2.4GHz is the slow old workhorse. It isn't glamorous or especially quick, but it's better at reaching the awkward room at the back. 5GHz is faster and better for streaming, gaming and newer devices, but it gives up sooner as you move away from the router.
TalkTalk's Wi-Fi Hub 3 uses dual-band Wi-Fi 6. Its 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios balance range and speed, but there is no short-range 6GHz band. The optional Total Home Wi-Fi boosters are what extend coverage into difficult rooms.
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No single best provider or package exists – only the best pick for you personally. Fibredog's YourMatch™ system uses thousands of provider metrics and a lot of maths to find you your perfect match.
Wired connectivity
The Wi-Fi Hub 3 gives you four wired connections for devices that need a steadier link than Wi-Fi can provide. They’re all fast enough for TalkTalk’s current Full Fibre packages, although there’s no extra-fast socket for equipment designed to run beyond gigabit speeds, which TalkTalk doesn't offer anyway.
Four ports give you plenty of breathing room
TalkTalk keeps things pleasantly simple. The Wi-Fi Hub 3 has four Ethernet ports, so you can plug in a television, games console, computer and another device without immediately needing extra equipment.
Each port supports speeds of up to 1Gbps. That’s enough to handle any of TalkTalk’s current Full Fibre packages, including Full Fibre 900, without the router connection becoming the weak point.
There’s no faster port for specialist equipment
The Hub 3 doesn’t have one of the faster Ethernet sockets now appearing on some premium routers. That limits any single wired device to 1Gbps, even if the device itself can go faster.
In practice, that’s unlikely to bother many people. TalkTalk’s home broadband currently tops out below 1Gbps, so the missing faster connection only matters if you’re building an unusually demanding home network or want plenty of room for future upgrades.
How a simple wired TalkTalk network works
Plugging devices directly into your router gives them a steadier connection than Wi-Fi. These router diagrams show the physical Ethernet ports, including any ONT or internet port used by the broadband connection itself.
Check which port is the internet input before counting how many wired device ports you have spare.
Use the fastest spare LAN port for the device or switch that needs the most speed.
A cable is still the best choice for demanding devices
Wi-Fi is more convenient, but a wired connection remains the better option for devices that need consistent performance. Games consoles, work computers, smart televisions and network storage can all benefit from being plugged directly into the router.
That doesn’t mean you need Ethernet cables running around the house like a heist-movie laser maze. It means the most important device near your Hub should probably be wired if you care about getting the most stable performance.
You obviously won’t want cables trailing through every room. The sensible approach is to reserve the ports for nearby devices where speed and reliability matter most, then leave phones, tablets and everyday gadgets on Wi-Fi.
There’s also a telephone socket for TalkTalk’s internet-based home phone service. A home phone isn’t included with current Full Fibre packages as standard, however, so you’ll need to check that it forms part of your order.
How to make best use of your TalkTalk router's LAN ports
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Count the usable ports
The TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub 3 has four Gigabit Ethernet ports. On Full Fibre, check which socket is used for the ONT before deciding how many remain for devices.
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Gigabit ports cover the range
A Gigabit Ethernet connection is fast enough for TalkTalk's current Full Fibre packages once normal networking overheads are allowed for.
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No multi-gigabit LAN port
The Wi-Fi Hub 3 has no 2.5Gbps or 10Gbps Ethernet socket, so each wired device is limited to a Gigabit connection.
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Wire the devices that care
Gaming PCs, consoles, work computers and network storage benefit most. TVs and printers can wait their turn for a wired port.
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Add a switch if needed
If the available sockets aren't enough, add a Gigabit Ethernet switch. It gives you more ports, not more speed per port.
What changes when you use your own router?
Your compatible router connects to the ONT and replaces the supplied TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub 3. It then becomes responsible for the home network and the features TalkTalk's equipment previously provided.
Hands the connection to your router
The ONT is the wall box where the Full Fibre connection arrives. It remains in place and provides the Ethernet hand-off.
Your own router connects to it through a compatible WAN port instead of the supplied TalkTalk hub.
Takes over Wi-Fi and settings
Your router handles Wi-Fi, wired devices, guest access and whichever VPN, DNS, firewall or traffic controls it provides.
You also become responsible for compatibility, setup and router faults. TalkTalk may ask you to reconnect the Hub 3 when diagnosing the broadband service.
Having trouble choosing a broadband provider?
No single best provider or package exists – only the best pick for you personally. Fibredog's YourMatch™ system uses thousands of provider metrics and a lot of maths to find you your perfect match.
Some links on this page may earn us a small commission if you click through and buy. This never affects either what you pay, or our scores and recommendations. If, however, you’d rather bypass affiliate links, use this direct TalkTalk link instead.
