TalkTalk broadband routers 2024: What router will I get?

Dan Howdle | September 13th, 2024

TalkTalk is well known for providing broadband and other services at an affordable price. But how does its pricing affect the routers supplied with its broadband? TalkTalk routers have traditionally been at the lower end in terms of features and wifi range, but it has recently introduced two new routers, which might just help change impressions of the kit the provider supplies.

Unfortunately, that means TalkTalk now supplies one of four different routers, all with different specifications and capabilities, depending on which broadband package you choose. In this guide, we'll tell you which router goes with which package, and what each router is capable of.

How to get a TalkTalk router

router you get will depend on the broadband package you choose. You can also buy a router from the TalkTalk online store if you fancy an upgraded model without upgrading your package. It may be worth asking TalkTalk for an upgrade first, but it is not guaranteed that you will get one. If you are getting a poor wifi signal around your home, it could improve things however.

TalkTalk’s two entry-level broadband packages come with a Wi-Fi Hub Black (the Huawei DG8041W), which should provide the speed and Wi-Fi strength you need for these 35Mbps and 65Mbps packages. If you can get nothing else (a fraction of a percent of UK households), TalkTalk still offers an ADSL package – the increasingly incorrectly named TalkTalk Fast Broadband, offering 11Mbps average download speed. That package also comes with the Wi-Fi Hub Black.

TalkTalk's two slowest Full Fibre packages – TalkTalk Full Fibre 65 and TalkTalk Full Fibre 150 – come with the TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub, a branded version of the Sagecom FAST 5364 router. While the next two package up, TalkTalk Ultrafast Fibre 250 and TalkTalk Ultrafast Fibre 500 come with an Amazon eero 6.

Finally, TalkTalk's top Full Fibre package, TalkTalk Full Fibre 900, comes with an Amazon eero Pro 6. Top package, top router. You can see why this all needs a bit of an explanation, and we hope in future TalkTalk considers simplifying its router line-up.

Here's an overview of which TalkTalk package comes with which TalkTalk router for easy reference:

TalkTalk routers and features

Although some of these routers look nearly identical, and feature more or less the same ports on the back, there are differences below the surface. This is due to the wildly different broadband speeds on offer across TalkTalk’s range of packages. A different breed of router is required to deliver ADSL/Fibre or Full Fibre broadband at high speed and to multiple devices.

Currently, the WiFi Hub Black is a Huawei DG8041W and the WiFi Hub is a Sagemcom FAST 5364, while the routers that come with the top-tier Full Fibre packages carry their actual model names without the TalkTalk branding – the Amazon eero 6 and the Amazon eero 6 Pro. In this section we will take a look at the similarities and differences between all of the routers.

Wi-Fi Hub Black

• Comes with the three cheapest TalkTalk broadband deals – You will get a Wi-Fi Hub Black if you sign up for Fibre 35 or Fibre 65. You will also get this router if fibre broadband is not available in your area yet and you have an ADSL connection
• Traductor chipset – The chipset controls the communications and traffic going through the router
• Next generation wifi – The Wi-Fi Hub Black uses the latest wireless standard (802.11ac) to deliver the fastest wifi speeds possible. Devices using older wifi standards such as 802.11n are also able to connect
• ADSL2+ & VDSL2 modem – The ADSL2+ allows for connections over the Openreach telephone network, while the VDSL2 means the modem is ready for fibre broadband
• Smart channel selection – The Wi-Fi Hub Black automatically connects your devices to the fastest wifi channel and frequency available
• Smart wifi tech – The router continually checks your network connection as well as its own performance and automatically downloads and installs firmware updates
• Dual band – Like many modern routers, the Wi-Fi Hub Black uses both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands
• Four gigabit ethernet ports – The Wi-Fi Hub Black has four gigabit ethernet ports, so you can use a wired connection for up to four devices, There is also one WAN port
• Seven antennae – The Wi-Fi Hub Black has seven antennae, to provide good wifi coverage around the home
• Stylish appearance – The Wi-Fi Hub Black is designed to be out on display. This is a nice touch because wifi performance is improved by positioning your router in a prominent raised position in your home. If your router is ugly and you hide it away, it can interfere with your wifi reception

TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub

• Required for The fastest TalkTalk broadband – The Wi-Fi Hub is supplied with the TalkTalk’s Ultra Fibre Optic (900 Mbps+), Fibre 500 and Fibre 150 packages
• Broadcom chipset – Responsible for controlling the router’s communications and traffic, the Broadcom chipset is more efficient than the Traductor chipset featured in the WiFi Hub Black
• Next generation wifi – The Wi-Fi Hub uses the latest wireless standard (802.11ac) to deliver the fastest wifi speeds possible. Devices using older wifi standards such as 802.11n are also able to connect
• ADSL2+ & VDSL2 modem – The ADSL2+ allows for connections over the Openreach telephone network, while the VDSL2 means the modem is ready for fibre broadband
• Smart channel selection – The Wi-Fi Hub automatically connects your devices to the fastest wifi channel and frequency available
• Smart wifi tech – The router continually checks your network connection as well as its own performance and automatically downloads and installs firmware updates
• Dual band – Like many modern routers, the Wi-Fi Hub uses both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands
• Four gigabit ethernet ports – The Wi-Fi Hub has four gigabit ethernet ports, so you can use a wired connection for up to four devices, There is also one WAN port
• Seven antennae – The Wi-Fi Hub has seven antennae, to provide good wifi coverage around the home
• Stylish appearance – Featuring the same aesthetic as the Wi-Fi Hub Black, the Wi-Fi Hub is designed to be out on display. This is a nice touch because wifi performance is improved by positioning your router in a prominent raised position in your home. If your router is ugly and you hide it away, this can interfere with your wifi reception

Amazon Eero 6

• Comes with TalkTalk Full Fibre 500 and Full Fibre 250 deals – You will receive an Amazon Eero 6 if you sign up for one of TalkTalk’s ultrafast fibre packages, such as Full Fibre 500 or Full Fibre 250
• Wi-Fi 6 technology – The Eero 6 uses the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard (802.11ax) to deliver faster speeds and better efficiency for multiple devices compared to previous Wi-Fi versions
• Dual-band Wi-Fi – The Eero 6 supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands for wider coverage and stronger connectivity in busy households
• Mesh networking – The router works seamlessly with its included mesh repeater, allowing for improved Wi-Fi coverage across larger homes or spaces with thick walls
• Two gigabit Ethernet ports – The Eero 6 has two gigabit Ethernet ports, which allow for fast, wired connections to key devices like gaming consoles or desktop PCs
• Smart home integration – The Eero 6 includes a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, which allows you to connect smart devices directly without needing an additional hub
• Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) – Supports BLE for easier setup and compatibility with smart home devices

Amazon Eero Pro 6

• Comes with TalkTalk Full Fibre 900 – The Eero Pro 6 is included with TalkTalk’s highest-tier broadband packages, such as Full Fibre 900, for customers seeking top-tier performance
• Tri-band Wi-Fi – Unlike the Eero 6, the Eero Pro 6 offers tri-band Wi-Fi, adding an additional 5GHz band to handle more devices and reduce network congestion
• Wi-Fi 6 technology – Like the Eero 6, the Eero Pro 6 supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) for improved speeds, range, and efficiency, particularly in device-heavy homes
• Mesh networking – The Eero Pro 6 comes with two additional mesh repeaters to extend Wi-Fi coverage across even larger areas, ensuring a strong connection throughout your home
• Two gigabit Ethernet ports – Similar to the Eero 6, the Eero Pro 6 includes two gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections to high-speed devices
• Smart home integration – Features a built-in Zigbee hub for easy connection with smart home devices, and works with Alexa for voice control
• Advanced security features – Includes WPA3 encryption and automatic security updates to protect your network from threats

If there are any unfamiliar terms you'd like a more in-depth explanation of, check out our jargon-busting guide.

Setting up your TalkTalk router

If an engineer is required to set up your TalkTalk broadband, they will also set up your router. If not, then you will need to do it yourself. Luckily it is a simple process.

The first step is to unplug your existing router, micro-switches and phones from your wall mounted telephone socket. Once you have done this you can plug the supplied micro-filter into your phone socket. Then plug the grey cable into the micro-filter and push the other end into the grey port on the back of the router.

Now you are ready to connect the power supply. Switch off the mains plug socket, then plug the power supply into the router. Now plug into the mains power socket. Once this is done, switch on the power socket and press the power button on the back of your router.

There is a small removable card inserted into the back of your Wi-Fi Hub or Wi-Fi Hub Black. This card has all your wifi log in details printed on it.

Once your router is up and running, we'd suggest you start making it as secure as possible. Our guide to securing your wifi router can help.

Legacy TalkTalk routers

All four routers featured in this guide are relatively new, but how do they compare to some of TalkTalk’s previous routers? There are plenty of older TalkTalk routers in use around the country. The last iteration was the Super Router.

It was well reviewed at the time of its release, and had some good features. After an initial roll out with faster packages, this router was later supplied to all new TalkTalk broadband customers. It featured Dual 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands and was compatible with 802.11ac and earlier wifi standards. It worked as both an ADSL2+ (Broadband via telephone line) and a VDSL (Fibre broadband) modem. It even had a single USB port, allowing the connection of networked devices such as printers.