Broadband guide

Plusnet Thomson 585v8 wireless router: a visual guide

Tuesday 3 January, 2012

By Duncan Heaney

We take a look at the Plusnet Thomson 585v8 wireless router.

Routers allow you to connect all of your home computers, as well as other devices such as games consoles, smartphones, internet radios or printers to the internet and each other using a broadband connection. Traditionally, you would need a modem to receive a broadband connection and a separate wireless router to establish a Wi-Fi network and connect wirelessly. An all-in-one router combines both into a single device for extra convenience.

Plusnet Thomson 585v8 wireless router

The Plusnet Thomson 585v8 wireless router - front view

The Plusnet broadband (www.Plus.net) Thomson 5585v8 wireless router is a lower end device, with a smaller range than many other suppliers’. Having said that, it’s a reliable and affordable device, which should be sufficient for most homes.

It’s not the smallest router out there (18cm x 13.5cm x 3cm) and it’s certainly not the prettiest, but its boxy shape means it should sit comfortably on most surfaces.

On the front of the router is a round button. This is used to connect a device to a Wi-Fi network via Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS). Essentially this means you can quickly connect certain devices without having to enter a password. Be aware, that on certain models of this router, this feature is unavailable, and Plusnet does not list it in its guides.

The indicator lights are on the top of the router. Unlike many routers, the Thomson 585 clearly labels each light with text. The “Power” indicator turns green when the router is plugged in and ready to go.

The Plusnet Thomson 585v8 wireless router - top view

The “Ethernet” light appears when a device has successfully established a wired broadband connection. Its flashing signifies it is transferring data.

The “Wireless” indicator changes colour according to your Wi-Fi status. If it’s red, the router is broadcasting a Wi-Fi network, but it’s unsecured. That means anyone within range can connect without a password. If the light is yellow, wireless is on and using WEP (wired equivalent privacy) encryption - a less secure system than the superior WPA (Wi-FI Protected Access). If WPA is used (and we highly recommend setting this type of encryption when securing your wireless router), the light will be green.

The “Broadband” indicator light is green when a broadband connection is detected, and the “Internet” light appears when the router’s connected online.

The Plusnet router has an external aerial on the back. This antenna broadcasts the Wi-Fi signal in all directions and can be rotated into different positions for easier transit and to maximise coverage.

The port closest to the aerial on the back of the router is for the power cable. For the router to work, it will need to be plugged into a standard electrical plug socket.

The Plusnet Thomson 585v8 wireless router - back view

Next to that is the router’s on/off switch. If you find that a Wi-Fi connection is slow or unreliable, pushing this button to turn the router off and on again can often fix the problem.

The small hole next to the power socket is the reset switch. Pressing a pencil, unravelled paper clip or similarly slim object into the reset hole for a few seconds will force the router to resort to factory settings - the state it was when it came out of the box.

The four yellow sockets are ethernet ports. Connecting a computer, or other compatible device, to one of these ports with an ethernet cable, which Plusnet supplies in its welcome pack, lets you access the internet via a wired connection instead of using a Wi-Fi signal. The Plusnet router supports up to four wired connections at a time.

The final socket on the back of the device is the ASDL port. Using an ADSL cable to connect the router with a phone socket on the wall provides your broadband connection.

On the bottom of the router is a sticker, on which is printed the username and password required to access the routers administrative settings. Plusnet also provides this information on an unattached sticker, which users can put somewhere for easier access to login details.

Set-up

Plusnet provides an easy to follow step-by-step guide to setting up your router. There’s no set-up CD included, but Plusnet’s supplied documentation is easy to follow. The provider also has a UK-based call centre that can provide assistance if you’re having trouble.

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