Home broadband usage prioritisation

[v8-powered]

Is there any way that you can prioritise certain traffic over WiFi?

Situation is that where we live BB is pants, we get a max of 32Mbps. Teenagers being teenagers are selifsh and seem to think it's OK to run every device they own at the same time (YouTube, Netflix, online gaming etc) all at the same time leaving bugger all bandwidth for grownups TV.
Can I prioritise certain devices, namely living room TV, and other devices leaving them to fight over the remainder of the bandwidth?

I already have the living room and family room TV's over ethernet hoping that would help but not made much difference....

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Yes, if your router supports it, the better way to do it is to give the devices you want to work a high priority, rather than trying to restrict the devices you don't want to get much bandwidth.

Don't be surprised if you don't get the results you expect, it's usually an arse to get working right

[v8-powered]

Yes, if your router supports it, but it's a pain in the arse to set up and often doesn't do what you think it should.
The better way to do it is to give the devices you want to work a high priority, rather than trying to restrict the devices you don't want to get much bandwidth.

The best answer is to throw bandwidth at the problem

Plusnet Hub, same a BT home hub 2 I believe?
Where do I find this device priority magic you speak of, router again?

Bandwidth would be nice having came from a FTTP house (500Mbps minimum) to this ancient copper. Have looked at a BB via radio option but that will only give us 60Mbps max with no guarantees and a £60 per month fee.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Having had a look at the manual for the BT Home Hub 2 I doubt if it does it, I'm currently having a total brain fade about what traffic prioritisation is normally called on the little routers, could be under something like Class of Service or Type of Service.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Apparently you need a different router



And QoS (Quality of Service) is the term I was trying to think of.

[v8-powered]

I do have an Asus router sitting here, will check the manual. Failing that may buy a decent one to try....

[KungFooBob]

I bet the home hub has Mac address filtering.

Kick them off when they're being greedy

[MrLongbeard]

Vodafone offer this on their routers, but it never bloody worked as well as I needed it to, more often than not it was easier to just kick the kids off the network

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Get a second broadband connection, one for you, one for the children.

[Mussels]

I have my ISP router plugged into a netgear router with much more control. I got it to control filter my kids internet without filtering grownups as well, it has QoS but I've never needed to use it and I've read it can be fiddly.

I should be able to remove the ISP router but my ISP has some funny rules.

[DefTrap]

I tried restrictions but the moaning hurt my head. So I just watched less streamed telly.
Then they left home!

[v8-powered]

I bet the home hub has Mac address filtering.

Kick them off when they're being greedy

Vodafone offer this on their routers, but it never bloody worked as well as I needed it to, more often than not it was easier to just kick the kids off the network

I do have this option using the controls for the mesh network but I think the screams and cries of social media deprived teenagers is worse than our TV buffering

[v8-powered]

I tried restrictions but the moaning hurt my head. So I just watched less streamed telly.
Then they left home!

Yep, the worse culprit should be buggering off to uni later this year if he doesn't flunk his A levels!

[v8-powered]

I have my ISP router plugged into a netgear router with much more control. I got it to control filter my kids internet without filtering grownups as well, it has QoS but I've never needed to use it and I've read it can be fiddly.

I should be able to remove the ISP router but my ISP has some funny rules.

Interesting as I have a mesh system running off the ISP router, will see if that has QOS controls.....

[v8-powered]

Checked our mesh system, no QOS controls...

Bling-bling routers are a bit spendy these days but may get one, seems like could help our problem and let us stream TV without buffering.