Upgrading or replacing your Fritzbox device
Upgrading or replacing your Fritzbox device
Hello, I’m considering swapping my FRITZ!Box 6890 LTE with a new setup. The main issue is weak cell signal and unstable DSL connections that make the internet feel like 3G. I plan to use a NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro as a 5G modem alongside an Ubiquiti cloud gateway and some access points throughout the house. A big challenge is space—my router is in a small network enclosure with all LAN cables coming together. Ideally, I’d keep the FRITZ!Box as a DSL modem in bridge mode, using its wired connection to my office for the 5G modem and cloud gateway. That way the cable would serve more like a WAN link from my office to the gateway. When the cloud gateway is in my office, how would I bring the LAN back into the enclosure so it can reach other rooms? I’ve attached two diagrams illustrating the current setup and what I’m aiming for. I’m confident this could work if we think through it properly. What do you think?
The core problem seems to be your FritzBox being placed in a suboptimal spot for LTE failover. The best fix would be relocating the device to a more suitable area and connecting it via a cable into/out of the network cabinet. An DSL line can extend far, so running it back and forth might work. Simply swapping it into the same problematic location won’t help. If wiring through your home is the only option, you could assign four wires for the DSL cable and four for the Ethernet port—still providing gigabit speeds with decent stability. It’s a bit of a workaround, but necessary.
And I need improved remote access while traveling to my home network. I understand the situation but I don’t have any way to extend the cable or position it freely. The cabinet locks shut with a door and it’s a rented space, so I can’t open the walls to install new wires. I also can’t modify the existing cables in the wall. Inside the network cabinet there’s just an RJ45 port. That means I can’t use those wires to send the DSL signal to another room. I might have to look for a different location instead.
You're able to do this with a simple setup. Use a short Ethernet cable, trim one end and splice the wires to the required connector on each side. Repeat on the other end. No changes to existing systems needed—just two spare Ethernet cables, a crimp tool for Ethernet/DSL, and some adapters. Send both signals through a single cable. It's not risky and should cost around $40 to try.
There are differing opinions on this topic. Some suggest adding extra interference to the DSL cable to boost its performance, while others argue it can slow things down. I’ve seen discussions where people used DSL routers in bridge mode to keep the cable short and achieve faster speeds. In certain regions, star-shaped wiring for phone outlets is typical, which can cause reflections and reduce signal quality. Ideally, connect your phone line directly into the DSL outlet and route other devices through a single chain rather than multiple junctions. It’s even better to place all non-DSL connections from a DSL filter at the main outlet, preventing any DSL signal from reaching them. Personally, I have a wired-only router centrally, once used a DSL router in bridge mode next to the main phone port (still not FTTP), and now have a 5G router positioned optimally with an Ethernet cable back to the router. Mobile USB dongles are poor for both reception and speed; dedicated mobile routers perform much better.
My approach: TAE-F → RJ45 → Switch → Office → Router. My PC connected directly to LAN via ROUTER Wi-Fi extender with LAN in the living room; switch located in the living room feeding the signal back into the network enclosure; switch then extended to all other rooms. While trying to ensure DSL and 100Base-T function through the same cable, performance remained poor. This wasn’t the solution I expected, but it functions. I’m still evaluating replacing my FritzBox with a LAN router or Ubiquiti device paired with an DSL modem.