Which is the best router for a poor S/N line

Hi

Subject says it all really. I need to find which router would be best for a poor
line. Initially it sync'd at 250k and my friend got a reliable connection. Recently
he's seeing the router connect at 512k, but it keeps losing sync.

His ISP has run tests and called out BT (his s/n ratio was down to 2 mb!). The BT
engineer called and after a lot of fiddling around has got what he said was the best
line. Apparently his local cables are aluminium and not copper and so this causes
problems.

The BT guy suggested (after the crappy modem that BT sent him out with wouldn't even
connect, but my friends Linksys router would connect) that he get a router that was
likely to be 'good' with a poor s/n line. The Linksys isn't too bad - it loses sync
and then regains it - and at least his BB does work, but we're looking to replace it
with a new and better router.

I run a ZyXel at home on my line and its fine (different village and copper cables).
I know that Netgear are good, but I wonder whether it might be worth going for a
Draytek. I believe that they are good, albeit more expensive.

Is the extra expense likely to improve matters?

Anyone's views much appreciated

--

Andrew Sayers