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ASUS (RT-AC68U), but what about the other end?

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Banjoboy

New Around Here
I'm looking at getting the AC68U. My main need is streaming video and internet access to the living room. There, I'll need a device that I will hook to a switch and then feed the HTPC, TV, DVD, etc. with cables from the switch. What device should I get for the living room gear? I'm not clear (I've read and read) on whether I need an access point, another router or what? I know I don't want (or need) a range extender because I understand that will reduce my connection speed. Any comments and help would be appreciated. Specific brand and model advice would be welcome. Thanks in advance folks.
 
Sounds like you need a Media Bridge. Personally I would get a media bridge that is wireless AC compatible. Usually the bridges have like a 4 port switch built in.
 
Sounds like you need a Media Bridge. Personally I would get a media bridge that is wireless AC compatible. Usually the bridges have like a 4 port switch built in.

Any bridge should work, and many AP's have this as a feature...

I've got an older Buffalo WLI-TX4-AG-300N box in my media center - it wires up an AppleTV, Roku, and a PS4 inside, and bridges that out... they all have WiFi, and I've actually got decent coverage there, but by using the box, it takes some pressure off my WiFi (1 STA vs. 3 STA's and the attendant overhead) - it's similar to using a switch behind a router to manage some traffic...
 
Not saying that the buffalo box is perfect - it's designed and built in Japan for Japanese regulations, and it's old (2010) - so it doesn't do UNII-3 band (CH149 and above), but works great in the DFS/TPC channels, and of course the lower 5Ghz band - but it's also a bit brain dead with more modern network best practices - when using common SSID, it'll camp on 2.4GHz... but it can be forced into 5GHz only mode on the WebGUI...

The mechanical switch to enable wide channels is pretty cool (but not obvious), and it has the evil AOSS button on the front, right next to the power switch - that can be disabled via the WebGUI as well. Knowing it's limitations and quirks, once setup, it's rock solid and fairly fast for an 2-stream dual-band device...

(one odd quirk - in 2.4GHz, even though it's an 11n client, it doesn't support 802.11 ERP, so it registers as not doing short preambles, which makes the host AP turn on Barker Mode, which impacts 2.4GHz performance...)
 

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