New Router: what to buy

[isagreg]

I'd like to get a newer and better router.
Budget is $300-ish.
Was considering R-8000, R-7500 or RT-AC87U(R). But it looks like the firmwares of these routers are still in development.

So I'd like something solid and stable (even if it's "older" model), dual band N/AC (2.4GHz band is severely congested), decent USB 3.0 HDD support, Gigabit ports for PCs. Not interested in third party firmwares.
My internet is 60/4, on wired I have no problem getting that but on WiFi I don't get more than 32/4.


This is what I have now:

D-link DIR-655
D-link DAP-1522 in bridge mode

Current WiFi devices: (2) iPhone 5c, (1) Samsung Note 3, (1) iPad 2, (1) Roku 3, an old laptop (draft N)
Current wired devices: (2) wired PCs connected directly to router, TV, BluRay player, WDTV and AV receiver connected to D-link DAP-1522 bridge.
Future devices: (2) iPhone 6/6+, WiFi printer, NAS.

Thanks in advance.

 

[L&LD]

Your bridge mode configuration is giving you half the capabilities of what your main router might otherwise be able to do.

Your current wireless devices may not have the performance necessary to give you the full performance of your ISP's rated connection. They are optimized for low power usage, not performance. Even with the bridge mode configuration disabled.


With the budget you have, I would be testing both the RT-AC87U and the RT-AC68U and any other router you fancy, then keep the best one or return them all. Very hard to recommend which router will do all that you need in your specific environment. Especially with a heavily congested 2.4GHz band as you indicate.


I think you may be cheating yourself on features and/or stability by discounting 3rd party firmware, especially if you decide to choose an Asus model. With that said, the RMerlin builds is what I would recommend.


http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=7846

The primary goals of this project are to fix bugs, add a few basic features and tweaks to the original firmware. This firmware will try to remain as close as possible to the original firmware. If you are looking for a slew of advanced features, then this project is not for you. Look at TomatoUSB or DD-WRT, two excellent products that might suit your needs better.

If however you prefer something as close as possible to the manufacturer's firmware, then this is for you.

 

[isagreg]

Thanks,

DAP-1522 is in bridge mode. And it is used in entertainment center to connect the devices that don't have wifi. Even if I connect these devices with a wire the speed is max 100 Mbps. So if the bridge can deliver 100 Mbps I'll be happy.

 

[L&LD]

Thanks,

DAP-1522 is in bridge mode. And it is used in entertainment center to connect the devices that don't have wifi. Even if I connect these devices with a wire the speed is max 100 Mbps. So if the bridge can deliver 100 Mbps I'll be happy.

The 1522 is only a two antenna model and in ideal conditions (in the same room with minimum interference) can give 300Mbps and in bridge mode, 150Mbps which means an effective and approx. 75Mbps actual possible throughput with all the planets lined up, to a single device. Closer to half is more reasonable to expect and that decreases with distance, obstacles and nearby interference too. Which is very close to what you're getting now.

The same is also true of your main router. Both get to offer half the wireless performance in bridge mode.

Connecting the 1522 with a wire though in AP mode (to WAN port) and then connecting any other devices you want to the LAN ports will offer you the highest speeds possible with your existing equipment. And it may be enough to use all the speed the ISP offers too.

Not only will a wired connections give you better speeds for all your network in general, it will be much faster for the networked entertainment equipment too as wired has much less lag and overhead than wireless, even at it's best.

 

[abailey]

The 1522 is only a two antenna model and in ideal conditions (in the same room with minimum interference) can give 300Mbps and in bridge mode, 150Mbps which means an effective and approx. 75Mbps actual possible throughput with all the planets lined up, to a single device. Closer to half is more reasonable to expect and that decreases with distance, obstacles and nearby interference too. Which is very close to what you're getting now.

The same is also true of your main router. Both get to offer half the wireless performance in bridge mode.

Connecting the 1522 with a wire though in AP mode (to WAN port) and then connecting any other devices you want to the LAN ports will offer you the highest speeds possible with your existing equipment. And it may be enough to use all the speed the ISP offers too.

Not only will a wired connections give you better speeds for all your network in general, it will be much faster for the networked entertainment equipment too as wired has much less lag and overhead than wireless, even at it's best.

Bridge mode does not cut the throughput in half. Repeating the signal would cause the throughput to be cut in half. As far as getting 100Mb/s you may be able to get that much with your bridge. You will just have to test. As far as advice on a new router, I will leave that to others as I am not an expert on consumer routers.

 

[isagreg]

Thanks,

Currently it is not possible to connect the equipment with a wire. The router is on third floor and the entertainment center is on second.

My bridge can connect to either 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz bands. But my current router does only 2.4Ghz. So I'm thinking if I get a dual band router and connect the bridge to 5Ghz the throuput will improve.
Also I'm hoping to get better speeds to my mobile devices.

My future goal is to get a NAS, connect it gigabit port on the new router and stream my HD movies with WiFi to Roku 3 and WDTV connected to the wireless bridge. Hope it is possible.

I know wired connections will be much better and reliable but I just can't run any cables from top floor without turning it into remodeling project.

Worst case scenario: I get a new dual band AC router and a new dual band AC bridge (or second router in bridge mode)

 

[abailey]

I use a 5ghz wireless bridge (300Mbit link rate, like yours) in my house. If you can actually get a link rate of 300Mbit, then you should be able to get a throughput of about 100Mbit/s. Now if you have other devices connecting to your router on the same channel, then you will have to share throughput with those devices.

 

[L&LD]

Bridge mode does not cut the throughput in half. Repeating the signal would cause the throughput to be cut in half. As far as getting 100Mb/s you may be able to get that much with your bridge. You will just have to test. As far as advice on a new router, I will leave that to others as I am not an expert on consumer routers.

abailey of course, you're correct. Thanks for catching my mistake.

Depending on which band is used, the throughput may still be much less than the connection rate indicates though.

 

[isagreg]

So back to original question: what to buy?

These are the models I'm looking at:
Netgear R-7500
Netgear R-7000
Asus RT-AC87U

Also:
D-Link DIR-880L
Linksys WRT1900AC
Linksys EA6900

Asus RT-AC68U looks very tall, how much clearance does it need?

Thanks

 

[L&LD]

Out of the models you have listed, I would only be sticking with testing the two Asus products, the RT-AC87U and the RT-AC68U with or without the latest available Asus or RMerlin firmware.

Another option to try with your existing setup is powerline adaptors.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/powerline-charts/view


They may end up giving you the best performance from your network with the lowest cost.


I'm still thinking about your bridge setup though. How many devices are connected on the other end of the bridge and are they in use all at the same time?

If they each need a lot of bandwidth simultaneously it may not be possible to achieve this wirelessly. Or at least, not possible without buying two AC class routers and using the best band (based on throughput) for the bridge. And then using that band for nothing else.


I just measured the RT-AC68U with my only available at the moment standard: an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper.

It is just slightly wider than the sheet and just over 1" taller, so about 12 1/4" would be my best guess.

 

[isagreg]

Wow, RT-AC68U is more than 12" tall? I think it will not fit between my shelves.

There are 4 devices connected to the bridge: TV, BluRay player, WDTV media player and AV receiver. They're used one at a time. Currently 1080p Netflix needs the most bandwidth and that is handled fine most of the time.

But in the near future I'm going to add a NAS, will WDTV be able to stream 1080p MKVs wirelessly off of the NAS (DLNA or Network Shares)?

Thanks

 

[L&LD]

You can adjust the antenna and they may not be optimal anymore, but the bigger issue to me is putting it into such a cramped space will affect your performance.

Okay, used one at a time should pose the least penalty on your wireless performance.

Sorry, don't use those features and can't comment.

 

[isagreg]

Thanks,

The router will sit on the mid shelf of this desk. I have the same desk:
http://www3.telus.net/zipspeed/computer02-small.jpg
The space is not very cramped, the height is restricted tough.

I don't wanna "test" the routers and firmwares for weeks, just don't have the time for that. I just wanna plug it in, configure it once and forget about it.

So out of these 3 models: Netgear R-7500, Netgear R-7000, Asus RT-AC87U(R)
Asus will be the best? Is the firmware "mature" enough?

Any other suggestions?

 

[L&LD]

On that desk, I would be placing the router on one of the support poles on either side.

No need to test for weeks. Buy all three, use one each for a day (make sure the others are off during your tests) and see which gives better results in your environment.

Asus is not the best in an absolute assessment, but it is the best total solution I've tried, especially for the money.

With RMerlin's contributions, the product as a whole is head and shoulders above any NetGear, Linksys and below routers I've had or worked on. And I used to love my NetGear.


There is no firmware that is mature as far as I'm concerned. If that were the case, these products would be interchangeable and this forum would be a lonely place indeed.

 

[isagreg]

Thanks a lot L&LD

My current router (D-link DIR-655 N300) can do 2.4Ghz only. And strangely the best speed I've seen is on channel 4 (tried channels 1, 6, 11 and they're worse)

What is the realistic speed that D-link DAP-1522 can achieve on 5Ghz band? It is N300 2.4/5Ghz.

On 2.4Ghz the maximum speed that I get is 130 Mbps on Roku 3 (per D-link status page, not actual measurement)
My android phone says the link speed is 65 Mbps. Not sure about actual speed.
My internet is 60/4. On mobile devices I always get +/- 30/4. Again not sure about throughput.

If I use 5Ghz only (N and AC) for all devices should I see any speed improvements?

 

[L&LD]

Half the indicated link rate is the maximum you can hope for with an optimal distance and minimal obstructions and interference.

If you compare the performance from your 655 to a modern AC1900 class router, you may be pleasantly surprised at the jump in speeds.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire.../30726-d-link-dir-655-a4-quick-review?start=1

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...oes-an-ac-router-improve-n-device-performance


http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/router-charts/bar/113-5-ghz-dn-c



With all the above, I still need to mention that small mobile devices will never achieve the best speeds your network is capable of. They are optimized for light weight, small/thin size and longest possible battery life, not wireless performance which needs more antennae and needs more power.

 

[fistv]

Put it on the top shelf or Put a piece of plexiglass across the two uprights and mount it vertically like a back panel, use smoked plexi if you want it be somewhat out of sight.

 

[isagreg]

Thanks everybody.

I'm gonna go to Best Buy and get Asus RT-AC87R.

 

[isagreg]

I finally bought ASUS RT-AC87U, installed the latest firmware 3.0.0.4.376.2769.
I noticed connecting with WPS (push button) works only with 2.4 Ghz band, 5 Ghz is not supported?
Now I want to connect my DAP-1522 bridge to 5 Ghz band. How do I do that?

 

[hubtech]

I'd go split duty. Myself and my clients are really digging ubiquiti gear. Get their edge lite router and pro AP for around 275 and enjoy the amazingly stable secure fast environment you've created.