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Replacement for Netgear R8000. Asus, Ubiquiti or Qnap?

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MingChops

New Around Here
Hi, I have come across this forum from a fair bit of Googl'ing, hope this is in the right section. I am looking for some advice on a replacement router please.
I have a Netgear R8000 which is a few months old, but quite honestly it's the biggest POS I've had the displeasure to use. I'm therefore looking for something to replace it and am doing some checking and investigating before making the next purchase!

To state the current issues with the Netgear, the primary problem is it needs rebooting to fix random problems and slow downs. Every now and again the WAN performance just grinds to a halt, reboot the R8000 and all back to normal. And then Wifi slow downs and randomly kicking off all Wifi clients is far too frequent for the cost of the unit, again solved with a reboot. For reference I had zero issue on the old free Sky router I had before this for probably 5 years, not a single WAN, LAN or Wifi issue once! Perhaps lucky, but also indicative to me in just how useless the R8000 is.
I also have found if you enable either parental controls or the built in Bitdefender security - the WAN performance tanks (support pages seem littered with this complaint of them). So I am not even able to use the router for everything I bought it for.

Therefore the primary consideration for the next router is it must be stable. The second consideration is I do not want it to slow down if I enable security features. My line is a 300Mbps FTTP line (the R8000 drops to an intermittent 200Mbps with the features enabled).

I've got 3 on the sort of short list:
  • Asus: The older AC86U is fairly cheap and was well received, but fairly old hat now. Potentially for buying one and then if needed another to run AiMesh with ethernet backbone appeals. But would the newer AX88U be a better purchase, is it worth twice the price though!?
  • The new Qnap QHora looks like it packs a punch in terms of hardware - the software might be a little basic in the current implementation - is anyone running one?
  • The other thought is the Ubiquiti Alien, but seems like it's either not realised in the UK or very hard to get hold of? (I am put off by the UDM due to reported fan noise?)
Also worth pointing out my main devices are all physically wired (gaming PC, mac, NAS etc). So wireless is simply there to provide access to phones and the kids MacBooks, which means wireless speed is not so important (streaming netflix the most heavy activity), but Wifi coverage however is. That said currently just the single R8000 serves my house well enough in coverage (about the only thing it does well when it's working), which is an average UK 3 bed in size.

Many TIA, Rich.
 
I would recommend looking into RT-AX86U, RT-AX88U. I have RT-AX88U and definitely benefit from extra ethernet ports, also wifi has been solid using about 13 to 20 wifi devices mostly phone and laptop.
 
I would recommend looking into RT-AX86U, RT-AX88U. I have RT-AX88U and definitely benefit from extra ethernet ports, also wifi has been solid using about 13 to 20 wifi devices mostly phone and laptop.

Thanks - have you owned it long and do you ever need to reboot it? Also have you enabled Ai Pro on it and does it cause any slowdown in terms of WAN speed access in doing so?

In terms of ports not an issue really as I've got an 8port switch in the office where the router and ONT are located.

Cheers
 
Thanks - have you owned it long and do you ever need to reboot it? Also have you enabled Ai Pro on it and does it cause any slowdown in terms of WAN speed iaccess in doing so?

In terms of ports not an issue really as I've got an 8port switch in the office where the router and ONT are located.

Cheers
I have owned it for two years or bit longer than that, only time I have to restart it is after firmware update or if there is loss of power, but turns on when power return. Regarding ai protection I did enable for test and only took hit on speed about 2 to 3 mbps on download and upload. My actual connection is symmetrical gigabit with 940/940 so 2 to 3 loss is not much.

Only issue with router was spouse factor, I simply workaround it and have happy wife and great connection together.
 
A single RT-AX88U is worth more than 2x RT-AC86U's if a single router will cover the areas required.

An RT-AX86U may be the better buy though if you have the switches needed to connect your equipment already. And yes, it is a better router than the two years older RT-AX88U.

The Qhora (I'm looking into that too myself) seems to be very stable and you'll be able to grow into it for a very long time from your current ISP speeds), but as you say, limited to basic options today.


In your shoes though, I would be willing to see if you can get the NG R8000 router you have stable and do a major update this summer/fall when the Wi-Fi 6E (true, 3 bands, 3 radio) routers are expected to become available (and I'm hoping with RMerlin firmware too, soon after).

Have a look at what @Voxel-powered firmware for your router can do. It may be all you need, today.
 
I have owned it for two years or bit longer than that, only time I have to restart it is after firmware update or if there is loss of power, but turns on when power return. Regarding ai protection I did enable for test and only took hit on speed about 2 to 3 mbps on download and upload. My actual connection is symmetrical gigabit with 940/940 so 2 to 3 loss is not much.

Only issue with router was spouse factor, I simply workaround it and have happy wife and great connection together.

Thanks, and that is certainly an acceptable hit, you'd never even notice that amount. Yep modern routers look awful, but thankfully in the office it's not a terrible eye sore! If it was in the lounge or somewhere more visible I would actually be more inclined to go down the more lifestyle looking products.

A single RT-AX88U is worth more than 2x RT-AC86U's if a single router will cover the areas required.

An RT-AX86U may be the better buy though if you have the switches needed to connect your equipment already. And yes, it is a better router than the two years older RT-AX88U.

The Qhora (I'm looking into that too myself) seems to be very stable and you'll be able to grow into it for a very long time from your current ISP speeds), but as you say, limited to basic options today.


In your shoes though, I would be willing to see if you can get the NG R8000 router you have stable and do a major update this summer/fall when the Wi-Fi 6E (true, 3 bands, 3 radio) routers are expected to become available (and I'm hoping with RMerlin firmware too, soon after).

Have a look at what @Voxel-powered firmware for your router can do. It may be all you need, today.

I think Curry's were thinking they would take it back based on the phone call I had with them, even if it's just a credit note will do me. I'm not really interested in loading different firmware, it sounds more effort than I expect it to be from what I consider a commodity purchase. In my mind s router just needs to sit there, get the occasional factory update and be reliable. I know the Merlin stuff for Asus is very well regarded, so at a push I might try that, but really I've got rid of almost all PC equipment and have embraced Apple for this complete 'user' level experience they give. My day job is in IT (storage architect) and I've simply reached the point where when the laptop lid get's closed at 5:30pm then I don't even want to touch technology really!

Yep the house is wired with Cat 6E and various switches around, so my main gear and PoE cameras are all taken care off regards connectivity, therefore it's simple a wireless AP and router function I need. So with that in mind the AX86U would be the better choice than the 88U (presume then it's just better hardware)?

Out of interest is there a particularly well regarded router without wireless? And then I can add something like a few Aruba Instant On AP's? Although networking is not my thing, some of my colleagues are network architects and work with Aruba so can probably get them cheap though my employer. Might end up being a bit too 'IT' mind :eek:
 
Are you referring to the Qnap QHora 301W ? They talk a lot about 10Gbit WAN ports.. who has that to their home?
 
I'm sure someone does, but 1.5Gbps is available for some already.
 
I know someone in Singapore who has 10 Gbps... Internet. I even saw speedtests he ran.

(Ok, he's a betatester for that ISP, but still, shows how far behind North American ISPs are).
 

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