Replacement for WRT1900AC

[RadHardened]

I purchased an Linksys WRT1900AC last year in an effort to increase coverage and speed over our years-old WRT54G.

Out of the gate (for a few days) it was great but then started having every issue you read about online with dropped clients, slowing speeds, non existent range and the need to reboot every couple of days. I have trouble shot, tweaked, reset and rebooted to my wit's end. I work too hard to play IT guy every time some device isn't connecting at an acceptable speed or (more often) has disappeared from the network altogether.

It's time to move on. I am wide open to suggestions and can budget $300 - $400 if needed - which from what I read, isn't necessarily an indicator of better performance or meeting my needs.

Here's what our current setup looks like:

Cox Internet that speed tests consistently across different online tools at 30MBps Upload and 5-6MBps Download. I'm open to upgrading that - Century Link is also available in our area - but Cox is very proud of it's higher rate services ($)

We subscribe to DirecTV with the HD package and have their Genie system covering our two TV's - one of which is 4K.

House is single story 2800 Sq Ft with all of your typical obstructions.

Clients in the house - None of which are hard wired in:
2 Windows based laptops that both my wife & I use to work on during the day
1 2010 model iMac
1 2011 Macbook Air
2 2012 Macbook Airs

2 iPad Air 2's
1 iPad Mini
1 older iPad

4 iPhone 6
1 iPhone 6s Plus

2 Apple TV's

1 Xbox One - heavily used nights & weekends

2 Samsung TV's to which we stream Amazon Prime

DirecTV genie connected to the two TVs

Yahama AV Reciever to which we stream Spotify / Pandora - it sees & connects to the network, but the router doesn't see it according to the LinksysSmartWiFi

The most used devices are the portable iPads, Laptops, iPhones. I have three teenage kids so it's not unusual for them to group study or talk to friends via Facetime while on their laptops and probably streaming music in the background.

This while one may be playing Xbox Live and my wife and I either surfing on our iPads or trying to catch up on a series on Netflix or Amazon.

I almost ordered a Netgear Nighthawk R7000 based on it's seemingly solid overall reviews - but given what we will ask of it, is it enough?

Feedback is greatly appreciated. Am I asking too much from our current Cox plan? They do offer 100 & 300 Mbps plans in our area.

Thanks in advance -

 

[RadHardened]

As a follow up - in my area, Cox's enhanced service levels of 100 - 300Mbps "require" or prefer a DOCSIS 3.0 modem - I am unfamiliar with these.

Here's a link to their preferred devices: http://www.cox.com/residential/supp...95d0-7ef9-11df-5590-000000000000#CoxPreferred

I would have the option to purchase a model with 16 x 4 channel support for $110 or lease for $10/mo.

 

[RadHardened]

Current modem is a Cisco DPQ3212

 

[microchip]

An ASUS AC1900 or similar Netgear will cover your needs. If you opt for the Netgear, specifically the R7000, your best bet is running 3rd party FW on it (XVortex, Shibby, etc) as stock one is terrible. Netgear is really making a mess, by already pulling two FW releases as many people were having issues with them.

 

[sfx2000]

Out of the gate (for a few days) it was great but then started having every issue you read about online with dropped clients, slowing speeds, non existent range and the need to reboot every couple of days. I have trouble shot, tweaked, reset and rebooted to my wit's end. I work too hard to play IT guy every time some device isn't connecting at an acceptable speed or (more often) has disappeared from the network altogether.

It's time to move on. I am wide open to suggestions and can budget $300 - $400 if needed - which from what I read, isn't necessarily an indicator of better performance or meeting my needs.

Well known that the factory firmware may have issues - the HW itself is first rate, and better than many other consumer grade Router/AP's

Might consider looking into DD-WRT or OpenWRT before dropping cash on similar HW from another vendor.

 

[RadHardened]

An ASUS AC1900 or similar Netgear will cover your needs. If you opt for the Netgear, specifically the R7000, your best bet is running 3rd party FW on it (XVortex, Shibby, etc) as stock one is terrible. Netgear is really making a mess, by already pulling two FW releases as many people were having issues with them.

How about ASUS' Dual Band Gigabit Routers? From what I have read, they seem to do a better job supporting the FW. I have also noticed them actively engaging consumers' issues in forums with a better than average response.

 

[RMinNJ]

That's a real shame on the Linksys WRT1900AC .. I guess I would try open Firmware options as one last attempt before buying a new one.

I just picked up an R7000 but I dont have nearly your wireless needs. I also tried an ASUS RT-AC68P which has just as good or better wireless coverage in my house as the R7000 ..and more features it seemed.. I returned it as I thought the WAN cutting out was the router (it was a refurbished unit)..it turned out to be my cable service.

I agree its really hard as the more expensive ones aren't necessary better. I did see the Netgear R7800 was the only one to pass the recent second MU-MIMO tests...really calling into the question the Linksys implementation of MU-MIMO.

Let us know what you pick.

 

[RadHardened]

Well known that the factory firmware may have issues - the HW itself is first rate, and better than many other consumer grade Router/AP's

Might consider looking into DD-WRT or OpenWRT before dropping cash on similar HW from another vendor.

I have that thought in the back of my mind - could be something else to try while weighing my other options.

I did something similar with the WRT54G years ago. Lost the link, but whatever FW I reflashed with did a very nice job of improving basic performance and definitely helped extend it's usability. Used some sort of Linksys Wiki to get it at the time.

 

[sfx2000]

I have that thought in the back of my mind - could be something else to try while weighing my other options.

I did something similar with the WRT54G years ago. Lost the link, but whatever FW I reflashed with did a very nice job of improving basic performance and definitely helped extend it's usability. Used some sort of Linksys Wiki to get it at the time.

Kong's fork of DD-WRT seems to have good feedback...

 

[microchip]

How about ASUS' Dual Band Gigabit Routers? From what I have read, they seem to do a better job supporting the FW. I have also noticed them actively engaging consumers' issues in forums with a better than average response.

An AC1900 is dual band. A ASUS AC68U/P is one of them, as is the R7000

 

[RadHardened]

An AC1900 is dual band. A ASUS AC68U/P is one of them, as is the R7000

Yeah - I phrased that wrong. I should have said, "how about other Dual Band GB Routers like ASUS."

 

[RadHardened]

Now leaning RT-AC88U or RT-AC5300 and upgrading my ISP speed to the 300Mbps package.

We have a lot of 5 Ghz clients in the house... Thinking the dual 5 Ghz bands in the 5300 might be helpful.

 

[RMinNJ]

Now leaning RT-AC88U or RT-AC5300 and upgrading my ISP speed to the 300Mbps package.

We have a lot of 5 Ghz clients in the house... Thinking the dual 5 Ghz bands in the 5300 might be helpful.

Right...I think if your upgrading to 300Mbps service (wow, just wow) you might want to check the WAN to LAN (and LAN to WAN) and total simultaneous throughput numbers also. (thought they are all over 300). The ASUS 68U when I had it seems very advanced..one could ssh into it etc. Dont see how you could wrong with your picks . That said for MU-MIMO the Netgear 7800 was the only one that passed the tests right. The R7000 , with my fixed cable service, has been really nice so far. Range in my house and speed have been noticeably better than my old trusty Linksys which is all I was after. just graph your picks in the attenuation charts and again what you currently have and see if it meets your needs?

 

[Trip]

Easiest path to a AC1900 replacement that actually works would be an Asus AC68U running latest Merlin or an Archer C9 running latest factory. You can futz around with other models and firmwares and probably get similar or better results, but those two are largely a sure bet mostly right out of the box (C9), or close to it (68U).

Beyond that, if you have the skill I'd just move into faux-enterprise gear, as well as segregate routing, switching and wifi to individual components that will do each job way better than a jack-of-all-trades.

 

[sfx2000]

Now leaning RT-AC88U or RT-AC5300 and upgrading my ISP speed to the 300Mbps package.

We have a lot of 5 Ghz clients in the house... Thinking the dual 5 Ghz bands in the 5300 might be helpful.

DD-WRT on the WRT1900ac likely will out perform, and be more stable..

The linksys has great HW, but the factory firmware really hurts things...

 

[RadHardened]

I thought I would post up a quick follow up. I wound up doing two things:
1. Bought the ASUS RT-AC5300
2. Upgraded ISP speed to 100Mbps (300 wound up not yet available in my area - supposedly 1 Gig service later this year...)

After having this initial configuration installed for over a week, my initial impressions are very good.

I separated the clients as follows:
Kids 5 Ghz - 1
Wife & I 5 Ghz -2
Family Room Entertainment Devices: Yamaha Reciever, XBOX, TV, Apple TV 2.4 Ghz

ASUS Pros

• No dropped clients so far - especially happy that the Yamaha Reciever has stayed on
• Everything loads quicker
• Somewhat marginal reception in the master bedroom (furthest point from router) is better and more consistent
• Love the ASUS dashboard and info it provides
• Easier to set up than I thought - read a couple of posts with people asking how got me worried

ASUS Cons

• None yet other than it is more than twice the size of the Linksys - especially with the antennae out at 45 degree angles

Speed tests from sites like DSL Reports indicate I'm getting 120Mbps+ download speeds from every area I set up a laptop in. Big improvement from the 28 I was consistently testing at previously.

Everyone in the house has been happy an no one is complaining about lag or dropped connections.

I will report back after more use.