Wireless/Wired Buying Advice

[denali]

Howdy Folks,

So I had a WD N900 router that has died not once, but twice. At this point, I'm done with it.

I'm currently getting internet from EPB here in Chattanooga. For those who've not heard of them, they're one of the few ISPs that provide Fiber to the House at 1Gbps. They're also running IPv6 trials on their network currently.

So, I'd like a router that has the following:

Around $100.
Can route wired at close to 1Gbps.
Good IPv6 support (native and IPv4 to IPv6 tunnel)
Dual Band N (N900) is minimum. I'm not going to cry if I can't get AC, but it would be nice.

Suggestions? (Thanks in advance for reading and replying)

 

[L&LD]

I think you're describing the RT-AC56U.

 

[stevech]

Howdy Folks,

So I had a WD N900 router that has died not once, but twice. At this point, I'm done with it.

I'm currently getting internet from EPB here in Chattanooga. For those who've not heard of them, they're one of the few ISPs that provide Fiber to the House at 1Gbps. They're also running IPv6 trials on their network currently.

So, I'd like a router that has the following:

Around $100.
Can route wired at close to 1Gbps.
Good IPv6 support (native and IPv4 to IPv6 tunnel)
Dual Band N (N900) is minimum. I'm not going to cry if I can't get AC, but it would be nice.

Suggestions? (Thanks in advance for reading and replying)

Re: Can Route at 1Gbps. Of course, neither WiFi or your Internet Service is anywhere near that speed.
The 4 LAN ports on most routers allow data to flow between things on those 4 ports. If, say, two are PCs, and both the PCs and the router are 10/100/1000 capable, then you have what you want. It's NOT routing - it's switching among the four ports. Routing means moving traffic to/from the Internet via the four switched ports on the router.

A router lacking 10/100/1000, and having only 10/100, can connect to a $30 10/100/1000 ethernet switch. If other PCs connect to the faster switch, the same 1Gbps will occur even though the router isn't that fast on its LAN ports. Adding a switch is often done for other reasons too, e.g., to shorten cable runs, reduce number of cables, etc.

My recommendation is to get a solid name 11n router. Don't bother with 11ac for a year or so, esp. if your client devices aren't 11ac capable. $50 should do it.

 

[denali]

Thanks for the reply and correcting my use of terms. With what you've said, I've had routers from:

Netgear
Dlink
Western Digital
Buffalo

I've been unhappy with them for one reason or another. The Netgear I was unhappy with because their support consists of a really pissed off Asian dude on their forums who would rather be snotty than answer a question. Dlink, I just wasn't thrilled with their firmware. Buffalo, their firmware was really buggy. Western Digital, I've RMA'd one router and the second one should be RMA'd as well, but they'd rather try an older firmware and have me use it as an AP rather than RMA it.

Also, the best the Western Digital could do on my network was the upper 700Mbps range. I'd like to beat that. I know that I won't be able to beat it by much, but I'd like to try.

So, with those thoughts in mind. What brand/model do you recommend, stevech? L&LD recommended a RT-AC56U (above), but it's an AC unit.

Thanks again for your reply!

 

[stevech]

Over the years, I've used at work and owned personally a lot of WiFi routers and APs. OPINION: Avoid 802.11ac for now; Avoid D-Link; Only once in a while they have a good product; Netgear: inconsistent but more often OK than not; Linksys and Belkin: more often OK than not. ASUS: bleeding edge, so don't buy the latest product. Engenious: Good. Others like TP-Link I have no experience.

Router ratings charts here are helpful if you look at them from the perspective of ignoring released-too-soon products.

Personally, at home, I get a new WiFi router only every 3-4 years. I have never owned one needing frequent reboots but then I've not owned D-Link and other products that get branded from the Asian spot market.

I use SOHO/SMB grade rather than the low-profit thus too poorly QA'd and engineered consumer retail top shelf stuff. And I have found these SMB/SOHO on eBay in like-new shape for 1/2 price or so. I've had a Cradlepoint MBR900 for several years; the MBR95 can be had affordably. I use these in my job too - where they sit unattended and must run for a year without being touched. There are a few others like this. ZyXel has had (declining?) presence in SMB/SOHO. Of course, Cisco (not Linksys) WiFi dominates enterprise and some SOHO, but it is overkill for residential.

Debating WiFi routers needs to be done on the make/model level, not broad-sweeping brand names because in consumer/retail WiFi, quality and firmware goodness varies widely among specific products. Too bad there's no lemon law in such products.

There are also a lot of mistaken critiques of WiFi products where performance is affected by laws of physics in RF, but blamed on bad hardware, or the WiFi client's goodness is ignored in assessing a router. The popular press is infamous for this. This site does a much better job, but falls short in looking at durability in hot climates, etc.

 

[L&LD]

With 802.11AC officially supported now (since the end of last year), I do not think that making a distinction between N and AC products is helpful in any way.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-news/32313-80211ac-specification-is-final


The main reason I suggested the RT-AC56U is because it has recently been seen at $99 on sale and it is also one of the top performing routers when comparing them for Total Simultaneous Connections.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/router-charts/bar/76-total-simul


In the link above it is currently at #5 and while the RT-N56U is slightly above it; the ~$20 price difference between the two is insignificant when considered over the time of expected ownership (3-5 years).

The extra dollars buys you a current class product with superior wireless performance (vs. the RT-N56U) along with a better dual cpu SoC and more RAM.

When (not if) your devices start to support the 5GHz band and even better; the AC standard - your wireless performance will also jump considerably with the RT-AC56U vs. any N router out there (for the same or more money).


You may also want to consider the following charts for (wired) routing performance too to see if any current products might match your requirements better (though I don't think any will overall at the price point you set).

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/router-charts/bar/74-wan-to-lan

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/router-charts/bar/75-lan-to-wan


It may turn out that the OP is willing to buy an older/cheaper N class router that does have slightly better (wired) routing performance because it is that important to them - but my money would go with a current product that not only offers high theoretical speeds - but actually has the modern components to back them up with.

Including RMerlin firmware support for new features, bug fixes and improved performance over the official Asus firmware (which seems to get the RMerlin improvements eventually too, in time).


I'll repeat; imo, at the $100 price point (you may need to wait for a sale though) - the RT-AC56U is the best overall router to buy right now, including high routing performance needs (especially total simultaneous throughput).

With any luck; O/C'ing the RT-AC56U should get even better results in wired routing performance - though I would not be too swayed by this 'feature' nor would I be depending that the router purchased would be able to be over clockable and stable too (that is why I say 'with any luck').


You may ask why the other routers posting higher performance in the charts are seemingly ignored? First on price and the rest on either wireless issues (range, throughput) or simply my unfamiliarity with all the products in the charts.

If price was not a factor the R7000 is the top choice for your routing needs. Even so; I could not recommend Netgear products as the firmware seems to be fixed up to a point and then forgotten about.


Since this will not be the last router you buy and I am assuming you need to buy a new router soon: the RT-AC56U is the most well rounded at this point. With the stability, support, firmware options, hardware components and AC certification to ensure it will still be a viable option for many years to come.

This was not the case a few weeks/months ago; but the latest firmware has made the necessary advances that other manufacturers simply don't do - and; based on past models (the 4 year old RT-N16N, for example) that support will continue to improve this model for a very long time.

 

[stevech]

With 802.11AC officially supported now (since the end of last year), I do not think that making a distinction between N and AC products is helpful in any way.
.

For many users, 11ac adds no value but adds cost.
The IEEE ratified 11ac in Jan., 2014. so the interoperability and option negotiation between vendor products is dust that needs to settle, as in prior major additions to the standard.

http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/11/Reports/802.11_Timelines.htm

 

[L&LD]

For many users, 11ac adds no value but adds cost.
The IEEE ratified 11ac in Jan., 2014. so the interoperability and option negotiation between vendor products is dust that needs to settle, as in prior major additions to the standard.

http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/11/Reports/802.11_Timelines.htm

What I read is that the 2013 standard was adapted as official in January of this year?

The IEEE, today announced approval of IEEE 802.11ac™-2013.

Your stance of added value (or not) may be valid for you, but as I stated - over the course of ownership (in years) the probability that AC class clients will be used increases the value of buying a product today that includes that additional capability. Especially when it falls within the budget of the OP.


I can understand being conservative - but this idea that 'AC' is still too new is simply wrong. It has been worked on for well over 18 months now (RT-A66U from middle of 2012 that I know of) and even though I'm sure it will improve further, that doesn't mean what we have now needs to be avoided.


Buying N class equipment today with the options we have available is like running 10/100MB networks because 1GB networks are 'too new'.


Everyone is welcome to spend their dollars as they see fit, but giving advice against AC still seems at least a little misleading, imo considering we are halfway into Q2 2014 already.


In my own use, a $30 upgrade to an Intel AC7260 wireless card on a 4 year old laptop gives me triple the throughput on my customers AC class routers than my top of the line N900 N class RT-N66U router does with any older N class wireless card I had before.

Even better; the AC7260 wireless card improved my throughput on the same RT-N66U that I'm still using so far.

I can't see any downside to upgrading to an AC class router from any angle I look at it. And I don't see you offering a concrete example of why anyone should be avoiding one now with all the points considered that I bring out in this post?

 

[Gronnie]

Re: Can Route at 1Gbps. Of course, neither WiFi or your Internet Service is anywhere near that speed.

Actually, I am pretty sure they offer 1Gbps up and down for like 50 bucks a month or some other ridiculously good deal. I seriously considered moving there just for the internet haha.

 

[denali]

Actually, I am pretty sure they offer 1Gbps up and down for like 50 bucks a month or some other ridiculously good deal. I seriously considered moving there just for the internet haha.

1Gbps to the house via a passive optical network for $79.99/month. They also offer TV and phone services via fiber. With my WD MyNet N900 router, I was getting just under 800 Mbps. If I plug my computer directly into the outlet, I get close to 950 Mbps.

 

[stevech]

Almost non-existent in the US is 100Mbps and higher real net speeds, at a price that middle-income folks can deal with.

 

[BAyersGA]

Best Router for SoHo

After a lot of testing, and I am in the industrial wireless business, for my home I purchased what was then the EA4500 Cisco, now called Linksys again (Cisco sold them back). I went from having an AP with 2 boosters in my home to just this one, sitting by my big screen, and it covers every floor and corner of my home. I have recommended it to quite a few people and now that the price is not as Cisco-e it is really competative.
It does cover your requirements and you should be very happy with it.
Oh by the way, I live in Atlanta, can you get you company to run a link down to me, I would love a gig to the house.
Hope this helps,