Black Friday Upgrade

[ScottStoef]

I'm currently running an Asus N66U router (N900) and with all of the black Friday sales I'm wondering if I should consider an upgrade. I know a lot of people really like Asus routers, but it seems like the best deal is on a netgear AC3200 (R8000 X8). So I guess my question is it time, and if so where is the current sweet spot (AC1900 or one of the bigger beasts)?

 

[bodean]

Stay away from R8000. Lack of support / firmware updates are a concern with that product, and any other Netgear product.

 

[RMerlin]

Don't spend on an AC3200 class router unless you know you have a specific need for two separate 5 GHz radios.

 

[ScottStoef]

Okay so I will only upgrade to the AC1900 router. Sounds like I need to take Netgear out of the equation so that leaves me with Asus and Linksys. I'm familiar with the Merlin software so maybe I should just stay with Asus. I've heard TP Link is a really good router too, but the software and interface are not that great. Not really sure about Linksys, but a guy I work with has one and he really likes it.

I'm leaning toward the Asus RT-AC68R/U/P with the 1 ghz processor. Thumbs up or thumbs down?

 

[RogerSC]

I know that this is, to some degree, an anti-Netgear forum, some of the most frequent posters would rather eat dirt than recommend Netgear products. However, Netgear hardware really is great if you read reviews and choose carefully...I've got the R7000, R7800, and Orbi, and all of them have been great. No lack of support from Netgear, and the R7000 in particular has several varieties of third-party firmware support. DD-WRT is working on supporting the R7800 (Netgear's firmware is working well for me for the R7800), and the Netgear firmware for the Orbi has also been great so far...Netgear is committed to doing some enhancements for the Orbi, as well.

At any rate, Asus is not the first place I'd look for a wireless router, etc. these days....I do look at Asus products, but Netgear also has good, well-supported products. I know that some have dived into some of Netgear's less well-advised products that have fallen by the wayside, but there have been some Asus products that have done that as well. You just need to read some before jumping, and understand both your needs and the products you're considering. As with most things networking-related. The latest product is not necessarily the best one for you, so just be careful to do your homework.

 

[sfx2000]

I know that this is, to some degree, an anti-Netgear forum, some of the most frequent posters would rather eat dirt than recommend Netgear products. However, Netgear hardware really is great if you read reviews and choose carefully...

I would hope there isn't a bias towards any single vendor..

I acknowledge that there is a heavy ASUS contingent here, but that's mostly based on the third party firmware support via AsusWRT-RMerlin (and John's fork and perhaps others) which draws a lot of traffic..

Netgear has a good presence here - and they're fairly open - and that's good, esp with their consumer stuff...

While Netgear's consumer oriented Router/AP's aren't my first choice, I do have Netgear equipment in my personal LAN, and their ethernet switches and hubs are very good, at least with the ProSafe line...

Any vendor - most folks, I would say 80 percent even, have a good experience with the gear they buy off the shelf - but it's those 20 percent that don't - they're the detractors perhaps, and they turn into that 80 percent for another vendor, and there it multiplies outwards...

Each and every vendor is going to have posters that have good and bad experiences...

 

[sfx2000]

I'm currently running an Asus N66U router (N900) and with all of the black Friday sales I'm wondering if I should consider an upgrade. I know a lot of people really like Asus routers, but it seems like the best deal is on a netgear AC3200 (R8000 X8). So I guess my question is it time, and if so where is the current sweet spot (AC1900 or one of the bigger beasts)?

If you're looking to update - go with what you know...

Good deals all around - and if you're comfortable with the Asus UI, and how it works - then it's a no brainer, as another vendor is going to have a different way of doing things...

Same goes for any vendor out there - going up is always going to be a bit easier that going sideways with equipment upgrades...

At the end of the day - AC1900 class devices are still probably the best value...

Skip the AC3200/AC5300 TriBand devices, they don't offer much - and taking that into account, the other class rating above AC1900 offer features that most folks will not be able to take advantage of anyways...

Which tends to make things a bit easier perhaps...

 

[FattysGoneWild]

If you can get a really good deal on a 3200/5300. I say go for it. Its not even cyber monday yet and amazon had the Linksys EA9500 for $229. That is a steal for their flagship router and strong 3 year warranty/tech support. All the others are 1 year 90 days tech support.

 

[sm00thpapa]

Just picked up an X4S for $83.00.

 

[Trip]

Even after all this time, still tough to be the AC68 or R7000 for the basics and a moderate wifi footprint. Otherwise, a fast wired box (ER-X, etc.) + whole-house wifi system of your choice (Eero, Orbi, etc.)

 

[Pierino]

Just picked up an X4S for $83.00.

Where from? I want one. Lol

 

[sm00thpapa]

Where from? I want one. Lol

NewEgg. I used the $30.00 off code and had a $100.00 gift card.

 

[Pierino]

NewEgg. I used the $30.00 off code and had a $100.00 gift card.

Oh.

 

[Sarah Ali]

Stay away from R8000. Lack of support / firmware updates are a concern with that product, and any other Netgear product.

Someone rated Netgear Nighthawk 8000 best wireless router. and it has so many review on amazon too.

 

[bodean]

Someone rated Netgear Nighthawk 8000 best wireless router. and it has so many review on amazon too.

Read their forums...
From someone who had the R8000 for 2 months, I'm speaking from experience of using it. I bet the majority of amazon reviewers have never been on this site, nor tested other routers in the past.