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Getting Gig 1000 Mbps Internet - What router would you recommend in a moderately large space?

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Mtn909

New Around Here
I'm getting "Gig" internet for the first time and the property is ~3200 sq ft, so I'm concerned about the streaming speeds - especially multiple devices at once.

The internet provider offers their own router for $10/month but it makes more sense to buy your own at that rate. They recommend an 802.11AC router but that "no wireless routers currently are capable of delivering a full gigabit of speed."

I currently have the NetGear NightHawk AC1750 R6700v3 but have noticed lag with my current 300 mbps in a smaller property. It claims to be able to handle speeds of 1750 mbps but I routinely see issues with streaming lagging and even websites time out.

Is there a better router to handle Gig speeds and would you recommend a mesh network like Google's Nest offerings with several access points in a larger property?

Our internet is mainly used for my wife's work and 1-2 streaming televisions for Netflix/Hulu

Thank you!
 
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Welcome to the forums @Mtn909.

Do not recommend anything google.

3,200 SqFt is not a 'large property' for current routers. Depending on the layout of the home, the construction materials used, etc.

The current Asus (and RMerlin-powered, capable) routers to consider are the RT-AX88U and the better RT-AX86U. If your property is two or more levels and you can use wired backhaul between the routers (via AiMesh mode), 2x RT-AX86U strategically placed in the home will provide near full ISP speeds as the devices can handle. But a single RT-AX88U/RT-AX86U (with a carefully chosen central location) can do the same too.

First, test with a single router. Then, if more Wi-Fi is deemed necessary at the fringes, open up another box and install it as a wired backhaul AiMesh node then.
 
Welcome to the forums @Mtn909.

Do not recommend anything google.

3,200 SqFt is not a 'large property' for current routers. Depending on the layout of the home, the construction materials used, etc.

The current Asus (and RMerlin-powered, capable) routers to consider are the RT-AX88U and the better RT-AX86U. If your property is two or more levels and you can use wired backhaul between the routers (via AiMesh mode), 2x RT-AX86U strategically placed in the home will provide near full ISP speeds as the devices can handle. But a single RT-AX88U/RT-AX86U (with a carefully chosen central location) can do the same too.

First, test with a single router. Then, if more Wi-Fi is deemed necessary at the fringes, open up another box and install it as a wired backhaul AiMesh node then.
Thank you for your thorough response and recommendations.

Two questions:

1.) Would you think 300 MBPS should be able to handle 2 streaming devices without lag - both devices would be on wireless? The 1000 mbps is only $10/month more so I think I'm going to go ahead and get that

2.) Can you please explain what a wired backhaul is
 
Wired backhaul in a mesh scenario (AiMesh for Asus routers mentioned above) is an ethernet cable between Router and node.
The basic purpose is for the router to provide wireless instructions to the node without consuming wireless bandwidth, and to make that connection as robust as if the device connected to the node is actually connected to the router when it is "out of range" (because distance, construction...)
3,200sqft <5,000sqft that Asus suggests the router can "cover"...but if you want yard, garage, driveway, pool/boathouse, all of the above to be under one wifi "bubble", you'll likely need a router and a node or 2 (or 3, 4, 5...)

back to your first question, 300Mbps shouldn't buffer even if each TV is watching a 4k source (budget 25-50ish Mbps for each 4k stream)...but as these client devices (the 1-2 streaming TVs) are stationary, they should be wired to router/node/switch rather than rely on wireless, which can be affected by construction/distance from the router (and the neighbours' wifi). 1000Mbps or Gigabit is 3x as fast as you currently have - do you need it? is it worth $120/yr? can you spend the $120 on wiring the TVs to your router once rather than bleeding money to your ISP until you no longer need internet? will that money spent on cabling stationary devices save you hundreds more on extra equipment (routers for meshing)? will that additional data infrastructure in the house one day add value to it for a potential buyer? I don't want to confuse you, but these are extra things you should also consider. (hint - if you're wiring up the house, Cat5e is fine unless you want some futureproofing - Cat6 can handle higher speeds, but why wire the house for greater than gigabit service if that's all that's commercially available to you for the forseeable future? if you were considering bringing in a 10+Gbps fibre trunk, this is moot; you wouldn't be talking about consumer routers on an internet forum if you were, though, and your provider would be suggesting fibreoptic network connectivity in your data centre, uh, home office/home theatre complex ;) )
 
1. 300Mbps is a lot of streaming bandwidth (particularly if it is symmetrical up/down at 300Mbps in each direction). $10/month extra for 1Gbps is tempting, but over a year, that can pay for a big chunk of what the new router will cost too.

2. The 2 RT-AX86U's I have are in wired backhaul AiMesh mode. This means that the main router has a LAN port connected to the AiMesh node's WAN port. Specifically, with the RT-AX86U, this backhaul can be via the router's 2.5GbE Ports too. I am able to achieve this with quality, but 'basic', 100' Cat5e Ethernet cable and achieve a 2.5GbE backhaul between the routers.

The wired backhaul gives the network an effective 2x throughput boost vs. wireless backhaul mode (when the AiMesh node is in use).

Repeater mode = wireless AiMesh
 
1. 300Mbps is a lot of streaming bandwidth (particularly if it is symmetrical up/down at 300Mbps in each direction). $10/month extra for 1Gbps is tempting, but over a year, that can pay for a big chunk of what the new router will cost too.

2. The 2 RT-AX86U's I have are in wired backhaul AiMesh mode. This means that the main router has a LAN port connected to the AiMesh node's WAN port. Specifically, with the RT-AX86U, this backhaul can be via the router's 2.5GbE Ports too. I am able to achieve this with quality, but 'basic', 100' Cat5e Ethernet cable and achieve a 2.5GbE backhaul between the routers.

The wired backhaul gives the network an effective 2x throughput boost vs. wireless backhaul mode (when the AiMesh node is in use).

Repeater mode = wireless AiMesh
What is the issue with the Google nest mesh network? Is it just a general opposition to Google or an issue with that router network
 
I spy, with my little Wi-Fi, something (everything) in your home.
 
Google sells data to advertisers. They acquire data by any and all means. That is why their search engine is so good about figuring out what you really want. A Google device or software sponsored by one of their companies for “free” is a trojan horse in your house / life.
Many don’t care about that trade and that is fine. It is a choice. But read the book “1984” for a brief insight and think about the last few years in the world.
 
What is the issue with the Google nest mesh network? Is it just a general opposition to Google or an issue with that router network

Don't have anything to hide? Are you SURE about that?

So you have a picture of just how much they're collecting on you, consider how much you "Google something" (Chrome?), how many emails sent through gmail, where you go/how you get there with google maps, who you're hanging with in Google hangouts (or whatever it's called), what you watch on youtube, and put All of that data together...who, what, where, when, why and how...and if you do it on a mobile browser, it's "Now with GPS/GloNASS tracking to within 1m or less!"
If gov'ts have the ability to track these things ("terrorism!" etc) through technology, they got it from Big Tech.
Now, if you haven't yet, go watch The Social Dilemma...it extends to Facebook (WhatsApp/Instagram), Microsoft (Outlook/linkedIn/Skype), Amazon, Apple, Netflix...all of them, every aspect of everyday life lately. Maybe you own shares in all of those and they pay you nice quarterly dividends...that's the trade off.

the good news is that you have the ability/tools to protect your privacy and anonymize your online activities - and you really should...and encourage everyone you know to do the same.
 
The real news is that you can't protect your privacy or anonymize your online activities. At least, not to the nth degree.

Behave online like your mother is watching. And thinking before you start clicking (links) won't hurt either.

Your mother may not be watching, but someone (always) is.
 

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