Solved guide me on which merlin 3006.102.4 router should i buy - if...

[kuchkovsky]

No need to overpay for a switch. If you don't need management, then get whatever cheap switch you can find on Amazon. I have an 8 ports 2.5 Gbps and an 8 ports + PoE 2.5 Gbps from two different random chinese brands off Amazon. They were half the price of a similar TP-Link (and probably a third of the price for the PoE one), and they both work just fine.

Maybe these cheap 2.5G switches are not that bad after all. I saw a lot of reviews on Amazon mentioning overheating or connection dropping, so they scared me a bit. Reviews for similar 1G switches were much better.

 

[MDM]

we use 11(20) & 161(80)

161 is an awful channel, that is anything beyond 149 has weaker signal strength (many WiFi receivers have issues also)...

 

[ColinTaylor]

161 is an awful channel, that is anything beyond 149 has weaker signal strength (many WiFi receivers have issues also)...

That's because you're in Serbia and those channels are limited to 200mW. That doesn't apply to the OP who appears to be in the US and is allowed to use 1W (without DFS) on those channels.

Correction: Channels 149 to 165 are not allowed at all in Serbia/EU so you appear to operating your router illegally in some way if you see them as an option.

 

[MDM]

That's because you're in Serbia and those channels are limited to 200mW. That doesn't apply to the OP who appears to be in the US and is allowed to use 1W on those channels.

Correction: Channels 149 to 165 are not allowed at all in Serbia/EU so you appear to operating your router illegally in some way.

I use CH 100 (although I do have #a set on my router ). And BTW 140-165 should be unlocked as they are legal in EU (and mW is set way to low also).

True for the US for the router, but... Still many WiFi cards (as mine Intel AX210 - transmit power at 5750-5850mhz is limited at 14dbm) have issues with upper channels emitting strength and thus are bad at responding to the router (so many clients cannot talk that loud as the router can on the same channel)!

 

[ColinTaylor]

And BTW 140-165 should be unlocked as they are legal in EU (and mW is set way to low also).

I did search before posting to see if the EU rules had changed but could find no indication that it has*. The Linux Wi-Fi database (which is what the router uses) still has them as not allowed. Can you post a link to this updated information?

*Those channels are used for SRD @ 25mW. e.g. door openers, wireless microphones, etc.

 

[MDM]

I did search before posting to see if the EU rules had changed but could find no indication that it has*. The Linux Wi-Fi database (which is what the router uses) still has them as not allowed. Can you post a link to this updated information?

*Those channels are used for SRD @ 25mW. e.g. door openers, wireless microphones, etc.

My point, 25mW (14dbm) but allowed.

I meant mW is set way to low for other channels/bands.

 

[ColinTaylor]

My point, 25mW (14dbm) but allowed.

Not allowed. Short range devices (SRD) are an entirely different class of device with their own regulations. SRD is not the Wi-Fi used by routers (also known as RLAN, radio LAN).

 

[MDM]

Not allowed. Short range devices (SRD) are an entirely different class of device with their own regulations. SRD is not the Wi-Fi used by routers (also known as RLAN, radio LAN).

Possible.
Did not dwell that much into it... Took it from here.

 

[dlandiss]

I'm thinking to play it safe with an AX86U_PRO

The AX86U and AX86U-Pro are certainly among the longest range models. You will enjoy them in that building.

 

[RMerlin]

Maybe these cheap 2.5G switches are not that bad after all. I saw a lot of reviews on Amazon mentioning overheating or connection dropping, so they scared me a bit. Reviews for similar 1G switches were much better.

Servethehome did a number of reviews of these switches in the past, worth checking if you want to at least go for a model that has been reviewed. The majority of these switches just use the same Realtek chips, so the only real differences are in the power stage, pc board quality, etc...

My 8 ports + PoE switch is a Vimin (Amazon no longer lists it, they list a 6 ports variant at the moment). It handles my office (VoIP phone, desktop, etc...) It also has a 10 Gbps SFP+ port.
My non-PoE one is a Mokerlink: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09S5MCYW3?tag=smallncom-20 . This is my primary switch that's next to my router, and to which are connected my NAS, Proxmox server, AV equipment, etc...

 

[Marcus Yansen]

Why not get a second router too (wire connect it to first) and use it as access point or mesh, then i think ur guaranteed great coverage….than having to depend on one powerful router? Unless i suppose its too many walls to drill through

 

[RMerlin]

Why not get a second router too and use it as access point or mesh, then i think ur guaranteed great coverage….than having to depene on one powerful router?

This is indeed generally the way to go. Routers are limited by:

- Maximum allowed output power in your country
- The laws of physics
- The output power of your laptop/mobile device's own wifi

These cannot be overcome by buying a more expensive router.

 

[consorts]

why... having to depend on one powerful router?

reasons more having to do with limited access to all areas and the strange humans involved; sorry I can't get into it further here. I do appreciate the benefit of mesh, endpoints etc (and I hate to offend the sensibilities of father merlin) especially as they put more devices in closer proximity to each puck's own wifi-5 and wifi-6 radios.

I'm enjoying the discussion over my use of 5ghz 80 wide at 161 here in NYC. I am aware lower frequencies would penetrate further, but 161 was least crowded among my neighbors and it turns out our biggest data hogs (4K TV's watching Netflix HD) are close enough to my one router to get "excellent" 5ghz signal, so I can leave 2.4ghz to adeptly handle the fringes (far bdrms, patio balcony) this is why I was hoping for wifi-7 because it supposedly manages best what device uses what radio, but it was just not meant to be for me. it's back to defaulting everything to 5ghz and if anyone's distant device seems sluggish I just tell them to switch over to the 2.4ghz ssid and that always shuts them up. I am not sure what I'll do with the 6ghz radio and may disabled it if settings allow (especially if less heat is being generated). the only device we have worthy of 6ghz is the PC I am typing this on (which has 6e & bt5.3) but it's already wired to a 1gig switch via router lan port

 

[WRobertE]

The RT-AX88U PRO doesn't seem to be available anymore in the US. The ASUS US website doesn't show it anymore and it's out of stock everywhere. So I'm wondering if it has been discontinued.

 

[Tech9]

limited at 14dbm

So called U-NII-3 band is not available in Europe with some exceptions and the client devices are around 14dBm anyway. Single high power AP is not the best idea, but this is how most home AIO routers work. This is what OP wants, this is what was suggested. I personally would explore options for multi-AP system on low power.

161 was least crowded among my neighbors

What you need to see is channel utilization and most Wi-Fi Analyzer type apps don't show it. The channel you see with less APs around may be the one to avoid. Many people hurt themselves looking at wrong data. Better run your router on Auto for some time and lock the channel it uses most of the time. This is the best channel.

 

[consorts]

run your router on Auto for some time and lock the channel it uses most of the time.

now that I'm getting a router with 6 years more maturity,
it makes more sense for me to do as you suggest, thanks.
back in 2017, trusting my AC router's logic was... harder