Looking for a sub $200 with ability to use/configure IPTV

[Mionix]

Well its official thanks to my wife's new kitten I now need a new router

I am looking for one under $200 cdn and something I can set up IPTV on,
as of right now I have it narrowed down to 3X choices.

-Netgear Nighthawk R6700

-ASUS RT-AC66U

-TP-Link Archer C7 (v2)

and yes I know there are better routers out there in the AC1900 range but AC1750 is more then enough for my/our needs the previous router was just a N900 (RT-N66U)

Previous routers settings looked like this:

Thanks

 

[RogerSC]

I don't have IPTV available to me, but the only router admin GUI that I've seen with settings for IPTV is Asus with RMerlin firmware. So I'd suggest getting the RT-AC66U from your list. If you look at the reviews here, and elsewhere, it also seems to work just fine and should do what you want.

I think that you can also get an Asus RT-AC68U for less than $200, like at Amazon for $180. They also have the white model, RT-AC68W, for $150 at the moment...not sure why white is cheaper. That choice is up to you, you know what you need *smile*.

As usual, if whatever you end up with doesn't do what you need it to do, be sure that you can return it. And know what your return dates are, and if there's any restocking fee, etc. I never want to return anything, but you just never know. Sometimes things just don't work out.

 

[Mionix]

Well I dont have the best luck with Asus routers, the one I had before this one failed just after its warentey was up, and this one was trashed by a cat lol

So I was going to try netgear as thet top most of the rivew pages here.

If I understand what I reading I think that both the netgear nighthawks (AC1750 and AC1900) can do IPTV just in more of a roundabout way on there stock firmware .

Well atlest I think that is what is going on in this FAQ
http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/25724/~/vlan-tagging-setup-for-nighthawk-router


I'm new to all this advance newworking stuff,so I was hoping someone could tell me if I am reading this right?

 

[jegesq]

Mionix:

If you want to spend well under $200, then go for the Asus RT-AC66U (or the AC66R if you buy it from Best Buy...the models are identical, just different ending letters). The AC66U can be had anywhere from $135-$165 at various online and big box retailers (Frys has it for $165).

If you really want to spend right up to your limit of $200, then go for the Asus RT-68U (or the 68P if you get it from Best Buy, which is an updated version of the 68U/R models). That retails anywhere from about $165-$199 (the latter is the price for the 68U at Fry's and the 68P at Best Buy).

Merlin's FW is also highly recommended. I don't know what you mean you didn't have good luck with Asus, other than with the one that crapped out (hard to blame the second one's failure, i.e., being eaten by a cat, as the router's fault....unless it was just too tasty to resist). But if you otherwise had good performance, speed and throughput using IPTV with your N66U, and really want to keep your costs down to a minimum in buying the new router, then I would absolutely go with the AC66U. It's very similar to the N66U, but a lot faster and with better range and better speeds speed and throughput on the 5ghz channels with 802.11ac devices. I use two of 66U's, one as a router and the other as a "repeater" for remote streaming and internet for clients located at the other end of my house, and the performance is great on both, each of which is running Merlin FW. I highly recommend them, and even if they aren't the "latest and greatest" they blow away the performance I was getting from my old 802.11n router.

 

[RogerSC]

The Asus RT-AC68U is on sale at Amazon for $170 as we speak. Seems like a good price to me. The Asus RT-AC66U is also priced at $170 right now...so given that, the RT-AC68U would be my choice of the two. The RT-AC66R is $155 at Amazon, I'd still go for the RT-AC68U at $170 given that choice.

That's what I'm seeing, anyways. The Amazon pricing on these routers is as wacky as usual *smile*.

 

[System Error Message]

If you go for a router that is meant to be rackmounted your wife's kitten wont be able to destroy it. Make sure the router you get isnt too plastic and has some hardness to it.