Looking for cheap AC access points

[crashnburn]

But they DO NOT fit my scenario as I do not have a SWEET SPOT. I have a Concrete Jungle around me.

They used to be around 200$ when they launched. 100$ is a pretty reasonable price if you want a capable router. You can get cheaper 30-50$ models, however the performance will be in line with their pricing. The two models I mentioned are currently the sweet spot in terms of pricing vs performance.

I am not sure if this got across -
I'll add -
I am in a 2 level Condo made of Concrete in High Concrete Urban Asian City -

I am already using Mikrotik HapLite (Wireless N) as PRIMARY ROUTER and its PERFORMANCE is more than adequate (over Cat 6).

What I need 2 devices (1 for each level) to act as "Wireless AC" Access Points
(So 100$ for each is out of budget) -
To handle the Multiple "Smart Home Devices" that are crowding my airspace.

If I was to spend that much for each Wireless AC AP - I might as well get Ubiquiti AC APs.

Trying to not spend that far for now.

I do not mind buying several cheap Wireless AC routers devices and do some Wireless AC to Wired testing (do tell me how-to) on them to pick from that list and then have to get 2 of them.
Maybe some Tenda / Xiaomi / TP-Link or Chinese Routers as APs - maybe flash them DD-WRT or Open WRT if possible, and just to be "inexpensive AC AP slaves"

Hoping to add 1/2 cheap routers as APs.
So, 40/50$ or something as cheap as 15/20$ just to act as good Wireless APs to a
Master Mikrotik HAPLite (N only) to handle Multi devices.

Also at this 69$ / sub 100 price would it make sense to there instead of 100$ WiFi 5 ones?
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/t...b-100-wi-fi-6-router.59719/page-2#post-522980

 

[JohnD]

I've got 2 TP-Link RE305s in our townhouse and one in our Condo, that seem to work pretty well. They can be configured as a wifi extender or as a wired Access Point. No OpenWRT for them yet, but I'm keeping that in mind for myself as well.. They're about $50 on Amazon now.

 

[crashnburn]

I am looking at cheapest AC routers that I can use as APs for a Multi Level Concrete Condo in DENSE CONCRETE ASIAN CITY so BIG POWERFUL EXPENSIVE Single Routers are going to be pointless.

Main issue is lots of small smart home devices FILLING the AIR - as a medium.

Mostly intermittent use of Google Asst/ Alexa for Voice query or Smart Light control,
except for when streaming Spotify via Speaker or FireStick 4K for Media.

Cheap, Efficient, Easy to replace - I was hoping to performance test some of these SNB style, to see the best.
(while AMZN IN seems to have changed RETURN policy to REPLACEMENT in the pandemic)

https://www.amazon.in/hz/wishlist/ls/19GTVKNB78LF2?ref_=wl_share

So any numbers/ benchmarks/ comparative inputs I can get from else where would be welcome.