Looking for new router

[RebelTide]

As the title states I currently am looking for a new router. I have an ASUS DT-AXE7800. I've had some weird things go on with it but my main thing is the lack of more advanced or open source firmware support. I would like to try and stay in the ASUS eco system but if not that's fine as well. I'm looking for something with a more advanced interface with support for VPNs as well.

 

[northumberland]

As the title states I currently am looking for a new router. I have an ASUS DT-AXE7800. I've had some weird things go on with it but my main thing is the lack of more advanced or open source firmware support. I would like to try and stay in the ASUS eco system but if not that's fine as well. I'm looking for something with a more advanced interface with support for VPNs as well.

Take a look in the merlin section of the Asus forum on here. Support for loads of Asus routers, source code available, though it utilises some closed source code. Supports multiple VPN types in both client and server mode. Very stable, updated regularly. I've been running it for several years on various iterations of Asus hardware.

 

[RebelTide]

Take a look in the merlin section of the Asus forum on here. Support for loads of Asus routers, source code available, though it utilises some closed source code. Supports multiple VPN types in both client and server mode. Very stable, updated regularly. I've been running it for several years on various iterations of Asus hardware.

I'll take a look. I've seen a few things but I'm looking for a better wireless experience, the 6E band is extremely infuriating on this and has no practical use as our internet never touches those speeds.

 

[degrub]

"better wireless experience"

What does this mean to you ?

 

[RebelTide]

"better wireless experience"

What does this mean to you ?

Well with my current router I've had some weird packet loss as well as random wireless drop outs, it only does it momentarily though. But long enough to cause issues.

 

[degrub]

Have you done a wireless strength ( dB plot, not "bars") survey and plot to see where you may have low strength ( <-67 dB ) with an app like Apple's airport utility ?

Are you using any of the AiProtection features ?
AutoChannel select ?
SmartConnect ?
What are your channel widths set at for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ?

 

[RebelTide]

Have you done a wireless strength ( dB plot, not "bars") survey and plot to see where you may have low strength ( <-67 dB ) with an app like Apple's airport utility ?

Are you using any of the AiProtection features ?
AutoChannel select ?
SmartConnect ?
What are your channel widths set at for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ?

Have not had a chance to use that but I did us inSSIDer to make recommended changes.

AiProtection: On
Auto Control 2.4Ghz: No (11)
Auto Control 5 and 6Ghz: Yes
Channel Width 2.4Ghz: 20Mhz
Channel Width on 5GHz and 6Ghz: 20/40/80/160

 

[degrub]

Restrict your 5 and 6 GHz channels to 80. See if that takes care of your dropouts.
Put your 5 & 6 on a fixed, non dfs , channel instead of auto. That also can affect dropouts.

 

[tgl]

You should be able to get away with 160MHz channel bandwidth in the 6GHz band, but I concur with @degrub that it's a bad idea in 5GHz. There is no 5GHz 160MHz channel that doesn't overlap DFS frequencies, and you might be seeing DFS dropouts. (Have you looked into the router's log to see if it logs anything interesting during the problems? Any bleats about radar would confirm the DFS-dropout theory.)

 

[Tech9]

I'm looking for something with a more advanced interface with support for VPNs as well.

Take a look at GL.iNet GL-MT6000:

Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) | High-Performance VPN Router

Experience blazing-fast VPN speeds and full OpenWrt customization with Flint 2, our best Wi-Fi 6 router yet. A new realm of power, freedom, and security.

www.gl-inet.com

Runs OpenWrt base firmware, can run vanilla OpenWrt. Regular price $160, comes on sale from time to time. Amazon US - $135 right now.

 

[RebelTide]

Thank you all I changed those settings. Are there any other settings or tips you have for this router? I came from NETGEAR which was overall pretty limiting unless you DD wrt was put on it.

 

[tgl]

Yeah, I came to ASUS from Netgear too. At least with the Orbi units I had, there was next to no configurability of the radio setup. ASUS is more configurable, but that also gives you more ways to shoot yourself in the foot.

The other thing I've learned since then is that turning the router's Tx power to max is frequently counterproductive. The limiting factor on wifi range is typically the client's Tx power, not the router's. Clients invariably have Tx power a lot less than a router's maximum, and usually you have no control over that. So if you turn your router all the way up, clients can "hear" it a lot further away than it can "hear" them, which leads to erratic performance and frustration. If you have a large place, or non-wifi-friendly interior walls, multiple APs usually work better than a single AP at max power. But for starters I'd move the Tx power slider to maybe 50% and see what happens.

 

[RebelTide]

Yeah, I came to ASUS from Netgear too. At least with the Orbi units I had, there was next to no configurability of the radio setup. ASUS is more configurable, but that also gives you more ways to shoot yourself in the foot.

The other thing I've learned since then is that turning the router's Tx power to max is frequently counterproductive. The limiting factor on wifi range is typically the client's Tx power, not the router's. Clients invariably have Tx power a lot less than a router's maximum, and usually you have no control over that. So if you turn your router all the way up, clients can "hear" it a lot further away than it can "hear" them, which leads to erratic performance and frustration. If you have a large place, or non-wifi-friendly interior walls, multiple APs usually work better than a single AP at max power. But for starters I'd move the Tx power slider to maybe 50% and see what happens.

I see all of my bands (2.4, 5, 6) are all on performance. These were the default out of box settings as I have never touched these in my life.

 

[tgl]

I see all of my bands (2.4, 5, 6) are all on performance. These were the default out of box settings as I have never touched these in my life.

Yeah, ASUS does newbies no favor by labeling the slider that way ... don't be afraid to experiment with other settings, especially if you're having poor-connection problems. If you find that means you have no service rather than poor service at the outer perimeter of the router's range, then it's time to think about buying more APs.

 

[RebelTide]

Yeah, im hoping to get a wired connection upstairs soon. Though im not trying to tear out all of the dry wall in my house.

 

[tgl]

Yeah, retrofitting ethernet cables into a house without them is messy and expensive. Think about where you most need high performance (media room? home office?) and prioritize those places.

Depending on the age of your place, there might be coaxial cable meant for cable TV, which you could share or repurpose for ethernet using MoCA adapters.

Powerline adapters can be an option too, although IME they are finicky and not very fast.

Beyond that, you're looking at wireless-mesh solutions. This is a decent option as long as (a) you buy purpose-built units that have a separate radio for backhaul, and (b) you have little enough wifi competition from neighbors that you have clear channels available for both clients and backhaul.

 

[RebelTide]

Yeah, retrofitting ethernet cables into a house without them is messy and expensive. Think about where you most need high performance (media room? home office?) and prioritize those places.

Depending on the age of your place, there might be coaxial cable meant for cable TV, which you could share or repurpose for ethernet using MoCA adapters.

Powerline adapters can be an option too, although IME they are finicky and not very fast.

Beyond that, you're looking at wireless-mesh solutions. This is a decent option as long as (a) you buy purpose-built units that have a separate radio for backhaul, and (b) you have little enough wifi competition from neighbors that you have clear channels available for both clients and backhaul.

Unfortunately house was built in the year 2000, only incompatible phone wire is available. I've tried powerline adapters before and like you said they are finicky and slow. We did have shower leak which required the removal of the ceiling in between where i need a wired connection and the router so Ive got two independent runs now going to the router area. which should solve my wifi woes. Thank you all for the advice, ill definitely check out the forums more and see what i can find out.