Looking for Replacement Router

[Briant73]

I am starting to look at replacing my dlink dir-655 router beacuse of some incosistent behavior with clients lately and also the age of the router. I have noticed slow wifi performance and/or loss of connection much more frequently in the past few months and have also added more devices that use the router for network/internet connectivity.

Running multiple wireless and wired devices that use network/internet connectivity. Wired mixture of 100 and gigabit connected devices, wireless all N speed but I believe all are using 2.4 but would like 5 for future needs. Speed and reliability are key and sounds like the Asus 66 is a goog choice but wanted to see if there are any others to consider.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

New DIR-865L CLoud Router Ships

 

[Briant73]

Ok I have tried the Asus N66U and AC66U currently. Both seem to have better wireless range than my current DIR-655 but -
The N66U had some odd behavior and was really hot to the touch.
The AC66U came in recovery mode and today clients are being ask to enter the passphrase which worked all weekend.

My question is for a three stream router is there a more reliable brand/model than those two Asus units? I notice netgear has a much lower connection limit and linksys wants you to use their cloud for config. I want very good performance but a bit of speed loss for rock solid reliability would be great.

 

[stevech]

Don't forget that WiFi range is as much constrained by the qualities of the client device (PC, tablet) as the router. WiFi is 2-way.

 

[thiggins]

My question is for a three stream router is there a more reliable brand/model than those two Asus units? I notice netgear has a much lower connection limit and linksys wants you to use their cloud for config. I want very good performance but a bit of speed loss for rock solid reliability would be great.

A three stream router won't provide benefit for two stream clients.
As for the NETGEAR lower connection limit, unless you have a very busy LAN or run a lot of Torrents with a high bandwidth internet connection that supports thousands of Torrent feeds, I don't think you'll see a difference.

 

[Briant73]

Thanks for the responses. I can tell from trying out the two Asus routers they seem to have better range and quality of signal where my Dlink doesn't seem to work well. Check with inssider shows channel 11 has the least amount of use in the area so I am using it with all the routers and yet the dlink just doesn't reach like the Asus routers do. I figured if I am going to replace my router it's best to get something I can use for years to come.

I may check out Netgear.

 

[stevech]

May I suggest: When looking at WiFi routers, instead of just looking at the From-Router signal strength (that's half the story), look at the throughput/transfer rates the clients can achieve. That will include competition for air time (varies by time of day and channel #), and the "goodness" of the client-to-router wireless link.

 

[Briant73]

May I suggest: When looking at WiFi routers, instead of just looking at the From-Router signal strength (that's half the story), look at the throughput/transfer rates the clients can achieve. That will include competition for air time (varies by time of day and channel #), and the "goodness" of the client-to-router wireless link.

What utilities/tests do you suggest for that (especially if using mobile/handheld devices)?

By signal/quality the main thing I am noticing between them - I actually am able to stay connected on the wifi with the Asus routers where with my dlink I timeout or lose wifi connectivity completely in certain areas of the house.

 

[stevech]

run speedtest.net on mobile devices. I do so on my Android table and Android Verizon phone. Now and then.

Beware that with speedtest.net and like kind, you have to find the best server which is sometimes not the closest, and the most consistent speed server. Then do mental averages for a few days and different times of the day. Note that most all internet service providers (cable modem, DSL and even cellular data) by design provide a ratio of like 10 to 1 or 5 to 1 on the downlink vs. uplink due to the nature of We Browser use. So set your expectations accordingly - and this up/down ratio applies of course to both wired and WiFi.

A poor signal in the client to router/AP direction would show up in the speed test uplink results. And the downlink speed may reduce a bit due to ACK errors in the opposite direction flow of the downlink tests.

It's too bad that few routers display the average / recent history of received signal strength from client devices. Wish more would do so.

Here's an analogy: A ham radio or police radio, handheld, using a distant "repeater", will hear the repeater on, say, a radius of X. The handheld's power is a fraction of the typical repeater's power, so the "uplink" range/radius is much smaller.

(We) RF engineers do "heat map" coverage measurements and predictions of coverage twice, once in each direction. Because the client devices are typically much lower powered than the think they communicate with. So the graphics are astounding: small area on the uplink, large on the downlink. This is called an "unbalanced" system.

Because of balanced cellular systems, users "assume" that the received signal strength (bars on their handset) is the same for the signal TO the cell site.(Or most people don't know and since there's a balanced system, it matters not). Generally, that's true. Not true in WiFi.

Cellular (excluding the old 2G TDMA) uses precision variable transmitter power control, frame by fame, client by client, to optimize the system. This keep the system from being unbalanced to the point where the user sees "bars" but cannot use the system. This transmit power control is required by regulation in the upper part of the 5.8GHz band. I think it's an option in 802.11n or will be in 11ac.

The poor fireman with a 1W or 5W portable radio in a burning building, trying to talk to a repeater miles away, where the repeater's transmitter is 100W, is a great example. At major incidents, they avoid this by using a repeater-in-the-trunk of an on-scene vehicle.

 

[Briant73]

I see what some are saying about signal vs speed. Last night though the devices reported a decent signal strength on the AC66U, throughput was very slow trying to do some file downloads and email some photos.

According to inssider I am using the best channel (11) and I am not forcing 40mhz which might cause more trouble than speed, also my dlink 655 seemed much faster even with 40mhz running on channel 11 in the same location/environment. So left wondering is it the AC66u itself because others have reported less then stellar 2.4ghz performance or just my unit which needed a firmware rescue right out of the box.

Now the big debate do I try another N66U or AC66U because third times a charm? I thought about Netgear but my experience with them in the past wasn't great and as for Linksys it looks like they want you to join the cloud and not keen on that just yet. I checked both the e4200v2 and ea4500 and though Cisco say's FW will be updated for both cloud and non-cloud the non cloud FW appear to be back in March.