Need simple access point with range/speed of AC86 and the likes

[funkahdafi]

Hi,

I am looking to upgrade my Wifi, but I don't need all that bells and whistles of those full blown routers like the Asus AC68 or the Netgear equivalents. All I need is a simple access point, no extra features, just wireless connectivity for my clients. However, it should have speed and range of AC68 and other top-tier routers.

I looked at Asus' site and also Netgear, and all they seem to offer are routers. Is no one building access points anymore?

And advise?

Thanks

 

[stevech]

Hi,

I am looking to upgrade my Wifi, but I don't need all that bells and whistles of those full blown routers like the Asus AC68 or the Netgear equivalents. All I need is a simple access point, no extra features, just wireless connectivity for my clients. However, it should have speed and range of AC68 and other top-tier routers.

I looked at Asus' site and also Netgear, and all they seem to offer are routers. Is no one building access points anymore?

And advise?

Thanks

As you may know, any WiFi router can be re-purposed as an AP.

I have a 100% problem free ASUS RT-N12 ($40 or less) used as an AP for the iPad, Android and iPhone in this house. They don't need huge speed, and this ASUS provides more than the 30Mbps I get from the ISP.
I'm not in the mood to throw $ at 11ac stuff.

 

[funkahdafi]

Yes I know that. But "pure" access points are usually cheaper than full blown routers because they don't have all the features. I don't need USB ports to attach hard drives, I don't need quality of service, Dual-WAN loadbalancing and what not. I just need basic wifi connectivity with a "backhaul" into my wired ethernet.

And I actually need 11ac

 

[theveterans]

Almost all access point sold are in the enterprise segment, meaning it's more expensive than a consumer wireless router. The cheapest is to buy a router and set it as access point.

 

[azazel1024]

Yes I know that. But "pure" access points are usually cheaper than full blown routers because they don't have all the features. I don't need USB ports to attach hard drives, I don't need quality of service, Dual-WAN loadbalancing and what not. I just need basic wifi connectivity with a "backhaul" into my wired ethernet.

And I actually need 11ac

Nope, pure access points are almost always more expensive, but consumer APs and moving in to the enterprise space (compared to consumer wi-routers anyway).

Its a much smaller market, so less economies of scale. Just looking at a number of lowish end 11n APs and the couple of 11ac AP/extenders that can also operate in AP mode, they tend to be at price parity or more expensive than similar speed class 11n and 11ac wifi routers.

Just get a wifi router and set it in AP mode, or change the settings to it is effectively in AP mode.

It is my one beef with a few of the wireless extenders coming out right now. A few of the 11ac extenders are actually cheaper than equivelent 11ac routers...but those that are do NOT support AP mode in any form (IE they are dedicated extenders) and/or all they have are 10/100 ports even if they can operate in 11ac mode...which means even if it is just an AC750 class extender that can operate in AP mode...it is crippled (because, seriously, my cheap $20 N300 router can max it's 10/100 ports if I set it to 40MHz mode, and bumps up on it even in 20MHz mode when connecting my Laptop with Intel 7260ac in it to that router...I get 10.5-11.4MiB/sec, which is roughly port speed. Set it to 40MHz mode and its pretty much flat lined at 11.1-11.4MiB/sec, with 11.4MiB/sec being what I get if I wire my laptop in to the router connecting back to my server).

So 80MHz 1:1 433Mbps I'd assume would overly saturate a 10/100 port (though should be pretty good as an extender using 2.4GHz as the wireless bridge and then extending just 5GHz).

Anyway, cheaper isn't likely to be an option going with an AP. You'll need to get an 11ac router and just put it in to AP mode.

 

[funkahdafi]

All right, got you. Thanks guys.

Ah I remember the good old days when APs were still common and usually cheaper. Oh well. Gotta go with the times I guess. Buying a router than.

 

[azazel1024]

That's been like a decade...

It would be nice if more routers came with a simple AP switch/button or at least a nice simple AP toggle button in the management web page. Lets reflect the reality of things a little (cause I'd bet at least a good 20-30% of all Wifi routers sold are probably used as an access point only).

 

[fistv]

That's been like a decade...

It would be nice if more routers came with a simple AP switch/button or at least a nice simple AP toggle button in the management web page. Lets reflect the reality of things a little (cause I'd bet at least a good 20-30% of all Wifi routers sold are probably used as an access point only).

A switch on the outside would be handier.

 

[stevech]

Almost all access point sold are in the enterprise segment, meaning it's more expensive than a consumer wireless router. The cheapest is to buy a router and set it as access point.

I use this inexpensive triple-role one and its been problem free as an AP
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320168&cm_re=rt-n12-_-33-320-168-_-Product

 

[sfx2000]

Hi,

I am looking to upgrade my Wifi, but I don't need all that bells and whistles of those full blown routers like the Asus AC68 or the Netgear equivalents. All I need is a simple access point, no extra features, just wireless connectivity for my clients. However, it should have speed and range of AC68 and other top-tier routers.

I looked at Asus' site and also Netgear, and all they seem to offer are routers. Is no one building access points anymore?

And advise?

Thanks

In the consumer market - not much difference between a dedicated AP and a Router/AP - the hardware gubbins inside are the same, and the SW is very similar, enough that it's a setting only...

The market demand is low enough for AP's that most vendors tend to ignore it for consumer gear... the cost to build a dedicated consumer AP is basically the same as building a full-on router...

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