New Router Suggestions

[Zalophus]

Just upgraded Cable Modem to Net Gear CM1100 DOCSIS 3.1.

Upgraded my Xfinity Internet to Gigabit

With new Modem, and current ASUS RT-AC56U (Merlin 384.6 FW) router I get 500 Mbps downloads.

Am looking for suggestion(s) for Asus router to replace the AC56U.

Information:

1. Home Use only (1,000 Sq Feet-single story)
2. Single user
   
3. 8 CAT 6 wired clients
4. 5 wireless devices (3 @ 2.4Ghz and 2@ 5.0Ghz)
5. No Gaming

 

[coxhaus]

Just upgraded Cable Modem to Net Gear CM1100 DOCSIS 3.1.

Upgraded my Xfinity Internet to Gigabit

With new Modem, and current ASUS RT-AC56U (Merlin 384.6 FW) router I get 500 Mbps downloads.

Am looking for suggestion(s) for Asus router to replace the AC56U.

Information:

1. Home Use only (1,000 Sq Feet-single story)
2. Single user
   
3. 8 CAT 6 wired clients
4. 5 wireless devices (3 @ 2.4Ghz and 2@ 5.0Ghz)
5. No Gaming

What can you possibly use all that bandwidth for 1 user if you don't game?

 

[L&LD]

Just upgraded Cable Modem to Net Gear CM1100 DOCSIS 3.1.

Upgraded my Xfinity Internet to Gigabit

With new Modem, and current ASUS RT-AC56U (Merlin 384.6 FW) router I get 500 Mbps downloads.

Am looking for suggestion(s) for Asus router to replace the AC56U.

Information:

1. Home Use only (1,000 Sq Feet-single story)
2. Single user
   
3. 8 CAT 6 wired clients
4. 5 wireless devices (3 @ 2.4Ghz and 2@ 5.0Ghz)
5. No Gaming

I would get either the RT-AC3100 or the RT-AC86U. And I'm leaning towards the AC3100 personally.

Not saying that either of those will get you the maximum possible throughput. But they are the cheapest 'modern' choices that RMerlin still supports today and should prove to be stable and reliable. The RT-AC3100 has been a workhorse for my customers and is what I'm currently running myself.

Btw, the 378.56 firmware you're running is positively ancient!

 

[Zalophus]

Btw, the 378.56 firmware you're running is positively ancient!

Forgot to change my signature, which I've now updated. Body of my post shows latest for my AC56U is 384.6 which is installed.

The AC86U looks pretty good to me, and is much less $ than the AC3100. Any concerns about the AC86U?

 

[L&LD]

The RT-AC86U is not as stable as the RT-AC3100 is (many posts in this forum about the issues with the RT-AC86U), but if your environment doesn't trigger the few bugs it shows for some; it is the better hardware to buy today. If you can; buy and test both and return the other within the return period offered.

 

[Dave Parker]

Very similar set up here. Small house, 2 users, some wired and some wireless. Have been using the 86u with Merlin 384.9 for several months now with no issues. Router has been very stable. I use mostly default settings, no custom scripts and no gaming. I think most of the bad press pertains to some of the earlier units. As L&LD mentioned, buy both if you can and return the one you like the least. My guess is you'll keep the 86u.

 

[Zalophus]

Thanks Dave-That's very helpful. The latest Merlin FW seems to be creating some minor 86 problems based on this forum, so since I'll be traveling for the next few weeks, I'll wait to see how that works out, and watch for some sales as well. Meantime you have any thoughts on the Linksys 1900ACS or the WRT 32X? Lately both seem to be getting some good write ups.
Thanks again.

 

[Dave Parker]

Thanks Dave-That's very helpful. The latest Merlin FW seems to be creating some minor 86 problems based on this forum, so since I'll be traveling for the next few weeks, I'll wait to see how that works out, and watch for some sales as well. Meantime you have any thoughts on the Linksys 1900ACS or the WRT 32X? Lately both seem to be getting some good write ups.
Thanks again.

Sorry, no experience with either. My first router was a $39 Linksys from Walmart. Used it for a year or two until I discovered the Asus N66U. Nothing but Asus and Merlins firmware since. My son is still using the old N66U. They just refuse to die.

 

[CrystalLattice]

Wait for annual price drop Dec 21-25, and sometimes a few weeks after. That's Router Season!
also- may get wifi6-wpa3 cheaper. sometimes black friday ok

 

[L&LD]

No need to wait for Christmas! There are sales continually going on and even if your favorite store doesn't do sales, maybe it offers price matching? The listed price on the item is not the last word of what we actually have to pay, today.

 

[rnatalli]

You could get an x86 box running pfSense, Untangle or other firewall software and use your ASUS as an access point only. Without any other functions, it may have higher throughput.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chiny91]

I've had an RT-AC86U since July 2017 and not noticed any stability problems. I've been running whatever was the -Merlin latest, mostly. Performance has been good, although I'm not hammering it with gaming stuff - streaming HD video over wifi is probably the most arduous, or maybe when using the OpenVPN server.

But... I am disappointed in the Asus (not not not -Merlin) bug accumulation. I was mighty miffed that snmp was too buggy to be available [- REMOVED: SNMP support on the RT-AC86U (incompatible)] and I now see some "dcd" problem [- KNOWN ISSUE: dcd process crashing on RT-AC86U (bug in Trend Micro's code] which I've not had time to assess. I wouldn't recommend an RT-AC86U.

 

[Chiny91]

My RT-AC86U has taken umbrage and 6 days after the above posting, the 2.4 GHz radio has died. This is a well known problem documented in this forum, although whether it is common is debatable.