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Nighthawk questions / best route forward?

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cabiz

New Around Here
Hello,

Context: I'm finally having to upgrade from my Linksys WRT54Gv8 as it died. I would like something with both 2.4 and 5 GHz support as some of my smart home devices only operate on 2.4 GHz. I'm also interested in exploring network-attached storage. I live in an apartment with a LOT of 2.4GHz noise, but the apartment itself is ~1000 sq. ft., though walls interfered with the old router between the drop & bedroom. Ideally I'd like to spend under $150.

I read through the 2018 advice and so I've been focused on looking at dual band 4-stream devices. In doing more reading, I've also seen that many people prefer to use something like the Ubiquiti router and AP.

Questions:
  1. Would something like the Netgear R7800 Nighthawk X4S give me everything I need? Should I just bite the bullet and go down that route, or is there something better that I've overlooked?
  2. Does plugging in an external HD to something like that router let me map it like a network drive? It's unclear to me how NAS looks to the client.
  3. Are there good alternatives to the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X that have USB / NAS support?
  4. How do I make sure I get the *right* Nighthawk? I read somewhere that they're now on a 'rev 2' with stats that aren't as great as the first device. Is that true?
Thanks for all the work y'all put into the website and into answering questions.
 
RT-AC86U with RMerlin's firmware would be the only option that makes sense when all aspects are weighed equally. :)
 
Why do you say that? It doesn't seem like what any of my reading supported. What am I missing?
 
Why do you say that?

Because RT-AC86U is the most powerful router in $200 price range you can get; can do OpenVPN with >200Mbps speeds (hardware AES-NI support); can push >100Mbps through USB3 port (easy NAS equivalent); has excellent range on 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (with up to 4x4 AC speeds) and is supported by Asuswrt-Merlin with custom scripts option (Pi-Hole -> Diversion, AlienVault Firewall -> Skynet). This single device is powerful enough to run everything you need for your home network. You just need to read a bit how to configure it.
 
Had a RT-AC86U for a little while. The 5Ghz wasn't really good, and I don't have a big appartment.
Sent it back and got a R7800, and I've had no problem with +30 WiFi devices connected, and of course Voxel firmware. Stable as a rock (knock on wood).
 
Both RT-AC86U and R7800 are in Top 5 in Router Ranker, both excellent devices.

One area RT-AC86U really shines is VPN performance. The new ARM CPU with AES-NI support can process OpenVPN AES-256 with >200Mbps, outperforming even some x86 based pfSense boxes. I actually put on hold my pfSense project when I saw what this $200 router is capable of. It actually hits 225Mbps with NordVPN on a local server.
 
Regarding a discrete wired router, you're typically not going to find more consumer-oriented features such as USB-NAS capability because it's designed to be more of a single-role component on purpose. Thus you'd need a standalone NAS like a Synology, building your own FreeNAS box, etc. A big plug of going the discrete components route is you will almost always get more performance out of the sum of the pieces than you would any all-in-one -- think jack of all trades, master of maybe a few (at most) vs. best-of-breed at each role, all running together.

All that being said, your budget for doing the above is definitely too low, so I would focus on finding an all-in-one that can best deliver what you need. As others have mentioned, that may very well be an AC86U running Merlin, plus some scripts of your choosing.
 
you will almost always get more performance

And more trouble setting it up, because component systems are not that user friendly. Also, some low price access points from reputable manufacturers are actually weaker than many mid-range consumer routers. @cabiz upgrades from a 2007 router. Any good all-in-one consumer router from 2015+ will be like a battleship compared to what he had. What is needed in his 1000sqf apartment is 1) a good dual-band router, 2) clients upgrade to 5GHz only.
 
And more trouble setting it up, because component systems are not that user friendly.
Correct; discrete components tend to be more involved.
Also, some low price access points from reputable manufacturers are actually weaker than many mid-range consumer routers.
For sure. It's only ever worth it to use reputable APs, IMHO enterprise-class, but that's total overkill and doesn't fit here. (Per my conclusion above)
Any good all-in-one consumer router from 2015+ will be like a battleship compared to what he had. What is needed in his 1000sqf apartment is 1) a good dual-band router, 2) clients upgrade to 5GHz only.
My conclusion as well, albeit said not quite as definitively in my first reply. ;)
 

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