recommendations for changing routers/APs

[al2813]

I currently run a setup with the following components:
- ground floor: ISP cable modem router catering also for NAT/DHCP and wifi for the ground floor. Off it I have two switches - one next to the router in the home office and another one in the living room for several multimedia devices.
- First floor 2nd TV room : A Linksys EA8500 router wired to the cable modem/router and acting as an AP for the the first floor and a hub for some connected multimedia devices.

I bought the Linksys router initially in an attempt to cover the entire house with one WIFI AP, but this did not really work. After moving things around I got to the conclusion that I need to have 2 APs in the house in order to guarantee decent coverage everywhere. To complete the picture, I have a lot of connected clients both wired and WIFI (I would say 30-40 overall between phones, tablets, computers, streamers, consoles, TVs, STBs etc.). I do not do anything fancy with the routers. Despite my good intentions, I remain a newbe with very little spare time, so except the odd port forwarding for online gaming, my routers are pretty much default.

For a long time I have been wanting to change things. Basically I would like to remove all routing/WIFI functions from my ISP cable modem router and put in bridge mode. I would like than to have one router handling all wired routing in the house, and place dedicated APs to handle WIFI. For the APs the choice is made. I will get a couple of Unifi AC-PROs. This will allow me to have a single WIFI network for the house, as well as improve the placement of the APs benefiting from the PoE functionality of the Unifi. For the router I still need to decide. I thought of getting a Ubiquity router, but am a bit scared being a newbe. Can my EA8500 take on the task (WIFI part will be disabled of course)? Any advice welcome...

 

[MichaelCG]

If the EA8500 can handle it or not will really come down to what speeds your ISP offers. If you are running sub-100Mbps, just about any modern consumer router will probably handle the basics. I have no experience with the various Ubiquiti routers so I can't really chime in there.

At my house, I run a pfSense box as my firewall/router. I have 1Gbps Internet and most consumer routers can't quite handle that.

At my in-laws whose network I also support, it is an Asus RT-N66U with the WiFi disabled. They only have 35Mbps Internet so even the N66 is way overkill for them.

 

[al2813]

Indeed I forgot this data point. My current speed is 200/10. There are talks of higher speeds available in 2018 (I live in Belgium), but living outside the city don't think I'll get them immediately.

 

[MichaelCG]

A quick Google search of the EA8500....well...if you already paid that much for it, you might as well use it. Unless you can sell it easily to recoup money, I see no reason to buy anything else for the basic tasks you have identified.