Router Suggestions

[Dataminion]

Hi Everyone,

So the time has come for me to upgrade from my RT-AC66U. Any suggestions? I will be implementing 2-3 routers. 1 as the main router and 2 as routers configured as AP's. I got burned by the Linksys EA9500 V1 and am not interested in going down that rabbit hole again.

I've been looking at the RT-AC88U, RT-AC5300 and the GT-AC5300. Merlin support on the first two is a plus, but I understand he currently has no intentions of supporting the GT-AC5300. Anyone have any other suggestions? Not trying to be a fan boy, but I have had better luck with ASUS in the past. I haven't tried other brands besides Linksys, so I am open to recommendations.

 

[thiggins]

If you are using a router plus APs connected via Ethernet, there is no need for tri-radio routers. A dual-band four stream router should be fine. If you want to stay with ASUS, that would point you to the RT-AC88.

 

[pete y testing]

implementing 2-3 routers. 1 as the main router and 2 as routers configured as AP's

you would need a great big house to implement 3 ac router wifi and not have far to much overlap

Merlin support on the first two is a plus,

you would only need merlin on the actual primary router as those in AP mode would gain nothing from merlin fw as it doesnt improve the wifi its self at all

 

[Dataminion]

you would need a great big house to implement 3 ac router wifi and not have far to much overlap

We have a very large house and it's constructed of concrete.

you would only need merlin on the actual primary router as those in AP mode would gain nothing from merlin fw as it doesnt improve the wifi its self at all

Correct. I understand that.

 

[pete y testing]

We have a very large house and it's constructed of concrete.

5 gig is never going to like concrete

 

[Dataminion]

5 gig is never going to like concrete

I understand attenuation. That's why I am getting 2-3 routers and running Ethernet drops. I deal with transmitting radio signals on a daily basis. Do you have any actual suggestions for routers?

 

[pete y testing]

as suggested by tim you could get the asus rt-ac68u and run it in ap mode but you may as well just use dedicated access points like ubiquiti unifi and a ubiquiti edge router if you have ethernet drops

 

[Dataminion]

If you are using a router plus APs connected via Ethernet, there is no need for tri-radio routers. A dual-band four stream router should be fine. If you want to stay with ASUS, that would point you to the RT-AC88.

Thanks for the reply thiggins. Would there be any performance gains by the increased processing power and the increased memory capacity of the GT-AC5300 though. And where would I see that increase? I'm fine with dual-band if it's not substantial.

I just didn't want to buy the top of the line home user router like I did with the EA9500 years back and have to deal with all the headaches. That thing was a nightmare.

My current setup is running over power line due to the construction of the house. With Fiber coming to my house in the next couple of months, I figured I should probably start looking at equipment and running cables.

Thanks again

 

[Dataminion]

I've been seeing reviews of people still having issues with the RT-AC88U though so it makes me nervous. I mean it's cheaper than what I threw away on my EA9500, but still, it's not pocket change. I heard it was almost not functional from June to August for some due to firmware issues. Not sure of the legitimacy, but with the number of reviews/reports in can be misleading if not the case.

This is what makes it feel like such a shot in the dark. Some people may have the router configured wrong or have environmental variables at play that others don't. On paper these routers look great, but how can so many people still be having problems years after a release (RT-AC88U & RT-AC5300)... I'm trying to weed through the inexperience and focus on the meat and taters if you will so that's why I came here. To ask people that have dealt with this latest batch of hardware and have working experience.

Are these devices really that problematic?

Thanks again

 

[Dataminion]

as suggested by tim you could get the asus rt-ac68u and run it in ap mode but you may as well just use dedicated access points like ubiquiti unifi and a ubiquiti edge router if you have ethernet drops

I will have to check those out. I haven't used Ubiquiti before. I've seen them tossed around forums frequently though. Are they geared towards the "prosumer" or is it hardware improvement (i.e. superior radios than that what's in current consumer grade routers)? I will have to poke around to see if I can find some unbiased test results comparing them against routers like the ones I've mentioned.

Thanks for the info.

 

[MichaelCG]

I came from a dual home router AP type setup and moved to Ubiquiti last year and have been extremely pleased. The Unifi line is in theory "Enterprise" grade...although I wouldn't quite go there...it isn't at the same level as say Aruba or Cisco gear...however the price point is waaaaaaay more attractive.

Stability wise, Ubiquiti beats the pants off of any consumer router/AP I have used. Top speed wise...I doubt they are the absolute fastest to a single client. Pretty sure they are a good balance of features, performance, and mostly pricing.

Keep in mind, as you deploy more and more APs, there is a good chance they will be visible. Unifi APs (and many other dedicated APs) are generally boring looking enough to blend in as well as they are generally PoE so no power cables need to be anywhere near the devices.

 

[RogerSC]

With concrete walls, you might look at something like the Plume solutions. You will have more of them, but each one costs less *smile*. I've heard that this is a good approach for spreading wireless around a house with multiple "isolated" spaces. If not the Plume, then another mesh solution that allows an ethernet backhaul seems more reasonable to me.

 

[Dataminion]

With concrete walls, you might look at something like the Plume solutions. You will have more of them, but each one costs less *smile*. I've heard that this is a good approach for spreading wireless around a house with multiple "isolated" spaces. If not the Plume, then another mesh solution that allows an ethernet backhaul seems more reasonable to me.

Thanks for the suggestion. I have never heard of them. I am currently using a couple power line adapters to get me by, I will have to check them out. I was just worried about interference or saturation at some point as we will hopefully be able to stream 4k through the Ethernet port on them, but that's quite a bit of data. I will have to do some research and find out what the limitations are. I may just wind up utilizing a mesh network for mobile devices then figure out logistics to run more ethernet than originally planned to media devices.

Thanks!

 

[thiggins]

With concrete walls, you might look at something like the Plume solutions. You will have more of them, but each one costs less *smile*. I've heard that this is a good approach for spreading wireless around a house with multiple "isolated" spaces. If not the Plume, then another mesh solution that allows an ethernet backhaul seems more reasonable to me.

I would not recommend Plume. The radios aren't very good, which is why you need a lot of them. More hops doesn't mean better performance.

If you want to try mesh, I'd recommend the original Orbi with 4x4 backhaul.

 

[Dataminion]

Hahaha, yeah, more hops has never meant better performance. I will probably wait until mesh has a little time to work out the kinks.

Thanks

 

[RogerSC]

I would not recommend Plume. The radios aren't very good, which is why you need a lot of them. More hops doesn't mean better performance.

If you want to try mesh, I'd recommend the original Orbi with 4x4 backhaul.

The reason that I recommended a real mesh router system is because the OP said that he has concrete walls and is putting in ethernet drops so that he can have multiple places to plug in wireless elements. I'm not sure that an Orbi, that works great here with sheetrock construction is the right thing for a house divided by concrete walls. Seems like you would want more nodes that allow an ethernet backhaul/interconnect between them. Just my opinion, but that's the rationale for my recommendation. Not necessarily the Plume, but something like it that allows the ethernet connection so that you don't suffer from "more hops has never meant better performance" syndrome *smile*.

Of course, if the OP isn't really putting in more ethernet drops, then forget this one. The Orbi or eero seem like better choices in that case. And then just tune where you put the nodes to get the best results.

Okay, I'm done now *smile*.

 

[Iclark31]

How much area you are going to cover?

 

[Charlie_Croker]

In early 2016, I gave up on the various "Super Routers" from Asus (having the AC3200 as a Router and an RT8&AC , RC66 and RC56 in Access point modes) and having read a few things about UniFi, I bought an Edge Router Light (ERL) and a Unifi AP Pro-AC and Unifi AC Light, I was so blown away by the whole system, the the ERL got replaced by a Unifi Security Gateway (USG) and another two UAPs (one Pro and one light) joined our network, together with two POE switches (60 Watt, for powering UAPs and CCTV cameras from Reolink). The Unifi Controller came along for the ride too.
With two teenage daughters and a wife who each have an iPhone and an iPad, the daughters also have MacBook Airs, three Smart TVs, some TP link Smart switches, Sonos, Philips Hue and three "Alexa's" I was amazed how stable the system is.

One UAP Pro, is installed on the Upper floor Ceiling and does a sterling job, another Pro sits of the kitchen ceiling, while the two lights sit on my study ceiling and the lounge ceiling.
Only the Pro's have 2.4 enabled, all four have 5.Ghz enabled (on a low setting of 12 dBm), RSSI is set individually for each AP, and Fast Roaming is off.
The system works amazingly well, (easy way to find out how good your WiFi is is when the wife and kids are moaning at you they have not moaned once .
I wouldnt say the stuff is enterprise grade, but it is very much "Prosumer", the throughput is good, (we are on a Vurgin Media Cable 200/20 service).
I have to say Unifi is brilliant and worth the investment. Its well supported with firmware updates and the forum is worth a read and while it has many "Professionals" on there, they are a friendly bunch.