Stable AC router

[rj45]

Hi all

I'd like to replace my aging WRT54G with an AC router.
I currently have only one AC device being my laptop (Intel AC-7260) so AC1900 blabla is probably much overkill.

I need proper port forwarding, stability, performance OK for 100Mbit WAN, Gigabit ports, USB printer sharing, proper QoS. Otherwise I have two NASes so I don't care about that part Anything else is bonus, dd-wrt/Tomato would be cool but nowhere a requirement.

Also, I'd like to put it in the basement (old house so wireless is OKish) if possible so good wifi reception/perfrormance is a must.

Otherwise, well, cheaper is better of course
Read the Asus are too bugged and Netgear better but really, I want user feedbacks.

Thank you

 

[Trip]

If you only want one piece of gear, then I'd go for the unit with the best wireless range and throughput as criteria numero uno. That way if it exhibits poor routing functionality or stability (as many of them do...) you can drop in a more solid wired router underneath to handle that stuff, and then set the AC unit into AP-mode only. If you can front the cash, order a few all-in-ones, keep the one with the best wifi range and stability, return the others.

Or, depending on your config complexity and load needs, you may just want to go with a 2-piece setup right off the bat. An EdgeRouter + whatever AP floats your boat is always a solid setup.

 

[rj45]

Thanks Trip.
I think I'll go for an Asus RT-AC56U and closely watch the routing part.
If anything leaves to be desired, I'll then go for a 'real' wired router.

Thanks

 

[Trip]

If you're thinking the 56U and can justify the additional $50, you might want to go with a 66U instead -- it appears to have better 5Ghz downlink throughput, slightly better 2.4Ghz range (do to the external antennas, perhaps?), appears to fair a bit better in reviews around the net (if that matters to you). Either way, best of luck.

 

[rj45]

If you're thinking the 56U and can justify the additional $50, you might want to go with a 66U instead -- it appears to have better 5Ghz downlink throughput, slightly better 2.4Ghz range (do to the external antennas, perhaps?), appears to fair a bit better in reviews around the net (if that matters to you). Either way, best of luck.

Alright, Thanks for your input, Trip !

 

[Trip]

No prob rj -- let us know what you ended up picking and how it works out after a few weeks/months. Cheers!

 

[azazel1024]

Unless your basement is living space where you'll be using that Intel 7260ac, you likely aren't going to see much of the speed out of it. I'll grant, I've got resonably good throughput, but my basement AC1750 router 20ft and 3 walls over, I am down to ~20MB/sec on 5GHz and not much further and 5GHz cuts out completely. That is slightly faster than 2.4GHz 40MHz at that location (which is around 16MB/sec), but even then, move much futher and 2.4GHz also starts dropping off fast.

What you should really try doing if you can, is get that router up on your main level if you can. Going up a floor tends to kill wifi real quick, especially with high gain antennas. Counter-inutitively if you have a router/access point and want coverage on the floor above/below, generally you want to go with lower gain, more omnidirectional antennas.

If you want better coverage on just the floor that the router/AP is on, you tend to want higher gain antennas.

Ideally you'd have one AP per floor in a roughly central area.