Trying to decide between Asus RT-AC88U, Synology RT2600AC & TP-LINK ARCHER C5400

[intraz]

Hi,

This is the list I got after reading as much as I could and filtering out the other options although I am open to hearing about other models if they are considered better.

I'm a techie and aware of the differences between them in terms of hardware and supported technologies and also realise they are not completely similar but I don't have enough practical knowledge with routers and networking to make the final decision.

Criteria in order of importance:
- CPU+mem combo that is the least likely to choke on heavy load (streaming 4K while moving big files to NAS and some other less-intensive network activity).
- Wired performance.
- Reliability and maintainability (bugs, bricking, power-cycling, company tech support and updates support)
- Open firmware support.
- Wireless smart-connect that groups all channels into one logical network so that all wireless clients see each other and the wired clients.
- Extra features and future-proofing.
- Ease of use.

Price is less of an issue.
Would like to know if there are clear winners or losers, or hear of any pointers that would help with the decision.

Thanks in advance!

 

[System Error Message]

if you're a techie my suggestion is to choose neither of them as your main router. Go with something like pfsense, mikrotik or ubiquiti or similar or even a x86 linux server OS.
Mikrotik has CCR series that is faster than x86 when it comes to routing, pfsense on x86 is generally a good platform, and ubiquiti has their routers which can do well depending on the circumstance and are a bit flexible in what you can run on them. For wifi what you need is dependent on how many active and mixed clients you have in an area and how big of an area you need to cover. It is also dependent on how much LAN traffic you have as unless you have gigabit or more internet very likely your LAN is for consideration.

If you are a techie you should list your requirements. How much NAT bandwidth do you need? How much VPN bandwidth and VPN type are you aiming for? What sort of features do you want.

Is company tech support necessary for a techie like yourself? I know mikrotik support is terrible but warranty is always a given.
Openwrt, pfsense and x86 linux are all open sourced. Theres no such thing as open firmware, theres such a thing called open sourced firmware.

I doubt you're really a techie so i will teach you a little bit about tech. 4K streaming doesnt exceed 100Mb/s. A lot of devices typically encode/decode 4k at 20Mb/s. On the network side of things 4K is extremely easy as it is entirely dependent on the device CPU/GPU. Even wifi N can handle 4K if 2.4Ghz werent so crowded. What wifi AC really shines at is where gigabit internet is used and you use LAN for things like file transfers, clustering, remote gaming, etc.

If you are a techie im surprised you never heard of mikrotik, their routers have been known to run for years without a reboot. x86 dedicated servers such as a server CPU + ECC memory + server motherboard combo, just as reliable with only the linux kernel updates that would require a reboot.

If this is just for LAN usage and not your main router you should know CPU speed does not matter in LAN or bridging unless you run firewall filters on layer 2.

 

[Elisha]

if you're a techie my suggestion is to choose neither of them as your main router. Go with something like pfsense, mikrotik or ubiquiti or similar or even a x86 linux server OS.
Mikrotik has CCR series that is faster than x86 when it comes to routing, pfsense on x86 is generally a good platform, and ubiquiti has their routers which can do well depending on the circumstance and are a bit flexible in what you can run on them. For wifi what you need is dependent on how many active and mixed clients you have in an area and how big of an area you need to cover. It is also dependent on how much LAN traffic you have as unless you have gigabit or more internet very likely your LAN is for consideration.

If you are a techie you should list your requirements. How much NAT bandwidth do you need? How much VPN bandwidth and VPN type are you aiming for? What sort of features do you want.

Is company tech support necessary for a techie like yourself? I know mikrotik support is terrible but warranty is always a given.
Openwrt, pfsense and x86 linux are all open sourced. Theres no such thing as open firmware, theres such a thing called open sourced firmware.

I doubt you're really a techie so i will teach you a little bit about tech. 4K streaming doesnt exceed 100Mb/s. A lot of devices typically encode/decode 4k at 20Mb/s. On the network side of things 4K is extremely easy as it is entirely dependent on the device CPU/GPU. Even wifi N can handle 4K if 2.4Ghz werent so crowded. What wifi AC really shines at is where gigabit internet is used and you use LAN for things like file transfers, clustering, remote gaming, etc.

If you are a techie im surprised you never heard of mikrotik, their routers have been known to run for years without a reboot. x86 dedicated servers such as a server CPU + ECC memory + server motherboard combo, just as reliable with only the linux kernel updates that would require a reboot.

If this is just for LAN usage and not your main router you should know CPU speed does not matter in LAN or bridging unless you run firewall filters on layer 2.

I'm sure there's a less douchey way if answering his question!
Not everyone needs or wants or cares about the stuff you keep peddling in almost every post.
OP any of those routers will do fine. If you are considering the RT2600AC, then consider the Netgear R7800 X4S as well.
And yes 4K does not need a beefy router. Even 4K HDR on Netflix only needs about 25Mbps or so.
You may need to test a few before you decide which works for you so make sure you buy from somewhere that has a good return or exchange policy.


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[NUTW0RX]

I'm sure there's a less douchey way if answering his question!
Not everyone needs or wants or cares about the stuff you keep peddling in almost every post.
OP any of those routers will do fine. If you are considering the RT2600AC, then consider the Netgear R7800 X4S as well.
And yes 4K does not need a beefy router. Even 4K HDR on Netflix only needs about 25Mbps or so.
You may need to test a few before you decide which works for you so make sure you buy from somewhere that has a good return or exchange policy.


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I don't have experience with the C5400 but did have an RT-AC3100 which was returned and opted for the RT2600ac.

ASUS' tech support is horrid if you need to rely on them.

And this is still in the back of some minds.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/pre...rges-insecure-home-routers-cloud-services-put


Time to get the popcorn...

 

[intraz]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the quick replies.
I live in Israel and just woke up and on my way to work.
Will reply properly in my evening.

 

[pete y testing]

here is my 2 cents

i have used and tested all 3 of them and within reason they are all about the same for normal usage and coverage and most other things

but all are well above your needs as posted

if your willing to pay the extra here is the bonus points of each

asus rt-ac88u , more ethernet ports , link aggregation , gaming feature

tp link archer c5400 , prob just a slight bit better wifi coverage

synology rt2600ac isnt in the same class as the two above and its 5 gig wifi ( 1733M 5 gig ) aint so good , but it has a great feature set but no link aggregation which is a shame and only 4 lan ports

end of the day i cant go past the rt-ac88u

 

[System Error Message]

I react this way because he says hes a techie and doesnt give information that can really help for deciding and lacking basic knowledge of networking and hardware.

I dont suggest non consumer hardware in every post, i tend to respond more to posts that relate suggestions for much more demanding environments and where the OP is getting one for business or if the person is an advanced user.

 

[intraz]

I react this way because he says hes a techie and doesnt give information that can really help for deciding and lacking basic knowledge of networking and hardware.

I dont suggest non consumer hardware in every post, i tend to respond more to posts that relate suggestions for much more demanding environments and where the OP is getting one for business or if the person is an advanced user.

I made it clear in my post that "I don't have enough practical knowledge with routers and networking".
I wrote the post at 2AM and was more than ready to be asked for follow up info.
I'm new here (as you can see in the "Joined:" part of my profile) and this was my first post so I decided to go slow for starters and build a conversation.
Thanks a lot for a phenomenal welcome post.
Thanks goodness for the other replies that were quick and informative.
And, getting past the bitterness, thank you for the actual info you provided that was very good (no cynicism intended).

 

[intraz]

NUTW0RX, except for the support and security issues you mentioned were there technical reasons for preferring the RT2600AC?

pete y testing, when you say "i cant go past the rt-ac88u" do you mean it's your preferred choice out of the 3? (I see you use it by your sig but wanted to make sure and English is not my mother tongue).

Thanks again!

 

[NUTW0RX]

here is my 2 cents

i have used and tested all 3 of them and within reason they are all about the same for normal usage and coverage and most other things

but all are well above your needs as posted

if your willing to pay the extra here is the bonus points of each

asus rt-ac88u , more ethernet ports , link aggregation , gaming feature

tp link archer c5400 , prob just a slight bit better wifi coverage

synology rt2600ac isnt in the same class as the two above and its 5 gig wifi ( 1733M 5 gig ) aint so good , but it has a great feature set but no link aggregation which is a shame and only 4 lan ports

end of the day i cant go past the rt-ac88u

The RT2600ac supports dual Gig WAN failover/load balancing and that "gaming feature" is cheesy. You're right about one thing, they're not in the same class since it's a better product.

If you look at the router ranker here, the Synology performs better than the ASUS in 7 out of 8 tests except for 5 GHz range where the RT-AC88U placed 5th and the RT2600ac placed 6th.

I returned the RT-AC3100, RT-AC5300, RT-1900P and R8500 after conducting my own "real world" tests before SNB posted its testing. The Synology costs $40 less in the US so if you really need extra ports, get yourself a little Netgear $40 GE switch. I keep my wired segment away from wireless so I don't care about ports.

 

[intraz]

The RT2600ac supports dual Gig failover/load balancing and that "gaming feature" is cheesy. You're right about one thing, they're not in the same class since it's a better product.

If you look at the router ranker here, the Synology performs better than the ASUS in 7 out of 8 tests except for 5 GHz range where the RT-AC88U placed 5th and the RT2600ac placed 6th.

I returned the RT-AC3100, RT-AC5300, RT-1900P and R8500 after conducting my own "real world" tests before SNB posted its testing. The Synology costs $40 less in the US so if you really need extra ports, get yourself a little Netgear $40 GE switch. I keep my wired segment away from wireless so I don't care about ports.

Thanks for the info and the router ranker (didn't see it before. really helpful.).

 

[NUTW0RX]

NUTW0RX, except for the support and security issues you mentioned were there technical reasons for preferring the RT2600AC?

pete y testing, when you say "i cant go past the rt-ac88u" do you mean it's your preferred choice out of the 3? (I see you use it by your sig but wanted to make sure and English is not my mother tongue).

Thanks again!

I'm not sure if you saw my post below which goes into some of my decision. Please let me know if you have specific questions. I currently have two RT2600acs, one in wireless AP mode and another wired routing with IPS enabled. I'm using one as an internal NTP server and also forwarding logs from both to an internal SSL SYSLOG. I haven't had performance issues nor disconnects since last month. An odd feature I saw on the ASUS interface was a router reboot schedule...maybe there's a reason for that.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/synology-rt2600ac-hands-on.37185/


Below are release notes for both products if you wanted to review the types of features/issues.

https://www.asus.com/us/support/Download/11/2/0/149/e5rP2N02bDRfXJUO/45/

https://www.synology.com/en-us/releaseNote/RT2600ac

In the end the decision is yours and it's all about how it will work in your environment. There's nothing sexy about a router and once they're setup, monitored for stability then I typically just forget about them and review logs for any device alerts. I also apply updates as needed.

 

[intraz]

I'm not sure if you saw my post below which goes into some of my decision. Please let me know if you have specific questions. I currently have two RT2600acs, one in wireless AP mode and another wired routing with IPS enabled. I'm using one as an internal NTP server and also forwarding logs from both to an internal SSL SYSLOG. I haven't had performance issues nor disconnects since last month. An odd feature I saw on the ASUS interface was a router reboot schedule...maybe there's a reason for that.

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/synology-rt2600ac-hands-on.37185/


Below are release notes for both products if you wanted to review the types of features/issues.

https://www.asus.com/us/support/Download/11/2/0/149/e5rP2N02bDRfXJUO/45/

https://www.synology.com/en-us/releaseNote/RT2600ac

In the end the decision is yours and it's all about how it will work in your environment. There's nothing sexy about a router and once they're setup, monitored for stability then I typically just forget about them and review logs for any device alerts. I also apply updates as needed.

Excellent. Will read soon and get back here.
I read about that reboot schedule thing (can't remember where) and if memory serves someone used it to overcome an issue with 5Gig performance dropping (maybe something to do with the unit heating up).

PS: I did read your other post (where you replied to pete)

 

[System Error Message]

well i will cut you a bit of a slack than. Tp link lacks the features, its strength is the fact that its firmware is a lot more basic allowing it to be cheaper and with less bugs.

Asus comes with a lot of features. I have the AC88U and has been great even it is sitting ontop a metal grid shelf as that seriously reduces the speed. ports 1 and 2 can be combined but only with LACP so if you use a switch or such it will need to support LACP and not just bonding/trunking/aggregation. If the other routers use a similar chip than the conditions will be the same.

Just remember that throughput depends on CPU, ram depends on connections (though hardware acceleration negates both but sets hard limits).

wired/wireless performance again doesnt matter on the router as thats dependent on the chips for switching or wifi. Unless you are picking a fully managed switch or a switch from 2 decades ago LAN performance is nothing to worry about unless you trying 10Gb/s or some non standard medium like various copper/powerline, fiber optics and so on and the case of the NICs not being compatible with your OS.

For reliability there are various things to look at. theres the design of the board, the PSU and heat. Wifi chips are very sensitive to heat and my ac88u's wifi chips have been below 50C as they should. Wifi chips are sensitive to heat and i suggest not letting them go above 50C and at 60C problems can start to happen for them. CPUs will work fine till 100C which if they are at 100C idle than you have a problem.

Open firmware isnt something you should worry about unless you yourself are planning to contribute or develop further such as making a feature for the router yourself. Mikrotik has done pretty well despite being very closed sourced while openwrt sometimes has issues with wireless reliabilities as the wifi chips sometimes freeze/crash due to the drivers.

smart connect is a term asus coined for their routers but its very similar to band steering and such but they all use their methods. Some clients can be stubborn while others will hate being thrown about so using something like smart connect is a matter of compatibility. It may work or not depending on the client and you could have mixed results. If you want all clients do see each other that happens by default as everyone is on the same layer 2 network. Some APs have isolation features that can be turned on and off and segmentation is for the advanced.

Features is very dependent on firmware. What you should look at are the physical features and what firmware can be used. i know asus has loads of features but the best solution for future proofing really is x86 as a linux server or an OS like pfsense gets updated and you can install what you want on it and do what you like with it. The hardest way of getting a router which is by using a linux server gives you lots of possibilities in terms of features both hardware and software, so none of these 3 routers will be a way for future proofing. Those big wifi numbers wont work either in the future as well as they are just potential if it is paired up with one of itself. For example a tri band MU-MIMO router, it can have 4 streams on all 3 bands that means having 3 similar clients all at once such as 1Gb/s on 2.4Ghz, and 2x 2+Gb/s on 5Ghz but to get such a wifi client costs a lot as well. 1Gb/s 2.4 broadcom xstream wifi cards are uncommon and lucidcriously expensive.

Price may not be an issue for you but you shouldnt go wasting money. If you buy a high end router now when you plan to use more of its capabilities later you will be wasting money, rather you should pick for what you need in the here and now and for 2-3 years down the road. That money you save can be used for something better like getting a 4x4 MU-MIMO wireless card as well so that you can fully enjoy the latest AC wave 2 or to go into your future router.

The asus AC88U is the same as the AC3100. That 8 ports isnt as impressive as you think as 4 ports connect to the rest via a 1Gb/s link that can cause a bottleneck. For my AC88U i use the extra 4 ports for 100Mb/s clients like printers, raspberry pi,etc so that way theres no bottleneck. a more suitable way would be the AC3100 with LACP to a switch giving 2 Gb/s between the wifi, 2 gigabit ethernet ports, WAN and the rest of your LAN. The bottleneck may be there but its quite minor for most and certainly much better than the AC87U's internal bottleneck. If you look at non consumer routers, mikrotik's RB3011 switch chips have 2Gb/s to the CPU each and some routers also have varying bandwidth as well internally that help reduce bottlenecks. You will see many recommending the AC3100 over the AC88U because of price and practicality.

Dont try to pin everything on 1 device. Wifi may not cover your whole house so you may need another AP as well.

 

[pete y testing]

The RT2600ac supports dual Gig WAN failover/load balancing

so does asus and has for years

You're right about one thing, they're not in the same class since it's a better product.

pretty lame comment as class wise i was referring to wifi , the rt2600ac is 1733M on 5 gig and 800M on 2.4 gig , the asus is 2156M on 5 gig and 1000M on 2.4 gig

Synology performs better than the ASUS in 7 out of 8 tests except for 5 GHz range where the RT-AC88U placed 5th and the RT2600ac placed 6th.

and isnt 5 gig the important bit !!!!! , and before you put the foot to far in the mouth read the testing procedure and hardware used

pete y testing, when you say "i cant go past the rt-ac88u" do you mean it's your preferred choice out of the 3?

correct , imho the rt-ac88u is still my preferred option due to feature set and hardware options , esp if 5 gig is important coverage wise and the link bonding ports for the link bonded NAS + the extra ports

however im still testing the synology so can give a long term conclusion yet

look the rt2600ac is as tim said a good second try and at least plays in the same ball park as its opposition but it doesnt really stand out from the crowd in any mind blowing way

the main reason the rt2600ac is only 1733M is that it was announced so long ago that by the time it was produced the wifi spec had go to the next level eg 2156M

 

[Elisha]

Why would 1733Mbps be a problem on the Synology compared to 2156Mbps on the Asus?
There are no 4x4 clients out that can even take advantage of the Synology anyway.
Synology's strength is software. I have a low end DS210j from 2010 and they are still updating the firmware on it.
They support their hardware very well.
Personally I wouldn't put much trust in an Asus product. Always great on paper but tends to be the buggiest software wise!


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[sfx2000]

Take a chance on the Syno RT2600ac and see how it works...

The only reqt/ask that it doesn't meet is open firmware - but the Syno has a pretty rich firmware, and it's much more current that what Asus/TPLink have to offer.

Should be fine...

 

[intraz]

hey guys,

i dropped the tp-link from the race on account of firmware features, so now it's down to the synology and asus.
i live in israel so testing units and replacing them as necessary is not a realistic option for me (too much time and headaches).

pete, do you have an estimate on when you will have your conclusions on the synology?

NUTW0RX, thanks for the link to your post (i actually read it on amazon when i just started my research). i also saw your discussions with pete there and on the synology review thread.

given the comments from sfx2000 and Elisha on firmware: how would asuswrt-merlin and dd-wrt (though it's in beta currently) compare to the synology firmware?

currently leaning towards the ac88u

thanks again for all the help and advice. your info helped clear many questions and unclarities i had.

as an aside:
i found this link with a very good technical report on the ac88u (in my eyes at least) and a clear explanation of the lan ports speeds issue System Error Message mentioned.

 

[Elisha]

hey guys,

i dropped the tp-link from the race on account of firmware features, so now it's down to the synology and asus.
i live in israel so testing units and replacing them as necessary is not a realistic option for me (too much time and headaches).

pete, do you have an estimate on when you will have your conclusions on the synology?

NUTW0RX, thanks for the link to your post (i actually read it on amazon when i just started my research). i also saw your discussions with pete there and on the synology review thread.

given the comments from sfx2000 and Elisha on firmware: how would asuswrt-merlin and dd-wrt (though it's in beta currently) compare to the synology firmware?

currently leaning towards the ac88u

thanks again for all the help and advice. your info helped clear many questions and unclarities i had.

as an aside:
i found this link with a very good technical report on the ac88u (in my eyes at least) and a clear explanation of the lan ports speeds issue System Error Message mentioned.

Go to Synology and check out their Download section for the routers and the release notes for every update. They have extensive release notes and tonnes of updates. Sometimes 2 updates a month. Look at the RT1900 to get an idea. Their support is pretty amazing.


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[intraz]

Go to Synology and check out their Download section for the routers and the release notes for every update. They have extensive release notes and tonnes of updates. Sometimes 2 updates a month. Look at the RT1900 to get an idea. Their support is pretty amazing.


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just did. impressive and reassuring.
previously i've seen the rt2600ac specs page (thanks to NUTW0RX) and really liked how technical, clean and informative it was compared to the constant (if obvious) gamey attitude of asus in everything they do.