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What router to buy?

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Spartan

Senior Member
I want to stick to Netgear as I have a lifetime Plex Media Server subscription and would like to use it.

Would this do the job?
NIGHTHAWK PRO GAMING XR500

I live in a 1 story house so I'm gonna setup the R7000 that I have as an access point and keep this as the main one. I thought of the XR700 but I had an R9000 last year and WiFi 6 was useless to me as none of my devices would see the network unless I was right next to the router so I'm not even gonna bother

does the Pro Gaming Series have the Plex Media Server?
 
I would stay away from Netgear. There firmware is horrible on so many levels. The XR500 has not even had a firmware release since Aug of 2019. Not good.
 
I would stay away from Netgear. There firmware is horrible on so many levels. The XR500 has not even had a firmware release since Aug of 2019. Not good.
Thanks for reminding me. I remember when I had the R9000 I sold it because of its firmware which was rarely updated. I used to have a lot of instances where I would be connected but the internet would cut off briefly then reconnect which never happened with any other router. I'm using a TP-Link Archer C5400X right now
 
For similar cost, I'd run a dedicated NAS for plex media server, combined with a separate wireless router, home mesh or wired router plus APs. Media performance and network stability will be night and day, and and each piece will be individually upgrade-able, instead of having to gut your entire network and services stack every time you jump from one all-in-one to the next.

A simple 2-bay Synology DS220j ($170) would probably be more than enough to get you started. With that handled, you're free to shop routing, switching and wireless hardware based on those qualities alone. Many SNB'ers will steer your towards Merlin-compatible Asus all-in-ones. I'd personally move past the consumer stuff altogether run small-business grade components (Ubiquiti EdgeRouter plus UniFi APs, Cisco RV router, SG switch and WAPs) but either way, for running Plex off a dedicated box is the way to go.
 
Another option: You could also buy a SuperMicro or similar 1U or other mini boxes with an x86 CPU (A 4 core Intel Atom would be pretty good) and use VMware ESXi to install pfSense and FreeNAS (You can install Plex server in FreeNAS) side by side. Then use your current WiFi router as an AP. This is pretty much what I did, if you see my signature.

If just buying a standalone consumer router I would avoid TP-Link and D-Link, unless using as an AP or something. Firmware is pretty rotten.
 
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If just buying a standalone consumer router I would avoid TP-Link and D-Link, unless using as an AP or something. Firmware is pretty rotten.
Yeah my TP-Link Archer C5400X has had only 1 firmware update since I got it and that was 7 months back. I don't expect it to get any more. It's like they release these routers and forget about them.
 
Or Omada WiFi with router of your choice. PoE EAP225/245 APs, PoE Switch, PoE OC200 Controller. Nice and clean. I don't know how often they will upgrade the firmware, but the system works very well. You don't need 10 experimental firmware updates a year. You need one good update.
 

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