What to buy - moving into new home

[light9145]

Hello all,

I have lurked here for the better part of 2 months taking in as much as I can and I'm still left wondering on what direction to go. I'm going to narrow this down to 3 choices on the router. Modem-wise I'm sticking with a Motorola MB8611. Cox Gigablast net, 940dl/35ul (or so I'm told).

Initially I wanted to be cost conscious but this has turned into a higher priced endeavor.

Choices:
1.) Asus GT-AXE11000 (I'm set to get alerted for the next round of orders on either amazon or newegg)
2.) Asus RT-AX88U
3.) Netgear RAXE500

Setup/requirements:
1.) Reliability
2.) Reliability - I really don't want to have to reset the router multiple times a week, and this seems to be a common gripe I see on every review board for Asus routers (although this seems to be the definitive place for Asus know-how).
3.) Range - I'd like to cover a 4,000sqft home without needing to build out a mesh system. If I'm spending this much on a router, I want to make it work across the board with just one unit (I recognize I could probably create a mesh network for the same cost as one unit here, but I don't want the complication that comes with the potential for mesh hiccups).
4.) Future-proofing as much as I can - which is where the 6E units come in - but to be honest I really don't know how many wifi 6 devices I'll have over say the next 5-8 years I expect this to last.
6.) Speed at distance. My current 5ghz connection on a 200Mb connection gets me right there within just a couple of rooms. I'd like to be able to hit that mark at least a floor + away, and obviously will have a faster ISP at the next location, so that shouldn't be an issue.

As it relates to Merlin, I'm technically savvy enough to get it installed, but not technically inclined to tinker with all of the various features that make it a great thing to have as an add-on (unless it will change how often I have to reset the router, then it's a must).

Thanks!

 

[degrub]

#6 is set by the number of walls and other obstacles. 5GHz is not likely to reach beyond 1-2 sheetrock walls at best. If you have more than that you will have weak spots that will require a second AP. 2.4 GHz will reach further (2-3 walls) if you use 20Mhz or 40Mhz channel. Bit rate will be slower, but connection will work. Choices in order of preference - 1) ethernet backhaul to main router, 2) ethernet backhaul over MOCA, 3) mesh with dedicated radios for the backhaul, 4) ethernet over powerline backhaul,

#3- better off with a simple router and possible 2 APs if you can locate them centrally where 5GHz only has to penetrate one wall. Most likely, depending on the layout of the house, you may need 2-4 APs in selected locations. Post a plot plan view of each of the floor levels of the house and we can make some experienced based guesses.

#4) get something that works reliably with your devices today. If you have extra budget, then consider upgrading the APs.

#1 &2 - get away from using consumer gear. there are plenty of threads here about choices and experience. buying used can help the budget.

Then most important thing is having wired backhaul if at all possible. If there is cat5e or cat6 or RG6 in the walls to a central location, then that is the route most of us would recommend for speed and reliability. Mesh can work, but you are dealing with the issues of obstacles and RF interference.

 

[light9145]

So essentially, screw the one big ole consumer router and go for something like a dream machine pro & APs? And would I be costing my 5 years in the future self not being able to get 6e coverage via unifi at this point ('only' wifi6)? There's no networking wire run in the house at all at this point so I'd be sending cat6 all over.

This is turning into a much larger project than I anticipated!

Thanks

 

[degrub]

If you have cat6 to each room ( suggest multiple spots in large rooms, consider a ceiling mount point as well) back to a central wiring closet/space then most of the battle is over. Figure out where your ISP cable or fiber is going to enter the house. Great if your wiring closet/location is there but you can also run a cat6/rg6/fiber from there to your wiring closet.

For example, my ATT Gbit fiber lands on the side of my house, the ONT is just inside on that wall and hidden from view. i have RG6 coax to that location with a GoCoax MOCA 2.5 Gbit modem there and another one on the other end in my wiring closet upstairs in the center of the house. The ISP router (required by ATT), my router and switch, and other networking devices are all in the wiring closet. From there i go out to 4 APs running only 5GHz band. My house is roughly 3200 ft2 over 2 floors. i measure 930-940 Mbit/s up/down from any direct connection to my wiring closet. The use of the GoCoax MOCA 2.5 ensures that i get full Gbit bandwidth up/down on the trunk link to the ISP.

Make sure you get the Cat6 installed and fully tested and certified by the installer before the walls are closed in. Care needs to be taken to ensure trim carpenters do not nail into any of the cables !

Then you can use regular APs ceiling or wall mounted or there as some small wall mount units wherever you need them. They don't have to be expensive.

Hard wire as many of your devices (TVs, PCs, NASs, DVRs, Blue Ray players etc.) as you can to keep bandwidth for your mobile devices.

If you need multiple connections in a room, a small switch connected to the wall lan port plus a possible AP would cover. Otherwise, you can run two cables, one for the AP, one for the wired devices.

There are many threads here about various layouts and options. Spend time to read and learn. If you post your house layout, many here can give good advice on options.