New router! Advise please.

Ok my asus rt-n66u which was an amazing replacement for my old linksys that kept overheating, thing could fry an egg, was a warm welcome! No pun intended. Anyway I've begun to notice that it's wireless capabilities were always a little lacking for this 2000~ sq ft 2 level house. It's going on 2.5 years old? now and I've decided it's time to upgrade. I need better wireless capabilities, and just plain want something better and newer.

I am quite tech savvy, however I have little experience with the complexities of routers. So I'm not sure some program-it-yourself commercial legacy-softwared thing is what I want.

Which of the top consumer grade routers would you guys recommend? The three I saw pop up were the Netgear R7000, Asus RT-AC68U, and the Linksys WRT1900AC.

Edit: Oh, and I would like to have the ability to say, ports 1-3 have priority on bandwidth over port 4. Etc.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/ is a good place to start. Apparently there are issues with getting the highest BW numbers so they suggest the extra money is not always worth it.

Have you considered running some PoE ubnt (or the like) APs? The N66U is still very current. I wouldn't expect much better range simply replacing it with another all in one.

From a brief look at the information on that site looks like the Asus and Netgear tie for 1st in the AC1900 class, with Linksys trailing behind with a much higher price tag making it the poorest choice of the 3 unless you need something specific to that router. Accurate?

-Sn1PeR- said:

Have you considered running some PoE ubnt (or the like) APs? The N66U is still very current. I wouldn't expect much better range simply replacing it with another all in one.

Click to expand...

I have run Ubiquiti APs in the past. I was not at all satisfied with the extra measures required to make the setup function. Required software be installed on a computer to initialize them, I forget all the details but it seemed like a bit of a convoluted process, that and the branched off wireless from them registered some a new different network than that branching off from the router, wasn't like a true extension of the wireless. IDK if that's unique to Ubiquiti AP, if my experience would have been better using another router as a POE or something.

EzeroMobile50K said:

From a brief look at the information on that site looks like the Asus and Netgear tie for 1st in the AC1900 class, with Linksys trailing behind with a much higher price tag making it the poorest choice of the 3 unless you need something specific to that router. Accurate?

Click to expand...

Not quite.

Install the latest Merline firmware on your router first.

Second is your router on the first floor or the second.

When you say you want better, what do you want better be specific.

The RT-N66U is no slouch and really isn't outdated. You may not being using the right tool for the job.

What are your requirements?
Budget?
Ability to understand networking concepts?

EzeroMobile50K said:

I have run Ubiquiti APs in the past. I was not at all satisfied with the extra measures required to make the setup function. Required software be installed on a computer to initialize them, I forget all the details but it seemed like a bit of a convoluted process, that and the branched off wireless from them registered some a new different network than that branching off from the router, wasn't like a true extension of the wireless. IDK if that's unique to Ubiquiti AP, if my experience would have been better using another router as a POE or something.

Click to expand...

What model and what version of software?

The user experience was quite different for users depending on what firmware build you installed and what hardware you were using.

Mackintire said:

Install the latest Merline firmware on your router first.

Second is your router on the first floor or the second.

When you say you want better, what do you want better be specific.

The RT-N66U is no slouch and really isn't outdated. You may not being using the right tool for the job.

What are your requirements?
Budget?
Ability to understand networking concepts?

Click to expand...

Kind of following along with this, take asus router 1, put merlin on it, buy a second asus router (cheaper/simpler one) and put merlin on that too. Put router #2 in AP mode, put it where you need more coverage and run a cat cable.

kuhla said:

Kind of following along with this, take asus router 1, put merlin on it, buy a second asus router (cheaper/simpler one) and put merlin on that too. Put router #2 in AP mode, put it where you need more coverage and run a cat cable.

Click to expand...

This sounds like a reasonable plan...IF a survey shows that, that is what he needs.

Mackintire said:

Install the latest Merline firmware on your router first.

Second is your router on the first floor or the second.

When you say you want better, what do you want better be specific.

The RT-N66U is no slouch and really isn't outdated. You may not being using the right tool for the job.

What are your requirements?
Budget?
Ability to understand networking concepts?

Click to expand...

I will give the merlin firmware a trial. Router is on a... sub-basement level. It's halfway below the 1st floor.

Better as in generally better. I would enjoy a little more wireless throughput and range. I'll do mb/s readings tomorrow. I know that I should be getting more in nearby rooms.

Budget is about $150-200.

My ability to understand is high, currently limited knowledge though. I can always read up and teach myself what I need to know, but saving time is great.

EzeroMobile50K said:

I will give the merlin firmware a trial. Router is on a... sub-basement level. It's halfway below the 1st floor.

Better as in generally better. I would enjoy a little more wireless throughput and range. I'll do mb/s readings tomorrow. I know that I should be getting more in nearby rooms.

Budget is about $150-200.

My ability to understand is high, currently limited knowledge though. I can always read up and teach myself what I need to know, but saving time is great.

Click to expand...

The RT-AC68U will give you an approx 15% improvement in signal and routing speed but you're not going to see a range improvement while your router in the basement and unless you have 300Mbps Fios I doublt your notice any routing speed improvements either..

A survey should be taken using survey utilities (here's a free one): http://www.ampedwireless.com/wifianalytics/

You'll need to take images of your screen at various locations and see what the wireless signal level is AND if there is any interference. The link score is the useful metric as well.



Depending on what the survey shows you may be able to resolve your issues with a couple wireless setting changes substituting your current antennas for (3) 5db antennas and moving your router to the first floor.

Mackintire said:

The RT-AC68U will give you an approx 15% improvement in signal and routing speed but you're not going to see a range improvement while your router in the basement and unless you have 300Mbps Fios I doublt your notice any routing speed improvements either..

A survey should be taken using survey utilities (here's a free one): http://www.ampedwireless.com/wifianalytics/

You'll need to take images of your screen at various locations and see what the wireless signal level is AND if there is any interference. The link score is the useful metric as well.



Depending on what the survey shows you may be able to resolve your issues with a couple wireless setting changes substituting your current antennas for (3) 5db antennas and moving your router to the first floor.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I appreciate all the helpful advice everyone. As soon as I have some more spare time I will conduct these tests and see if I can't get things where I want them to be functioning wirelessly. Reason being that the signal strength for the kindle in a room maybe.... 20 ft away from the router was somewhat lacking. I understand that's partly attributed to the router being in a "sub" basement. It isn't completely underground or even below the 1st floor, just halfway. Will post back my findings.

I think currently the R7000 is the best since it has shielded USB3.