Looking for Router Recommendation

Hello all,

My current router is 4-5 years old and I am looking to upgrade. I've been doing some research, but would appreciate the help of those here. Here are the considerations:

1) 75 Mbps Internet connection
2) Large 4,000 home. Finished basement and 1st level. Wifi coverage is average with current router
3) Many connected devices. 20+
4) Semi-smart home (Thermostat, Security Cameras, Garage Doors, Alexa)
5) Some xBox and PC Gaming
6) Extensive streaming on TVs

I'm not looking forward to reconnecting all these devices...... Thanks in advance for the help.

Questions:

1. Do you have network wiring (Cat5/6) in the home?
2. How much of this is wireless?
3. What's your budget?

Cmustang87 said:

Questions:

1. Do you have network wiring (Cat5/6) in the home?
2. How much of this is wireless?
3. What's your budget?

Click to expand...

Hi and thanks.

Limited Cat 5. Maybe 4-5 spots total in the house. Everything else is wireless. 300-350ish budget, but would go higher for a great router.

Ok:

Skip the all-in-one routers.

Get good access points with a standalone router.

1. Ubiquiti USG
2. 2x Ubiquiti UAC-PRO - Install these in two different sides/floors of the home
3. US-8-60W - 8 port PoE switch to power the APs
   
4. Optional: Get a cloud key to run the Unifi Controller, or run it on a PC/VM that you already have

Again, if you have the wiring already, I definitely wouldn't recommend a traditional all in one wireless router solutions. You get less for more, by a long shot.

>> I'm not looking forward to reconnecting all these devices......
As long as you broadcast the same SSID and the wireless security key remains the same, everything should just reconnect automatically so it shouldn't be an issue. Unless you setup static IP on your wireless devices and you changed your subnet.

Cmustang87 said:

Ok:
Skip the all-in-one routers.
Get good access points with a standalone router.

Click to expand...

I am on board with Ubiquiti solution. This is what I have right now. I am not running Ubiquiti USG but I am running Edge Router X, Netgear 8 ports smart switch and Unifi Access point. Based on my understanding Ubiquiti USG is easier to setup than Edge Router X but in either case, they are not consumer level router, you will need to do some reading to set them up properly. However you will have a lot more control over your network such as setting up VLAN. I have couple VLAN at home and one of them is dedicated to IoT devices.

But if you want to stick with consumer graded all in one router then I would suggest Linksys WRT routers. I used Linksys WRT1200AC for awhile and it is rock solid in my opinion, out of my 5 months usage or so, there's never a need to reboot. You can get a higher end model such as WRT3200ACM or WRT32X AC3200, I would think they should be just as reliable as the one I have. And if you can add hard wired connection to your weak WiFi signal area then you can add an access point there. Otherwise I guess try a WiFi extender.
https://www.linksys.com/us/wireless-routers/c/wrt-wireless-routers/

i would skip the USG and get a Mikrotik Hexv3 as your router, and keep the UAP-AC-LR's mikrotik pushes more pps with more features, for $50.

Agromahdi123 said:

i would skip the USG and get a Mikrotik Hexv3 as your router, and keep the UAP-AC-LR's mikrotik pushes more pps with more features, for $50.

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I agree with you say here with the exception of the LR - get the pros instead.

The Mikrotik RB750Gr3 (hEX) is another great router option if you don't have the budget for a USG - but if you want to manage everything from one dashboard, the USG is what I would go with. The Mikrotik is a bit more of an advanced product as well, so - both equally great products, just depends on what you want.

Cmustang87 said:

I agree with you say here with the exception of the LR - get the pros instead.

The Mikrotik RB750Gr3 (hEX) is another great router option if you don't have the budget for a USG - but if you want to manage everything from one dashboard, the USG is what I would go with. The Mikrotik is a bit more of an advanced product as well, so - both equally great products, just depends on what you want.

Click to expand...

yes, two different types of fish, USG will give you a nice "complete ecosystem" all manageable through their controller webpage, mikrotik will give you far more options, but you have to manage it through winbox, and though it is not too complicated in your setup (you would just leave it on most of the defaults) all the options you will see might overwhelm you.

also, do you really think Pro? i have always battled that question, at my home with about 15-16 devices constantly on the wifi the AP-AC-LR with the one gig in seems to not have any hiccups. I just dont know if the extra mimo, and the extra gig port are really needed for homes without gigabit internet in. Like im on 75/75 so like in theory, no client can ever pull more than 100meg from the internet, i can see if you access servers, and most of your traffic is switch traffic it can help, but i dunno. Either way its like 30 bucks more for Pro vs LR, Pro will be more "future proof"

Agromahdi123 said:

also, do you really think Pro? i have always battled that question, at my home with about 15-16 devices constantly on the wifi the AP-AC-LR with the one gig in seems to not have any hiccups. I just dont know if the extra mimo, and the extra gig port are really needed for homes without gigabit internet in. Like im on 75/75 so like in theory, no client can ever pull more than 100meg from the internet, i can see if you access servers, and most of your traffic is switch traffic it can help, but i dunno. Either way its like 30 bucks more for Pro vs LR, Pro will be more "future proof"

Click to expand...

It's probably a wash for the most part - but I feel the Pro fits in more environments with the POE requirements, the extra port, it works outdoors, etc. But, either way, you can't go wrong.

Thanks all, for the suggestions!