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The Router Recommendations Thread (Consumer)
- Thread starter Orinthical
- Start date
Bought one of these at bestbuy tonight.
Asus RT-AX86S
Has good reviews and the outgoing Asus RT-3100 I had was my best router since my old Linksys WRT54G 20 years ago. It just worked.
I’m giving my RT-3100 to my dad because his Norton Core died and I got this to replace his with mine. Before I open it, anything I should know or alternatives I should consider?
Seemingly a nice little test here and it supposedly gives up nothing to its superior model the RT-AX86U on the real world performance charts. (Despite half the RAM and half the CPU cores 512MB and 2 cores vs. 1GB and 4 cores.)
https://notesread.com/analysis-of-asus-rt-ax86s-wifi-6-router/
Asus RT-AX86S
Has good reviews and the outgoing Asus RT-3100 I had was my best router since my old Linksys WRT54G 20 years ago. It just worked.
I’m giving my RT-3100 to my dad because his Norton Core died and I got this to replace his with mine. Before I open it, anything I should know or alternatives I should consider?
Seemingly a nice little test here and it supposedly gives up nothing to its superior model the RT-AX86U on the real world performance charts. (Despite half the RAM and half the CPU cores 512MB and 2 cores vs. 1GB and 4 cores.)
https://notesread.com/analysis-of-asus-rt-ax86s-wifi-6-router/
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applegrcoug
Limp Gawd
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I need a new router. I currently have a netgear nighthawk r8000p. It is about 3000 Couric's. It constantly cuts out and always has. The latest firmware update from last month is horrible...have to reload website two or three times to get them to load (I am not alone). The $29 Walmart special is more reliable. I can't take it anymore!
I am after reliable, ddns and be able to vpn.
I am after reliable, ddns and be able to vpn.
Vermillion
Supreme [H]ardness
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What's the budget and how much time do you want to put into it? I stopped buying off the shelf routers. OPNsense on Protectli hardware FTW.
applegrcoug
Limp Gawd
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few hundred bucks...and I want it to be fairly simple. I don't need an app; i can log into the IP and what not, but building a complete linux router is out.
German Muscle
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opnsense is simple
Randall Stephens
[H]ard|Gawd
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Only 1gb for the lan though on those I think.
Saturn_V
2[H]4U
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Looking to replace my aging Netgear Nighthawk AC1750- not in a hurry to do WiFi6 since I have a lot of IoT. But I'm in a urban area where channel saturation is an issue, and Netgear's auto channel mgmt is a cruel joke.
Anyone have any experience with Synology? I love their NASs.
Anyone have any experience with Synology? I love their NASs.
Makaveli@BETA
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Dual 2.5 Gbps ports
https://rog.asus.com/networking/rog-rapture-gt-ax6000-model/
Single 2.5 Gbps port
https://www.asus.com/Networking-IoT-Servers/WiFi-Routers/ASUS-Gaming-Routers/RT-AX86U/
Randall Stephens
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For the dual 2.5 price you may as well go pfsense and an access point…
But for a consumer router that’s plug and play with that speed, I guess it’s what you gotta pay
But for a consumer router that’s plug and play with that speed, I guess it’s what you gotta pay
Makaveli@BETA
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pfsense or opnsense very good options but also more complicated to setup and not wife friendly so will depend on environment.
Randall Stephens
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Totally agree with you. This is the consumer router thread so I really shouldn’t be mentioning pfsense or opnsense but man, that’s a lotta coin just to use a 1.2gb connection.
Makaveli@BETA
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I agree with you.
Since he most likely has that modem plugged into a 1Gbps port.
So the next question is what speed test are you running where it shows 1.2Gbps speed is it an internal speed test where the modem is bypassing the port speed?
My Fiber ISP does something similar there modem sync internally at 2.5Gbps but only has 1 Gbps LAN ports. So if you run the internal speed test it will show speeds over 1Gbps because they provision it slightly higher. But any external speed test from a PC won't show over 940 Mbps do to it being on a 1 Gbps LAN port.
Last edited:
Wife friendly is a big concern for me and the guys I know. Happily married for many years now.
Randall Stephens
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Wife doesn't want to have anything to do with the network, other than to remind me it's not working
German Muscle
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Yeah im interested to know what defines a router as wife friendly?
It means that I take care of it 100% and she never has any issues with wifi or network access or big ugly boxes all over the place (if a mesh). Also price and no need to hack into the walls, etc., etc.
Plus I do all the necessary wifi configuration on her system. Plus there is never an issue printing.
Makaveli@BETA
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If the connection goes out are you able to do a factory reboot on the device and walk her through the setup over the phone.
That would be very painful on pfsense box with someone that is non technical.
German Muscle
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Sure i guess.
Thing is with a opnsense router is that you no longer have to play the reboot game.
Makaveli@BETA
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Yes but power outages happen sometimes. External factors that are outside of one's control are always there.Sure i guess.
Thing is with a opnsense router is that you no longer have to play the reboot game.
Vermillion
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I'm not sure what that has to do with a factory reset. My OPNsense box has never needed to be factory reset. It only reboots during software upgrades that I kick off and if power goes out I simply click the power button and it's all well and good.
Honestly at this point you couldn't pay me to use a "consumer" router or even recommend one. Pfsense or OPNsense always and forever at this point.
Even friends and family who are non-technical now I recommend it. They just work. For family i fire up wireguard on the router and remote in to do upgrades. They don't even know. They just know their router problems are gone.
Same here. I'm on Untangle, but they just got bought by Arecca. Decidedly upmarket company. No idea if they will keep the home license. Looking for alternatives, don't really want to go back to opnsense. But probably will push come to shove. No way I go back to any Asus or linksys crap even if it had open wrt. Even opnsense I give up the full UTM of untangle.
Makaveli@BETA
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I guess the both of you can convince him to go untangle or PFsense.
i'm not changing my stance on it.
i'm not changing my stance on it.
I'd say the definition of WAF varies based upon the specific W in WAF, so I'm not going to even try. I was merely expressing that I've moved to the point of being anti consumer router no matter what. My WAF is for a different class of router entirely that I will also live with.
Makaveli@BETA
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not going to disagree there do whatever fits your needs and environment the best.
So I've upgraded from 1Gbps to 5Gbps fiber and got a new modem with a 5Gb LAN port. I'm currently using an Asus AC2900 with 1Gbps LAN. I'd like to get a router with at least a 5Gbps WAN port but most of what I see is 2.5Gbps. Is there a wireless router with a 5Gbps LAN port?
Makaveli@BETA
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Hmm I don't think i've seen any consumer level routers with a 5 Gbps wan port only 2.5Gbps. So you will have to look at something expensive.
ofcourse there are here is one stand alone if you don't want mesh. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgea...sh-wi-fi-router-white/6520472.p?skuId=6520472
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgea...sh-wi-fi-router-white/6520472.p?skuId=6520472
use this code for 10% off. Q4FY23SAVE10
Makaveli@BETA
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I generally avoid netgear products due to them being very slow to do firmware updates.
And now that I think about it Asus does offer some models with 10 Gbps port.
And now that I think about it Asus does offer some models with 10 Gbps port.
Asus RT-AX89X
jimthebob
Gawd
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Only thing that sucks about that unit is unless you already have your own switching you can connect via sfp+, all the LAN ports look like they're 1gbps.
I am OK with 1 Gbps LAN. My only wired units are a printer and a desktop PC with a gigabit ethernet port. I just want the connection from the router to the modem to support 5Gbps. In looking at that router I could use the 10baseT port to connect to the modem correct?
Then you don't need to waste money on a 5GB Internet connection as you will only see 1gb to all your devices. I suggest getting the right hardware to support at least 2.5gb to your network and wifi. You maybe 1gb on ethernet, but wifi will go faster and utilize whatever your port speed is on the router being 2.5gb, 5gb, or 10gb till you upgrade to a faster switch and devices that support it that aren't wifi.
The cost is the same for me since I work for the company providing the service. We were getting close to our limit every month so I thought why not. I also needed a wi-fi upgrade anyway.
Vengance_01
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Honestly If you up for a challenge look at this new MikroTik Gear
Router with POE. https://mikrotik.com/product/rb5009upr_s_in
Switch with 10GB Uplink and 8GBe
Unifi AP Pro wifi 6
This combo will destroy any store brought brand with way for flexibility, performance, etc... Does your modem/gateway suppot SFP+? or just copper ports?
Mackintire
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Wireless, no.
Wired, yes. Ubiquiti Edgerouter Infinity is all 10Gbe
The least expensive one I could find was this one, lightly used.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3254889710...5BFsVDlRJeMBOsyuitHYIeSY_nO6ZiC5H3_mxe98wpPiU
There are routers that have 5gb or higher WAN/LAN ports.
https://dongknows.com/multi-gigabit-wi-fi-6-routers-to-bring-home-today/
https://www.asus.com/us/networking-iot-servers/wifi-routers/asus-gaming-routers/rt-ax89x/
https://rog.asus.com/us/networking/rog-rapture-gt-axe16000-model/