The Router Recommendations Thread (Consumer)

[Vengance_01]

Honestly just build a custom router with pf-sense

 

[86 5.0L]

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.

Im guessing at&t, same here 😂

Time to make the jump to sfp equipment. Mikrotik makes affordable 10gb stuff. For the uplink between the RG and your router i recommend the

MikroTik S+RJ10​

It can negotiate 1gbe/2.5gbe/5gbe/10gbe reliably

Then some ubiquiti wifi 6/wifi 6e APs

 

[SamirD]

att offers the 5Gb service to me too now, and while there's no way I'm getting it, finding a used enterprise router that can do 10Gb is pretty cheap and easy like this watchguard M440 for <$150 shipped:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2660987406...Bdnz9mvw=|tkp:Bk9SR7r777e9YQ&autorefresh=true

Plus, most enterprise will support multi-wan out of the box so you can have a second wan like comcast as a backup and it will load balance and failover automatically. Once you've felt that speed and reliability, you can't go back to consumer anything anymore.

 

[NIZMOZ]

att offers the 5Gb service to me too now, and while there's no way I'm getting it, finding a used enterprise router that can do 10Gb is pretty cheap and easy like this watchguard M440 for <$150 shipped:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/266098740622?hash=item3df4b88d8e:g:YWsAAOSwcvtjzwws&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoDBqXz8ypc/VQarFNMVIPqNXIfCzXSDPdnCBRKs0EdWBUPfSyIqf6lgh3lMbDhhQcGJ0WpIiz8P1rRCRfgCr6TFdDRrt4QEyeLN/dTMiBaToqoJtFhV8LED2DbBAHr+a34XPTbVoQ0KCUh+YluCAJ/aoM/H91VrynFq0lbj8BY03ZuIAgZkamRyH/KQYBAi5O4kR8I0NGpDR0NzBdnz9mvw=|tkp:Bk9SR7r777e9YQ&autorefresh=true

Plus, most enterprise will support multi-wan out of the box so you can have a second wan like comcast as a backup and it will load balance and failover automatically. Once you've felt that speed and reliability, you can't go back to consumer anything anymore.

That's a good deal. Do they still get updates as well for security patches, etc?

 

[German Muscle]

That box can only do 6.7gbps in full passive mode. You start using intrusion prevention and your basically cutting your bandwidth in half. I guess to some that might not matter but i prefer to have an appliance that can do IPS at carrier line speed.

There is also reason those are so cheap. They have the Intel Atom C2000 series chips that have a extremely high failure rate after 3 years. All appliances and switches that have them are being offloaded super cheap. Watchguard has other models that dont have these chips and i would advise checking those out instead.

https://www.servethehome.com/intel-atom-c2000-avr54-bug-strikes-sth/
https://www.servethehome.com/intel-atom-c2000-series-bug-quiet/

 

[SamirD]

That box can only do 6.7gbps in full passive mode. You start using intrusion prevention and your basically cutting your bandwidth in half. I guess to some that might not matter but i prefer to have an appliance that can do IPS at carrier line speed.

There is also reason those are so cheap. They have the Intel Atom C2000 series chips that have a extremely high failure rate after 3 years. All appliances and switches that have them are being offloaded super cheap. Watchguard has other models that dont have these chips and i would advise checking those out instead.

https://www.servethehome.com/intel-atom-c2000-avr54-bug-strikes-sth/
https://www.servethehome.com/intel-atom-c2000-series-bug-quiet/

Yep, I just saw that so even with a 10Gb connection, still limited. Interesting to know about the C2000--is this the one that a resistor fixed?

 

[SamirD]

That's a good deal. Do they still get updates as well for security patches, etc?

Nothing unless you have a warranty from what I recall. I know they publicly released some for some really bad stuff that was hitting their boxes, but aside from that once it's outside of warranty, it's got support like any consumer router except they take their security seriously.

 

[LTZ]

What's the latest thin client or off lease system people are using to build pfsense boxes nowadays? I converted one of those T-Mobile hot spots to an RT-AC68U but want to upgrade the router and use this as an ap until I can get something better for the wireless. I am trying to do it cheaply but I will spend more if it's significantly better. I don't see the wan ever going beyond 200Mbps and internal network is just 1Gbps so nothing super powerful required but would like some overhead.

 

[Ehren8879]

What's the latest thin client or off lease system people are using to build pfsense boxes nowadays? I converted one of those T-Mobile hot spots to an RT-AC68U but want to upgrade the router and use this as an ap until I can get something better for the wireless. I am trying to do it cheaply but I will spend more if it's significantly better. I don't see the wan ever going beyond 200Mbps and internal network is just 1Gbps so nothing super powerful required but would like some overhead.

search ali express for "fanless mini pc firewall"

 

[LTZ]

search ali express for "fanless mini pc firewall"

Yes will do. I have heard of some of these models but one advantage I was hoping for with the off lease type systems is being able to buy a cheap replacement on ebay but I will check ali out again. I worry about reliability as this is going to be for the parents but getting sick of the consumer stuff.

 

[German Muscle]

What's the latest thin client or off lease system people are using to build pfsense boxes nowadays? I converted one of those T-Mobile hot spots to an RT-AC68U but want to upgrade the router and use this as an ap until I can get something better for the wireless. I am trying to do it cheaply but I will spend more if it's significantly better. I don't see the wan ever going beyond 200Mbps and internal network is just 1Gbps so nothing super powerful required but would like some overhead.

There are a few ways with Dell Optiplex.
-Get a micro tower with two m.2 slots and put a m.2 nic in one slot and run the cable and RJ45 to the back of the case and punch out the hole for it and then drop a drive in the other m.2. If you can get a single m.2 and do the same except use SATA drive or you can add in the secondary NIC accessory that dell has.
-Get a optiplex sff in which you have pcie slots and add in your preferred nics.

Optiplex x050 is 7th gen Intel, x060 is 8th gen Intel, x070 is 9th gen Intel, x080 is 10th gen Intel, x090 is 11th gen Intel, x000 is 12th gen Intel

 

[kydsid]

What's the latest thin client or off lease system people are using to build pfsense boxes nowadays? I converted one of those T-Mobile hot spots to an RT-AC68U but want to upgrade the router and use this as an ap until I can get something better for the wireless. I noam trying to do it cheaply but I will spend more if it's significantly better. I don't see the wan ever going beyond 200Mbps and internal network is just 1Gbps so nothing super powerful required but would like some overhead.

Latest things?

Nexcom https://www.ebay.com/itm/2041995035...90kw-2stnw&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Or a qualys if you want rack mount

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1554556098...90kw-2stnw&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[SpongeBob]

Hello network gurus, so at home we have a Shaw Blue curve modem which also acts as a wifi router. Part number is CGM4141 which I believe is a Technicolor CGM4141. Keep in mind I don't typically do much networking stuff so bear with me. I have a steam link (little hardware guy) plugged directly into the CGM4141 and it's network connection seems flimsy I get network symbol flashing at times. I get some image lag fuzziness and I have all the network features turned down.

My gaming PC (HOST) which is broadcasting to the steam link it is on wifi, I have a wifi 6 AX200 wireless card but this router I believe is only wifi 5. Shaw sucks and limits a lot of features and now we have to use an app to make changes so I'm not even sure if bridging will work. Do you guys think using a wifi 6 router will work better? The crazy thing is our internet is fast when I test it, gaming is fine on the internet playing 2042 at my PC, but utilizing the steam link is weak. We used it a couple years ago with our old modem before it died and I'm pretty sure we even only used wifi and it seemed better than plugging it into the lan port now.

Does anyone know what the CGM4141 would be equivalent to in terms of AX speeds when comparing it to routers? I'm having trouble figuring this out. Also what is a good wifi 6 router that isn't too expensive and isn't full of headaches. 1 USB port on it would be great as well. Is wifi 6E worth it? Is a tri-band 5Ghz better than dual band wifi6? Thank you!