New WiFi router

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Current router is a Netgear AX4/AX3000/RAX35, and lately it’s been giving me issues. Refusing to connect to the internet, showing that WiFi is enabled via the led on the router but is not actually showing up on any devices, can’t support a 4K YouTube stream despite having 100Mbps internet, etc.

I want something with the reliability of my old Apple AirPort Extreme (the tower) that I should have never gotten rid of. I don’t need a mesh system, but it does need to cover 1800sq ft, router is centrally located.

I am looking for something a little more high end/prosumer than an off the shelf Netgear... I’m not buying another netgear as this is the 2nd one I’ve had problems with. What does BITOG recommend?

Edit - I’d like a router that keeps bufferbloat down. The AX4/whatever would generally run 90ms or less loaded latency, the Nighthawk R7960P I’m currently using (yes, I always keep spare routers just for instances like this!) is hitting ~1,900ms. QoS doesn’t seem to help.
 
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About 5 years ago I replaced my old Linksys router with a TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 router and it has performed flawlessly. I believe the current model number for what I have is A7 AC1750, and it sells for ~$65.00 on Amazon. Coverage is excellent - even extends outdoors and my router is in the basement!!!
 
Ha. I am doing the same thing . my 2011 Linksys $50 cheapo that always worked fine had a couple supposed security issues so I decided to take advice to get a BETTER🙈. One. The one I got Netgear 600something or other was a week long horror. I’ve done 4-6 routers and never a hitch while this one had the typical Chinesium instructions with online instructions about equal. Took forever to finally just get it to acceptably ( almost work) as long as I left no password . Good enough for my remote location. The best part with Netgear was they only GRACIOUSLY offer their equally useless phone tech For a lofty 30 days🤬.
I put up with this piece of crap this long , since November is simply because I didn’t want to deal with any more ISSUES hooking up all my cameras ect just yet! I’d say one thing, avoid anybody who offers short term only free tech help LIKE THE PLAGUE. Be careful out there with these things. You can really do your homework like I did and still get burned by Uber capable garbage.
 
About 5 years ago I replaced my old Linksys router with a TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 router and it has performed flawlessly. I believe the current model number for what I have is A7 AC1750, and it sells for ~$65.00 on Amazon. Coverage is excellent - even extends outdoors and my router is in the basement!!!
I've installed two of these, and an A9, for friends and family.
 
AX does seem to have challenges with some items, especially older stuff, and especially if the router dynamically changes between 2.4 and 5GHz.

That said, I now have multiple Asus AX routers operating, one as a mesh, one standalone, and with a good number of clients of different types - phones, TVs, computers, etc., and including multiple concurrent streams of HD TV, streaming video conference and screen sharing, etc.

They have been very robust after getting things right at the start. Things like improving the mesh backhaul helped a lot, and segregating the bands for situations where there is older 2.4GHz only devices that need to link up. But not a ton of playing with it, just a few hickups getting stuff going.

Take a look at the ASUS AX58U, Im quite pleased with it.

Screen Shot 2020-07-30 at 8.50.49 AM.png
 
If you want something better than consumer garbage, about the cheapest you can get into an easy to setup Cisco product would be the Meraki Z3. Note that you'll need a subscription for it.

It's not as feature rich as an MX, and doesn't have the option of an Advanced Security license, but it is significantly less expensive.

There are also options from SonicWall (DELL) and Watchguard that are pretty decent.
 
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If you want something better than consumer garbage, about the cheapest you can get into an easy to setup Cisco product would be the Meraki Z3. Note that you'll need a subscription for it.

It's not as feature rich as an MX, and doesn't have the option of an Advanced Security license, but it is significantly less expensive.

There are also options from SonicWall (DELL) and Watchguard that are pretty decent.

This is the hardware:

This is the 3-year license:
 
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Thanks everyone! I think I’ll be going with an Asus, the idea of paying a subscription for my router isn’t very appealing but I appreciate the suggestions.
 
Thanks everyone! I think I’ll be going with an Asus, the idea of paying a subscription for my router isn’t very appealing but I appreciate the suggestions.

If you can, once you get it, please update on your impressions and Specific Model number.

Im not sure yet, but after MANY years of rock solid performance from my TPLINK Archer C7 AC 1750 I think I very well may stay with TP Link as I cant seem to find anything else or reason or excuse to switch from the brand, even though I would like too being its a Hong Kong product.

Sooooo ... if I cant find anything else I will be going to a TP Link A9 C1900, bought one for my daughters home for a present and they love it.
https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/archer-a9/

I just find it hard to switch to another brand if this brand, model line, has been so solid. I never had a router that never had to be restarted, its so uneventful that its boring. :eek:)
The only reason to switch, is simply, like anything that runs 24 hours a day for years is bound to fail at some time and I rather just buy something that will last another 6+ years plus, Im bored ... *L*
 
Wifi6/Ax is out and.more and more routers are coming with the new capability.
I dont disagree but for most people they are overkill right now, and some of them perform worse then the non Wifi 6 in practical household use.
So once, someday in the future, common homes have the speeds these devices are capable of, these WiFi 6 routers will be outdated/upgraded/more reliable then the current WiFi6 routers now coming out.


Anyway, here is a good read, if one reads it, follow it through to the end.
https://www.cnet.com/news/best-gaming-router-for-2020/

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top-speed-tests-gaming-router-roundup.jpg
 
That's unfortunate that so many have had issues with Netgear. My first two wifi routers were Netgear. The first was an 05-06 that just up and quit. When my parents upgraded to gigabit internet i needed a faster router. My current TP Link is great. Needed something Linux compatible.
 
Thanks everyone! I think I’ll be going with an Asus, the idea of paying a subscription for my router isn’t very appealing but I appreciate the suggestions.

The purpose is access to support, firmware updates for the life of the product...etc, as well as to use the cloud management interface. Most consumer-grade routers very quickly stop receiving firmware updates after their release, leaving them with open vulnerabilities, of which there have been a couple of threads on now.

I can understand the aversion though.
 
Thanks everyone! I think I’ll be going with an Asus, the idea of paying a subscription for my router isn’t very appealing but I appreciate the suggestions.

As noted, I’ve been happy with ours.

First thing you should do is upgrade to the latest Merlin WRT firmware. It has some functionality benefits, and usually some bug fixes. The writer seems to collaborate with ASUS.
 
Just picked up the Asus RT-AX58U and installed the Merlin firmware JHZR2 suggested. So far it’s great! The web interface is so much quicker and easier to use than Netgears, I forgot how good it is.

And no more buffer bloat! Was getting over 1,000ms on the other 2 netgear routers, test was taken while Netflix/Disney+ was streaming on a tv.

Coverage is great as well, despite being in a stairwell downstairs (tri level house)
 

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One other thing, I did switch from Cloudflare to OpenDNS, for no other reason than I like trying new things. I still have Cloudflare’s “primary” address as my secondary.
 
I switched from Cloudflare to Quad9 DNS servers due to possible privacy/security issues.
Seems to work well.
 
I would like to hear from more knowledgeable sources concerning DNS security, I'm not very clear on the subject.
 
I would like to hear from more knowledgeable sources concerning DNS security, I'm not very clear on the subject.
I switched from Cloudflare to Quad9 DNS servers due to possible privacy/security issues.
Seems to work well.

You mentioned the possible security issues. I thought cloud flare with and without their warp service was intended to give anonymous DNS. I don’t personally much understand the difference between one and another, other than that the google ones and isp ones are more likely to track and sell info about what is being browsed/searched from specific IP addresses (and MAC addresses?).

Quad9 seems to have a variety of things that I don’t like, and that Cloudflare doesn’t:

  • General location (on the metropolitan level)
  • Timestamps
  • Geolocation
  • First seen, last seen
  • Requested domain name and its geolocation
  • Record type
  • Transport protocol and their encryption status
  • Whether it’s IPv4 or IPv6
  • Response code
  • Other (such as their machines that processed the request, etc. )
Cloudflare only seems to have one potential challenge, In that DNS query data is shared with APNIC Labs in exchange for using its 1.1.1.1. Cloudflare claims that APNIC will not have access to IP addresses of users that make the DNS query data, but who knows if it is true?
 
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