Posted: Today 6:06:00 AM EDT
[Last Edit: 1975][Edited]
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I have a $100 gift card to Walmart but no idea what I would spend it on, so I figured I would put it towards a new router to replace our aging Synology RT2600AC. It was good for its time. Mainly bought it because it offered easy traffic control for two young kids. Specs were: Speed: Delivers up to 2.53 Gbps of total bandwidth (800 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 1733 Mbps on 5 GHz) using 802.11ac Wave 2 and MU-MIMO technology.Smart WAN: Supports dual WAN up to 2 Gbps for load balancing or automated network failover if one internet connection drops Attached File |
“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers-out of unorthodoxy.” -George Orwell, 1984
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I just bought a TP Link mesh setup that kicks ass. I’ve had 3 different setups and this is by far the best. I tried going the Ubiquiti route but learned the hard way, don’t unless you can hard wire. Their wireless mesh leaves a lot to be desired. https://www.bestbuy.com/product/tp-link-deco-7-pro-be11000-tri-band-wi-fi-7-whole-home-mesh-router-system-deco-be65-pro-3-pack-white/J3GWLQQ68L/sku/6578378?sb_share_source=PDP&ref=app_pdp&loc=pdp_page |
| I have the Asus Zenwifi BT6 WiFi 7; it’s very configurable and all its features are subscription-free. I bought a 2 node mesh pack and seems to cover my property pretty well; it’s tri band with MLO backhaul is at least 5 times faster than my old TPlink deco mesh system. |
-Women should always wear tight clothes and men should carry powerful handguns
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Originally Posted By comp_orng_boss: I just bought a TP Link mesh setup that kicks ass. I’ve had 3 different setups and this is by far the best. I tried going the Ubiquiti route but learned the hard way, don’t unless you can hard wire. Their wireless mesh leaves a lot to be desired. https://www.bestbuy.com/product/tp-link-deco-7-pro-be11000-tri-band-wi-fi-7-whole-home-mesh-router-system-deco-be65-pro-3-pack-white/J3GWLQQ68L/sku/6578378?sb_share_source=PDP&ref=app_pdp&loc=pdp_page The new Ubiquiti UniFi Whole Home WiFi 7 is supposed to be awesome. Info The Alien is hands down the best router I have ever owned. When I decide to replace that, I’ll probably go with their new whole home mesh product. |
| My house is too small for a Mesh system. I went with a TP-Link Tri-Band BE9300 WiFi 7 Router (Archer BE550). It is a 2.5 gig tri-band and and covers our 1600 square feet fine. Plus we get coverage about 50 feet outside the house. It can go more than the speed we pay for. Plus not all our gadgets are WI-FI 7 capable. |
yin shui si yuan
Your life is an occasion, rise to it
In time we will be dancing in the streets all night.
Your life is an occasion, rise to it
In time we will be dancing in the streets all night.
It's very good.   Failed To Load Product Data  |
The mountains are calling and I must go. - John Muir
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If you're putting together a simplistic setup, one of the all-in-ones work nicely. I have a few RAX50/54 (Netgear) units that bridged the gap between entry level SOHO gear and what I use now. I ended up going with discrete router, core and edge switches and hardwired APs. 4 of 5 of these offer LAN ports on the device so I can plug in nearby non-wifi peripherals. The ability to manage the switches and router was another determining factor. Most users don't have a mini DC in their basement but those who do need to segment appropriately. My router will also do failover and load balancing. That's coming at a future point, when the fledgling fiber ISP in the area matures enough to consistently deliver the speeds they advertise. |
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Originally Posted By rb889: I'm more interested in a hardwired only router at this point. Fuck me, I'm sick of every goddamn thing trying to spy on me for some faggot in a megacorp to make an extra buck selling that info to fucking everyone. A hardwired router won't fix that. Only discipline can. |
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Originally Posted By comp_orng_boss: I just bought a TP Link mesh setup that kicks ass. I’ve had 3 different setups and this is by far the best. I tried going the Ubiquiti route but learned the hard way, don’t unless you can hard wire. Their wireless mesh leaves a lot to be desired. https://www.bestbuy.com/product/tp-link-deco-7-pro-be11000-tri-band-wi-fi-7-whole-home-mesh-router-system-deco-be65-pro-3-pack-white/J3GWLQQ68L/sku/6578378?sb_share_source=PDP&ref=app_pdp&loc=pdp_page ALL wireless mesh leaves a lot to be desired. |
9 lives - 9 pellets... Coincidence?
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Originally Posted By BB: I have the Asus Zenwifi BT6 WiFi 7; ...... w/o looking, I think that's the same one I have. no issues so far. previous was a Asus from 2016-ish. |
MIA: M/SGT James W. Holt USSF 2-7-68 SVN
"Your freedom to be you includes my freedom to be free from you."
-A. Wilkow
"Your freedom to be you includes my freedom to be free from you."
-A. Wilkow
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There are a lot of 'good' routers that will mostly do what you want it to do. Some are more secure in how they do it. A few can play nice with other hardware from the same mfg. I use to love Asus routers. Until I decided I wanted something more than just one direct hook to the internet and one wifi setup and one and only one router. Things broke hard for me; I was doing something like a media setup with two different generation Asus routers that supported it. It did not end nicely, when I did get it to work - speed was measured in Kilobits - not megabytes. I have had good luck with TP Link switches. Not bad cost, but not what I would consider 'hotness'. I would stay away with their semi-managed switches. Right now I am having fun with Mikrotik routers. I don't recommend them for folks that want more than a simple setup. Unless they are into managed hardware. Their wifi part performance is not the best, but they can do some real neat firewall router stuff. Limited NAS via thumb drive or an external SSD. If you want to dip your toe into 'cheap' fiber optics they can be a nice playground. Recommend: For more complex setups look at Ubiquiti. Don't get Nighthawk - based on some reports not that secure. Some you tube places: ServeTheHome - more useful for switches over routers L1Tech - look at the forbidden router series - fun, but not what you want  Is Custom Building a Forbidden Router in 2025 a Good Idea? Featuring Editor Grant nice ASUS router; but indicate its limitations. |
The last thing a tyrant wants is their ideas to be judged on the battle field of truth and justice.
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Originally Posted By flyhack72: The new Ubiquiti UniFi Whole Home WiFi 7 is supposed to be awesome. Info The Alien is hands down the best router I have ever owned. When I decide to replace that, I’ll probably go with their new whole home mesh product. DON'T. I replaced 3x ASUS RT58U's in AiMesh with (3) UX7's and they were AW-FUL. The UI? Great, I'm familiar with Ubiquiti products. Configuration? Super easy. Range and speed was hilariously dismal, seriously. My Apple TV would pull 25mbps down tops in our sunken family room (edge of the house). The ASUS product would offer enough range and speed to get me to 60-80mbps placed in the same locations. I spent a few days on with Ubiquiti support (phenomenal) to ensure I was set up right (I'm not a novice but hey, I'm not too proud to ask). I moved AP's around. I used Wifiman to identify hot spots. I tried everything. They're awful and everyone on Reddit warned me. They're 2x2 only, internal antennas aren't great, and the backhaul (because only 2x2) is just not strong. They're not a great mesh product and seriously.. the range was awful. That and iOS devices are notoriously sticky with AP's and the roaming was terrible. Shit, my 3 season room Sonos Era 100's wouldn't even stay connected. I dropped the TPChink stuff in, was set up in 30 minutes, and i pull >200mbps down on the fringe of my network now (said Apple TV). I cannot warn you strongly enough - do not buy UX7's. Returned them and gladly paid the restocking fee. https://www.bestbuy.com/product/tp-link-deco-7-pro-be11000-tri-band-wi-fi-7-whole-home-mesh-router-system-deco-be65-pro-3-pack-white/J3GWLQQ68L/sku/6578378?sb_share_source=PDP&ref=app_pdp&loc=pdp_page These absolutely destroy them. I couldn't even pull 1gbps down on my iphone standing next to the main UX7. I can pull that np now. |
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Originally Posted By 1975: I have a $100 gift card to Walmart but no idea what I would spend it on, so I figured I would put it towards a new router to replace our aging Synology RT2600AC. It was good for its time. Mainly bought it because it offered easy traffic control for two young kids. Specs were: Speed: Delivers up to 2.53 Gbps of total bandwidth (800 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 1733 Mbps on 5 GHz) using 802.11ac Wave 2 and MU-MIMO technology.Smart WAN: Supports dual WAN up to 2 Gbps for load balancing or automated network failover if one internet connection drops https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/259519/IMG_9869_jpeg-3831062.JPG @1975, it would help others narrow things down if you provide your use case for the router. Why do you think you need a new router? What about the current router is a problem? What is your broadband speed? What is your network setup? Do you need WiFi 7 or WiFi 8? Do you need a mesh setup? Do you need faster than 1GB for the local network (2.5GB or 10GB)? How many local network ports do you need? 4 or 8 or more? Will you need to upgrade your local network client device network adapters (Ethernet or WiFi) in addition to replacing the router? More information the better. There are lots of options from the basic Netgear, TP-Link, Eero to the small home office ones from Ubiquty and others. There are models from Asus and GL.iNet too. Or one can build their own firewall (pfSense, OPNsense, etc.) using a NUC or similar device. Note for anyone going with Asus routers and looking for Asus-Merlin support. The Asus-Merlin developer recently indicated they will not be supporting WiFi 8 routers. |
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| I had a tp-link deco and after about 3 years of great function, it seemed to be spotty when it came to wifi. Having problems connect etc, so I swapped out to the newer version of the same thing which amazon suggest as the wifi 7 version. So now I have the BE5000 and it's been great, had it for about 10 months now. |
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Originally Posted By rb889: I'm more interested in a hardwired only router at this point. Fuck me, I'm sick of every goddamn thing trying to spy on me for some faggot in a megacorp to make an extra buck selling that info to fucking everyone. Truth |
“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers-out of unorthodoxy.” -George Orwell, 1984
| It really sounds like you dont need any of the mesh stuff, you dont intend to do VLAN LAN segmentation and you really just want a "set it and forget it" option. I'd probably go Eero or TP Link Deco. If you do want all the fancy extras TP Link Omada or Ubiquiti but sounds like theres some unhappiness over Ubiquitu? The biggest difference is one is consumer "turn on have wifi" and the other is prosumer/small business turn on configure set up vlans set up firewalls have secure network stuff. Definitely not impossible for a home owner to do but a lot more involved. |
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Originally Posted By rb889: I'm more interested in a hardwired only router at this point. Fuck me, I'm sick of every goddamn thing trying to spy on me for some faggot in a megacorp to make an extra buck selling that info to fucking everyone. 
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Originally Posted By AnalogKid: If you're putting together a simplistic setup, one of the all-in-ones work nicely. I have a few RAX50/54 (Netgear) units that bridged the gap between entry level SOHO gear and what I use now. I ended up going with discrete router, core and edge switches and hardwired APs. 4 of 5 of these offer LAN ports on the device so I can plug in nearby non-wifi peripherals. The ability to manage the switches and router was another determining factor. Most users don't have a mini DC in their basement but those who do need to segment appropriately. My router will also do failover and load balancing. That's coming at a future point, when the fledgling fiber ISP in the area matures enough to consistently deliver the speeds they advertise. |
| From what I read, TP-Link is China spyware. Does Asus stack up against them? What about the BE9400? |
“It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers-out of unorthodoxy.” -George Orwell, 1984
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Another router brand that is well worth the look GL.iNet Not perfect - but it does have 2.5 gig ports. I have looked at this brand for portability versus this specific version. I have used Express VPN in the past...but I have went down a different path. Remember that many / most home use router updates are a thing of the past. |
The last thing a tyrant wants is their ideas to be judged on the battle field of truth and justice.
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Originally Posted By 2JokersWild: Thats not at ALL how networking works Originally Posted By 2JokersWild: Originally Posted By rb889: I'm more interested in a hardwired only router at this point. Fuck me, I'm sick of every goddamn thing trying to spy on me for some faggot in a megacorp to make an extra buck selling that info to fucking everyone. Let me put it in simple terms, then. I want internet access for a few select devices, and to only work off of an Ethernet cable. No WiFi, no wireless connectivity whatsoever. If I can't even find a TV that doesn't actively spy on me, I'm going to make sure it can't access the internet at all. Same goes for every other device that goes into my home. |
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Originally Posted By JohnGA: My house is too small for a Mesh system. I went with a TP-Link Tri-Band BE9300 WiFi 7 Router (Archer BE550). It is a 2.5 gig tri-band and and covers our 1600 square feet fine. Plus we get coverage about 50 feet outside the house. It can go more than the speed we pay for. Plus not all our gadgets are WI-FI 7 capable. My house is the same size, but I went with a TP-Link mesh system because coverage at the end of the house opposite the main router was pretty bad. Coverage is much better with a second router now. |
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Originally Posted By rb889: Let me put it in simple terms, then. I want internet access for a few select devices, and to only work off of an Ethernet cable. No WiFi, no wireless connectivity whatsoever. If I can't even find a TV that doesn't actively spy on me, I'm going to make sure it can't access the internet at all. Same goes for every other device that goes into my home. |
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Originally Posted By rb889: Let me put it in simple terms, then. I want internet access for a few select devices, and to only work off of an Ethernet cable. No WiFi, no wireless connectivity whatsoever. If I can't even find a TV that doesn't actively spy on me, I'm going to make sure it can't access the internet at all. Same goes for every other device that goes into my home. So at the minimum you need a modem to take the signal from outside your house to the inside. I use a Motorola modem with a signal coming in via Comcast coax. ( if I changed to AT&T fiber - I would need to use their integrated model/router). I then go to my WiFi router - then to an unmanaged Netgear switch You should be able to go directly to an unmanaged switch - like a Netgear 3350. From that switch you connect your Cat 6 cable to a device. Note that some TVs like Visio do not work without an internet connection. I have one in the basement. All TVs should allow only over the air connections for local broadcasts. Streaming requires an internet connection. Don’t buy LG - apparently they claim to own the glass and opting out on their menu does not opt out. They listen to everything- based on a recent posting and information. |
yin shui si yuan
Your life is an occasion, rise to it
In time we will be dancing in the streets all night.
Your life is an occasion, rise to it
In time we will be dancing in the streets all night.
|
Originally Posted By rb889: Let me put it in simple terms, then. I want internet access for a few select devices, and to only work off of an Ethernet cable. No WiFi, no wireless connectivity whatsoever. If I can't even find a TV that doesn't actively spy on me, I'm going to make sure it can't access the internet at all. Same goes for every other device that goes into my home. On many routers you don't have to turn on the WiFi if you don't want. Managed stuff - too much effort for 90% of folks to consider; but can be locked down and have some really nice advanced features that would provide a nice layer of security. MikroTik is primarily made in Latvia...but not all hardware is. I am kicking the tires on this hAP be³ Media to isolate my network while still getting 2.5 gig ports. I use DNS/DHCP hardware to map my MAC address to IP address. Not hard core filter, but not a bad first step. Yes, it has WiFi 7. I can use this hardware for VPN to isolate stuff I want isolated and they can't see other hardware on the network. It is new from MikroTik; so things are not as smooth running. I can use the firewall rules within the router to limit what IP address are allowed. Another step for protection. I have setup this router as a SMB 3.1.1 server just to allow easy copy to / from on the local network. No access to this feature to the outside world. You can run containers on this router to give you DNS/DHCP servers. If you don't want to run with additional hardware. I also use this RB5009UPr+S+IN, no rabbit ears, no wifi. Not many high speed ports, but it has a bit of power under the hood. If I was going to do my home lab from scratch; I would consider getting this https://mikrotik.com/product/rds2216 If I wanted to be as dirt cheap as possible, with no wifi https://mikrotik.com/product/hex_s_2025 I have a much older version of this hardware. I picked it up as a travel router with zero wifi support. I like it, I still use it in a spare bedroom. This can be setup; work fine for some hardware and provide access to I think 1 2.5 gig port with a SPF adapter. |
The last thing a tyrant wants is their ideas to be judged on the battle field of truth and justice.
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Originally Posted By rb889: I'm more interested in a hardwired only router at this point. Fuck me, I'm sick of every goddamn thing trying to spy on me for some faggot in a megacorp to make an extra buck selling that info to fucking everyone. I've got this in the mail. I'll throw Opnsense on it when it gets here. https://www.amazon.com/Firewall-Appliance-Gigabit-Celeron-AES-NI/dp/B07FKMJGD6 |
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Originally Posted By BB: I have the Asus Zenwifi BT6 WiFi 7; it's very configurable and all its features are subscription-free. I bought a 2 node mesh pack and seems to cover my property pretty well; it's tri band with MLO backhaul is at least 5 times faster than my old TPlink deco mesh system. |
Can't believe I actually said "scrotum lady" out loud. - Agent Funky
Zero to DeeJ in about 5 posts. - Troutman84
Zero to DeeJ in about 5 posts. - Troutman84
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Originally Posted By Pallas: Unifi AP’s throughout the structure. Attached File |
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