Monster 802.11AC routers, Upgrade time?


Better AC Routers are here  

23 members have voted

  1. 1. Is it time to upgrade your network?

    • Yes - Just have to have the latest!
      2
    • Yes - Because it's about time
      1
    • Yes - But just for LAN/AP Use, ISP Sux! :(
      2
    • Hmm - Maybe, need some reviews
      6
    • No - Already have AC, waiting till Next-Gen
      2
    • No - My .11N network serves me just fine
      10
    • No - No LAN/NAS and 56K Only. :cry:
      0


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Just browsing around and found some info for new AC routers coming down the line and these things look like monsters.

 

FYI: Prices =  :omg:   :s  *

 

Here's the Netgear R7000:

 

post-698-0-11623400-1380546933.jpg

 

Here's the Linksys EA6900:

 

post-698-0-67392100-1380546986.jpg

 

Specs are pretty similar between them as they seem to be on the same platform.

 

CPU: 1Ghz Dual-Core (R700) 800Mhz Dual-Core (Linksys & Asus)

RAM: 256MB

ROM: 128MB

WAN: 1x 1Gbps (Asus can do 2 by taking one of the LAN ports and creating a second WAN from it. Failover or Load Balance)

LAN: 4 x 1Gbps

2.4G: 3x3 - 600Mbps (B, G, N)

5Ghz: 3x3 - 1.3Gbps (A, AC, N)

USB: 1 x 3.0 and 1 x 2.0

 

So anyone thinking about upgrading to AC finally or sticking around with your N devices.

 

 

* = expected though, bought my Linksys E4200 for $200 in 2001 :p

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I don't think upgrading everything to ac is really worth it unless transfer rates within the network are super important.

 

I probably won't upgrade until the devices I buy in the future start coming with integrated ac.

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Sticking with N.

 

AC still isn't finalised and the range is pointless. If you want true gigabit, nothing can beat a hard wired cable. I may upgrade in the future when they bring out a standard access point only, for an add on to my current router as nothing can compare to pf.

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Sticking with N for now. I will only upgrade if the infrastructure in my apartment needs it and/or more devices support AC. 

 

I have a D-Link DIR-655 that I bought 3 years ago. Serves:

- 3 desktops

- 1 laptop

- 1 NAS

- 1 smartphone

- 4 tablets

- 1 Xbox 360

- 1 Blu-Ray player

- plus any friends that connect their wireless devices when they come over. 

It's a busy router, but it does its job perfectly. 

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I have 2 N routers now which basically do fine except my 5Ghz range (which is all I use except for phones). Thinking to get something but not sure just yet.

 

I got the 2nd N router because I thought the first N was dying. Was planning to return the Netgear WNDR4300 but noticed 5Ghz speeds were better when 2.4Ghz was active on the E4200. This is because the CPU on the E4200 is on the 2.4Ghz WLAN chip (combo) so when 2.4Ghz is busy, it kills my speeds on 5Ghz. With the Netgear, it has a faster CPU which is not combined also (I think) so copying files via 2.4Ghz no longer affects the 5Ghz.

 

So now not sure if I should even bother with upgrades yet as well but more speed is always a good thing. I don't have a AC client in my laptop but might be also getting a new laptop with AC as well.

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I too will be sticking with my router (Asus RT-66U).  It's got excellent range for wireless devices and the firmware updates prove that Asus is serious about supporting it.  Besides, until the AC standard moves from draft to final spec I would avoid all such routers for now.

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I will probably by an AC access point rather than a whole new router as my router is excellent and only few devices will support AC

 

I would do that with something like PFSense! Have a really sweet PFSense router and an 802.11ac AP. 

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I have actually moved to a new house and ordered one of these, UniFi AP AC (UAP-AC). I owned two of the older versions and the time has come to upgrade.

 

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That netgear router is called the Night hawk and it reminds me of this:

 

nighthawk carbon monoxide detector

http://www.amazon.com/Kidde-KN-COPP-3-Nighthawk-Plug-In-Monoxide/dp/B00002N86A

 

MY mom has this in her house and she says it doesn't work... LOL

 

c26-B00002N86A-2-s.jpg

 

I don't think that was a good name for them to pick. :( I wonder if Nighthawk will go after netgear for the name.

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I would do that with something like PFSense! Have a really sweet PFSense router and an 802.11ac AP.

Can I ask which AP you are using?

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Can I ask which AP you are using?

 

I think she was just saying it would make for a good setup.

 

I currently run pf with a WAP4410N and may upgrade to AC when they release a AP only.

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I recently bought a Netgear WNDR4500 and with no AC clients, I have no need to upgrade yet.

 

I must say though that from late 2011/2012 onwards, Netgear have been putting something powerful enough that doesn't die after a few hours of simultaneous gigabit / wireless N usage inside their mid-high end home user kit (or maybe someone just tipped them off that epoxy resin != thermal grease). I used to go through Netgear routers under warranty like HP printer ink cartridges.

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do these actually route at 1Gbps?

I doubt it, but it also wouldn't surprise me if they're close.

That said, if your internet connection can stress a 1Gbps router, then you won't really notice a difference between 900Mbps or 1Gbps.

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I think she was just saying it would make for a good setup.

I currently run pf with a WAP4410N and may upgrade to AC when they release a AP only.

Rereading I think you're probably right. Anyone have a suggestion for an AP that would work with pfSense set up?

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I have the AirPort Extreme AC - it really does make a difference when transferring files over the network!

As for recommendations - avoid Linksys until they get rid of their god awful cloud software.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Rereading I think you're probably right. Anyone have a suggestion for an AP that would work with pfSense set up?

 

Any AP or wireless router used as an AP would work just fine with pfsense - what routes or nats your traffic to the public internet has nothing to do with an AP bridging a wireless network to a wired one..

 

Now the only thing that might come into play when picking an AP would be if your wanting to run vlans for say a guest network.  Then yes your AP would need to support vlans - many of them do not.

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My routers WAN to LAN throughput bottleneck is shaving 1~Mb/s off my connection speed, other than that it runs nicely although I could do with extra distance on 2.4GHz. I'll probably upgrade to the RT-AC68U once there is a stable Tomato port for it.

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