Recommendable wireless router?

Cavallino

Cavallino

Cavallino

Soldato
Joined
8 Dec 2004
Posts
15,049
Location
Hampshire
As title folks. I quickly googled a few reviews but I'm still non the wiser.

So would welcome your feedback/advise/experience!

The key is range of transmission. Struggling with my current super hub2.

Willing to spend £100 or £200 if there is a marked difference in performance.

Also not sure about MUMIMO? Nice to have but not essential?

Typically 2 to 3 users at home steaming YouTube/browning and email.

Thanks.
 
Might be worth turning off the WiFi on the SH and buying something like a Ubiquiti AP to handle the WiFi distribution. Because sometimes location is more important then ultimate wifi performance and with a dedicated AP you can place it in a central location.

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18726947

https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lr/ can be had for around £100

or higher performance but shorter range https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-pro/

edited: because i realized that the SH had to do the routing.
 
Last edited:
Oh right, thanks Diablo, what makes this different to the usual stereotypical routers that I am more familiar with (e.g. the ones that look like they sit on a desk with antennas jutting out of it, looking like a spider?)
 
Cavallino said:
Oh right, thanks Diablo, what makes this different to the usual stereotypical routers that I am more familiar with (e.g. the ones that look like they sit on a desk with antennas jutting out of it, looking like a spider?)
Click to expand...

It's not a router it's a Access Point, a AP purely handles WiFi distribution any routing will be done by your SH. This is enterprise level gear so you get the almost guaranteed decent performance and comes with the support, features you'd expect not the usual tat that is made for as cheap as possible for the consumer market.
 
Last edited:
DIABLO said:
It's not a router it's a Access Point, a AP purely handles WiFi distribution any routing will be done by your SH. This is enterprise level gear so you get the almost guaranteed decent performance and comes with the support, features you'd expect not the usual tat that is made for as cheap as possible for the consumer market.
Click to expand...

I see fully understood now, thanks.

Problem is that ideally I want to hook my router/AP next to the SH as wiring to another location via Ethernet would be a problem for me...

Could I perhaps stick this next to my SH and not necessarily mount it on the ceiling?

(ALso I assume since I will put the SH into modem mode, this means I need to buy a separate switch or equivalent next to it if I have a lot of hardwire Ethernet devices).

Thanks.

EDIT: sorry just one final question - are these ubquiti devices that much better than your consumer albeit higher end wireless routers like say your asus AC3200?
 
Last edited:
Cavallino said:
I see fully understood now, thanks.

Problem is that ideally I want to hook my router/AP next to the SH as wiring to another location via Ethernet would be a problem for me...

Could I perhaps stick this next to my SH and not necessarily mount it on the ceiling?

(ALso I assume since I will put the SH into modem mode, this means I need to buy a separate switch or equivalent next to it if I have a lot of hardwire Ethernet devices).

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I edited my first post as i realized that the SH would need to do the routing so you would just switch the off the wifi on the SH or you could use the wifi on both depending on setup.

You can just stick it next to the router as you said but depending on the location of your SH it probably wouldn't be optimal as it is designed as you said to be mounted to wall/ceilings (the reason it's has not not external antennas). Have a read of the thread in this forum and ask some questions that would be my suggestion.

Do you not have any network cable running else where in the house at all?
 
DIABLO said:
I edited my first post as i realized that the SH would need to do the routing so you would just switch the off the wifi on the SH or you could use the wifi on both depending on setup.

You can just stick it next to the router as you said but depending on the location of your SH it probably wouldn't be optimal as it is designed as you said to be mounted to wall/ceilings (the reason it's has not not external antennas). Have a read of the thread in this forum and ask some questions that would be my suggestion.

Do you not have any network cable running else where in the house at all?
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying.

Regretably no Ethernet infrastructure in the house.

Is this an older version of the AC LR version you mentioned in your previous post?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw0TKDuv_g4

Looks like it can be mounted against a wall as well as ceiling?
 
Well in truth Quartz, its predominantly two people and even then most of the time its not at the same time.

(E.g. wife on her iPhone, me on my main rig which is hard wired), or occasionally on iPad.

Id like to think with a 150Mbit connection that I can have a home WiFi setup that can support two users using YouTube :)
 
I'm sure you're right Q. :)

Just one final question if I may folks...

Why is the consensus that everyone is recommending the Uniquiti devices over same the usual "spider lookin" wireless routers from the usual players such as Netgear, Asus, TP Link and the like?

Are these Ubquiti devices that much better really?
 
Cavallino said:
Why is the consensus that everyone is recommending the Uniquiti devices over same the usual "spider lookin" wireless routers from the usual players such as Netgear, Asus, TP Link and the like?

Are these Ubquiti devices that much better really?
Click to expand...

Yes, IME they are better.

What is your problem though? Is it only YT viewing?
 
Dooksy said:
Yes, IME they are better.

What is your problem though? Is it only YT viewing?
Click to expand...

Thanks Dooksy.

Its predominantly range, in tandem with speed and drop outs.

For example currently the SH2 is located at one corner of my reasonable sized 4 bed house. If I go into the opposite corner on the top floor of the house, I barely get any signal/drop outs, hence I think the SH2 is not adequate to propagate the signal that far.

Hence looking for alternatives.

As I mentioned above, extra wiring etc is not a possibility, so I want to use something that is connected to the SH2 and put the SH2 in modem mode most likely.

ALTERNATIVELY, I could use a homeplug to then connect a Ubquiti or other device to a little bit more central location in the house (well its still at the edge but centre/edge). I have a 500Mbit rated homeplug which I am getting 499Mbit so I could theoretically use this.

But if these Ubiquitis are all they cracked up to be I think this is not necessary?

Would appreciate your experience Dooksy (and others!)
 
I have a 4 bed house and I get coverage everywhere with my Ubiquiti AC Pro.

You could keep your SH2 in router mode and turn wireless off, then point the AP gateway IP to the SH2's address.
 
Cavallino said:
Are these Ubquiti devices that much better really?
Click to expand...

They're not magically better. The 'USP' is they can be cabled in to some optimal location, e.g. ceiling-mounted somewhere centrally. Hardware wise I'm not aware of any substantial differences, software wise I think they do a bit of clever interference detection. Practically (AFAIK) they're more of a pain as they require a machine somewhere else on the network (or remote) to act as a management console. Great if you've got a whole building of them.

Arstechnica did a piece on them last year and explains the difference nicely:

One of the core ideas behind an enterprise-type Wi-Fi solution is that you can throw down multiple access points and manage them from a single interface while your wireless clients seamlessly (or nearly seamlessly) roam between the access points as needed. On top of that, enterprise Wi-Fi setups differ from home set-ups in that they typically offer the ability to configure multiple (as in dozens or more) of SSIDs from the same set of hardware, each with different security and networking policies applied. There’s also often rich guest network functionality, with the ability to allow guests to connect not just with a single password but also with timed-expiry passphrases or tokens, or to charge guests for access (like you might see in a hotel).
Click to expand...

Using powerline to an AP isn't a bad idea, as long as the wiring is conducive. Do you get that speed to the socket where you'd be positioning the AP?

Turning to the more conventional units that you can just sit by your modem:

There are some very futuristic looking units close to the £200 mark which have great reviews: Netgear R8000, D-Link DIR-890, ASUS RT-AC3200, TP-LINK Archer C3200... but they're probably overkill for you.

I'd suggest a NETGEAR R7000. Awarded #1 in the AC1900 category on SNB last year. Can be had for about £140. Seems to have very good range. http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...1900-first-look-netgear-r7000-a-asus-rt-ac68u
 
Dooksy said:
I have a 4 bed house and I get coverage everywhere with my Ubiquiti AC Pro.

You could keep your SH2 in router mode and turn wireless off, then point the AP gateway IP to the SH2's address.
Click to expand...

Interesting, yes I could do that. Good idea.

If its not too much bother, could I ask you to describe (or better yet, illustrate?) where your AC Pro is located in the house?

joeyjojo said:
They're not magically better. The 'USP' is they can be cabled in to some optimal location, e.g. ceiling-mounted somewhere centrally. Hardware wise I'm not aware of any substantial differences, software wise I think they do a bit of clever interference detection. Practically (AFAIK) they're more of a pain as they require a machine somewhere else on the network (or remote) to act as a management console. Great if you've got a whole building of them.

Arstechnica did a piece on them last year and explains the difference nicely:
Click to expand...

That's very insightful, thanks. Will read the article in detail later.

joeyjojo said:
Using powerline to an AP isn't a bad idea, as long as the wiring is conducive. Do you get that speed to the socket where you'd be positioning the AP?
Click to expand...

Again, good point, I should measure this, whats the best way to measure throughput over a wired network?

joeyjojo said:
Turning to the more conventional units that you can just sit by your modem:

There are some very futuristic looking units close to the £200 mark which have great reviews: Netgear R8000, D-Link DIR-890, ASUS RT-AC3200, TP-LINK Archer C3200... but they're probably overkill for you.

I'd suggest a NETGEAR R7000. Awarded #1 in the AC1900 category on SNB last year. Can be had for about £140. Seems to have very good range. http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...1900-first-look-netgear-r7000-a-asus-rt-ac68u
Click to expand...

May I ask what you mean by overkill? Honestly, I don't mind shelling out a couple of tons on this, if it means I get good transmission range to all parts of my house. Was seriously considering the RT-AC3200, but want to investigate more about this vs the AC LR/ AC Pro.
 
Cavallino said:
Interesting, yes I could do that. Good idea.

If its not too much bother, could I ask you to describe (or better yet, illustrate?) where your AC Pro is located in the house?
Click to expand...

It's downstairs and mounted high up on the wall in a little network/comms room I have. I get coverage in the garden and at the end of my road.

There's me and my lodger, we're both heavy internet users and most of his stuff is wireless. We both watch Netflix separately and use wireless devices without issue.

I really don't think you'll beat a proper AP with an all-in-one router. I have tried a few over the years and the AP just simply works. What's great is if you find it is lacking for your house (unless you have super thick walls it will be fine) you can just plug and play a second one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom