Need a new router

Cooners

Cooners

Cooners

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15 Dec 2003
Posts
400
Ok I'm fed up with my Home Hub 3, it's only got 100mb/s ports (well all but one), the WiFi is N 2.4Ghz only and it doesn't reach very far and our phones drop on and off the the WiFi all the time.
What I need is 1gb/s ports, I'm thinking of putting in Ethernet port in each room (unless the WiFi is turns out to be fast enough to stream games over the network) for my Xbox One, PC, PS3 and an old laptop running Windows 10 I've re-proposed as a steam (and soon to be Xbox One) streaming device.
I'd like decent WiFi so the iPad and my phone stops dropping out all the time and also so my wife's laptop gets a decent signal, her laptop supports AC so that would be worth having.
I've got BT Infinity at about 60mb/s (could go FTTH but really don't see the point) so if I could get one with a VPN option (and some sort of dynamic DNS setting) that would be great as I could stream video from home again (I used to do this through a VPN on a home server but not got that anymore maybe I could stream games too over it but I doubt it.
What would you guys recommend?
I don't want to spend more than I have too but realise you get what you pay for.
 
Interested in this thread, my HH3 wifi has gone weird. Keeps failing and I have to reboot, then its OK for a few hours.

Time for something new!
 
Questions:

Internet Type (Straight ethernet, pppoe etc?)
Networking Know How - Are you comfortable with GUI and some CLI?
What features are MUST haves
Do you have any switches currently

I just spent 70 quid on a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite and fell in love instantly. That's moving from a custom pfSence appliance so it's relatively high praise. You would need to add a Wireless AP on-top of that but I, personally, think that makes good sense.

I loathe combined Router+Wireless devices. I have never owned a decently stable/well performing one yet. You could have an EdgeRouter + Wireless N AP for less than the current "top of the range" consumer routers (IE the gucci ASUS things)

An Edgerouter supports OpenVPN (via CLI), PPTP/IPSEc VPNing, Dynamic DNS + a whole host of stuff. It's a fork of the Vyatta Networking OS. The Lite model also manages near wirespeed (gigabit) throughput with NAT/Firewalling also. I am slightly bias because I own one, but for the price....very very hard to beat.
 
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Assuming this is ROUTER only and you do not want a modem built in then....

If price matters.....
TRENDnet TEW-811DRU AC1200
Edimax BR-6478AC AC1200
Both can be had for around £60 if you look around, wont be all singing and dancing but have the core things you likely want.

For a bit more...
Linksys EA6400 Video Enthusiast AC1600
Around £80 cheap for a Linksys given its spec

What id go for...
NETGEAR R7000 Nighthawk AC1900
Mullers every other AC1900 device including the Asus AC68-U cost about £160 though, big in physical size and power gobbling though.
OR.....
TP-LINK Archer C7 V2 AC1750
I like TPLINK stuff simple webinterface, feature rich, some options named weird which confuses noobs though. Cost about £90 Probably what i would buy as its price to feature set is compelling IMO.
 
Thanks for the ideas so far. Yes it's just the router part I need as I have a an OpenReach modem.
I have decent networking skills but I'd rather have a GUI really (still get annoyed every time I have to use powershell at work).
Must haves are 1gb/s ports, good WiFi that can cover a two bedroom bungalow without dropping out all the time (if placed in the middle of the building), mainly needs to be able to handle PC downloading/uploading, game streaming and video streaming both netflix/sky and DNLA (which my current router can't seem to handle over WiFi through either my Xbox One or the TV).
VPN, DynDNS option and AC WiFi would be bonuses.

I'll look at the options suggested so far.

Many Thanks
 
Cooners said:
Thanks for the ideas so far. Yes it's just the router part I need as I have a an OpenReach modem.
I have decent networking skills but I'd rather have a GUI really (still get annoyed every time I have to use powershell at work).
Must haves are 1gb/s ports, good WiFi that can cover a two bedroom bungalow without dropping out all the time (if placed in the middle of the building), mainly needs to be able to handle PC downloading/uploading, game streaming and video streaming both netflix/sky and DNLA (which my current router can't seem to handle over WiFi through either my Xbox One or the TV).
VPN, DynDNS option and AC WiFi would be bonuses.

I'll look at the options suggested so far.

Many Thanks
Click to expand...

Id go for the TP-Link Archer C7 which i mentioned. If you want to see if you understand all its options you can check out what its web interface is like with TP-Links emulator here...
http://www.tp-link.com/resources/simulator/Archer C7_2.0/Index.htm

Some people dislike how basic looking it is compared to some, i personally love the simple look, all the features you are likely to want all in a easy to access albeit old school looking system. Quick and easy with much shorter update times than some when you alter something in the interface.

Its not by any means the best you can buy but it is perhaps the best you can get for under £100 and IMO great value. Its got a choice of 3 Dynamic DNS services built in (including DynDNS) the AC wifi and will work fine with any VPN service. I doubt you would need more.

If you want to compare the interface to the Asus N66U a couple of others mentioned above have a look at this video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JB2CSK9SEA
or check out the interface for the Asus AC66U here...
http://event.asus.com/2012/nw/dummy_ui/en/
(slightly different model to the mentioned N66U but interface is pretty much in most regards the same/similar)

Spending significantly less than £90 you probably will not get AC Wifi, or you will but it will be something like AC1200/1300 or lower and be a lesser known brand like the Edimax i mentioned.

The TP-Link will cost you around £90 The Asus mentioned is about £105-115.

This may also be a good resource if you want a site with a decent compare of various models...
https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/
 
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To add to this I have just ordered the Archer C7 for £63 via Flubit. Always liked TP-Link stuff and for this price it seems a no brainer.

Also have a TrendNet 813DRU, but the 5Ghz is a bit hit and miss, so that is being made into a basic access point for the far reaches of the house.
 
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