Recommend me a router to replace Asus AC-86U

[SqualidChimp]

If you don't want mesh, but do just one a single box to do the jobs then the GL Inet Flint 2 would be my recommendation. I say that as I have an AC86U and keep thinking of "upgrading" to get wifi 6 and better hardware until I remember I have zero issues with what I have atm.


Couple of threads on this forum about their stuff.

*** Official GL.Inet Devices Thread ***

For discussion of all GL.Inet OpenWRT devices. https://www.gl-inet.com/products/

forums.overclockers.co.uk

GL-MT6000

Anyone got one?

forums.overclockers.co.uk

I have heard good things and it is a contender after looking through your links thanks! Yeah the current one is I guess 'fine' but Merlin say they won't support it from some point this year. Might need to get my nerd on and see if I have the patience to play about with a Flint 2.

 

[SqualidChimp]

Isn't the AC86U end of life now?

That was kinda my whole point?

 

[SpellowHouse]

If you intend to go Asus, then I would go from this list...

One supported by Asuswrt-Merlin.

The software is identical to Asus, but has bug fixes!

 

[GregI]

Another huge mess in security from Asus: https://arstechnica.com/security/20...es-affect-a-wide-range-of-asus-router-models/

Mainly posting to reaffirm that you would have to be very brave to be choosing an Asus router.

 

[Disco_P]

Another huge mess in security from Asus: https://arstechnica.com/security/20...es-affect-a-wide-range-of-asus-router-models/

Mainly posting to reaffirm that you would have to be very brave to be choosing an Asus router.

This was patched in March

 

[GregI]

This was patched in March

Some did. Others that were not reported by Asus as actually flawed ended up having the same problem (what a shocker). They only ended up getting patches last week. e.g: the DSL-AX82U https://www.asus.com/uk/networking-.../dsl-ax82u/helpdesk_bios?model2Name=DSL-AX82U

They allowed unsecured routers out in the market for over 3 months. Such a great company.

 

[Avalon]

ASUS are a garbage tier OEM at this point, I can't imagine how or why anyone recommends them with the horrible track record of hardware failures, repeated lies from the ASUS rep(s) on this very sub forum over the Mediatek modem chipset issues, faking of FCC test data, ignoring CVE's and refusing to patch them for years, knowing they were exposing user data to the internet but only doing anything about it when a major distributor said it would pull them, the US prosecution resulting in them having to pay fines and for decades of external auditing, and now the latest fiasco. I mean how many times does a company have to get it horribly wrong over decades before people see them for what they are?

 

[SqualidChimp]

So anyway, thought I'd come back and say I went with the GL.iNet Flint 2, and it's been... pretty straightforward. A little mini-review if you will. -

It just performs straight out of the box. I've looked through the settings and though there are plenty of toys and application support, I cba at the moment so I've left almost everything as it came. It's been rock solid for about a week, the range is far better overall and there are now no deadspots upstairs. It's just sitting there doing it's thing and we are getting along fine. WiFi upload and download latency have improved a little fwiw. There are less visible settings than in Merlin (on the old Asus) with the GL.iNet skin of OpenWRT though you can go vanilla if you want to get creative or are missing a particular niche setting. Great value for money. Overall quietly impressed.

Thanks to those of you in this thread and the contributors to the few reviews in other threads I've been linked to on these forums.