Spec me a new router

[slipd]

Hi guys,

I'm about to leave Vodafone after a few years now (using their kit) and go with a local fibre provider. They provide a very basic hub by all accounts.

I'm after a new router, I haven't bought my own kit since dsl days, back then I was on stuff from D-Link/Netgear/Billion etc., but I appreciate times have changed

I have fairly 'lite' spec requirements, I current have a 4x point Tenda mesh setup which has been 'set and forget' to be fair - it's basic, but it works. I let the Vody kit handle routing/dhcp etc., the mesh kit just provided improved wifi access.

I don't want anything that looks like it belongs on the set of Star Wars - it'll probably live in the kitchen so it has to be easy on the eye. Early research has me drawn to the Asus RT-AX59U.

Thoughts?

 

[ChrisD.]

Simple router for FTTP

Hi, Anybody got a recommendation for a simple router for my FTTP connection, doesn't need to do anything too fancy, don't need wireless etc, does need to be able to carry out port forwarding from static IPv4/6 addresses. This looked kinda interesting https://mikrotik.com/product/l009uigs_rm...

forums.overclockers.co.uk

 

[Rainmaker]

See the thread Chris posted, but just a note to say don't touch Asus networking equipment with someone else's barge pole. Or at least, not without known reliable third party firmware. It's insecure tat, and you can get better for the money.

 

[srekal34]

See the thread Chris posted, but just a note to say don't touch Asus networking equipment with someone else's barge pole. Or at least, not without known reliable third party firmware. It's insecure tat, and you can get better for the money.

There is no legal third party firmware anymore I think due to radio laws etc? Merlin is just a small modification to original firmware now.
I would suhhest to look into Ubiquiti

 

[ChrisD.]

There is no legal third party firmware anymore I think due to radio laws etc? Merlin is just a small modification to original firmware now.
I would suhhest to look into Ubiquiti

OP already has wifi and wants something inexpensive. As much as I like UniFi, it’s not really the right fit here.

 

[WJA96]

MikroTik hEX if you just want a router. Approx. £50

hEX | MikroTik

5x Gigabit Ethernet, Dual Core 880MHz CPU, 256MB RAM, USB, microSD, RouterOS L4

mikrotik.com

MikroTik L009 if you want something properly oomphy. Approx. £130

L009UiGS-RM | MikroTik

L009 is more than just a router. This product line is up to 4 times faster than RB2011, it has a modern ARM CPU with container support, an innovative enclosure that allows mounting up to four routers in a single 1U space, more RAM, PoE, and 2.5G SFP support. This version comes with 1U rackmount...

mikrotik.com

Both much better than anything from ASUS.

Can the Tenda mesh not run one node as a router?

 

[robinbanks]

You can find a hexs for well worth the money although can be steep learning curve.

 

[WJA96]

You can find a hexs for well worth the money although can be steep learning curve.

The learning curve is only steep if you want to do things not already on a 1-click function (which is most things as default).

The MikroTik training unhelpfully tells you wipe the box and set it up from scratch but they default safe now so there really isn’t any need to do that anymore.

 

[slipd]

See the thread Chris posted, but just a note to say don't touch Asus networking equipment with someone else's barge pole. Or at least, not without known reliable third party firmware. It's insecure tat, and you can get better for the money.

Really that bad eh? I'll investigate the other suggestions then.

Thanks guys!