Spec me a router No real budget
- Thread starter mattyg
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Typed up a reply but lost it 
In short: I'd rule out the Linksys for being too expensive, and the Netgear for having poor third-party support.
Want to run a VPN on it and have a fast (fibre) connection? AC68U.
Otherwise, willing to have one imported (buying from the Spanish version of a well known forest site)? AC66U.
Want to buy from this country? Said UK forest site has the AC66U up for a good price from a third party seller.
Only want to purchase from well known e-tailers? Unless you can find a good deal, at RRP it'll be between the N66U or the AC68U. The AC66U isn't worth looking at when you can stretch another £25 or so for the AC68U. Is investing in AC worth it yet for you? If yes, AC68U. If no, N66U. I personally didn't, and went for the N66U, but that's based off my requirements (one AC device in the house, and don't really need the extra speed/it wasn't worth the money).
In short: I'd rule out the Linksys for being too expensive, and the Netgear for having poor third-party support.
Want to run a VPN on it and have a fast (fibre) connection? AC68U.
Otherwise, willing to have one imported (buying from the Spanish version of a well known forest site)? AC66U.
Want to buy from this country? Said UK forest site has the AC66U up for a good price from a third party seller.
Only want to purchase from well known e-tailers? Unless you can find a good deal, at RRP it'll be between the N66U or the AC68U. The AC66U isn't worth looking at when you can stretch another £25 or so for the AC68U. Is investing in AC worth it yet for you? If yes, AC68U. If no, N66U. I personally didn't, and went for the N66U, but that's based off my requirements (one AC device in the house, and don't really need the extra speed/it wasn't worth the money).
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This one as shown at CEX
https://www.asus.com/Networking/RTAC3200/
https://www.asus.com/Networking/RTAC3200/
Which Asus are we talking? AC66U for that price is about £20 under RRP which is good, AC68U for that price is a massively under RRP (and should be snapped up).
"On the horizon" is down to interpretation, but considering that the AC87U isn't even out yet (engineering samples are currently around so it should be in the coming months), I wouldn't even worry about this model yet. mattyg said his router's Wi-Fi was dying (have you tried a full reset?) so it'll be a bit late!
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That's a totally ridiculous looking piece of kit (the RT-AC3200)! Who, in their right mind, would want that sitting in their house?
It's starting to look like the multi-blade razor market. Six antennas to beam you closer (in the remote possibility that you actually have anything that'll benefit)!
As soon as 5GHz gets really common isn't everything going to start to suffer from the same problems 2.4GHz does in busy areas?
It's starting to look like the multi-blade razor market. Six antennas to beam you closer (in the remote possibility that you actually have anything that'll benefit)!
As soon as 5GHz gets really common isn't everything going to start to suffer from the same problems 2.4GHz does in busy areas?
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It's odd that Wifi analyser shows my router as the only operating 5Ghz device within the vicinity. 
2.4Ghz however has 5-7 devices per channels 1,6,11.
A centralised router will give better throughput than any of these routers that are incorrectly placed but are packed with loads of aerials. It's like your router is shouting but all it's receiving from clients is a low mumble. I do like your analogy lol Asus are good at marketing but I think consumers are ignorant to how to get the best from their Wifi network.
LLamboman gave some good advice but what exactly is wrong with your current router?
2.4Ghz however has 5-7 devices per channels 1,6,11.
A centralised router will give better throughput than any of these routers that are incorrectly placed but are packed with loads of aerials. It's like your router is shouting but all it's receiving from clients is a low mumble. I do like your analogy lol Asus are good at marketing but I think consumers are ignorant to how to get the best from their Wifi network.
LLamboman gave some good advice but what exactly is wrong with your current router?
True as that undeniably is, sometimes it's not possible to have your router placed centrally in your house, especially when you share it with people who aren't too keen on having wires running all over the place
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Soldato
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I'm not sure Freud applies. Are you getting confused with 'small-antenna syndrome'?
Probably worth adding, the N56U and AC56U are both dual core devices but are two stream, so if you only have two stream devices in the house (i.e. 300Mbps and not 450Mbps on N) then those are also good choices if you want to run a VPN server on the router itself. However, the N66U/AC66U/AC68U have far better Wi-Fi range (of course, this is relative - if you're coming from something terrible the N56U/AC56U are still going to be an improvement).
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I totally agree, that is one hideous (and scary) looking device.
5GHz has been a huge let-down for me. Signal strength is much weaker than 2.4GHz unless you are in the same room as the router, and for day-to-day use, I just can't tell the difference.
Perhaps the signal strength issue is actually one of its advantages, in that the neighbours' one won't interfere with yours, because they are effectively out of range of each other.
My router is under the stairs so not bothered about looks. So that new one "looks" fantastic.
I can get the AC68U for £128.16.
If you google the model it should come up with the retailer. But only at that price for a few more days. Thats if its not a con.
I can get the AC68U for £128.16.
If you google the model it should come up with the retailer. But only at that price for a few more days. Thats if its not a con.