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Reccomendation for High Capacity Wireless Router?

tweezer

By tweezer
in IT and Computers

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tweezer Senior Member

tweezer

Posted
Posted

Hi,

I've got quite a lot of traffic (both wired and wireless) in my office on the LAN, and it's slow, especially over wireless. There's 30-50 connected devices at any one time (at least).

I'm currently just using the HG8045A fiber modem/router that 3BB provided but it's pretty slow and doesn't handle the load well.... it seems "buggy".

I'd like to get a higher end wireless/wired router for handling the internal connections/traffic, and then just use the 3BB router in bridge mode.

I'd like a high degree of control of the network.

Is there a good router I can buy off the shelf (like at Zeer or wherever)? I don't want to call Cisco or someone... would rather find something off the shelf.

Any recommendations would be great!

Thanks,

T.

Chicog Star Member

Chicog

Posted
Posted

I'd say the ASUS RT-AC3200 or the NetGear X6 AC3200 - I have the latter wired behind my ISP's crap Huawei Fibre router and it's rock solid.

FarangRimPing Senior Member

FarangRimPing

Posted
Posted

I have a couple of Asus RT-AC68U s and couldn't be more pleased with them.

Bought one of them in Hong Kong and the other in Panthip plaza, at a place I've been going to for years. Used to have a big D-link sign, its new location has a sign saying "Vision, New Vision Concept Co., Ltd". On the second from top floor, on East side close to escalator. Great prices and good service. (I'm not affiliated with them, I'm only a happy repeat customer.)

gandalf12 Silver Member

gandalf12

Posted
Posted

Belkin make some good routers now. Linksys is another. You need to look at the specifications to decide which is most suitable for you.

baker Rookie Member

baker

Posted
Posted

I have the Asus RT-AC5300. Running it with 3bb fiber modem in bridge mode.

Pleased with my router!

If you need a lot of connections to hardwired stuff, this one have only 4 gigabit ports...

Happy router hunting!

  • 5 months later...
wasay92 Newbie

wasay92

Posted
Posted

Finding a wireless router can be difficult. 
There is lot of new routers available with different technology but one should know them initially what to buy and what to ignore so,  Here some good 

resources to get started.

http://www.howtogeek.com/168379/10-useful-options-you-can-configure-

in-your-routers-web-interface/
http://www.wikihow.com/Set-Up-a-Wireless-Router / 
http://mobilesiri.com/best-wireless-routers/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/249185/how_to_set_up_a_wireless_router
 

Chicog Star Member

Chicog

Posted
Posted

That MobileSiri link is a joke!

 

Quote

The letter in the router name indicates the type of WiFi. The A,B standards are outdated. The newer ones are G and N and the are most widely adopted. They are capable of handling 54Mbps and 600Mbps of maximum bandwidth respectively at any given time.


Reading the rest of it, I'm amazed it's actually got a date of October 2016.


The author must live in the backwaters of India or something.

Pib Star Member

Pib

Posted
Posted

And remember folks you can buy the latest-and-greatest-and-fastest router on Earth with so many antennas it looks like a cell phone tower,  but it would be many times overkill for the device(s) you plan to hook to it especially if you are just the typical home user.   For example many of the new laptops being sold today are still 1x1 Wifi circuits which means it can receive and transmit one data stream at a time.  Some, the pricier ones may have 2x2 Wifi circuit.

 

Since one N standard data stream is 150Mb (theoretical max) and one AC standard data stream is 433Mb (theoretical max). But in the real world you actual Wifi data throughput will fall significantly short of the theoretical max.   And if your receiving device like you laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc., can only use 150Mb max if an N device and 433Mb max if an AC device.

 

So, say you go and buy an AC5300 router, like an ASUS RT-AC5300 with a total of 5,300Mb capability comprised of 1000Mb N capability plus 4,334Mb AC capability.   You have around 10 times overkill for your 1x1 N/AC device.   And if you primarily just a web server and email user with say a 30Mb internet plan, heck, a simple low end router that can do 150Mb N/433Mb AC is all you really need.   And even i you have a home server and stream movies also a high end router can still be big overkill.

 

But if you want to have a 500 horsepower, expensive Ferrari to drive away the neighborhood at only 30Km/H, then go for it, but I'm not sure a high-end router is going to pickup many girls.   Just consider what your requirement really is before buying.

 

 

Chicog Star Member

Chicog

Posted
Posted

If you want two TV's streaming HD IPTV and the ability to copy large files at the same time, then a top of the range router isn't overkill.

 

 

manarak Ruby Member

manarak

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Pib said:

And remember folks you can buy the latest-and-greatest-and-fastest router on Earth with so many antennas it looks like a cell phone tower,  but it would be many times overkill for the device(s) you plan to hook to it especially if you are just the typical home user.   For example many of the new laptops being sold today are still 1x1 Wifi circuits which means it can receive and transmit one data stream at a time.  Some, the pricier ones may have 2x2 Wifi circuit.

 

Since one N standard data stream is 150Mb (theoretical max) and one AC standard data stream is 433Mb (theoretical max). But in the real world you actual Wifi data throughput will fall significantly short of the theoretical max.   And if your receiving device like you laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc., can only use 150Mb max if an N device and 433Mb max if an AC device.

 

So, say you go and buy an AC5300 router, like an ASUS RT-AC5300 with a total of 5,300Mb capability comprised of 1000Mb N capability plus 4,334Mb AC capability.   You have around 10 times overkill for your 1x1 N/AC device.   And if you primarily just a web server and email user with say a 30Mb internet plan, heck, a simple low end router that can do 150Mb N/433Mb AC is all you really need.   And even i you have a home server and stream movies also a high end router can still be big overkill.

 

But if you want to have a 500 horsepower, expensive Ferrari to drive away the neighborhood at only 30Km/H, then go for it, but I'm not sure a high-end router is going to pickup many girls.   Just consider what your requirement really is before buying.

 

 

actually, I found that higher end devices can handle traffic better.

 

I had problems in the past with cheapish routers.

 

When they get actually used, i.e. have traffic going through them, many run into problems:

One had his routing table filling up and needed a reboot every other day (Netgear).

Two others were fine when idle but when traffic was going through they overheated (D-Link).

 

Since then, I only buy ASUS routers and I have been very satisfied.

 

BTW, I've got an ASUS N55U router for sale if anyone is interested.

KittenKong Ruby Member

KittenKong

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Chicog said:

That MobileSiri link is a joke!

 

Reading between the lines, that post is probably designed to improve the search engine visibility of that site, with which the newbie poster of the link may well be connected.

AgentSmith Advanced Member

AgentSmith

Posted
Posted (edited)
On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 0:42 PM, Pib said:

And remember folks you can buy the latest-and-greatest-and-fastest router on Earth with so many antennas it looks like a cell phone tower,  but it would be many times overkill for the device(s) you plan to hook to it especially if you are just the typical home user.   For example many of the new laptops being sold today are still 1x1 Wifi circuits which means it can receive and transmit one data stream at a time.  Some, the pricier ones may have 2x2 Wifi circuit.

 

Since one N standard data stream is 150Mb (theoretical max) and one AC standard data stream is 433Mb (theoretical max). But in the real world you actual Wifi data throughput will fall significantly short of the theoretical max.   And if your receiving device like you laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc., can only use 150Mb max if an N device and 433Mb max if an AC device.

 

So, say you go and buy an AC5300 router, like an ASUS RT-AC5300 with a total of 5,300Mb capability comprised of 1000Mb N capability plus 4,334Mb AC capability.   You have around 10 times overkill for your 1x1 N/AC device.   And if you primarily just a web server and email user with say a 30Mb internet plan, heck, a simple low end router that can do 150Mb N/433Mb AC is all you really need.   And even i you have a home server and stream movies also a high end router can still be big overkill.

 

But if you want to have a 500 horsepower, expensive Ferrari to drive away the neighborhood at only 30Km/H, then go for it, but I'm not sure a high-end router is going to pickup many girls.   Just consider what your requirement really is before buying.

 

There is such a things as being future proof. What seems like overkill now turns into a good investment in a few years from now. With ever increasing internet speeds a proper router is worth some money. Common cheap routers are a joke and @manarak is right in saying that those can't really handle serious traffic well if at all. It's like a low end vs a high end smartphone. Both work and both run apps but the user experience on the latter is just so much better.

 

Getting a router with AC access point makes sense. For example those routers often support a technology called beam forming. This enables the access point to squeeze its transmitting power into a smaller area so it can both send and receive signals better from weaker devices or through walls and floors. Another great bonus is the 5 GHz band for Wifi. Whereas a lot of people complain about the signal not going through walls that's actually more a blessing than a curse. 5 GHz wifi is a perfect means to get rid of interference from your neighbors forever. Not only do signals not penetrate thicker walls, there are also way more channels available than just the 3 non-overlapping channels in the 2.4 GHz band.

 

The best way to set up a wireless network is to put a 5 GHz access point in every room or area that needs coverage. Give them all the same network name (SSID) and password but have them all use a different channel. Devices will automatically roam as needed without you even noticing it. Reception is great everywhere and there are no other networks interfering with yours.

 

Some devices are better left off the wifi when possible. In my case a standalone media player under the tv has a wired connection. So does the NAS upstairs. These devices tend to pump a lot of data through the network and the less crowded the wifi is the better. Two extra access points are also connected with cables to the router. I tend to avoid using range extenders because they send the same data through the air twice (once between itself and the mobile device and once between itself and the access point who's range it is extending) at the cost of bandwidth. Of course you have to be willing to put LAN cables in your house but that's actually a very effective and low cost way of creating your own great network.

 

A proper network simply needs a proper router that can handle large amounts of data packets and data routes. That requires a relatively fast CPU and lots of RAM memory. Cheap routers supply neither of those. I also prefer routers that either have DD-WRT software installed or that can be flashed with this software. It gives so many more options than standard factory firmwares. As an example: I use my router as a printer server. The printer is connected to the router instead of my laptop so I can print from anywhere in the house without the need for special software on my laptop. The printer functions as a true network printer. DD-WRT contains even more advanced options that you don't really need unless you want to finetune your network even more. There are other solutions too such as OpenWRT and Tomato but DD-WRT tends to be more noob friendly when it comes to setting it up.

Edited by AgentSmith
Pib Star Member

Pib

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here's a layman's article on beam forming.  And once again beam forming capability needs to be built into both ends....the router and your receiving device (computer/smartphone/etc).   The beam forming feature must be built into the receiving device in order to properly respond and tell the transmitting device where the receiving device is....it's kinda like the router sending special code out in it's initial omni-directional signal asking a device to send certain code back so the router can identify which direction the device is located at so the router can alter its radiation pattern to send some more power in a certain direction(s).  

 

http://www.howtogeek.com/220774/htg-explains-what-is-beamforming-on-a-wireless-router/

 

 

How much beam forming will help a person depends.  Heck, you can simulate beaming by simply using some app that shows your Link speed connection and signal strength to the router....and then increase the distance between the device the app in running on (like a smartphone) and the router.   Numerous apps can do this...I use an app called Network Signal Info.    It's a nice app  to use just to walk around your home to find strong and weak (dead) spots....and it also should shed some more insight on the challenges of getting a good signal throughout our home, especially if you live in a two story concrete home like I do with 4 to 6 inch thick walls and a around a 6 inch second story floor.   I think you will find even the most expensive router which by law/regulation is limited putting out no more power than a cheap router can  not penetrate concrete walls any better....HOWEVER, BUT, if the expensive router say  is capable of putting out say 4 streams of data "and" your receiving device can receive 4 streams of data (most laptops and smartphone can only receive 1 or 2 streams of data at once), then the additional streams of data available can partially overcome the loss in signal power.  Remember, the weak link in the chain is the chokepoint.

 

But back to simulating beam forming and using that app, you'll be able to see the signal strength change and Link speed change at the same time as you move around....you will see in some cases getting closer to the router significantly increases the signal strength but the Link speed does not...and you know your Link speed can go higher from other closer testing or just the specification of the device.  Or you do see the Link speed go up when getting closer to the router.    Bellow link gives more info on beam forming to include some real world results versus the hype of advertising.

 

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/32329-does-beamforming-really-work

 

And also keep in mind it's becoming more common with fiber and cable internet plans that they come with special routers which will not allow "bridging" to give total control to your personal router...control that would allow  you to use  certain features which you paid for when buying the router.   And you may end-up just using that expensive/whiz-bang router in Access Point mode which turns off some features of the router since as an Access Point the primary router (i..e., the ISP provider router) is still in overall control.    No, I'm not saying a high end router is a waste of money....it all depends on "your" situation/requirements/residence/etc.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Pib
Pib Star Member

Pib

Posted
Posted

First image below is a good example of what a router's signal radiation pattern "really" looks like it's using beam forming.   Notice the radiation pattern is still pretty broad and not a narrow, sharp beam like you will usually see in the advertising for a router (2nd image).  Real life and advertising quite often are far apart.  

 

But don't get me wrong, beam forming is a definite plus and is common on high-end and even mid-range priced AC routers; it's just not as big of a deal as advertising tries to make it.   Plus if your receiving devices are 360 degrees around the router versus being in one general direction, the benefits of beam forming will be less.  

 

Now if you get into really high priced beam forming equipment (like some military acft radar systems) then you can get some very narrow beam forming.   Beam forming in routers is pretty basic beam forming, but good to have.

 

 

Real world

Capture.JPG

 

 

Advertisement 

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  • 2 weeks later...
KhunHeineken Platinum Member

KhunHeineken

Posted
Posted
On 30/05/2016 at 6:52 PM, Chicog said:

I'd say the ASUS RT-AC3200 or the NetGear X6 AC3200 - I have the latter wired behind my ISP's crap Huawei Fibre router and it's rock solid.

 

 

Do you have to use the ISP's router?  If it's crap, doesn't it limit the performance of your good router?

Chicog Star Member

Chicog

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

 

Do you have to use the ISP's router?  If it's crap, doesn't it limit the performance of your good router?

 

If I was able to replace Huawei with *anything* I'd do it like a shot, but generally this is tied to your ISP and mine here in the sandpit is not flexible in that regard.

Having said that, it's OK as a simple wired router, with everything else turned off. 

  • 2 months later...
KhunHeineken Platinum Member

KhunHeineken

Posted
Posted
On 23/11/2016 at 3:48 PM, KhunHeineken said:

 

 

Do you know how many switch ports you can add to a one modem or router?  Is there a limit or a limit to performance?

 

Just bumping this thread and question. 

muratremix Gold Member

muratremix

Posted
Posted

What you need is a mini pc with min. 2 lan ports (2 ethernets) and install Untangle / PFSENSE or any other firewall distro + wireless access point/router for wi-fi part.

 

Or, You can buy asus ac88u and install untangle home edition (free) or upgrade it to full version for $5 usd / month.

 

Or you can always use an Asus AC66U / AC68U or Netgear R6400 / R7000 for easier setups.

I use netgear r6300v2 with Asuswrt-Merlin fork firmware (works great) at home.

maxpower Advanced Member

maxpower

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

Just bumping this thread and question. 

QUOTE :-  Do you know how many switch ports you can add to a one modem or router?  Is there a limit or a limit to performance.

 

Technically as many as you want. The big question is, how much data will move moving through each connection and can the endpoint cope with it.

If this is about a large network then you should analyse before jumping to the hardware dept. Wireshark for example https://www.wireshark.org/

 

  • 1 month later...
KhunHeineken Platinum Member

KhunHeineken

Posted
Posted
On 20/02/2017 at 2:53 AM, maxpower said:

QUOTE :-  Do you know how many switch ports you can add to a one modem or router?  Is there a limit or a limit to performance.

 

Technically as many as you want. The big question is, how much data will move moving through each connection and can the endpoint cope with it.

If this is about a large network then you should analyse before jumping to the hardware dept. Wireshark for example https://www.wireshark.org/

 

 

 

I don't need to do it myself.  I only ask because I recently stayed in a big apartment block and happened to see what looked to me like your average residential home modem going into a huge switch box which was probably supporting every apartment on every floor of the building and didn't think you could put so many switches on a regular modem.  The internet in the place worked fine. 

 

I remember the name of the modem because I had never heard of them.  It was DrayTek.  They must be good to handle that workload. 

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