My current Asus RT-AC68U router is starting to act up. It's 5 years old, so maybe wearing out.
So trying to be proactive for replacement.
This router has served my needs well and I can still buy one. That makes it easy to configure as I can just download my saved configuration. One nice think about ASUS is the have their own dynamic dns so I don't have to pay for that.
But, wondering what other suggestions you folks have. Need the basics of course, dual band, VPN server, etc. And something that won't break the bank.
I have a Netgear R9000 Nighthawk X10, but after having to have it replaced for defects 4 different times within a 12 month period (and Netgears terrible customer service) I now use it as an access point and have an Asus RT-AX88U as my main router.
I use Ubiquiti AmpliFi products. I currently have one main Amplifi and an additional one wired into the other part of the house tied into the same network. I currently have 5 meshpoints scattered around for fluent coverage. The units are SOLID and I have had NO issues in the two years that I have had them. My wifi coverage is fluent with no gaps.
One new feature that was just added to the firmware (at no extra charge) is built-in remote VPN for mobile devices back to the main router. There is an app that installs and when activated it puts the remote device directly on the local network at home across the VPN, very handy.
Only negatives... If you buy the AmpliFi HD package it comes with 2 meshpoints. Those meshpoints are permanently paired with that unit and cant be moved to another AmpliFi base unit. You have to buy additional meshpoints separately to pair them to other AmpliFi units. Many 802.11 WiFi networks claim that they are a mesh network. None are truly mesh (like Z-Wave) and they are really extenders (Ubiquiti included). They still work great. The other negative is that they only allow one subnet (up to 254 devices) that is causing me some grief as I am bumping that limit. Ubiquiti support told me that that is how it is designed (marketing, I'm sure)
I was going to post a similar question since my older ASUS router is acting up. My children are also teens so having built in web filtering and logging would be a plus that way I can monitor what they are accessing. I am using OpenDNS now for content filtering but it would be nice to have more visibility into what they are searching for.
I do have 2 UniFi AP-Lite APs hard wired to my ASUS router broadcasting the same SSID
I have never liked consumer grade routers. They seldom get much in the way of upgrades and these things are security devices. I have used open source router software like pfsense on an open router hardware platform for years. There are lots of inexpensive hardware routers made for pfsense. For the last 2 or three years I have used the Sophos XG firewall software. It is free for home use and it has been regularly updated/upgraded. Loads of control and insight into what is happening on the network.
I use seperate devices for WiFi. I use Ubiquiti access points, which also get updated and upgraded very regularly.
With my setup, I do not expect to need updating hardware anywhere near as often as I would with a consumer grade device.
I was a fan of Eero for a while, as some of my posts probably mentioned.. But the platform has stagnated badly compared to others. Stability got worse when Amazon acquired them so I bolted.
I made a move to UniFi and have been pretty happy so far. I went with CloudKey Gen 2 Plus for the controller. Wireless is done with 3 UAP-Pro APs (still need one more) plus one AC-M outdoors for the back yard. Everything tied together with two switches; a 24 port 250w PoE and a 24 port non-PoE. I went in that direction because it was $200 cheaper than a single 48 port switch. These replaced a tangle of small consumer switches.
The USG Pro 4 was the security gateway I chose as it can do up to about 250mbps with IPS/IDS enabled. That is under the max speed of the business class FiOS package I have. FiOS connects to WAN1 on the USG and a cheap, Amazon-special 4G hotspot connects to WAN2. Auto-failover enabled and was tested for the first time yesterday when a semi took down my FiOS fiber drop (and others on the street). Worked flawlessly.
It's truly nice to have things segregated across several VLANs (Management, Guest, User, SmartHome) with separate WiFi SSIDs for each. Many of my devices are now PoE-powered, including two of my Hubitat hubs and an Arlo base station that I'm keeping.
I really like the visibility of the network, things like intrusion alerts or even connection attempts to the guest network. All of these things are usually hidden to users on most consumer routers. I was very annoyed when I first saw numerous attempts by neighbors to connect my guest network. It irritated me so much that I turned on voucher-based guest access and set up two plans linked to PayPal. When they try to connect they're asked to provide a credit card. So far nobody has. lol
It's probably over the top for most, but it is a worthwhile investment in my opinion.
I've been using the Asus RT-AC66U for years and it's been the best consumer grade router I've had as far as stability goes. I haven't used WiFi on it for the last few years as I've been using Unifi APs. If I were to get a new one at this point it would either be another ASUS or the Unifi security gateway.
The Ubiquiti UniFi line is clearly a good platform. Its fast and efficient and is a Pro level platform. The problem in the past has been dealing with a separate controller. Now Ubiquiti has introduced this and I have yet to get my hands on it to play.... but the concept sounds good
That literally came out a week after I took delivery on mine! It wouldn’t have changed my mind since I’m also doing Protect video. The UDM doesn’t run the Protect software that I know of. Supposedly the UDM pro will.
I have the Cloud Key Gen2 + on my desk. It’s nice to see the status screens update although the hard drive is a bit noisy.
I plan to investigate the UDM Pro when it comes out. If the price is worth it.
@automation@srwhite how are parental controls on the Ubiquitis? I really need a good solution to Monitor my teenagers. I have 2 AC Lites already assuming they would work.
Another Ubiquiti fan. I have 3 Unifi APs, and an Edgerouter Lite 3. I also run a Cloud Key gen 1, but I'm looking at the Gen2 with storage so I can get some unifi PoE cameras.
I don't know about the USG Router/Firewall, but the Edgerouter doesn't appear to have any Parental Controls, just Firewall rules, which as @srwhite said are more corporate oriented. That's not to say you couldn'timplement blacklists and the like, but it would be a little bit more difficult, and I don't know if you could implement time based rules and the like.
I didn't bother with Parental Controls in my house. Not saying it worked out well...lol
I love the Ubiquiti stuff after replacing a very unreliable Asus GT-AC5300. All those glowing reviews that talk about range and throughput don't have much to say about reliability - lesson learned. I used the the Unifi USG, a Cloudkey G2m nano-HD APs, and a couple of managed switches, but would have bought their Dream Machine instead if it had been available at the time. Their management interface is wonderful and powerful.
Just buy a midrange TP Link, and upgrade every couple years when new features or wireless bands come out. Why buy a $300 router and hold onto it forever, when you could buy three $75 ones (new one every 2-3 years) and be further ahead technology-wise 8-10 years in the future.
I have never had a TP Link modem or router fail and I have used them exclusively for many years. They seem to be more reliable than the Netgear and Linksys and similar brands where you pay twice as much.
Already having a Synology NAS, I went with one of their routers. Very similar interface, so much less of a learning curve. Wish is supported multiple SSIDs though. No issues for the year I've had it.
As many people have said in this thread, I'm a Ubiquiti fan. Have installed many Amplifi setups ranging from small houses with just a basestation to several mesh points to cover multiple floors. If you wanna play around with enterprise you can also go full UAP-ACs and have rock solid reliability with enterprise controller support to boot. I'm running a USG with Unifi switches and APs in my house with 2 years of uptime. Only time I ever have to touch it is when I'm adding ports to forward or changing VLANs.
I'd really appreciate your feedback on the the Dream Machine. I've been using the EdgeRouter, CloudKey, and Pro APs for both home and small business installs. I'm thinking about replacing my home EdgeRouter and CloudKey with the Dream Machine.
My sons school had a required parent meeting where local police and even the secret service discussed current online behaviors of kids these days and laws. Scare tactics for sure but getting pressure from wife now to put more restrictions.
