4K wireless streaming +VPN+Kill switch+excellent wireless coverage

[Praveen Johri]

Hello

I need some advice on what could be the best solution for my requirements. I am looking to upgrade my virgin home hub 3.0 to provide a better router and wifi solution for my growing needs.

Environment - semi detached house with ground, first and second floors. Both 2.4G and 5.1G bands are congested in neighbourhood, every other person owns a virgin broadband in my area(it is the fastest here)

Internet - 350Mbps down and 150Mbps up link. On wired network I get the given speed i.e. about 45MB/S

Now, I want to implement split tunneling type fo solution where certain devices go via VPN and certain via open connection.
Onr of Primary requirement is with VPN there is no loss of data transfer rate. I understand VPN causes load on CPU therefore reducing the bandwidth transferred. I would like to hit the same speed I am getting with VPN since my primary downloading will happen on VPN.(obviously, correct VPN provider plays a role here but assuming I get one, hardware or software should not restrict from hitting 300Mbps+ bandwidth over VPN)

Equally improtant is to be able to stream from ground floor to second floor in the house on either 2.4 or 5 G network. This will include both online streaming of media and with in home network streaming of media via server.

WiFi6 is not a primary requirement, however, if I am to spend for top of range router to meet my requirements then I as well get AX.

Now, I had been a long time user of Asus routers and Merlin firmware. I enjoyed split tunneling with Merlin in my old flat with two bedrooms and on ADSL+ line. Hardware was capable to provide VPN speeds close to my ADSL line but since I have moved in this property I am struggling to find the right solution.

Important note - I cannot and I repeat cannot implement a solution which requires running ethernet backhaul between main router and APs/etc - this is the limitation otherwise problem had been solved a while back.


I am open to both consumer grade off the shelf solutions and custom solutions.


I have recently tried Asus GT- AX1100, great network coverage, on long range not that great throughput on 5G which is what I was looking for in terms of streaming in 4K on my second floor.

Also the VPN fusion does not work as advertised. Cannot have policy exceptions set properly. ie. can't take advantage of vpn and open connection without specifying rule for every device I add to network, not sustainable.

With custom solutions like pfsense etc. router config and VPN will be resolved but not very sure on how the wifi streaming requirement can be met without implementing wired backhaul.

Enough of my rant.. please advise..

 

[coxhaus]

This sounds like it is geared toward ASUS but you posted under a wired only router forum so if you run an 18 inch Ethernet cable and use a wireless AP at the same location as the router there should not be a problem. You are limiting yourself by not using multiple APs on bandwidth. 5GHz does not penetrate very far so the top end bandwidth is limited with 1 AP.

The price of new all-in-one routers are so high now you can buy a wired router and separate wireless APs for less money.

 

[Praveen Johri]

I am not biased towards Asus but just saying that I used them before. I considered using router + wireless AP but was suggested that single AP may not cut across two floors on 5Ghz and placing another AP at first floor with wired backhaul is not possible. I am not sure if Meshed APs are available yet. Hence this post.

PS - requesting mod to move the thread if this is not the right forum. I kind of wanted advise on both router solution and wireless setup to support it.

 

[psychopomp1]

Perhaps not surprising you didn't get on well with the GT-AX11000 as its almost guaranteed to be riddled with bugs galore as it was released only 2 minutes ago (figuratively speaking). As VPN is a must for you, I would stick with Asus and forget about 802.11ax (wifi 6) if you don't have any supporting clients. I would go for the ROG GT-AC5300 as its performance seems to be fairly stable now. Hardware wise, I have the very similar Linksy EA9500 (v2) and its a superb router for wifi though its firmware isn't as feature rich as the GT-AC5300 (eg no VPN) so probably not ideal for you. As a last resort I would try out the Asus RT-AC5300 as that is also a great router with more mature firmware than the GT-AC5300. Also if you can, i would try using one of the DFS channels eg ch 120 on the 5ghz band (perfectly legal in Blighty), this is a high powered radar channel so may improve wifi for you. On the downside the router will automatically kick you off a DFS channel if it detects radar channel conflict so not a good idea to use it if you live near an airport/airfield.

 

[Praveen Johri]

Perhaps not surprising you didn't get on well with the GT-AX11000 as its almost guaranteed to be riddled with bugs galore as it was released only 2 minutes ago (figuratively speaking).

I will look in to GT-AC5300 - I got attracted to GT-AX11000 purely due to quad core CPU and 2.5G port over GT-AC5300.

On the other hand, I am also thinking about putting a UTM on old laptop and use a unifi AP which are supposed to have best wifi coverage over any consumer routers available but I got one issue, my old laptop does not have two lan ports and not even an express card slot so the only option is to use a USB 3.0 to LAN adapter

 

[coxhaus]

I think wireless AP are only better if you are using multiples. Using 1 AP has no advantage over 1 router wireless. The advantage in using a single AP may be the wired router in that it supports VLANs and stuff which SOHO routers don't.

 

[L&LD]

I think wireless AP are only better if you are using multiples. Using 1 AP has no advantage over 1 router wireless. The advantage in using a single AP may be the wired router in that it supports VLANs and stuff which SOHO routers don't.

In the strictest sense, you're right. But a single AP is better when it is able to be positioned optimally when that isn't possible with a router and all the Ethernet cables to that location that that would entail.

This allows the use of an older router to be used for the wired network and the option of updating the WiFi AP with a newer/better model as they become available. Allowing the use of the replaced WiFi AP in the role of a wired router, of course.

 

[coxhaus]

I agree if you add demographics in then the router and the wireless may need to be in different locations. You are more flexible with separate components.