Advice on buying new router

[Rossmon]

Hi Im sure this is asked all the time but its 9/24 and interested in 9/24 answers!
After waiting since last Feb. full 10gb fibre is going active and i have an install date fir oct4.
So whats the best least expensive purchase with 10gb wan port and at least 2 10gb outputs. I’ve used and installed all the brands over a lifetime career in IT but retired and not up on the latest. Im partial to ASUS, running an obsolete rt ac5300 now.
With that said, i’ll start looking around!

Thanks
Ross

 

[degrub]

All series｜WiFi 7｜ASUS Global

In ASUS ãAll seriesã - Networking / IoT / Servers , you could find most appropriate Networking / IoT / Servers based on product features, specification or price. And you also could get product's detail information and comparsion, even add it into the wish list in buy page.

www.asus.com

Looks to be the latest and closest from asus.

You will likely have to go with a different company to get what you are asking for AND have it be able to handle 10G WAN-LAN , LAN-LAN and do anything else. WIFI 7 is a work in progress from what i read. So expect unstable firmware.

 

[tgl]

If you want high-end hardware like that, I think you'd be nuts to get an AIO router. Get a wired-only router and some wifi APs. The router will be good for years if not decades; the APs not so much.

 

[Rossmon]

Thanks for the info! Hi end routers would be nice but $400-$800 is way more than I can or want to spend on a new router! My old rt 5300 was in that price range but a customer gave it to me years ago and don’t have clients anymore to impress or be knowledgeable for! Retirement is a great thing!
Wifi 7 is unimportant for me, it’s been many years since I was a game player!
Wifi 6 will be just fine and this will be the first time I have ever used it! Our two recent Macs, iPhones, will be as happy as clams in the sand on wifi6.
Our 77” 4K LG OLED will connect via ethernet and thats about it. I have an awesome stereo but it’s all old analogue gear featuring a dolby 5.2 preamp with no need for networking there.
There’s a real old Apple TV which I will probably update now and that’s it!
Looks like I’ll go with last years routers with 2.5gb wan ports unless I see a real deal or something open box etc.

 

[Rossmon]

I’m looking at the

ASUS ROG Rapture WiFi 6 AX Gaming Router (GT-AX6000) Dual 2.5G WAN/LAN​

$229 new at Amazon. Looks to be the most bang for the buck . Have to look more but assume I can use the 2nd 2.5gb port for an ethernet backhaul should I decide the wifi 6 range is not enough to my furthest areas.

 

[tiddlywink]

..

 

[Rossmon]

Asus TUF-AX6000 flashed to openwrt. Can not achieve any better bang for the buck. Goes on sale down to $130. 2.5G WAN, 2.5G LAN, allows for 2.5G AP, supports gigabit sqm, full vlan support, etc.


10G fiber on a budget is filogic 880:

2 x SFP+ (wifi doesn't work yet and their might be bugs still)

Banana Pi BPI-R4 - Banana Pi Wiki

wiki.banana-pi.org

If you want to stick with Asus firmware, BE88U should be $299 this holiday.

Looks better still! right now $194 amazon Thanks I’ll watch prices I have over a week until I need something!

 

[Tech9]

What is 10Gbps ISP plan needed for?

 

[Rossmon]

My isp provides it for $50 a month! Sonic.net is rhe cheapest and fastest ISP, offering full 10gbs on fibre in America. No need to ask what it’s needed for just enjoy as much of it as you can!
Plus, excellent support from folks who speak American english! That gets more important the older you get when you eventually need hearing aids!
I pay about $150 now for 1.2gbs including a landline phone from Xfinity with terrible support and a 2year contract.
AT&T offers around 600mb on fibre for almost $100 with a monthly deal plus $25 more for a landline. I also pay an extra $10 for a landline, so $60 complete from Sonic on a month to month deal.
One day if i can use more than 1-2.5gbs its there!
I remember looking at an all glass repeater with tiny mirrors builtin for fibre around 1984! I was an engineer for Novell then just before I joined 3Com and started working for Dr Metcalfe, the co-inventor of ethernet.
Fibre and the primitive glass repeater I examined then seemed like a dream for the next 30 years and now its a residential reality!
I’m not questioning or complaining about any extra speed I can’t use!!!

 

[degrub]

My isp provides it for $50 a month! Sonic.net is rhe cheapest and fastest ISP, offering full 10gbs on fibre in America. No need to ask what it’s needed for just enjoy as much of it as you can!
Plus, excellent support from folks who speak American english! That gets more important the older you get when you eventually need hearing aids!
I pay about $150 now for 1.2gbs including a landline phone from Xfinity with terrible support and a 2year contract.
AT&T offers around 600mb on fibre for almost $100 with a monthly deal plus $25 more for a landline. I also pay an extra $10 for a landline, so $60 complete from Sonic on a month to month deal.
One day if i can use more than 1-2.5gbs its there!
I remember looking at an all glass repeater with tiny mirrors builtin for fibre around 1984! I was an engineer for Novell then just before I joined 3Com and started working for Dr Metcalfe, the co-inventor of ethernet.
Fibre and the primitive glass repeater I examined then seemed like a dream for the next 30 years and now its a residential reality!
I’m not questioning or complaining about any extra speed I can’t use!!!

LOL
We installed single mode fiber for a LAN across our chemical plant back around 1990.

 

[Tech9]

I’m not questioning or complaining about any extra speed I can’t use!!!

Get an RT-AX88U Pro then. Popular around, normal looking version of GT-AX6000.

 

[Rossmon]

Get an RT-AX88U Pro then. Popular around, normal looking version of GT-AX6000.

THe GT-AX6000 is $33+$3tax cheaper! Looks? I never see it, it’s hidden in the tech closet! I’m ordering it now, returns are free if I don’t like it for any reason...
Thanks for your input!

 

[Rossmon]

Sonic arrived Friday 10/04 and I now have the fastest cheapest consumer internet in the USA 10gbs for $50 a month!
Installed the asus TUF ax6000 easily and here’s what i’m getting within 20’ of the router! I got a small spool of Cat6 cable but its been too friggin hot to want to start running wire around my big home. so using older Cat 5e for now to the 2.5gb wan port. The wifi 6 doesn’t reach from one end to the other of my 3200sq. ft home in any useable form. Planning on buying the Asus ax4200 for the extension. Waiting for amazons prime days starting on the 8th but right now a new one is $123.

 

[Tech9]

I’m looking at the ASUS ROG Rapture WiFi 6 AX Gaming Router (GT-AX6000)

Installed the asus TUF ax6000

TUF-AX6000 is cheaper, but this model is not the popular around GT-AX6000.

Main differences:
TUF-AX6000 - MediaTek SoC, 0.5GB RAM, stock Asuswrt 4.0 (no VLAN support), AiProtection, 3rd party firmware OpenWrt (no mesh)
GT-AX6000 - Broadcom SoC, 1GB RAM, stock Asuswrt 5.0 (VLAN support), AiProtection Pro, 3rd party firmware Asuswrt-Merlin (AiMesh)

 

[tiddlywink]

...

 

[Rossmon]

TUF-AX6000 is cheaper, but this model is not the popular around GT-AX6000.

Main differences:
TUF-AX6000 - MediaTek SoC, 0.5GB RAM, stock Asuswrt 4.0 (no VLAN support), AiProtection, 3rd party firmware OpenWrt (no mesh)
GT-AX6000 - Broadcom SoC, 1GB RAM, stock Asuswrt 5.0 (VLAN support), AiProtection Pro, 3rd party firmware Asuswrt-Merlin (AiMesh)

Sorry, I have the GT version! Accidentally, left out the extra letters!
As for 10gb routing, absolutely no need for this with my small home network in a big house, kids grown and gone!
My wife and I each have a late model Mac, one Apple TV and two smart TV’s, one b&w printer!
I’ll see what the pricing is for Amazons prime days to decide on which 2nd router with one or two 2.5 ports. Everything is on wifi except for tying the two routers, the Apple TV and my bigger smart tv using a 1gb port. I also have an ancient apple router for sending tunes to my old analogue but priceless stereo!

 

[tiddlywink]

...

 

[Tech9]

My wife and I each have a late model Mac, one Apple TV and two smart TV’s, one b&w printer!

In this case you are paying extra for features you perhaps won't use or need. How many of your devices have 2.5GbE ports?

Minimum required support period for UK is listed for UK requirements compliance. Unrelated to actual support period globally.

 

[Rossmon]

The 2.5 is used for the wan connection to the fibre modem and second port will be used for attaching a second router for extending.
Really only need the cheaper router with a single 2.5 port in the extension so my garage and master bedroom has excellent coverage for things like utube car repair videos, web surfing and email. The extra ethernet ports will come in handy for the occasional old client where I’m rebuilding a Mac and want ethernet for a fail proof operation..

 

[Tech9]

None of this needs or will ever reach 2.5GbE speeds including everything connected to the second router. If you insist - RT-AX86U Pro, takes less space, Asuswrt 5.0 compatible and matching the firmware on your main router. Connected wired or wireless - won’t make any difference in user experience on the devices you plan to you it with. You are overpaying for hardware.