Best in coverage

[Smokindog]

Hi, I took one of my AC3100's and an AC68U to a friends house to see how well we could cover without having to pull new wires. I'm not interested in AIMesh. We got decent coverage and he's ready to buy. I'll hook him up with an AC68U but I need to find him something suitable for the main router with at least as good and preferably better WiFi performance than the AC3100.

I know the AC3100 has been a solid performer for coverage and was wondering what the top 2-3 choices are from the current ASUS line. I was thinking the AX86U or the AX5400. That said, there is no hard requirement for AX and it may be better to get an AC router now and migrate it to the AP role when the next generation of AX routers come out. Budget can be pushed up to the high 2's but would prefer in the low 2's or below.

Anyway, I know @L&LD has a lot of experience in this area and the AC3100 performance specifically.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hi, I took one of my AC3100's and an AC68U to a friends house to see how well we could cover without having to pull new wires. I'm not interested in AIMesh. We got decent coverage and he's ready to buy. I'll hook him up with an AC68U but I need to find him something suitable for the main router with at least as good and preferably better WiFi performance than the AC3100.

I know the AC3100 has been a solid performer for coverage and was wondering what the top 2-3 choices are from the current ASUS line. I was thinking the AX86U or the AX5400. That said, there is no hard requirement for AX and it may be better to get an AC router now and migrate it to the AP role when the next generation of AX routers come out. Budget can be pushed up to the high 2's but would prefer in the low 2's or below.

Anyway, I know @L&LD has a lot of experience in this area and the AC3100 performance specifically.

Asus is offering WLAN rebates on the AC3100 and AC86U:

Rebate Center | ASUS USA

Welcome to ASUS USA rebate center. Enter a rebate submission, check status of a rebate, or view current rebate offers.

asusmir.com

The above doesn't clarify the rebate amount, but B&H Photo suggests the rebate amounts are $20 ($40 for the 2-pack) and $10, respectively.

Asus router | B&H Photo Video

Shop B&H's in stock, large inventory for fast shipping, great service and everyday low prices on Asus router. For more info, please call 800-947-4415

www.bhphotovideo.com

I got my last 86U from B&H on Special for $179 total in Aug without incident.

OE

 

[Smokindog]

I've bought things from B&H before, mostly good experiences even when I had issues. Not as "smooth" as others but acceptable. Think online experience of 5-6 years ago

Do you have any data on the coverage they provide as compared to the AC3100? That's the thing I'm looking to get more info about.

 

[L&LD]

@Smokindog, the RT-AC3100 was a great router for range. It has been eclipsed by both the RT-AC86U and the RT-AX88U, even if the range is slightly better overall on the older router.

What did your experiments with the RT-AC3100 and the RT-AC68U in your friend's house show? Does a single router cover the required areas adequately?

What ISP speeds are involved here (u/d)? What is the network usage for your friend, normally? What is the SqFt of the home?

Why is AiMesh not on the table (at least as a possibility)? Many customers are using this with great experiences and no Ethernet runs required (but I feel are 'needed' for the higher ISP speed offerings).

If you're buying a single router, I would be tempted by the RT-AX86U (when RMerlin support arrives - it has been announced...) if it can be placed centrally and the ISP speeds are over 500Mbps u/d symmetrical.

Ultimately, any of the suggestions in this post are possibilities and are effectively comparable. The RT-AC3100, even with its stellar range, is not a router I would buy new or at full price today.

 

[Smokindog]

@Smokindog, the RT-AC3100 was a great router for range. It has been eclipsed by both the RT-AC86U and the RT-AX88U, even if the range is slightly better overall on the older router.

What did your experiments with the RT-AC3100 and the RT-AC68U in your friend's house show? Does a single router cover the required areas adequately?

What ISP speeds are involved here (u/d)? What is the network usage for your friend, normally? What is the SqFt of the home?

Why is AiMesh not on the table (at least as a possibility)? Many customers are using this with great experiences and no Ethernet runs required (but I feel are 'needed' for the higher ISP speed offerings).

If you're buying a single router, I would be tempted by the RT-AX86U (when RMerlin support arrives - it has been announced...) if it can be placed centrally and the ISP speeds are over 500Mbps u/d symmetrical.

Ultimately, any of the suggestions in this post are possibilities and are effectively comparable. The RT-AC3100, even with its stellar range, is not a router I would buy new or at full price today.

You and I have and others have had many exchanges on AiMesh and why I don't believe a 2 radio solution is well conceived and the problems it introduces. Plus, it's not really a mesh to begin with, so no, AiMesh is off the table for me. Too many shortcomings/problems and absolutely no benefits IMO (we all get to have those) SO, let's move on from AiMESS!

Back to my question. The AC3100 did most of the "work areas" well and where he had wire already pulled the AC68 as an AP picked up the slack as expected. That's why I am looking for something that has been shown to perform at least as well from a coverage perspective as the AC3100. It would be silly to pay $250 for an AC3100 IMO Has anyone produced coverage tests/comparisons? If so, I've not found them. I'd like to get him in the cost cost effective solution for the moment. I thought you'd have the most experience from a range/coverage perspective.

OH, his WAN is nothing "special". Either 100/100 or 200/200 ........ I forget.

THANKS!

 

[L&LD]

I remember 'AiMess'.

It has grown up now though.

The following link may be useful?

RT-AX88U Upgrade https://www.snbforums.com/threads/b...ta-is-now-available.60037/page-31#post-531024

With an ISP below 500/500 u/d Mbps, I feel AiMesh is very useful when running wires is not an option. Above that, performance suffers (as it would with any 'repeater' in the network).

Where the 'wire is already pulled', is there at least two Ethernet cables, or can another be pulled there? Maybe make that the central router location...

 

[Smokindog]

I remember 'AiMess'.

It has grown up now though.

The following link may be useful?

RT-AX88U Upgrade https://www.snbforums.com/threads/b...ta-is-now-available.60037/page-31#post-531024

With an ISP below 500/500 u/d Mbps, I feel AiMesh is very useful when running wires is not an option. Above that, performance suffers (as it would with any 'repeater' in the network).

Where the 'wire is already pulled', is there at least two Ethernet cables, or can another be pulled there? Maybe make that the central router location...

I'm still looking for wireless coverage comparisons of newer models. Do you have any data on that? AiMESS will never be acceptable to me on a 2 radio router and even on a 3, not so much, unless the 3rd radio is a different technology.

 

[L&LD]

But, you have a wired connection available, no?

 

[Smokindog]

But, you have a wired connection available, no?

YES but I see ZERO benefit in AiMESS. Please, I do NOT have any interest in that "feature". Too many issues it introduces and has no benefit to AP mode. You'll never convince me otherwise and I'll never use it.

I'd really like to know about range/coverage of current models as compared to the AC3100.

THANKS!

 

[L&LD]

@Smokindog, your call, no worries. But you won't be using it? This is for your friend, correct? I'll repeat, no issues for many customers (and I'll drop that there).

I'll also repeat that the range/coverage of the newer models I mentioned have never been an issue for anyone. The benefits the newer models offer trumps any variance in range.

 

[Smokindog]

@Smokindog, your call, no worries. But you won't be using it? This is for your friend, correct? I'll repeat, no issues for many customers (and I'll drop that there).

I'll also repeat that the range/coverage of the newer models I mentioned have never been an issue for anyone. The benefits the newer models offer trumps any variance in range.

A lot of people don't have problems with a lot of things because they don't know enough to know that they're having problems

Anyway, I want the range to be equivalent or better. To your knowledge, have any of them been directly compared?

 

[L&LD]

Did you read the link I posted above?

 

[Smokindog]

Did you read the link I posted above?

Ya, you said that things haven't been an issue but that doesn't tell me much as to how they compare specifically to the AC3100

OK, I do now see toward the end the distance and "walls" comment. I had missed that before.