"Best" new router that supports Merlin?

[pjd50]

Why you're looking at bunch of home routers then? I would get better looking APs with PoE instead. You have plans to replace the switch anyway.

Any recommendations? Just that I have in my own home 3 RT-AC68Us set up in wired Mesh and it has been nothing but stable and beautiful.

I tried Unifi before and it was just not a great experience.

I just want the most STABLE connection / system possible (highest priority for me).

 

[pjd50]

Why you're looking at bunch of home routers then? I would get better looking APs with PoE instead. You have plans to replace the switch anyway.

Plus ... I love having Merlin firmware!! I guess I could just get one GT-AX6000, but then I'd need 2 APs that will play nicely with it...

 

[Tech9]

I just want the most STABLE connection / system possible

The hardware choice is yours, but I don't think AiMesh and home routers running 3rd party firmware is the best you can get given the fact you already have the infrastructure. If it was the business market would be dead already and I would have 8x spiders hanging off the ceiling of my office. Anyway, get whatever you feel more comfortable with and fits your budget. Good luck.

 

[jjones7791]

Any recommendations? Just that I have in my own home 3 RT-AC68Us set up in wired Mesh and it has been nothing but stable and beautiful.

I tried Unifi before and it was just not a great experience.

I just want the most STABLE connection / system possible (highest priority for me).

Your experience is about the same as mine. Tried Unifi and was NOT impressed at all, and despise Netgear, never had good luck with them. After that I went all in with Asus and already had an AC86U bridged to the Unifi, then got a AX86U Pro and AX86U. Have the pro running Merlin, the other two running stock as mesh endpoints, and I've had zero issues. Not to mention the pro is running Merlin along with Diversion and Skynet and the load barely goes past 1.25 with somewhere around 40 devices always connected.

My two cents is go with higher end Asus. You already know them, and you just get better wifi and performance with the higher end models.

 

[pjd50]

Your experience is about the same as mine. Tried Unifi and was NOT impressed at all, and despise Netgear, never had good luck with them. After that I went all in with Asus and already had an AC86U bridged to the Unifi, then got a AX86U Pro and AX86U. Have the pro running Merlin, the other two running stock as mesh endpoints, and I've had zero issues. Not to mention the pro is running Merlin along with Diversion and Skynet and the load barely goes past 1.25 with somewhere around 40 devices always connected.

My two cents is go with higher end Asus. You already know them, and you just get better wifi and performance with the higher end models.

Thank you so much for this and giving me the confidence in my decision. @Tech9 had me really questioning this ... he is probably right to some degree... but you love what you know, and know what you love ... and for me that is ASUS. Just ASUS had a cheaper option for the Access Points that still gives me excellent range with WiFi 6. But I think this set-up will last me years toc ome...

 

[Tech9]

It's cheaper and more user friendly solution at least. The best you can get? Definitely not.

 

[jjones7791]

It's cheaper and more user friendly solution at least. The best you can get? Definitely not.

If you don't mind humoring me, what do you feel is the best setup if money were no object? Something like Cisco controller with dedicated PoE APs, something like that?

I'm curious also because like I mentioned before regarding Unifi, soooo many people (not on this forum per say) talked them up like they were just rock solid and I had hardware die within a few months, and never really good throughput or connectivity regardless of what I tried.

 

[Viktor Jaep]

It's cheaper and more user friendly solution at least. The best you can get? Definitely not.

That's where the Google Nest Pro comes in... No denying it...

 

[Tech9]

Something like Cisco controller with dedicated PoE APs

If you want Cisco they have cheaper APs now CWB150AX and CBW151AXM mesh extenders with no licensing or controller requirement. They are good alternative for home use. Ubiquiti UniFi and TP-Link Omada are other low cost options good for home deployment. We have few people around building Omada networks with EAP615-Wall and EAP610/620 compact PoE APs. I believe one forum member has the big boys EAP670. We have few people around happy with Zyxel APs different models. I know three forum members running Cisco APs. I'm using Ruckus APs at home, but they are expensive for home use. I also have Cisco APs in another residential place. Once you have Ethernet cables - there are options. It's not just Wi-Fi, but management, network planning, expandability, upgradeability, processing power if x86 hardware firewall is used. May not be as cheap or user friendly, but better.

From home "mesh" systems Google Wifi and Amazon eero are better than AiMesh, believe it or not.

Just found one more Omada user here with Asus on Asuswrt-Merlin as wired router. It works this way too with some limitations.

 

[Prodeje79]

Just found one more Omada user here with Asus on Asuswrt-Merlin as wired router. It works this way too with some limitations.

Present! https://i.ibb.co/Q8G49FN/PXL-20220809-042054386.jpg
Debating what router to get next!

 

[Tech9]

I would try something x86 based running pfSense/OPNsense. I personally use pfSense on Netgate 5100 appliance.