Help choosing new router

[NoQontrol]

Hello all,

My old ASUS RT-AC52U is singing for the last time as we speak.
So I’m looking for new one for my house.

I have been looking on these three solutions:

1. ASUS RT-AC68U
2. ASUS RT-AC86U
3. TP-LINK Deco M4 (Mesh)

Info on house:
- Two story
- Brick walls
- 100/100 Mbps internet
- Primary use 4K streaming and gaming and smart home gear.
- max budget around170 dollar

Which solution would you choose?
Or do you have other recommendations?

In advance thanx

 

[thiggins]

Did the AC52U meet your needs for range and bandwidth? If it did, either of the ASUSes should work fine. I'd stay away from the Deco. It's not a good performer.
https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/rankers/wifi-system/view

 

[coxhaus]

He would probably get more answers if posted in the ASUS forums and not the wired router forum.

 

[NoQontrol]

Did the AC52U meet your needs for range and bandwidth? If it did, either of the ASUSes should work fine. I'd stay away from the Deco. It's not a good performer.
https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/rankers/wifi-system/view

The range was fine on my Asus router mostly full bar on my devices, but the bandwidth it delivered could have been better.

 

[Val D.]

RT-AC86U is the best router in sub-$200 category. It is basically RT-AC68U successor with new much faster hardware and better radios. If the old RT-AC52U used to cover the house well, RT-AC86U will cover it even better with much faster speeds to clients. It's about 30% faster on same distances compared to RT-AC68U, for example.

 

[realreed]

I think I would go for the tp-link, have had one previously and did not disappoint.

 

[Trip]

RT-AC86U is the best router in sub-$200 category.

For Asus, perhaps. Otherwise, one could make a serious argument for the Zyxel NBG6817, which is basically the R7800 (and its slightly better wireless performance) for $80 less; even less than the 86U. Load OpenWRT with LuCi and it's the sleeper in the segment right now, IMHO.

 

[Val D.]

For Asus, perhaps. Otherwise, one could make a serious argument for the Zyxel NBG6817, which is basically the R7800 (and its slightly better wireless performance) for $80 less; even less than the 86U. Load OpenWRT with LuCi and it's the sleeper in the segment right now, IMHO.

You won't see me recommending RT-AC86U anymore. There are indeed better routers for home use for less money. Even custom firmware is not that important for majority of users. It was a very pleasant experience for me to test TP-Link Archer C2300, based on the same hardware as RT-AC86U. A compact device with modern UI, very simple setup, excellent WiFi and the most important part - what is offered in firmware options just works. Proper hardware + software package for about $120.

 

[Trip]

Very encouraging regarding the C2300, more so for factory firmware that just works than anything else I'd say. It is nice to be able to recommend people something that functions as it should out of the box.

 

[Val D.]

Very encouraging regarding the C2300

I'm playing with it for couple of days only, but so far everything works really well. It even has the same TrendMicro components as AiProtection (called HomeCare) and Adaptive QoS. The UI is really fresh and made to be easy for home users. The firmware doesn't have fancy features, but everything needed is there plus some extras. It's a 3x3 router with newer generation radio modules and the performance is excellent. I see no difference compared to RT-AC86U with my devices. Link speeds are similar, throughput is similar, range is similar, even feels more smooth when opening web pages and loading video content. And all this for about $120.