Just upgraded to RT-AC66U, price dropped, should I get something else?

[1150A]

Hi All,

So I bought a new router a couple weeks ago. I had a Belkin N150 prior that I've had since college. Always used it and reset it every single day almost.. thought it was the norm. I soon realized I wasn't making the most of my current 150 Mbps Comcast plan, so rather than digging around with router settings, I figured I would need to upgrade.

Now, I have the RT-AC66U and it's pretty awesome. No issues really.. though, I don't really dive into all features of the router either. As long as it's stable, I'm good! First time with 5GHz band and range is not the greatest, but overall speed in both bands is definitely better than before. I'm planning to also get a NAS setup soon, but that's about it.

I really am just looking for something stable that I can set and forget. I'm not a big fan of tinkering with this networking stuff. I also move a lot and want something that is sturdy and will last more than 3 years.

So now the RT-AC66U is like $50 cheaper than I bought it, so I'm probably going to return and exchange. That said, I paid with a Gift card that will have a balance after this. I don't mind spending more on a router, but in terms of functionality, performance, and stability.. will the newer AC68 or something like the Blackhawk be worth it? Or should I go with the tired and true RT-AC66U and spending that extra $$ on NAS setup?

Devices:
2 Macbook Pros (newest version)
2 iPhone 6
1 apple tv (2nd gen)

Needs: Reliable, NAS

 

[TexasFlood]

If it's $50 cheaper now, many companies will provide a refund for the difference, if it's a recent purchase anyway. If it's doing what you need that is. If you want to run your NAS off the router then you'd probably benefit from more CPU horsepower like maybe a RT-AC68U or better.

 

[L&LD]

The RT-AC66U is a first generation AC class router that is surpassed by the 'original' RT-AC68U and above (and the hardware equivalent RT-AC56U if you have clients with 2 antennae or less). That first generation router is hardware equivalent to the even older RT-N66U and the latest routers (RT-AC3100, RT-AC88U and RT-AC5300) all have noticeable performance differences from anything previously.

Note that the latest versions of the RT-AC68U come with a dual core 1GHz processor (an upgrade from the original of 800MHz).

The 'tired and true' RT-AC66U is a nice slip.

I would be looking at either the RT-AC68U (with the 1GHz processor or not) or the RT-AC3100 for your needs.

The RT-AC3100 (or above) offers link aggregation (for your NAS, if similarly equipped) and dual core 1.4GHz processor.

Your budget may balk at the options you have to upgrade your network to todays levels, but you'll be getting the most from your ISP and your devices for a long time to come.

 

[jegesq]

If all you're going to do is surf the web, watch some streaming video, listen to some music, and transfer files back and forth from a basic NAS (connected not to a USB port, but to one of the LAN ports), the RT-AC66U will be more than sufficient to handle your needs.

If you are a "set and forget" type of person, the AC66U is just fine. The increase in performance you might notice if you're just using it with a few devices (e.g., a couple of computers, a few phones, a small NAS, and maybe a streaming device or two and/or a smart TV, etc.) vs. what you'd see from the AC68U, is, in my view, de minimus.

I started off using just one AC66, then set up another one as a Repeater, and that set up worked fine for a while. As my networking needs grew (e.g., three separate NASes, and about 20+ devices), I bought an AC3200, and set up one of the AC66's in Repeater, and the other as a Media Bridge. I also added one more media bridge device (a WD AC1200 Bridge, no longer in production) to serve a Slingbox, a Wii and one more PC.

I justify the upgrades to the added complexity of my basic network, as well as an increase in the service tier from my ISP (TWC, 300/20 now), but truth be told, for a modest number of client devices, and relatively fast but not extreme download/upload speeds, the AC66 is a great workhorse, made even better with Merlin's firmware.

My advice: Get the discount from the price drop and spend the $50 on something else, maybe a new internal .11ac network card for your laptop, or an external USB .11ac adapter. Or a nice bottle of wine. Or just take the money and donate it to a homeless shelter.