Looking for Small Business Router for under $200

[Phlerb]

I currently have an RVS4000 in my house that actually works pretty well for what I need, but the lack of port forwarding options is extremely limiting (I think there are only 10 or so rules I can make for port forwarding, and I really would like 50 or more.)

What is a good replacement for this unit that would be robust, easy to configure and have the ability to set up many static IP's for my plethora of computers and IP Cams (10 cams and about 25 computers) as well as the ability to set up port forwarding for for many services to multiple computers. Wired or Wireless is fine. Cheaper is better, $200 is the maximum I want to spend, but if a $75 router works, that's great!

History: In case anyone cares - This is not for a business, but a 2 household setup with many many devices and networking hardware devices (Mostly consumer grade routers).
The RVS4000 has a cable modem coming in, and daisy chained off it there are 9+ switches or routers acting as WAP/Switches.

I have looked at many of the threads here, but did not find what I was looking for.

 

[Cloud200]

I suggest looking at the Linksys LRT224 and Cisco RV320
They are based on essentially the same hardware/firmware code base.
It ought to be an easy transition from an RVS4000

Below are emulators to the device firmware.
http://ui.linksys.com/LRT224/v1.0.2.06/
https://www.cisco.com/assets/sol/sb/RV320_Emulators/RV320_Emulator_v1.1.0.09/default.htm

 

[coxhaus]

I currently have an RVS4000 in my house that actually works pretty well for what I need, but the lack of port forwarding options is extremely limiting (I think there are only 10 or so rules I can make for port forwarding, and I really would like 50 or more.)

What is a good replacement for this unit that would be robust, easy to configure and have the ability to set up many static IP's for my plethora of computers and IP Cams (10 cams and about 25 computers) as well as the ability to set up port forwarding for for many services to multiple computers. Wired or Wireless is fine. Cheaper is better, $200 is the maximum I want to spend, but if a $75 router works, that's great!

History: In case anyone cares - This is not for a business, but a 2 household setup with many many devices and networking hardware devices (Mostly consumer grade routers).
The RVS4000 has a cable modem coming in, and daisy chained off it there are 9+ switches or routers acting as WAP/Switches.

I have looked at many of the threads here, but did not find what I was looking for.

Rather than port forward all these devices why not create a VPN LAN to LAN. Once you can have LAN access you will be able to access all the devices on the other LAN. I have done this years ago on Cisco's VPN solutions.

 

[Phlerb]

Thank you for the input. I have never heard of a VPN LAN to LAN. I will need to do some research. I have need for the forwarding to friends and family to use items inside my home network. Plex, FTP, Mumble, etc.

A follow up question to the routers above. I see that there is a single WAN port version and a Dual Port version. What is the reason for 2 ports? I have also seen NAS's with 2 ethernet ports, as well as my desktop. Reading about my server (TS140) many of the posts talk about using an Intel NIC card with 2 or more ports. Why would you need more? Can you get higher bandwidth? Can does it afford a backup port? I have so much to learn....

 

[sfx2000]

I currently have an RVS4000 in my house that actually works pretty well for what I need, but the lack of port forwarding options is extremely limiting (I think there are only 10 or so rules I can make for port forwarding, and I really would like 50 or more.)

<snip>

History: In case anyone cares - This is not for a business, but a 2 household setup with many many devices and networking hardware devices (Mostly consumer grade routers).
The RVS4000 has a cable modem coming in, and daisy chained off it there are 9+ switches or routers acting as WAP/Switches.

I have looked at many of the threads here, but did not find what I was looking for.

Wow... first thing I saw was the apparent desire of 50 forwarding rules... which is a bit excessive..

Then I saw the multiple router comment... organic growth over time, I'm sure about that...

Ever consider simplifying your network - less is more perhaps...

Anyways - the RVS4000 is getting long in tooth, beyond "End of Sale" and perhaps end of support - But if it meets most of your needs - perhaps a RV-325/RV-320 are good options?

 

[Cloud200]

Technically if you want to really push the limits . . . try an Asus RT-56u with the Tomato firmware installed.

Thank you for the input. I have never heard of a VPN LAN to LAN. I will need to do some research. I have need for the forwarding to friends and family to use items inside my home network. Plex, FTP, Mumble, etc.

A follow up question to the routers above. I see that there is a single WAN port version and a Dual Port version. What is the reason for 2 ports? I have also seen NAS's with 2 ethernet ports, as well as my desktop. Reading about my server (TS140) many of the posts talk about using an Intel NIC card with 2 or more ports. Why would you need more? Can you get higher bandwidth? Can does it afford a backup port? I have so much to learn....

2 WAN Ports on a router is usually for a backup internet connection.
Most business class routers have them. Enterprise class usually have the ability to configure anywhere from 2 to as much as you can figure out how to program in.

2 Ports on a local server can help in three different ways other than redundancy. First is via LACP and a supporting switch where as you get an aggregation of the max bandwidth but each individual client can only use up to 1x wires worth of a datastream at a time. The second way is via SMB3's multichannel feature. If a client and server both support it and it is enabled on both ends you can just add up the bandwidth. The third reason is for connecting to different subnets without the use of VLANs. There are other reasons for multiple ports as well, such as configuring the machine to be used as a router . . . but thats really the basics.

A NAS is basically a server. One uncommon example of a use for a desktop and NAS with two NICs is as follows: Connect 1x NIC from each device to the LAN. Directly attach 1x NIC between the NAS and desktop. Program the directly attached connection with a different subnet than the main LAN. This will allow you dedicated and for the most part, reserved bandwidth to the NAS regardless of what other clients are doing.

Edit: There are massively more complex yet inexpensive routers like mikrotik and ubiquiti . . . but it might not be worth the headache of starting a new career as a network engineer.

 

[mackintire]

Edge Router Lite, loaded with Firmware 1.7 can do all that with ease.


IF you want someone to do all the work for you... splurg for the Zyxel USG-40-NB and have support configure it for you. (they will for the first 90 days)

 

[System Error Message]

But the edgerouter lite has limited CPU. If you are a technical user you are bound to have QoS and firewall which is what the edgerouter series cannot handle fast enough or even at wirespeed. What the edgerouters can handle at wirespeed is layer 3 routing and not NAT. Mikrotik's CCR series however have been tested to perform NAT at wirespeed and does so using no hardware acceleration so as far as speed is concern it is either x86 or TILE not to mention the increased flexibility they have. Mikrotik has an advanced layer 2 filtering which you only find some of the features on fully managed switches and which ubiquiti lacks in all their products. The edgerouter lite also uses usb internal storage which is been known to be unstable when updating firmwares.