New router to replace my NetGear R7800

[LeKeiser]

Hello everyone,

I have a thread about my problem with my NetGear R7800 : https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r7800-lost-5ghz-ssid.87338/
I'm losing the 5GHz WiFi for I whatever reason. The 2.4GHz is still working, but I have to reboot the router to get back the 5GHz WiFi. Dunno if my router is failing after all those years working together.
So I'm looking for a new router to replace it, in case this situation happens again and more often.
I'm not sure there is a similar router with NetGear. I have tried to find a new R9000 but I can only find used one, and I would prefer to avoid them. Oh, why a R9000 ? Because I'm using Mr @Voxel firmware on my R7800 and I'm very happy with it. There is such a fimrware for the R9000, so I was thinking that it would be a good choice.
I have about 30 devices connecte to the router. Let's say 5 or 6 using Ethernet, the rest is WiFi. Amazon Echos, Google speakers, my iPads, my laptops, a few electrical wifi outlet, ...
If I can't find a NetGear router, I was thinking about an Asus one. So I can install and use the Merlin firmware.
I've started to search around on the forum and two routers have caught my interest : the ASUS ROG GT-AX6000 and the ASUS RT-AX88U Pro. I'm not a gamer, I'm looking for a good WiFi coverage and a good stability. But I have read somewhere in the forum that the AX6000 was a better choice, the AX88U Pro would be discontinued anytime soon ?

Or do you have another router in mind ?

Thanx a lot for your insight

 

[glens]

the AX6000 was a better choice, the AX88U Pro would be discontinued anytime soon ?

Those two are near-direct equivalents and were released in that order. Of the two, I've seen it speculated here they would be retired in that same order. I wouldn't care to guess which will be axed first, or how long they may stay in the lineup. At this point that wouldn't concern me very much.

I obtained a GT-AX6000 fairly recently and can attest to its superior function.

 

[LeKeiser]

Thanx a lot for your post
Do you think the GT-AX6000 is the best router available to replace a great R7800 ? Would you use the Asus firmware, or go straight with the Merlin firmware alternative ?

 

[glens]

No experience with that Netgear so cannot even speculate beyond that if it's as good as the GT, it must be a great router.

Loaded Merlin first thing.

 

[L&LD]

The GT-AX6000 was released about a year before the RT-AX88U Pro was. Today, I would bet on the latter for the longer-term Asus/RMerlin support.

With almost identical hardware (but, possibly an SDK advantage to the 'Pro') they should both give great performance to cost vs. other available models today.

 

[LeKeiser]

Thanx a lot for your feedback

Little question : how many WiFi devices can the RT-AX88U Pro and the GT-AX6000 handle ? Seems the R7800 can handle (only) 16 5GHz devices.

 

[L&LD]

Unless the limits have been raised, ~32 per radio.

You may be able to use more than that, if they are mere IoT devices with little network traffic.

 

[LeKeiser]

So around 32 per radio. But how many radio do they have ? And... what's a radio ?

 

[L&LD]

Each band is a radio.

2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

 

[LeKeiser]

Ahhh I see now. Stupid me
Thanx a lot

 

[L&LD]

No, any question asked sincerely is a good question. The basis of learning.

 

[mike06]

Hello everyone,

I have a thread about my problem with my NetGear R7800 : https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r7800-lost-5ghz-ssid.87338/
I'm losing the 5GHz WiFi for I whatever reason. The 2.4GHz is still working, but I have to reboot the router to get back the 5GHz WiFi. Dunno if my router is failing after all those years working together.
So I'm looking for a new router to replace it, in case this situation happens again and more often.
I'm not sure there is a similar router with NetGear. I have tried to find a new R9000 but I can only find used one, and I would prefer to avoid them. Oh, why a R9000 ? Because I'm using Mr @Voxel firmware on my R7800 and I'm very happy with it. There is such a fimrware for the R9000, so I was thinking that it would be a good choice.
I have about 30 devices connecte to the router. Let's say 5 or 6 using Ethernet, the rest is WiFi. Amazon Echos, Google speakers, my iPads, my laptops, a few electrical wifi outlet, ...
If I can't find a NetGear router, I was thinking about an Asus one. So I can install and use the Merlin firmware.
I've started to search around on the forum and two routers have caught my interest : the ASUS ROG GT-AX6000 and the ASUS RT-AX88U Pro. I'm not a gamer, I'm looking for a good WiFi coverage and a good stability. But I have read somewhere in the forum that the AX6000 was a better choice, the AX88U Pro would be discontinued anytime soon ?

Or do you have another router in mind ?

Thanx a lot for your insight

I just retired my R7800 with Voxel and replaced it with the Asus RT-AX88U Pro with Merlin so far so good. Easy setup and a lot of good help here at this site if needed.

 

[sfx2000]

If I can't find a NetGear router, I was thinking about an Asus one. So I can install and use the Merlin firmware.

You likely don't need rmerlin if you are open to solutions outside of netgear...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZQ5W4G7/?tag=snbforums-20

Just saying - if you're asking for a recommendation on this forum, you'll likely get a recommendation for Asus, just because...

Synology SRM is very capable...

 

[glens]

https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-mt6000/ was looking pretty good over lunch on my first 3-11 shift (tonight) since 1985....

 

[LeKeiser]

I just retired my R7800 with Voxel and replaced it with the Asus RT-AX88U Pro with Merlin so far so good. Easy setup and a lot of good help here at this site if needed.

Hello
Out of curiosity, what help did you need ?
On another thread, someone wrote that if you use the same SSID name and the same password, all the connected devices would still connect to the new router without having to configure anything.
So basically, I'm wondering what configuration I would have to make if I were to change my Netgear R7800 to say an Asus router.

 

[mike06]

Hello
Out of curiosity, what help did you need ?
On another thread, someone wrote that if you use the same SSID name and the same password, all the connected devices would still connect to the new router without having to configure anything.
So basically, I'm wondering what configuration I would have to make if I were to change my Netgear R7800 to say an Asus router.

Really I didn't need any help. I have been coming to this site for a long time. I just researched the Asus to get ideas of what others or doing. I had a Asus before the R7800. What I like about Asus routers you can get them back to factory settings easier than Netgear.

 

[LeKeiser]

Really I didn't need any help. I have been coming to this site for a long time. I just researched the Asus to get ideas of what others or doing. I had a Asus before the R7800. What I like about Asus routers you can get them back to factory settings easier than Netgear.

And what did you do when you got your Asus router ? Did you install the Merlin firmware right away ? Did you configure it a special way ?
Is it working better in a way than the R7800 ? Or you didn't notice any special change ?

 

[Tech9]

So basically, I'm wondering what configuration I would have to make if I were to change my Netgear R7800 to say an Asus router.

Use the same SSID's. If you have clients not connecting - forget the network on the client and reconnect. If you have clients complaining about WPA2/WPA3 - use WPA2 only. Get the new router and ask specific questions if you have any issues. There is no universal best settings.

 

[LeKeiser]

I came across this router ASUS TUF-AX6000 ? Seems it's a pretty good router, good Wifi.

New WiFi 6 Asus Models

WiFi Routers｜WiFi 6｜ASUS Global New models on the Asus website. Also, @RMerlin was right, the likely reason the most recent version of the TUF AX5400 firmware is double the size is because there's an updated version called TUF AX6000.

www.snbforums.com

One contributor doesn't seem to like the MediaTek Filogic 830, I would love to know why.
What's your opinion ?

 

[L&LD]

Not worth gambling with that model.

Your best bang for the buck Asus router to buy today is the GT-AX6000 or the RT-AX88U Pro (with the latter being preferred today in the last quarter of 2023).

Edit: be sure you buy these models only when on sale (if you're able to wait) because that is the real price point for all items today. Paying full price when these rotating sales never end is just throwing your money out the window.