New Wi-Fi router with focus on LAN and networking

[System Error Message]

i think thiggins will say to look at the router charts at this website and buy the best one within the budget and if you dont like it to return it.

 

[stevech]

I reckon the most budget smart solution might be as simple as 2 x Archer C5 since it can apparently be used as an AP too.

Router/AP/bridge mode is fairly common.
I have some ASUS ones that offer that, inexpensively.

 

[Rasbelin]

i think thiggins will say to look at the router charts at this website and buy the best one within the budget and if you dont like it to return it.

Yeah, but then again the charts are split into so many different speed classes (especially in 802.11ac), so you never get a proper overall impression about what's a good compromise. The speed classes are anyway pretty artifical and have little real meaning. At least I certainly don't get 1750 Mbps with an Archer C7.

 

[Rasbelin]

Well, my final decision was:

MikroTik RouterBOARD RB1100AHx2
2 x TP-Link Archer C5

The TP-Links are inexpensive to get rid of, if needed.

Will keep you updated when I get things running.

 

[System Error Message]

did you check the maximum size frames supported by the RB1100AHx2?

 

[Rasbelin]

I sent them an iqnuiry earlier today, but no response so far. 9K would be fine by me, because I can't get any extra out of > 10K.

 

[System Error Message]

i just checked that it does support frames over 9000 but there isnt much details on it. You will need the block diagram when plugging things in.
Block diagram
Its important to note what chips and ports connect where when you're wiring and setting things up. If you have multiple WANs and you connect them to one switch group make sure they are not switched. Because it has ports connected to the CPU and switch, to use port trunking you can configure it on the switch chip if all the ports are connected to the same chip but you will not gain anymore throughput if it has to go between the CPU and switch chip.

I suggest connecting WAN to the port directly to CPU and your LAN to the switch chip and create a general purpose NAT rule
i.e. source:192.168.88.0/24 destination:!192.168.88.0/24 out-interface WAN action masquerade. This general NAT rule may in performance help if you utilise multiple switch groups or ports

I also suggest making a big DNS cache (minimum 8MB) and using a NAT rule to capture DNS requests since it helps to speed things up as routerboards also function as good DNS servers, NTP servers, RADIUS, hotspot (RADIUS is better). You can follow cisco security examples (Some require a tftp server that routerOS has), mikrotik security example rules, functionality examples and even script examples too. DDNS is done via script though. The RB1100AHx2 has enough hardware resource to function as a server for many networking tasks but i wouldnt expect much out of it for SMB even though it is capable of it.

In order to get per user statistics you must use hotspot or radius and than the graphs and stats will be shown. The learning curve may be high but what you can do with it once you've learnt more networking is pretty fascinating. Dont forget to do penetration testing once you've set up the security.

 

[Rasbelin]

Will look into all those advices once I have the device. Many thanks anyway so far! Much appreciated.

I made my final choice based on the number of ports. I did get the impression that the CCR1009 is more of your recommendation, but then again this one was slightly cheaper and available immediately from Germany. Also two different switch groups might become useful later.

 

[Rasbelin]

Yeap, 9K is supported: http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Maximum_Transmission_Unit_on_RouterBoards.

 

[Rasbelin]

Darn, is it really possible TP-Link has done other blunder besides jumbo frames... NTP works only on the WAN port?!

 

[System Error Message]

tp-link only works well with basic features.

 

[Rasbelin]

Yeah, looks like this was a bad investment. I never imagined that NTP would be linked to only one specific port. Will be interesting to hear what their tech support replies. I just can't waste ~200 € per AP now. This was a cheap compromise. Or let's say I could, but it would be stupid. Wi-Fi is only important for this laptop and other than that it's small portable devices that don't even have high throughoutput.

 

[System Error Message]

mikrotik has inexpensive indoor APs that are probably only 5 Ghz. The RB9xx series there are about 2 APs that have dual channel AC wifi, one of them for $80 and one for $100. I know some have complained about the hardware reliability of the wifi chips on routerboards but they do have some warranty.

The good thing about mikrotik APs is that they have POE in, SFP and 1 gigabit ethernet port, USB, DC in and some have miniPCIe alongside integrated wifi and even sim card slot. Although the list of supported usb wifi and mini PCIe cards on mikrotik is a short list but routerOS is capable of managing multiple wifi interfaces (they have 2 different wifi managers to choose from). Since they only have SFP and 1 ethernet port they do not have any switch chip so all traffic goes through CPU which means you can use jumbo frames at what MIPS CPUs support.

You could go with just dumb APs that support jumbo frames. NTP isnt an issue for them but you could install openwrt on tp-link hardware and than have it point to the router. Ruckus have good wifi too but i think they might be expensive.

 

[Rasbelin]

Sincerely sorry that the C5 don't update the time from NTP when it is in the AP mode.

Thank you very much for your valued feedback. Have a nice day!

Humbug.

 

[System Error Message]

If you get asus or netgear and use merlin firmware you can modify the linux network files to make NTP work in AP mode. You have to specify the static IP and gateway and DNS server and it should point to it correctly.

In tp-link the only option is to install openwrt.

Than use the NAT rule in routerOS to catch the request and redirect it to routerOS so it can sync with the router. Just make sure your devices have some NTP server defined.

The asus AC56U is also cheap.

 

[thiggins]

Yeah, looks like this was a bad investment. I never imagined that NTP would be linked to only one specific port. Will be interesting to hear what their tech support replies. I just can't waste ~200 € per AP now. This was a cheap compromise. Or let's say I could, but it would be stupid. Wi-Fi is only important for this laptop and other than that it's small portable devices that don't even have high throughoutput.

This is a common "feature" with other products. Why would a device designed for LAN use (an AP) have features related to the internet (checking an NTP server)?
You would also find that QoS features also don't work unless the product had LAN-based QoS.

 

[System Error Message]

This is a common "feature" with other products. Why would a device designed for LAN use (an AP) have features related to the internet (checking an NTP server)?
You would also find that QoS features also don't work unless the product had LAN-based QoS.

He means the NTP client on the router.

 

[Rasbelin]

We're talking about the router running the NTP client to synchronise its own time and date. Nothing else, so no, not running ntpd as a local NTP relay or anything similar, which isn't anyway recommendable. Now I have to approximately correct the time every now and then, which is really dumb, taken how it works just fine on the WAN port.

I'll stick with these cheapo Archer C5s for the time being. WPA2 Enterprise works suprisingly well and the Wi-Fi coverage is quite okay. Actually best in class pricewise. Buying two good APs is now pointless as I already have these to curse at.

Will let you know how things work out with the Mikrotik.

 

[sfx2000]

Let me jump in...

Why are folks worried about NTP?

Most platforms these days do check in with a layer 2 stratum NTP server, so why worry?

Jumbo Frames... again, why worry - links are negotiated at a switch level, with wireless, who cares?

Jumbo's will get fragmented - they're just to big to get across 802.11 frames, even in 11n/11ac- Jumbo's are a hit, not an enhancement...

 

[System Error Message]

Let me jump in...

Why are folks worried about NTP?

Most platforms these days do check in with a layer 2 stratum NTP server, so why worry?

Jumbo Frames... again, why worry - links are negotiated at a switch level, with wireless, who cares?

Jumbo's will get fragmented - they're just to big to get across 802.11 frames, even in 11n/11ac- Jumbo's are a hit, not an enhancement...

thats why an AP with a fast CPU can handle jumbo frames. The bridging and conversion is done by CPU. not all switch chips support jumbo frames and the ones that do have different supported sizes.

Do let us know how you get on with mikrotik, i havent had the chance to dig in on different configs.