When the ASUS RT-AC68U came out, I was ready. I already had the PCE-AC68 network adapter on my downstairs computer, so when the matching dual stream router came out, I had Newegg ship it to me. I installed it, and my downstairs machine became a speed demon, even with the main floor between the router and the adapter. But my kids complained. What had I done to the Internet? Turns out the RT-AC68U was lousy for their admittedly remote 802.11n clients -- a laptop and an iPod Touch. They were now getting no connection to the Net. So back the router went.
Unfortunately, although the laptop was back on the net with the previous 2008-vintage WNDR3700, the iPod was not so fortunate. The far corner of the house now seemed unreachable -- it could no longer participate in the homenet, although it said it could.
I passed on the Linksys WRT1900AC.
After due consideration, I went down to my local Best Buy and bought a Netgear AC1900 (R7000). I left 802.11n on Auto.
It runs like a champ. The Nighthawk AC1900 on 802.11n now provides at least adequate connectivity to all parts of the house. Interesting: one daughter can choose between NETGEAR60 [2.4GHz] and NETGEAR60-5G. The kid in the far corner can only see NETGEAR60 (the 2.4GHz one). But she can game on it, and talk to her friends. That is "adequate," which is better than no Internet at all. Success!
Side note: the PCE-AC68 network adapter came with a remote antenna set on a 1-meter cable. I managed to fry the PCE-AC68 with the motherboard it was attached to. I still had an old 802.11n card I could use in a MB, but the basement computer could hardly maintain connection with the net -- probably because the steel beam that holds up the house blocked the router. So I unscrewed the antenna from the card, and attached a 1-meter cable from one of the antennas in the cluster that came with the PCE-AC68. It stretched just far enough to get on the other side of the steel beam. And then I had great 2.4GHz throughput on my old WNDR3700, and great 2.4GHz throughput on my new Nighthawk. This just goes to show how crucial placement can be.
Unfortunately, although the laptop was back on the net with the previous 2008-vintage WNDR3700, the iPod was not so fortunate. The far corner of the house now seemed unreachable -- it could no longer participate in the homenet, although it said it could.
I passed on the Linksys WRT1900AC.
After due consideration, I went down to my local Best Buy and bought a Netgear AC1900 (R7000). I left 802.11n on Auto.
It runs like a champ. The Nighthawk AC1900 on 802.11n now provides at least adequate connectivity to all parts of the house. Interesting: one daughter can choose between NETGEAR60 [2.4GHz] and NETGEAR60-5G. The kid in the far corner can only see NETGEAR60 (the 2.4GHz one). But she can game on it, and talk to her friends. That is "adequate," which is better than no Internet at all. Success!
Side note: the PCE-AC68 network adapter came with a remote antenna set on a 1-meter cable. I managed to fry the PCE-AC68 with the motherboard it was attached to. I still had an old 802.11n card I could use in a MB, but the basement computer could hardly maintain connection with the net -- probably because the steel beam that holds up the house blocked the router. So I unscrewed the antenna from the card, and attached a 1-meter cable from one of the antennas in the cluster that came with the PCE-AC68. It stretched just far enough to get on the other side of the steel beam. And then I had great 2.4GHz throughput on my old WNDR3700, and great 2.4GHz throughput on my new Nighthawk. This just goes to show how crucial placement can be.
