Please advise which router?

[cohen87]

Dear Colleagues,

I have had FTTP internet ( Fiber to the property) installed (in the UK), with a 150Mbps max package. The ISP has provided a separate modem and wireless router Linksys Velop Tri-band AC2200.
All of the clients ( including the TV) have the old WPA2 encryption and wireless N compatibility. I will be streaming 1080/720p HD movies wirelessly through a digital box (1.5gb file size) - currently with the linksys, films do freeze because of buffering. There are also two laptops running Windows 10 with Intel Dual Band AC 7265 internal adapters. The TV and router and digital box will be in the same room. I can’t use an Ethernet cable as the rooms layout won’t allow it.
I want to purchase another router (to replace the Linksys) and use it as an access point / router mode only.
Before the install of FTTP, I used a Broadcom based Router that was stable and very rarely suffered dropouts for ADSL ( Tp-Link TD-W8960N v1 ).
My budget is around £40 ($50 ):
Please can you advise on the following:
1) Will a wireless N router on the 2.4GHz channel maximise my current FTTP package ? Or will a dual-band router on the 5Ghz channel be required for increased wireless throughput for HD streaming?.
2) The Routers I have in mind are:
A) Tp-Link Archer C7 / A7 ( both have Atheros Chipset, which makes me hesitant ) - they are selling for around £30 new ( $40) which for the spec, is expensive. Also no WPA3 for the future?.
B) Tp-Link AX20 v2 ( Wi-Fi 6 and Broadcom chipset and WPA3 and a large memory of 256MB).
C) Tp-Link VR600/ AC1600 ( Broadcom chipset but no WPA3).
D) Tp-Link VR2800 /AC2800 ( Broadcom chipset but no WPA3).
E) If I am mostly streaming HD to the TV, I presume a large RAM / memory capacity on the router is also an advantage.
F) Is WPA3 a must have ? Or is WPA2 still secure enough for my setup if I use a very long password that makes it harder for a ‘dictionary attack’?.
G) Is there any router that I have missed out?.

Any advice on which router will maximise my 150Mbps FTTP package for streaming, stability, signal strength and throughput is appreciated.

Thank you
(Apologies for the long questions).

 

[OzarkEdge]

What is a 'digital box (1.5gb file size)' and how is it connected to your network?

You can always use an wired Ethernet connection temporaily to troubleshoot/isolate an issue.

It seems like you want to buy a cheaper/lesser router than you already have. What is the model of your ISP Linksys router and was it used or is it new? Is it in the same location as your previous AP or is it sitting closer to sources of radio interference? Who configured the WiFi to avoid neighboring WiFi?

Generally speaking, you should want a WiFi5 or 6 router and streaming clients connecting to the 5.0 band... n clients at 150Mbps link rate or better, or ac clients at 866Mbps link rate... check your client's connection status to know how they are connecting. WPA2 is not so old and is ok to use... it is still the most likely authentication used by wireless clients until they are replaced by WiFi6/ax clients.

OE

 

[cohen87]

Dear OzarkEdge,

Thanks for the response.
The digital box is an android streaming box and is connected by Wi-Fi to the Linksys router. I cannot use an Ethernet cable as the rooms layout makes this impossible.
The model of the Linksys router is the ‘Velop Triband AC2200’ and it’s a new router supplied by the ISP, but it buffers and stutters on HD streaming.
Will an N router at 150Mbps ( wireless, not Ethernet connection ) be more than okay for streaming ?. I’m only getting 150Mbps down the pipeline, so will an AC dual band router be overkill or money wasted ?.

 

[Tech Junky]

@cohen87

Don't be cheap or limit yourself to N/AC at this point if you have to spend the money anyway to solve the issue.

WPA3 = AX or AXE as it was part of the new standard released

Older equipment won't do WPA3 as it's not baked into the HW they're using.

Regardless of your WAN/ISP speed updating your network will improve the response of the devices connected to it. Why your Velop doesn't perform as well as your older DSL router... who knows. The bigger question is if there's an issue on the FTTP line that wasn't happening on the DSL connection. If you have the old router still you could keep using it as an AP connected to the new FTTP router potentially.

Your budget is quite low though for the expectations you want to achieve. The problem here is finding gear that's worthwhile using the older standards N/AC. You're on the right track though in thinking about an AP vs a router with wifi. You would be able to disable the wifi on the ISP device and use your shiny new AP instead. In this case there's better hardware available for use. Personally I sue a NWA210AX which in the US is ~$150 in other regions though some have said it's closer to $300. There's a slightly lower spec option though that should be cheaper though but still give you the benefits of up to date hardware.

https://www.zyxel.com/global/en/products/wireless

Going with the NWAxxAX line is the cheaper option vs the other WAXxx models.
The 50/90/110 models would be cheaper options than the 210 I'm using.

NWA50AX - $75 on amazon
NWA90AX - $90 on amazon
NWA110AX - $140 on amazon

There's a break point in which is doesn't make sense to go with the next lower tier of HW though. Any of these though should be sufficient for your use with limited devices and network traffic. But, asking for an AP to be the same price as a streaming box is just asking for trouble in terms of performance.

 

[cohen87]

Can someone explain the following:

The TP Link VR600 can output 1300Mbps on the 5Ghz AC channel ( with WiFi 5), yet the TP Link AX20 ( with WiFi 6) can only output 1200Mbps ?.
Does this mean the VR600 is better on the 5Ghz channel than the AX20 ?.

 

[Tech Junky]

Can someone explain the following:

The TP Link VR600 can output 1300Mbps on the 5Ghz AC channel ( with WiFi 5), yet the TP Link AX20 ( with WiFi 6) can only output 1200Mbps ?.
Does this mean the VR600 is better on the 5Ghz channel than the AX20 ?.

Apples and oranges. The ac is using 3 streams and the ax is a single stream.

Ac is 433/stream and ax is 1200/steam.

 

[cohen87]

Tech Junky thank you for the response.
Taking in to account that my laptops only have ‘ac’ adapters ( and not ‘ax’ ), should I prioritise the VR600 over the AX20? ( and theoretically get 1300Mbps without changing the adapters on the laptops from ‘ac’ to ‘ax’ (Wi-Fi 6).

 

[Tech Junky]

Since everything is backwards compatible it still makes more sense to get the ax router. Upgrading the adapter to ax too would be a good idea and it's cheap as well.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Tech Junky thank you for the response.
Taking in to account that my laptops only have ‘ac’ adapters ( and not ‘ax’ ), should I prioritise the VR600 over the AX20? ( and theoretically get 1300Mbps without changing the adapters on the laptops from ‘ac’ to ‘ax’ (Wi-Fi 6).

The Tp-Link VR600 is an ADSL/VDSL modem router, so I don't know why you would want to buy that as you don't have an ADSL connection anymore.

The Intel Dual Band AC 7265 is a dual stream device that has a maximum link speed of 866 Mbps.

 

[OzarkEdge]

The digital box is an android streaming box and is connected by Wi-Fi to the Linksys router.

Does it have an Ethernet port?

I cannot use an Ethernet cable as the rooms layout makes this impossible.

That was clear in your first post. However, using a cable temporarily can be a way to divide and conquer the trouble by reducing the the number of variables... in this case the wireless connection. I keep a 100' patch cord on hand for this.

The model of the Linksys router is the ‘Velop Triband AC2200’ and it’s a new router supplied by the ISP, but it buffers and stutters on HD streaming.

So, you hope to replace a $150 router with a $50 router to get better performance? I would try to determine where the issue is first before buying hardware. For instance, confirm the actual link rate of clients and upstream connections... this requires your investigation.

Will an N router at 150Mbps ( wireless, not Ethernet connection ) be more than okay for streaming ?

Yes, at 150Mbps link rate (the actual throughput can be less over WiFi). Streaming is not as demanding as you might think... it just needs to be timely/not interrupted. WiFi can introduce delay. WiFi interference and obstruction can reduce throughput/slow things down to too slow/not timely enough.

I’m only getting 150Mbps down the pipeline, so will an AC dual band router be overkill or money wasted ?.

No... buying a new router that doesn't solve the issue would be money wasted.

If troubleshooting is beyond you, call the ISP back to make their new router work like you think it should... play dumb and insist they need to fix their equipment... you may be right. They may adjust it for you or determine where the issue is for you to fix.

OE

 

[Tech9]

Linksys Velop Tri-band AC2200

This system is much better than the routers you're looking at. It just needs some tuning perhaps.

Velop Mesh WiFi System, Homekit Router, 3-Pack (White) | Linksys | Linksys: US

Enjoy full-strength WiFi in every room of your home with the Velop Mesh Wifi System. Homekit-enabled. 3-Year Limited Warranty. Free ground shipping on US orders.

www.linksys.com

 

[cohen87]

The Tp-Link VR600 is an ADSL/VDSL modem router, so I don't know why you would want to buy that as you don't have an ADSL connection anymore.

Dear Colin, I want to use it in ‘router mode’ only.

Since everything is backwards compatible it still makes more sense to get the ax router. Upgrading the adapter to ax too would be a good idea and it's cheap as well.

Yes your right, but if a router has more ‘streams’, it means the VR600 can handle more clients without reduced throughput available for each device ? ( in comparison to the AX20 where more clients would reduce throughput ?).

 

[cohen87]

This system is much better than the routers you're looking at. It just needs some tuning perhaps

To be honest, the interface on the Linksys is a pain to navigate and play with.
The TP-Link has a better, more simple interface.

 

[Tech9]

I don't know about the interface, but I know ISPs usually provide simple and working solutions for non-tech people. They don't need extra service calls for iffy equipment. This Linksys system is popular and with good feedback. Your budget is not enough for anything even close to what you already have. Again - your issue is either system setup, either clients related. Your requirements are very low, actually.

 

[cohen87]

Guys, I have increased my budget to £80 ($95). ( The Linksys doesn’t have ax Wi-Fi six or WPA3 protocol ).

 

[OzarkEdge]

Guys, I have increased my budget to £80 ($95). ( The Linksys doesn’t have ax Wi-Fi six or WPA3 protocol ).

Great! Buy and install a $95 router and hope it fixes the issue.

OE

 

[Tech9]

The Linksys doesn’t have ax Wi-Fi six or WPA3 protocol

For Wi-Fi 6 tri-band 3-pack set you have to increase the budget to £300. It may not be enough for better than your current Linksys system.

 

[cohen87]

For Wi-Fi 6 tri-band 3-pack set you have to increase the budget to £300. It may not be enough for better than your current Linksys system.

Guys I made up my mind not to get a WiFi 6 Router.
I am interested in the best AC router only (not AX).
I’ve managed to sell the Linksys on eBay.
Please can you advise between the following two routers in regards to spec: 5Ghz capability/ streams/ chipset:
1) The TP Link VR2800 Router
2) The TP Link C2300 Router

Thank you.

 

[Tech9]

Please can you advise between the following two routers

None.

VR2800 - xDSL model/router combo model you don't need
C2300 - End of Life product with no support, overheating issues

Both are >5 years old models.

 

[cohen87]

VR2800 - xDSL model/router combo model you don't need

It still has a good reputation in regards to stable firmware and performance on the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz networks. An all round good performer ( can also use in pure router mode).
The ASUS’s are expensive (even second user).
I know these have the BCM4366E chipset which depending on the firmware, makes this chipset excellent.
Because I don’t have ax clients, have been offered the aforementioned routers, new, sealed boxes for:
1) ASUS RT-AC86U for $140- 512mb memory and better internal components - but No future support by Merlin. Also, some reviews have said that throughput with some clients in the same room, is average (which is very surprising).
2) TP-Link VR2800 for $110 - 256mb memory, 4 Stream and stable firmware and very good reviews.
3) TP-Link AX76 for $110 - 512mb memory but early firmware problems ( some returned on Amazon reviews ).

My question is: if the router is going to be in the same room as the TV for HD streaming, and also most of the other clients, which one out of the ASUS AC86U and Tp-Link VR2800 is better at close range for throughput on 5Ghz? ( and does the Asus have ‘wave 2’ for AC, like the VR2800 ).