Replacement router (required?)

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Currently I'm running a ASUS RT-N56U (latest firmware) by itself for my entire household (I'm the only one really using a lot of bandwidth). It's connected to a FiOS 35/35 line but recently when I did a test at speedtest.net, I'm only getting 5 megabits up, 1/7 of the expected bandwidth whereas the last time I tested, I had the expected 35 up.

I've been toying with the idea that it could be the fault of my router so I've been looking for replacements, the two prime replacements being the Netgear R6300 or ASUS RT-N66U based on reviews I'm read online. However, I don't know if the Netgear R6300 is right for me because I have no devices that can use the 11ac standard. On the other hand, my current router is kind of turning me off from ASUS routers because it is potentially the source of my bandwidth loss and it sometimes randomly stops working and requires me to reset it a few times before letting me reconnect to the internet which can be troublesome during things such as gaming sessions where remaining online is a necessity.

My house only has two floors and the router is in a corner of the basement on a table. The house itself is maybe 50 feet long? I'm pretty bad at guessing length.

I'd prefer not to talk to Verizon about the issue because the past times I called, they refused to help if I didn't have the Actiontec router installed and well, I'm embarassed to admit that I don't know where it is.

Thanks for the help

 

[Chuck_IV]

I'm currently trying to decide between the Asus RT-N66U and the Netgear R6300. I actually have both now.

So far, as for performance, in my case the seem pretty equal. I'd give the range a VERY slight edge to the Asus.

I have a back bedroom that is one flight up and opposite corner to where my router is and it has always given me signal issues. Both the Netgear and Asus give me "excellent"(as per windows) signal strengh on the 2.4ghz band with the rate being similar but maybe a tick higher on the Asus(no formal tests, just staring at the rate readings/fluctuations in windows).

On the 5ghz band, I see a better readings on the Asus. With the Netgear I pull a sometimes "fair" but more often "poor" signal with the rate being no higher that 30-40. On the Asus, I'm seeing consistent "fair" signal and a rate that flucuates around 40 but up to sometimes 80.

On the USB side, both Netgear and Asus have handled my 1TB EXT3 formatted drive just fine and I can stream BluRays from the attached USB drive thru either of them without a hitch.

The writing data rate is slightly faster on the Asus(avg 12.8mb/s vs about 10 on the Netgear). However there are a couple things that scare me about the Asus on th USB side. On Asus's website, in their webpage about supported drives for each router, they also list a file SIZE maximum and it lists 8gb for an EXT3 formatted drive. Well, many of my files are 16-25gb. I tried copying large files to the drive and everything seems ok. However, I am a bit concerned about their mention of a file size limit at all. Netgear doesn't mention any and I have been streaming for a couple years without issue on my Netgear WNDR3700 before this R6300. Also on the Asus, I have read about issues/corruption when doing things on the attached drive if you access it through a wirelesss connection. I dunno if that pertained to early firmwares or continues to be an issue now, but it is out there.

I will say the Asus firmware is far and above Netgear's in terms of available options. Netgear gives you what you need, but nothing beyond that, so some of the extra settings like say TX wireless power and such just don't exist in the Netgear firmware. Plus with the Asus, there is solid support from 3rd party firmwares like Tomato, DD-WRT and even just modified stock firmwares.

Now, with all that said, Netgear is an AC based router, so if you intend of doing anything with the new AC band anytime soon, then the R6300 can handle it.

On asthetics, Netgear's looks are pretty good but there is no real way to wall mount it(or as I have done, mount it to the back of a cabinet). Asus you can mount it, which is good but if you use the stand, the wires stick straight up out the top, which looks really bad IMO. You can sit it flat tho as well. The Netgear is standing up, no matter what.

So, I'm running the Asus as we speak and will see how that hold up over the next several days and maybe switch back the R6300 one more time before making my final choice.

 

[stevech]

Currently I'm running a ASUS RT-N56U (latest firmware) by itself for my entire household (I'm the only one really using a lot of bandwidth). It's connected to a FiOS 35/35 line but recently when I did a test at speedtest.net, I'm only getting 5 megabits up, 1/7 of the expected bandwidth whereas the last time I tested, I had the expected 35 up.

I don't know FIOS details, but since you user a consumer router, can you temporarily connect a PC directly to the FIOS feed? (enable software firewall on PC when doing so). Then run speed tests and compare.

For 35Mbps up (really? what host will support that on the Internet?).... My intuition is that no consumer WiFi type NATing router can do that speed. You may need a SOHO class wired router and for WiFi, use an access point (or WiFi router repurposed as an AP).

 

[tipstir]

I don't know FIOS details, but since you user a consumer router, can you temporarily connect a PC directly to the FIOS feed? (enable software firewall on PC when doing so). Then run speed tests and compare.

For 35Mbps up (really? what host will support that on the Internet?).... My intuition is that no consumer WiFi type NATing router can do that speed. You may need a SOHO class wired router and for WiFi, use an access point (or WiFi router repurposed as an AP).

35MBps on the WAN side can be done, that's just small potatoes since 50 and 100Mbps is not available. But like you I am not spending that much on Cable to get those type of speeds. I can get between 30 to 35MBps. Mostly 31MBps.

 

[stevech]

I don't know that I agree that 35Mbs upstream on a consumer router is viable.
It wasn't long ago that consumer routers couldn't do more than 10Mbps, for the $50 price area.

 

[tipstir]

I don't know that I agree that 35Mbs upstream on a consumer router is viable.
It wasn't long ago that consumer routers couldn't do more than 10Mbps, for the $50 price area.

Well times are changing! WAN port 10/100/1000m I have mine set to Auto on the manage router switch side to the cable modem. Inside the Cable Modem it shows max port speed is 100m. I guess if I wanted to shell out more for downloads I am ready to go. I sticking with what I have.

 

[stevech]

OP said

"I'm only getting 5 megabits up, 1/7 of the expected bandwidth whereas the last time I tested, I had the expected 35 up. "

which led to my earlier comment that I doubt that consumer routers can support 35Mbps UP.
I'm surprised that the ISP says the upstream can be that fast.