Router Fever

[tomw]

Ok-This is going to sound like a real rookie question-but I would just like to definitively know the answer: Does changing from a good router ,say an Asus rtn66u running on Comcast 350mbs and a TpLink E225 and getting pretty satisfying through house wifi--To another router say one of the new asus or netgear with high performance numbers make any sense at all. I think it's kind of a sickness. I know there is MUCH better equiptment out there and I am constantly having to talk myself out of getting "the new one". Does this make any sense to anybody else. Might a new router make a big difference on my network or is it just smoke and mirrors?

 

[Internet Man]

The RT-N66U should have plenty of throughput for a 350Mbps connection [Review]. The TP-Link EAP225 should also handle a typical set of home Wi-Fi devices just fine.

No point trying to keep up with the Jones family who goes to Best Buy once a year and buys the most expensive router that says "Gaming" on the box when your current setup is "satisfying."

 

[RMerlin]

First thing to ask yourself is what you'd want to improve, and then to determine if it's worth paying what it would cost to gain it. Biggest reasons I could see to upgrade to an RT-AC68U would be to gain the benefit of the Trend Micro AiProtection suite that's present in this model, to enhance the security of your LAN. In terms of wifi performance and coverage, you won't see much of a difference, unless you have 802.11ac capable devices - this would allow these devices to reach the full speed of your Internet connection, while a standard 802.11n client connecting only at 300 Mbps would give you a max throughput of around 150 Mbps.

It's hard to justify however going with the latest flagships for any of these manufacturers, considering what they will give you for the price they cost. The RT-AC68U is usually a good compromise.

 

[pete y testing]

I know there is MUCH better equiptment out there and I am constantly having to talk myself out of getting "the new one". Does this make any sense to anybody else. Might a new router make a big difference on my network or is it just smoke and mirrors?

i wouldnt say its smoke and mirrors but it depends on your point of view

many of these wave 2 router have the performance improvements under the hood and it depends if you are chasing those improvements

couple of case points

vpn

vpn on older routers can be really slow eg like your n66u , the rt-ac68u is better but not great , if your on a high speed internet connection and want the fastest vpn you can then you need cpu speed and performance and thats what you get on the new wave 2 routers , and i expect will be even faster on the just announced rt-ax88u

wifi speed

yes the speeds are quicker if you have a client that quick as well

reliability

seems the newer stuff is quite a bit more reliable in terms of stability and connectivity

the time to change up is when your current router just doesnt cut it for your demands

 

[avtella]

You could always keep your old router as an AP and get a PfSense capable Atom box for like $150-200, where VPN performance would leagues ahead of consumer routers.

 

[System Error Message]

a wifi is only as good as the weakest link, which is whoever has the lowest numbers. A good router like pfsense or mikrotik or a linux box will always be better than a consumer router, and in many cases, faster. You can then reuse your existing wifi router or get a new one for the wifi numbers without it actually having to be fast.

Alternatively you can take some medication for your fever