Router options for Verizon "gigabit" FiOS

[Stanwood]

Called Verizon today and they will be upgrading my service from 50/50 to "gigabit" (really 960/840 or so). This gives me a reason to ditch my aging WNDR3700 and perhaps upgrade. At first I'll be running off their Quantum Router but looking for a 3rd-party solution if it gives better results.

Questions
Anyone with experience running Verizon's "gigabit" service on a G1100 router? Is it the right tool for the job as they claim?

Can a consumer WiFi router (R7800-100NAS) handle GbE on the WAN?

Alternatively, if I go with a standalone router any help choosing among these? ER-X, ERLite-3, ER-4.

I'm confused why SNB seems to recommend a more capable 4x4 unit for consumer wifi routers but says a 2x2 is fine for standalone AP. If I went with standalone APs I would get one at first (EAP225 v3, UAP-AC-M) and possibly add a second down the road. Two APs should be plenty of coverage on the ground floor.

I have wires going where I need them (and access to the attic) so I'm inclined not to go for a mesh system and wireless backhaul. Makes sense?

I have a (mostly unused) QNAP TS-251. I believe I could run a UniFi or EAP controller in a VM on this unit if I get to that point. Nice to have but I'm not planning for it out of the box.

I see a lot of discussion about router VPN performance. Two of us are on VPN all the time for work. But this from a work laptop out to a work server. The router is not doing encrypt/decrypt so I think these considerations don't apply to me?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Current Network (all wiring Cat6 except fiber into ONT)
FiOS ONT (old one, they will be upgrading next week to support "gigabit" service)
Router: WNDR3700 (2010) - WAN=ONT, LAN=Work PC1, Switch1, WAP 2.4GHz (main level)
Switch1: GS105NA (2016) - Router, Switch2, Switch3, Switch4/AP
Switch2: GS105NA (2016) - TV, Roku3, PS3
Switch3: GS105NA (2016) - Home PC, QNAP TS-251, Work PC2
Switch4/AP: Quantum G1100 (2015) - WAN disabled, WAP/LAN bridged, LAN=Switch1, TV2, Xbox360, WAP 5 GHz (basement)

Usage Profile
Days: 2 work PCs (wired) on VPN (spouse and I both work from home), 3 iPhone 6s
Nights/Weekends: stream video 1-2 devices (mostly wired), online gaming 1 device (mostly wired), soon to be 4 iPhone users (2 adults, 2 teens)
Home layout: 2000 sf single level + 500 sf basement, single family home on a corner so limited limited interference
Pain points: single WAP @ 2.4 GHz can reach to the corners but there is signal dropoff, will be worse @ 5 GHz
No FiOS TV, so MOCA bridge is not required

 

[Easy Rhino]

Most decent routers can handle gigabit WAN/LAN routing. Tim includes benchmarks for them on his reviews. Q0S might slows thing down. OpenVPN encryption definitely slows things down.

But your work VPN setup doesn't rely on the router so not really a problem there.

So, right now you're not using their Quantum router as a router, but instead as an AP in the basement? And then you'll temporarily be reassigning it as your main router? Sounds like a good temp plan to see how it works.

You're blessed with lots of Ethernet running around. And it seems like you don't have any wireless clients that demand high speed or have more than 2x2 radios.

I agree that using a wireless mesh system is a waste of perfectly good Ethernet cables.

So something like 2x2 WAPs to fill in dead spots could be a good way to go. You could use routers improvised as APs, or if central management and (possibly) better roaming are priority, go with a single vendor solution.

 

[Stanwood]

Thanks Rhino! I think you answered each and every question.

So, right now you're not using their Quantum router as a router, but instead as an AP in the basement? And then you'll temporarily be reassigning it as your main router? Sounds like a good temp plan to see how it works.

Correct. I vaguely recall the router was giving me some kind of trouble a couple years back so I banished it to the basement as a switch/AP and dug up my old WNDR3700. Along the way I had to talk Verizon into turning on the ONT ethernet port and run some Cat6 to my office. It sounds like the Verizon installer will want to setup with the Quantum router at first. I figure they may debug any issue I had back then. If it works well as a router and I need better WiFi coverage I'll turn off the radios and install a 2x2 AP. Perhaps a second in the farthest bedroom. If it's a bust I'll probably try a 4x4 WiFi router in hopes of getting good 5 GHz coverage from a single AP.

You're blessed with lots of Ethernet running around. And it seems like you don't have any wireless clients that demand high speed or have more than 2x2 radios.

The basement has an open ceiling so I've run a fair bit of ethernet. I may have gone overboard on the switches. There are 3 in the family room just to avoid longs runs with 3 cables together out where they can be seen. So I end up with just phones on WiFi and the one home laptop. It has a smallish SSD that deters the kids from installing too many games.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[umarmung]

Your plan is sound.

2x APs + use the Quantum G1100 as your wired only router.

The Quantum G1100 has a Corina CS7542 dual core 750 MHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPU. So, should easily be able to cope with residential Gigabit Ethernet, unless Verizon have really messed up.

If you are wary of using ISP supplied equipment for routing (especially in the US, gg your Net Neutrality this month!), then the Ubiquiti Edgerouter ER-4 is ideal since there is nothing cheaper that can do almost wirespeed, bidirectional Gigabit Ethernet routing, though in your specific use case an ERLite3 would work too. I do not recommend the ER-X for Gigabit service since it is limited to 1 Gbit/s aggregate, i.e. if use all your download, you would be affecting your upload as well as any combination of total traffic that results in more than 1 Gbit/s.

 

[Stanwood]

Verizon installed my "gigabit" service today. Their website promises internet that is "Maxed out (Up to 940M/880M)". For those speeds I had to install the Speedtest Windows x64 App (web app will report erroneously low results). This is with my PC connected to the FiOS G1100 router and the ONT with Cat6. I'm fairly happy with what I see:

ping (ms) / down Mbps / up (Mbps)
3 / 750 / 883
4 / 751 /957
5 / 685 / 951
7 / 762 / 960

Still have to test WiFi range at 2.4 and 5.0 GHz.