Router recomendations

[Col8eral]

im looking at getting a new router. Had a RT-AC88U but that may be bricked.

What would you guys recomend I replace it with? Go with the same or are there better options. I dont know how good Aimesh is, so should that be a consideration. I have a three story house to get the signal around.

Many thanks

 

[L&LD]

I would not recommend getting the same model today. How sure are you it is bricked? Maybe try following the M&M Config and the Nuclear Reset guides (explicitly) to determine if it is just a firmware/configuration error or hardware. See the link in my signature below for those guides.

If you cannot get your current router going, a single RT-AC86U (or two in AiMesh) or a single RT-AX88U that is optimally placed and set up in the home may be all the WiFi 'power' you need.

You may even be able to use the RT-AC88U too if it isn't bricked in AiMesh mode too?

Either way, I would suggest you flash RMerlin 384.15_0 firmware or later and follow the guides suggested above to get your network and new router(s) to a good/known state before testing.

Let us know a little more about how your home, networking equipment, and ISP combine to get the internet into your home currently. And, how possible/easy or hard it may be to re-arrange it to set it up to be more optimal too.

 

[Col8eral]

I would not recommend getting the same model today. How sure are you it is bricked? Maybe try following the M&M Config and the Nuclear Reset guides (explicitly) to determine if it is just a firmware/configuration error or hardware. See the link in my signature below for those guides.

If you cannot get your current router going, a single RT-AC86U (or two in AiMesh) or a single RT-AX88U that is optimally placed and set up in the home may be all the WiFi 'power' you need.

You may even be able to use the RT-AC88U too if it isn't bricked in AiMesh mode too?

Either way, I would suggest you flash RMerlin 384.15_0 firmware or later and follow the guides suggested above to get your network and new router(s) to a good/known state before testing.

Let us know a little more about how your home, networking equipment, and ISP combine to get the internet into your home currently. And, how possible/easy or hard it may be to re-arrange it to set it up to be more optimal too.

Thank you for posting. I have tried a few things to unbrick but will certainly give your suggestions a go.

When I bought the AC88U it seemed like a top end unit at the time. That was a few years ago. ASUS seem to make a large range so its difficult to work out which is best. I'll look at the two you suggest. Whats good about those if you dont mind me asking.

In terms of my set up: I have a three story house in the UK. Its old and has solid brick walls outside and inside. The router will be on the middle floor at the back of the house in an office. The cable was routed to that room. I use Virgin Media 200mb broadband service over cable. I have cat 6 cables in a number of rooms that all lead back to the room with the router in it.

I have an RP-AC68U but haven't used it yet. Was going to be my next task before the main router died.

 

[L&LD]

The RT-AC86U and the RT-AX88U are the top two RMerlin supported models currently. Both have more RAM and raw CPU power than previous routers with the 'AX88U having twice as much RAM at 1GB and sporting an 8 port LAN with a four-core processor which I find is used extensively in my own network with the excellent amtm scripts.

I had both routers; the RT-AC86U is great but the RT-AX88U is simply better (throughput, stability and faster too just interacting with the GUI, not just a smoother ISP/LAN and WiFi connection). Not to mention hardware-accelerated OpenVPN performance which can approach 300Mbps with the right VPN provider and server chosen.

With your home as described, it seems a wired AiMesh or AP solution is needed. Why not get one of each and see which one works best as a 'main' router for you?

The link below explains why I tested and kept the RT-AX88U.

RT-AX88U Upgrade https://www.snbforums.com/threads/b...ta-is-now-available.60037/page-31#post-531024

Be persistent about unbricking your current router. You may have a great AP/AiMesh option without cost.

 

[Col8eral]

Will my RP-AC68U support mesh mode either now or in the future.

If I connect my RP-AC68U to the main router via ethernet would that be better than mesh or is mesh the way forward?

 

[KGB7]

If I read correctly, you have CAT6 on all floors of your house?

Here is what I would do.

Modem/Router --> 5 Port 1 Gig switch. ---> from switch ----> Cat 6 to each floor. ---->
ASUS RT-AC68U AiMesh (2 pack) on 1st and 2nd floor.

 

[Col8eral]

If I read correctly, you have CAT6 on all floors of your house?

Here is what I would do.

Modem/Router --> 5 Port 1 Gig switch. ---> from switch ----> Cat 6 to each floor. ---->
ASUS RT-AC68U AiMesh (2 pack) on 1st and 2nd floor.

Thank you. . How does ethernet work with aimesh. Is it like an AP and the WiFi goes through the mesh and back to the router via the ethernet cable?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thank you. . How does ethernet work with aimesh. Is it like an AP and the WiFi goes through the mesh and back to the router via the ethernet cable?

Yes. If wired, the mesh node interconnection is... wired. Otherwise, its wireless... dual-band nodes share their WiFi with clients and node interconnection; tri-band nodes dedicate a 5.0 GHz band to node interconnection.

OE

 

[Col8eral]

Yes. If wired, the mesh node interconnection is... wired. Otherwise, its wireless... duel-band nodes share their WiFi with clients and node interconnection; tri-band nodes dedicate a 5.0 GHz band to node interconnection.

OE

Thank you. I wasn't sure how it worked. I like the idea of cable connection back to the router.

I've looked on Google for Ethernet switches. Loads to choose from. Huge difference in price. What do you guys recommend. I saw that ASUS does a 10 port one with two 10GB ports. XG-U2008. Is this a recommendation?.

 

[KGB7]

Thank you. I wasn't sure how it worked. I like the idea of cable connection back to the router.

I've looked on Google for Ethernet switches. Loads to choose from. Huge difference in price. What do you guys recommend. I saw that ASUS does a 10 port one with two 10GB ports. XG-U2008. Is this a recommendation?.

Never heard of that specific Asus switch.
You can get your self a Netgear 5 port 1Gig switch for about $50.

Or get a Cisco WS-C2960G-8TC switch from Ebay for about $60.

I don't think you need 10Gig ports, unless you are moving a lot of data on your network, like 4k videos.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thank you. I wasn't sure how it worked. I like the idea of cable connection back to the router.

I've looked on Google for Ethernet switches. Loads to choose from. Huge difference in price. What do you guys recommend. I saw that ASUS does a 10 port one with two 10GB ports. XG-U2008. Is this a recommendation?.

I like the idea of no cable required since it's a pain to run a cable.

I've only ever bought two of these... they work just fine but may not be available anymore... about $30 a piece:
https://www.asus.com/Networking/GXD1081_V3/ProductPrint/

One is in my office with the router. The other is at the media center. Neither connects the wireless node.

OE

 

[Col8eral]

I'm planning to

Never heard of that specific Asus switch.
You can get your self a Netgear 5 port 1Gig switch for about $50.

Or get a Cisco WS-C2960G-8TC switch from Ebay for about $60.

I don't think you need 10Gig ports, unless you are moving a lot of data on your network, like 4k videos.

Add some hd security cams in the future. They require Poe switches. Do all switches do PoE or are there specific switches for that.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I'm planning to

Add some hd security cams in the future. They require Poe switches. Do all switches do PoE or are there specific switches for that.

No, you will have to confirm that spec for a given switch. There may also be devices to inject PoE.

OE

 

[Col8eral]

Just ordered the RT-AX88U. Looking FWD to arrival. Having to make do with a crappy virgin hub 3.0. it's terrible.

What firmware do people recommend. Stock or Merlin?

 

[KGB7]

Just ordered the RT-AX88U. Looking FWD to arrival. Having to make do with a crappy virgin hub 3.0. it's terrible.

What firmware do people recommend. Stock or Merlin?

Merlin = Stock + bunch of latest updates to stock.
Try both, but personally I would go with Merlin.

 

[KGB7]

I'm planning to

Add some hd security cams in the future. They require Poe switches. Do all switches do PoE or are there specific switches for that.

It has to be a PoE switch and there are many options now days.

If you only need an 8 port switch today, double it. Get a 16 port switch.

Having that said. You don't have to get a 16 port switch. You can use a 4 port switch as your main PoE switch, and add more PoE switches in various rooms in your house with out running additional cables.

You could get wifi security cameras and place them anywhere near an AC outlet, this way you wouldn't have to run additional LAN cables and you don't have to use a multiple PoE switches.

There are many options to accomplish your main goal. You know your house better than I do, so plan accordingly.

If its fairly easy to run additional CAT 6 cables to all 3 floors, then do so. Run 3-4 more per floor, if its easy. This will eliminate having multiple switches.

I also don't know where you will mount security cameras. Will you place them indoor or outdoor, or combination of both??

Are you going to add DVR for cameras? Are yo going to use a TV to view video from cameras? Or are the cameras will stream to a PC, a PC that will record video from all cameras??

How about a NAS with dual Gig ports, that will store video from security cameras and 2nd NAS that will store your work data?

Are you planing to add a standalone Firewall to protect all the data; "video and work related documents"?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Just ordered the RT-AX88U. Looking FWD to arrival. Having to make do with a crappy virgin hub 3.0. it's terrible.

What firmware do people recommend. Stock or Merlin?

Asuswrt-Merlin firmware is described here: https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/features

If you don't need to use any of the features Asuswrt-Merlin adds to the stock Asuswrt firmware, using it may only delay getting updates to stock firmware and expand the scope of router administration and troubleshooting.

Regardless, I would prove your new router and network on stock Asuswrt firmware first for a few weeks at least. If no issues... chances are you will just leave it be and do something else with your time. But you can always then give Asuswrt-Merlin a try, knowing that your new router is ok.

OE

 

[Col8eral]

Asuswrt-Merlin firmware is described here: https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/features

If you don't need to use any of the features Asuswrt-Merlin adds to the stock Asuswrt firmware, using it may only delay getting updates to stock firmware and expand the scope of router administration and troubleshooting.

Regardless, I would prove your new router and network on stock Asuswrt firmware first for a few weeks at least. If no issues... chances are you will just leave it be and do something else with your time. But you can always then give Asuswrt-Merlin a try, knowing that your new router is ok.

OE

Thank you.

I just received the router but as posted in another thread I seem to be having trouble getting it to work. I upgraded to the latest stick firmware, but I seem to be having two issues.

When I fix an IP address to one of the connected devices I lose the internet connection. And I only get 60mbps download on my broadband, but on my previous router I got the full 200mbps.

Is there a setup guide for this router I should follow? I'm not sure what I've done wrong.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Thank you.

I just received the router but as posted in another thread I seem to be having trouble getting it to work. I upgraded to the latest stick firmware, but I seem to be having two issues.

When I fix an IP address to one of the connected devices I lose the internet connection. And I only get 60mbps download on my broadband, but on my previous router I got the full 200mbps.

Is there a setup guide for this router I should follow? I'm not sure what I've done wrong.

My notes may help ballpark the setup, with some study of the router. But they do not discuss AX stuff I have not seen yet.

OE

 

[Col8eral]

My notes may help ballpark the setup, with some study of the router. But they do not discuss AX stuff I have not seen yet.

OE

Thanks. Will take a look this evening when I get home from work.