I just discovered that my Netgear R7800 router is now considered End-of-Service--I think I purchased it around 2016--so it will no longer be receiving firmware updates. I presume this means that I should replace it, at the very least for security reasons. While the router continues to serve my family's needs quite well, and has performed very reliably, I have been wanting to get a mesh router anyway to improve connectivity in more remote areas of the house.
I have two questions, one general, and one specific.
1) What do most people do regarding router end-of-life, especially those of us who don't require the latest and greatest? Do knowledgeable people replace their entire Wi-Fi household infrastructure every 3-to-5 years? Do the major manufacturers differ as to how long they support their routers with firmware updates? Do many people simply rely on open source firmware to extend their router's lives?
2) Regarding my specific needs, presuming I replace the R7800, I'm looking for a mesh router for a ~2100 sq. ft. house. (Unfortunately, the internet enters the house at one upper corner, and some of the required use is at the opposite lower corner of the house...so I think I may need two satellites to get good, full coverage.) The needs are very typical/pedestrian--occasional streaming, remote work, etc. We probably have at most 12 devices and never more than 1 or 2 simultaneous video streams ever running. I don't need cutting edge technology, but I would like something that will comfortably last more than three years (with the requisite support). My biggest concerns are security, parental controls, and reliability. I'd prefer not to have to pay a "toll" (subscription) to get the best use out of it, but would be willing to do so, if, say, the parental controls are truly superior to alternatives.
Does anyone have a recommendation, either manufacturer or specific model? I have followed the industry a little, but I haven't been in the market for a new router in eight years. Are there new features I should be sure to focus on?
Any suggestions, or referrals to good web resources, are much appreciated.
Thanks.
I have two questions, one general, and one specific.
1) What do most people do regarding router end-of-life, especially those of us who don't require the latest and greatest? Do knowledgeable people replace their entire Wi-Fi household infrastructure every 3-to-5 years? Do the major manufacturers differ as to how long they support their routers with firmware updates? Do many people simply rely on open source firmware to extend their router's lives?
2) Regarding my specific needs, presuming I replace the R7800, I'm looking for a mesh router for a ~2100 sq. ft. house. (Unfortunately, the internet enters the house at one upper corner, and some of the required use is at the opposite lower corner of the house...so I think I may need two satellites to get good, full coverage.) The needs are very typical/pedestrian--occasional streaming, remote work, etc. We probably have at most 12 devices and never more than 1 or 2 simultaneous video streams ever running. I don't need cutting edge technology, but I would like something that will comfortably last more than three years (with the requisite support). My biggest concerns are security, parental controls, and reliability. I'd prefer not to have to pay a "toll" (subscription) to get the best use out of it, but would be willing to do so, if, say, the parental controls are truly superior to alternatives.
Does anyone have a recommendation, either manufacturer or specific model? I have followed the industry a little, but I haven't been in the market for a new router in eight years. Are there new features I should be sure to focus on?
Any suggestions, or referrals to good web resources, are much appreciated.
Thanks.
