Spend my money: High-end router+NAS recommendations

[idesign]

UPDATED JUNE 29: I have used the Apple AirPort Time Capsule for many years and loved their seamless integration with OS X and the ability to store music files on the drive. However, given that my AirPort Time Capsule is falling behind, I need to build a new home router ASAP and potentially add a NAS later. What is your vote for the best router out there mesh or not?

A few details:

• Home internet speed: Gigabit (930.47 Mbps Download/ 836.25 Mbps Upload)
• Uses: Heavy TIDAL and Qobuz lossless streaming
• Computer and device OS used: OSX 10.15 and iOS 13 and later (iPad Pro 2020, iPhone 11 Pro, MacBook Pro 2019, and three devices on network)
• Storage Needs: I have approximately 2TB of lossless music files stored on my AirPort Time Capsule and I would like to find a solution that allows me to access music from the network using MacOS and iOS devices via Roon, Audirvana+, and iTunes. Therefore, the Network solution needs to be compatible with those players.
• Budget: None. I want the best of the best home router and the storage solution can be a cheap/simple option.
• Other considerations: The router will be in a small, open space (550 sq ft) so range does not matter. Having the most up to date protocols is something I would like to have considering the advent of WPA 3 and WiFi 6. A company with good customer support is nice to have.

 

[Trip]

You may want to invest a bit more than you may be envisioning for your network storage solution. Trust me, there's a ton of flake-show stuff out there and you've been blessed to be able to use your Time Capsule as you have, and with such success. It's a decent product, so your bar is already set to a moderate level of reliability. I would do a reputable NAS product aimed at SOHO/SMB, like a Synology. If 2 bays will do it, perhaps a DS718+.

For routing, if you're not planning on running any services on the box which would break hardware NAT, you can get away with a consumer all-in-one probably just fine. Netgear, Asus, etc. If you want to do any heavy lifting via CPU and do it at anywhere near wire speed, you'll need to look at x86-based solutions with whatever firewall distro floats your boat, then wire in a separate wireless solution, be it standalone or mesh.

All-in, I'd say $600-800 should get you an absolutely solid setup of a good NAS coupled with the route/switch/wifi solution I hinted at above.

 

[idesign]

Thank you for your detailed response. Can someone or you make a recommendation for a specific router and the the best hard drive I can use in the Synology DS718+? I have been considering the Netgear AX8 or AX11, Asus AC5300, or Synology MR2200ac