what are the best/greater routers supported by Merlin firmwares?

[horizonbrave]

Hi,
please wha's the best Asus router I could run Merlin on?
Also, on a side note: do some of you used Synology routers and what do you miss from them compared to Asus+Merlin ones? (apparently Synology releases frequent firmware updates for their routers).

Many thanks

 

[ColinTaylor]

"best" is a relative term that only you can gauge. You can see the list of supported routers here and decide for yourself.

 

[horizonbrave]

"best" is a relative term that only you can gauge. You can see the list of supported routers here and decide for yourself.

Thanks, I was just reading it
I guess one has to choose between the 8 Gigabit ports of the RT-AC88U or the extra bandwidth offered by th RT-AC5300 (oh my god is so ugly-looking).
I also guess none will offer a "unified" SSID wifi network name (like with the mesh products), right?
Many thanks

 

[ColinTaylor]

Then of course you've got the RT-AC86U with its hardware encryption which is great if you use a VPN, and possibly a waste of money if you don't.

I don't know what you mean by "unified SSID wifi network name". On the dual band routers you can set the same SSID on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios. You could also connect another access point by Ethernet that used the same SSID. But it doesn't do anything mesh-like with other routers.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Then there's QoS...... which requires a fast processor if you have a fast internet connection. But if you don't need QoS....

 

[horizonbrave]

Then there's QoS...... which requires a fast processor if you have a fast internet connection. But if you don't need QoS....

I think QOS it's really needed! And I'd love to prevent buffer bloat too!
Cheers

 

[horizonbrave]

Then of course you've got the RT-AC86U with its hardware encryption which is great if you use a VPN, and possibly a waste of money if you don't.

What else the hardware encryption offered by that model is good for?
Please also, any other model offering it?
Thanks

I don't know what you mean by "unified SSID wifi network name"

My bad! I mean a feature where you set only one SSID and then the router does the homework switching devices across the 2 radios according to the best performance (Synology call it "smart connect")

 

[ColinTaylor]

I'm not sure but I think the AC86U is the only model with hardware encryption. I don't know the specifics of all the models, I'm not an Asus salesman.

Asus also has smart connect, although I've personally never used it. http://demoui.asus.com/Advanced_Smart_Connect.asp

 

[Grisu]

maybe best will be RT-AX88U with Merlin support (just released first alpha).

 

[HuskyHerder]

RT-AC5300 (oh my god is so ugly-looking).

Hey, that cat in you're picture, its winking at me.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I purchased it because it was so different.Though the wife does give me grief about the 5300. She calls it a spider or alien. Though it does fit in with Halloween decorations, and the red glow from my laptop cooler sitting under it really adds to it. I tell the kids its alien tech.

Its up on a shelf out of direct sight for the most part.

 

[Sinner]

Id say 3100 best performance/value for high end. Unless u require more ports go with 88u or more wireless cuz u have a rediculous amount of wireless devices go with 5300. Else 3100 is godly

 

[consorts]

Id say 3100 best performance/value for high end

agreed, i agonized over which asus for a while, and you can find lightly used
https://i.imgur.com/iwRzXCg.jpg
ac3100's on ebay and craigslist around $100 now - best c-note i ever spent...

if you get this model, spend a few dollars on any usb-fan.
https://www.ebay.com/itm//122419973081
even loose a fan will lower cpu temps 25°C from ambient.

my router is in a centrally located closet of a 2,000 sqft floor
with five online active people with over two dozen ip devices.

 

[horizonbrave]

I'm liking the RT-AC86U for the CPU while not seeing the utility for my use case of an 8 ports hub on the router (88U/3100 modells).
I'm surprised there's no Asus model with WPA3 or 10G ports there yet, I guess they might show up soon

 

[CrystalLattice]

Hi,
please wha's the best Asus router I could run Merlin on?
Also, on a side note: do some of you used Synology routers and what do you miss from them compared to Asus+Merlin ones? (apparently Synology releases frequent firmware updates for their routers).

Many thanks

best routers: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Electronics-Computer-Routers/zgbs/electronics/300189

 

[PDinDetroit]

I have an RT-AC86U that replaced 2 RT-AC66U's (2200+ SF House), the 66U's ran for years on Merlin. I run Diversion and Skynet to keep things "out" as it were and use QOS for VOIP calling (work from home - very important to team interaction using Skype and WebEx). I have a 24-port non-managed switch for all the "stuff" that I like to have hard-wired.

I really like my AC86U, very few issues with it. I have had time in the past to play with the Merlin Alpha/Beta Builds, but now time is scarce due to a "Death March" project...