What is best router in 2018?

[Websurfinmurf]

Hello all,

I am in the market for buying a new router. I can't figure out what (if any) router is clearly the best router to buy that can be flashed with open source firmware. I prefer Merlin, but I'll go with any router as long as I have option to do my own upgrades.

Asus AC5300 looked good, but I saw quite a few complaints 1+ year later of breaking.
Linksys EA9500 looked good, but I can't find references to being able to flash it.

Or should I wait for something that you know is being released this year?

Any help appreciated....If you have a recommendation REALLY appreciate if you can include a forum thread or web post to help convince me

 

[skeal]

Hello all,

I am in the market for buying a new router. I can't figure out what (if any) router is clearly the best router to buy that can be flashed with open source firmware. I prefer Merlin, but I'll go with any router as long as I have option to do my own upgrades.

Asus AC5300 looked good, but I saw quite a few complaints 1+ year later of breaking.
Linksys EA9500 looked good, but I can't find references to being able to flash it.

Or should I wait for something that you know is being released this year?

Any help appreciated....If you have a recommendation REALLY appreciate if you can include a forum thread or web post to help convince me

The flagship of the fleet is the RT-AC86U.

 

[Azagathoth]

Personally, I'm waiting for the new AX routers to arrive.
Got my eye on this one.
https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AX88U/

I currently have an AC3200 and want to upgrade but nothing on the market yet suits me.

 

[Websurfinmurf]

Personally, I'm waiting for the new AX routers to arrive.
Got my eye on this one.
https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AX88U/

I currently have an AC3200 and want to upgrade but nothing on the market yet suits me.

Thank you for letting me know of the pending release. If my router lasts long enough, I'll see if the AX88U router can be flashed!

 

[Websurfinmurf]

The flagship of the fleet is the RT-AC86U.

Tnx, from other posts that does seem like the fav right now.

 

[Vexira]

im hoping the AX-88U is quad core like the GT-AC5300

 

[Adamm]

im hoping the AX-88U is quad core like the GT-AC5300

The AX88U will have a BCM4906 which is the same as the AC86U. End of August looks like the estimated release date.

 

[DaveMishSr]

This thread should be in the Asus AC router forum, no?

 

[Vexira]

The AX88U will have a BCM4906 which is the same as the AC86U. End of August looks like the estimated release date.

Well aslong as its better than my current 88u and supported by Merlin with full cone Nat like the 86u then I want one lol, my relatives will be happy with my 88u.

But I'm still saddens that it might not be a quad core, since I hear that qos is quite responseive on the gt-5300 but sadly the stock firmware is letting it down.

The lack of Merlin support and the exorbitant price tag killed my interest in buying one sadly.

 

[thiggins]

Personally, I'm waiting for the new AX routers to arrive.
Got my eye on this one.
https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AX88U/

I currently have an AC3200 and want to upgrade but nothing on the market yet suits me.

Do you know 802.11ax is a draft standard that is not due to be finalized until mid-2019? What do you think 11ax will do for you?

 

[Websurfinmurf]

Do you know 802.11ax is a draft standard that is not due to be finalized until mid-2019? What do you think 11ax will do for you?

Thanks, I may buy the RT-AC86U and let the dust settle on the new standard.

 

[avtella]

WiFi chipset wise, especially with 5Ghz performance at all ranges I feel the QCA9984 based routers are still the best ie (Netgear R7800, Synology RT2600AC, Asus BRT AC828), however the AC86U is pretty decent in terms of 5Ghz with the added benefit of excellent VPN performance so its a pretty well rounded unit. QCA also has working MU though its not a big deal for most at the moment.

 

[System Error Message]

the best wired router you can buy for quite a while is the cisco blade servers used in T1 ISP exchanges or a threadripper/epyc with 10Gb/s NICS, 4-8 channels of high performance ddr4 ram.

as for wifi i find a random isp given tp link ac1200 beating my asus ac88u in wifi performance. so wifi is a mixed bag.

 

[Azagathoth]

Do you know 802.11ax is a draft standard that is not due to be finalized until mid-2019? What do you think 11ax will do for you?

I'm the kind of guy that likes to future proof kinda. Why not get the newer router if you're looking to upgrade anyways?. If in 2019 there's a better option then I'll explore that then.

 

[avtella]

I'm the kind of guy that likes to future proof kinda. Why not get the newer router if you're looking to upgrade anyways?. If in 2019 there's a better option then I'll explore that then.

If there are last minute changes they may not be available and you end up in a here nor there situation. Better to buy the R7800 or AC86U at lower prices when the first ax units come out as the firmware may not be stable. With routers old is usually gold. Latest means you are usually the guinea pig and bug detector for the companies.

 

[sfx2000]

I am in the market for buying a new router. I can't figure out what (if any) router is clearly the best router to buy that can be flashed with open source firmware. I prefer Merlin, but I'll go with any router as long as I have option to do my own upgrades.

WRT54GL all the way!

Yes, you can still buy them -- https://www.linksys.com/us/p/P-WRT54GL/

Drop DDWRT or OpenWRT, and you'll have a proven high performance and stable device.

My point being - the "best router" is the one that meets your needs...

Most of the AC1900 class devices are still very relevant today... focus is more on how the vendor keeps firmware updated for security issues.

 

[thiggins]

I'm the kind of guy that likes to future proof kinda. Why not get the newer router if you're looking to upgrade anyways?. If in 2019 there's a better option then I'll explore that then.

Consumer Wi-Fi products have become the beta test method for new WiFi technologies. First-to-market products for 11n and 11ac were based on draft standards where there were many interoperability and compatibility problems.

If you like paying top dollar for the privilege of finding bugs for manufacturers, then go for it. The smarter buy is to stay a generation behind or at least wait 6 months before buying first generation new technology.

 

[pege63]

Personally, I'm waiting for the new AX routers to arrive.
Got my eye on this one.
https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AX88U/

So wath do you think you will get out of this Router, when there is NOT even clients that even support todays Routers full out?
Just waste of money.

 

[System Error Message]

i recommend having a separate router and wifi. If you upgrade your wifi often, then all you'll need is the cheapest device with the latest and greatest wifi, but if the router performance and features matter and you upgrade often, you'll waste too much money. Separating them separates the cost. My wired router despite costing $1k will last for more than a decade as its 10G internet ready even with QoS and i have a fully managed SFP+ switch. My wifi router varies, i have 2 dual channel AC tp links given free by my ISP that work very well for wifi, i had 3 asus AC routers (1 stolen by a previous employer), 1 AC1900 given by BT that works well and i have some old wifi routers as well i intend to turn into openwrt mini servers.

Separating things also lets you have the best of each. Now go get that cisco blade server used in T1 for your home internet

 

[appleseed]

Consumer Wi-Fi products have become the beta test method for new WiFi technologies.

sidenote stream of consciousness but semi-related: do you think there is some inherent reason they don't fight over chips to speed up encryption/decryption (faster than the current champion) ? I assume it's cost - but - as we know people will pay top dollar regardless of cost when you slap marketing buzzwords across the box like "Gaming", "Mesh", "Ai", "Dual-band", "Tri-band" etc... or is it heat? cooling? complexity, maybe ? I don't know, I mean look at this monstrosity that looks like a spider: http://hexus.net/media/uploaded/2016/12/df963750-4983-42c7-aa7f-49713026c83e.png

I thought VPN throughput could be a major selling point in 2018, but instead, for years they continue to keep battling for wireless speed supremacy. I think that's important too but considering how much these companies want your business, I had incorrectly assumed that battle lines would have been redrawn a few years ago, and again more recently with Facebook, in favor of consumer and small-business router privacy with fancy-easy-setup™, co-branding with VPN providers for an extra revenue stream, and that they would simply fear-monger us all into giving them money by touting multi-core VPN speed supremacy with exotic buzzwords of the newest cipher strength schemes plastered all over the box - but they have not. They really have not. It's baffling to me. Money on the table just sitting there. Had I bought stock on this idea I would be ruined.