Best wireless AC router?

[M A V I C]

mattkime wrote:
which router do you currently have? would help us figure out how much improvement you'll see with a new router.

I've got a linksys wrt150n. It's single band, and so since I have G devices, it only does 2.4GHz.

jdc wrote:
[quote=Catzilla]
What is the advantage of DD-WRT?

bragging rights to all your geek friends? :comp:
Eh, no. It gives you a lot of configuration options that were previously only available on enterprise grade routers. Things like QoS that actually works and such. Newer routers have better firmware.

Article Accelerator wrote:
[quote=M A V I C]I'm thinking of getting a new router. Although I've been a DD-WRT fan for years, I just don't have time to tinker anymore.…

…Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think my options to solve this issue are:
1. Go to 5GHz where I can - so make sure to get a dual-band router so older devices can still do G (our phones are AC).
2. Get a router that's powerful with big antennas so I can overpower the other networks in the area

Sounds like a good plan. Take a look at the new Airport Extreme.

http://www.tekrevue.com/2013/07/16/802-1...r-linksys/
http://reviews.cnet.com/wireless-access-...81432.html

http://www.apple.com/airport-extreme/

I already have one of those foil things setup to direct the signal.

That's not necessary (and probably not a good idea) if you get a beam-forming capable 802.11ac router.
Are the antennas in it that good? "A powerful Wi-Fi router that's weak on customization" - doesn't sound promising. The screenshots of the admin make it look like it has about the same number of features that super cheap routers had over 10 years ago.

Filliam H. Muffman wrote:
802.11ac is an incomplete standard relating to hardware. Manufacturers are coming out with a second generation of draft hardware that adds dual-MIMO.

The current hardware can give up to 2x speeds in an uncrowded spectrum, or slightly better distance performance (provided you upgrade the hardware on both sides of the connection, eg.: Router and Laptop/computer).

MAVIC, you might do better to put an AP in the basement/attic with a corner/parabolic reflector to cover just the footprint of the house.

Should I care about dual-MIMO? My router is already in the corner of the house with a parabolic reflector trying to cover the footprint.

[mattkime]

>>My router is already in the corner of the house

can you move it to the center of the house?

I'm sure that dual band would help although 5Ghz doesn't travel as far.

I think you should worry less about supporting AC and more about signal strength. i'm not sure who the top contender currently is. seems to change every 6 months.

[M A V I C]

mattkime wrote:
>>My router is already in the corner of the house

can you move it to the center of the house?

I'm sure that dual band would help although 5Ghz doesn't travel as far.

I think you should worry less about supporting AC and more about signal strength. i'm not sure who the top contender currently is. seems to change every 6 months.

I can't move it. Yes, AC isn't that big of a deal - only our phones have it. But I figure if I'm going to buy a new router, I might as well get the latest.

[Catzilla]

M A V I C wrote:
[quote=mattkime]
which router do you currently have? would help us figure out how much improvement you'll see with a new router.

I've got a linksys wrt150n. It's single band, and so since I have G devices, it only does 2.4GHz.

jdc wrote:
[quote=Catzilla]
What is the advantage of DD-WRT?

bragging rights to all your geek friends? :comp:
Eh, no. It gives you a lot of configuration options that were previously only available on enterprise grade routers. Things like QoS that actually works and such. Newer routers have better firmware.
So, I won't do that and mess with things I have no knowledge of.

[silvarios]

M A V I C wrote:
[quote=jdc]
[quote=Catzilla]
What is the advantage of DD-WRT?

bragging rights to all your geek friends? :comp:
Eh, no. It gives you a lot of configuration options that were previously only available on enterprise grade routers. Things like QoS that actually works and such. Newer routers have better firmware.
This. I took an unreliable waste of money Vizio and turned it into a decent little box with OpenWrt. While not DD-WRT, the principle is the same. I used to run DD-WRT on a pair of old Linksys WRT54G-TM in order to convert them into WiFi bridges. I've since switched them over to Gargoyle, but again, third party firmware options in general are quite valuable. Really opens the door on what these routers can do.

MAVIC,
If you need QoS, skip Apple's routers.

[silvarios]

M A V I C wrote:
[quote=mattkime]
which router do you currently have? would help us figure out how much improvement you'll see with a new router.

I've got a linksys wrt150n. It's single band, and so since I have G devices, it only does 2.4GHz.
If your current router is single band, you are stuck with 2.4 GHz no matter what devices you own. I don't think I've seen a consumer, 802.11n, single band router that only offers 5 GHz. Your main point stands, even if you had a dual band router, you'd be stuck with 2.4 GHz mode on account of your single band devices. Simultaneous dual band is quite helpful for this kind of setup.

[Article Accelerator]

M A V I C wrote: Are the antennas in it that good? "A powerful Wi-Fi router that's weak on customization" - doesn't sound promising.

Are you concerned with performance or are you concerned with customization? I would think the former would be far more important. The tekrevue.com comparative tests I cited show the Airport Extreme to have excellent relative performance.

The screenshots of the admin make it look like it has about the same number of features that super cheap routers had over 10 years ago.

What's missing?

[Filliam H. Muffman]

>> I don't think I've seen a consumer, 802.11n, single band router that only offers 5 GHz.

Technically, a single band 5 GHz router is 802.11a.

Apple products are a good choice for people that have only used AirPort. The fast speeds reported in tests ONLY apply to examples with the most recent hardware on both sides of the connection. If you don't have a version of a MacBook that was released in the last 5 months, you are NOT going to get anywhere close to 500 Mbps.

MAVIC, I specifically mentioned dual-MIMO to indicate that the standard is still evolving. MIMO can help performance with beamforming, but it works best when the hardware and software on both sides support it. If you already have a parabolic reflector, I would say going with a newer "n" Tomato/DDWRT compatible router with two or three external antennas would give you the best chance of seeing an improvement in speeds/quality.

There was one university that said they were able to almost double the number of useable connections by upgrading to ac, but that is an extreme case (>200 routers on a network).

[mattkime]

whichever route you chose, report back!

[M A V I C]

silvarios wrote:
MAVIC,
If you need QoS, skip Apple's routers.

Really? I'm surprised Apple's doesn't offer QoS. Do people not mind when their VoIP line cuts out?

silvarios wrote: If your current router is single band, you are stuck with 2.4 GHz no matter what devices you own. I don't think I've seen a consumer, 802.11n, single band router that only offers 5 GHz. Your main point stands, even if you had a dual band router, you'd be stuck with 2.4 GHz mode on account of your single band devices. Simultaneous dual band is quite helpful for this kind of setup.

You are likely correct with the first part. I just vaguely remember I can't get my router out of the 2.4GHz range. As far as dual band goes, I thought any router that was specifically sold as "dual band" could do both simultaneously? There are some that can do one or the other, but they're not sold as dual band. No?

Article Accelerator wrote:
What's missing?

QoS for one thing. I tried to find more screenshots, but couldn't find a complete current set. What I currently use DD-WRT for:
- QoS
- Assign IP based on MAC
- Port forwarding
- Bandwidth monitoring - both daily/monthly & realtime
- It comes default with more advanced firewall protection

Hmm, while I was flipping through the settings, I forgot I was going to try and crank up the tx power That's another nice feature.