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Best Router to buy for home set up?

  • 12-09-2022 08:28PM
    #1
    Bubba
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 569 ✭✭✭


    Hi all

    im considering investing in a new router for the house. Currently have the bog standard one issued by Virgin approx 2 years old now (tall black one).

    im looking for a middle of the range one, doesn’t need to be super fancy but looking for increased range and ideally speed if possible.

    any ideas of any suggestions at a reasonable price?



Answers

  • #2
    Ubbquittious
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭Ubbquittious


    asus



  • #3
    Bubba
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 569 ✭✭✭Bubba


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119610379#Comment_119610379

    Thanks @Ubbquittious - any particular model or are you just recommending Asus routers in general?



  • #4
    heavydawson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 1,244 ✭✭✭heavydawson


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119612151#Comment_119612151

    I use 3 Asus (1x GT-AX6000, 2 x RT-AX86U). I only have the GT-AX6000 for dual 2.5GB ports. The AX86U is a great model. Dong knows is a good resource:

    https://dongknows.com/best-wi-fi-6-routers/




  • #5
    DecTenToo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 202 ✭✭DecTenToo


    Agree. I set my Virgin router into modem only mode, have the RT-AC-5300 and RT-AC86U for the back of the house in mesh mode where the coverage is bad. You can also look at the Merlin firmware for extra functionality, should you need it.



  • #6
    banie01
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,338 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    I use Asus and have done for years.

    Currently have 2 running a Mesh setup with 2nd one running in an outbuilding. My "main" is an RT-AX88U and it's rock solid and using Asus Merlin FW gives plenty of tweaking options.



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  • #7
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,451 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Don’t forget that you will need an ipv4 address to be able to put the VM router into modem mode.



  • #8
    Bubba
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 569 ✭✭✭Bubba


    Thanks Legends. Great info and lots to research



  • #9
    Bubba
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 569 ✭✭✭Bubba


    Hey folks, a follow up question on this. What’s the difference between mesh mode on a router and just a normal access point you can buy?

    appreciate the advice 🙂



  • #10
    theteal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,590 ✭✭✭theteal


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119620096#Comment_119620096

    Unless it's different to here in the UK, it auto assigns when put to modem mode. I don't even think I had to configure the outside interface of my ax88



  • #11
    theteal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,590 ✭✭✭theteal


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119616303#Comment_119616303

    Sorry to divert OP but just on Merlin, I've been tempted in the past but kinda forgotten since. What am I missing?



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  • #12
    cnocbui
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,202 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    Well everyone tends to like what they have got so I'll give a shout out to Fritzbox. Better than anything else I have had, particularly the OS UI.



  • #13
    banie01
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,338 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119633473#Comment_119633473

    There are lots of benefits, for me the main ones are better VPN support & subnetting, assigning specific DNS to individual clients.

    More info here:

    https://dongknows.com/asus-routers-and-merlin-firmware/




  • #14
    Glaceon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 3,116 ✭✭✭Glaceon


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119633466#Comment_119633466

    In the UK I don't think you guys have IPv6 at all. Over here, residential customers are put on IPv6 by default with IPv4 routed via a DS-Lite (carrier grade NAT) tunnel. The modem mode option isn't available when IPv6 is enabled. You have to call support to get it disabled, after which you're assigned a public IPv4 address as normal.



  • #15
    heavydawson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 1,244 ✭✭✭heavydawson


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119633424#Comment_119633424

    If you have multiple access points with the same network name and password configured, then you're half-way to a mesh. That assumes each of those access points is connected back to a router via network cable.

    "Proper" meshes are largely characterized by the fact that only a single node is connected via network cable to the modem/router provided by the ISP.

    The mesh nodes communicate with one another via Wifi (For that reason they'll usually have 2x2.4Ghz or 2x5Ghz support)

    Asus offers a software-based solution called AIMesh for their devices. This allows for not only Wifi-based backhaul, but also Ethernet-based backhaul.

    Most meshes will limit the configuration options available on the non-master nodes to ensure the network is consistent.

    The truth is the Mesh ecosystem is very complicated!



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