Reddit reviews Asus AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Router with MU-Mimo, Aimesh for Mesh WIFI System, Aiprotection Network Security Powered by Trend Micro, Adaptive Qos and Parental Control (RT-AC68U),Black
We found 157 Reddit comments about Asus AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Router with MU-Mimo, Aimesh for Mesh WIFI System, Aiprotection Network Security Powered by Trend Micro, Adaptive Qos and Parental Control (RT-AC68U),Black. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Dual band with the latest 802; 11 AC 3x3 technology for combined speeds of up to 1900 Mbps1 GigaHertz dual core CPU enables smart multitasking by dedicating separate lanes for Wi Fi and USB data; Network standard: IEEE 802; 11a, IEEE 802; 11B, IEEE 802; 11G, IEEE 802; 11N, IEEE 802; 11AC, IPv4, IPv6Effortless router setup with the ASUSWRT web based interface; Dual band connectivity for compatibility and performanceMonitor and manage your network with ease from your mobile device using the intuitive ASUS router appA protection powered by Trend Micro provides multi stage protection from vulnerability detection to protecting sensitive data; Please refer the installation manual and the user manual before use which is highly essential; Dc output: 19 Volt with maximum 1; 75 a current; Guest network: 2; 4 GigaHertz x 3, 5 GigaHertz x 3
There are quite a few options out there, and it really depends on what your focus is. Do you have multiple 802.11 AC devices, or are most still on the N band? Do you game, and if so, do you plan on doing so hardwired or wireless (obviously I recommend wired if you can, but not everyone has this option)? How large is your living space, and are you in a house with few wireless points around or in an apartment with tons of wireless congestion around?
For everyday use that will serve you well all around with solid 802.11AC performance, I'd recommend the Asus RT-AC68U. FYI on this one, Amazon currently has it listed for WAY above what most retail shops are at. I've seen them recently as low as $115-130. Probably worth surfing around for a better price (FYI - if you have a Micro Center near you, they have it on sale right now for $140).
If you game heavily, and it is a big part of your daily life, the Netgear R7000p Nighthawk router is well worth the additional cost. I've seen this go as low as $140 in the past, but its far more often closer to the current price of $180.
Finally, if these are too far out of your price range, that's totally understandable. For a budget pick, the TPLink Archer C7 is an excellent all around router especially for the low cost. The major downsides of going with a budget router is the lack of good QOS (quality of service) tools to manage bufferbloat and latency for gaming, and slower processors that can harm large file transfers over a network or multiple devices at the same time. It all depends on your usage.
One final note - Comcast's device is often a modem AND router in one. Do you have a Docsis 3.0/3.1 modem already that you will be using with this, or do you need to purchase one of those as well? You can not use one or the other, you must have both (unless only hardwiring to one PC, with no wifi).
I'll cover a few options based on price and level of technical knowledge needed.
For T-Mobile Customers
If you're a subscriber of T-Mobile, I'd recommend taking advantage of their Wi-Fi CellSpot loaner program for a $25 deposit.
This program gets you a T-Mobile optimized router, which is a modified version of the
$100+ Asus RT-AC68U.
It is missing some options from the stock Asus unit but still has options for stuff like bandwidth prioritization and QoS (the thing is also preconfigured to give high priority to wi-fi phone calls).
User-friendly Options
This costs about $80-90 and is probably the best overall option for anyone that wants a decent wireless router that has a lot of useful options. It lets you specify bandwidth settings that apply to an entire guest network (both upload/download speeds), as well as limit bandwidth to specific devices. This unit is generally recommended by r/homenetworking for a cheap, decent router, and by Wirecutters.
Roughly $100 - I used to use D-Link wireless routers and they are easy to use and I have . This model can also be loaded with DD-WRT if you're so technically inclined. DD-WRT is an open-source firmware that can be loaded onto a variety of routers that gives a lot of options for power users. The default firmware will still have options to control bandwidth and QoS, so you won't need any advanced special firmware.
More Technical Options
If you want to learn some slightly more advanced configuration, one of the most price-accessible options is a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X combined with a Ubiquiti AC Lite wireless AP. This combination costs roughly $120-130, but it is better than similarly priced (or even more expensive) home consumer combination wireless routers and provide a lot of options and features.
You can traffic shape at the EdgeRouter X, so you can do things like limit the bandwidth provided to the wireless network to begin with, or limit it to certain clients. You could also do limiting at the AC Lite access point and create a special group of users (basically, login information) with limitations on that group.
The ERX can handle an ISP connection of probably up to 900 Mbps, though I have no first-hand confirmation of this as my home connection is 200/10. I've been running the ER-X and UniFi AC Lite at home for about two years with no problems, and fairly heavy internet use.
However, if you just need a relatively easy consumer router, go with the easier options.
First of all, its not really fair for you to limit your sister's videos to 480p so you can play OW without lag. You should both be able to share the internet, just because you see your usage as more important doesn't mean it is.
Now that that's out of the way, I'm guessing that your main issue is that you are trying to game over WiFi, as you said Ethernet's not an option. I would place most of the blame on one of two things, either you've got a shitty router that cant handle a lot of traffic and is causing latency OR you internet speeds are sub 25MB/s.
Option 1, shitty router: Without knowing the specs for your router I cant tell you for certain if this is the issue but streaming media does consume a fair amount of clock cycles and if its an older router (especially a cheaper model of older router) they are not built to handle that sort of traffic. A new Wireless AC router should be able to handle that traffic easily, I really like the ASUS RT-AC68U. ASUS in general has a very friendly router interface. To utilize AC performance, you may need to buy a new wireless adapter for your PC as well but your current one will connect via N.
Option 2, slow internet: With the above mentioned AC router you can implement QoS, without paying for faster internet this is the only way to resolve your issue. As I said before, its not fair to restrict your sisters laptop to slow 480p performance BUT (at least in my ASUS router) you can make a list of up to 5 devices that will be prioritized in the order of the list. Online gaming does not take much bandwidth, watch your task manager while gaming, most of the time you will be using less than 500 kb/s. If you put your device on the top of the list your packets will have priority, but your sister's laptop should still be able to stream without any difference to her quality. Some routers also have a "game prioritization" mode where they will prioritize known gaming traffic from any source.
Hope this helps, if you have any questions let me know.
Edit: I also would like to point out that I've tried gaming over a Powerline adapter as mentioned below. It was OK but there was still some lag and it seemed to max out at 100Mb/s download speed. I had better luck with a wireless AC pci-e card and an AC router.
Netgear's firmware is garbage. The only manufacturer that I've been able to get consistent performance and reliability out of is Asus. I don't think it's a coincidence that their firmware is open source and based off of DD-WRT.
Although their models have gotten cheaper over the years. I bought my AC87 refurbished for $180 probably four years ago now, and it's still running great. The AC56 (I think that was $120 when I bought it?) that it replaced started giving me trouble after a year or so.
If I had to make a recommendation today, it would probably be the AC68 (currently $140 on Amazon), although if you were in a small apartment the AC66 ($65 on Amazon) would probably also do you well.
Asus provides regular updates to their routers, and there's good support for third party firmware.
I use the Asus RT-AC68U personally:
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4
But they both AC1900 routers, which you can read about here:
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/32238-ac1900-innovation-or-3d-wi-fi
So.... if I understand this correctly, T-Mobile is offering this $200 router on Amazon for a refundable $25, if you say you need it for Wifi calling, regardless of whether or not you use wifi calling?
You're telling me I can have a $200 router for $25? No strings attached?
EDIT: More info after some research: http://slickdeals.net/f/7193262-t-mobile-personal-cellspot-ac-router-by-asus-free-for-postpaid-25-deposit
TL;DR - Yes, postpaid customers get a $200 router for $25 to use Wifi-calling on T-Mo branded smartphones (not Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 bought from Google). Prepaid customers get charged $99. These charges are technically refundable deposits. This router is probably better than your home router you currently have, and is very lightly modified, so it's an overall upgrade to your home network.
The TP-LINK Archer C5 is a good cheap router.
If you have more in your budget, I'd go with the C7
And then, even better (imo) but more expensive, the Asus AC68U
I have Webpass and love it. You can use wifi which will give you about 500mb/s but a wired connection will get you up to 1gb/s.
Your "phone jack"/"cable jack" should be the same, its just an ethernet jack. The webpass technician can explain all this and help you get set up.
You'll need to buy the router yourself,
this is the one I use but just search around on Amazon if that one doesn't work for you.
Just search for the best AC routers. I am not familiar with OpenNAT or why you need it, but aside from that a typical AC router would get the job done for all of the thing you want to do. Your actual internet service may hold you back, but the router shouldn't.
As for the wireless range, try to run an ethernet cable to get the router closer to the middle of your house. That will be far cheaper than getting a more powerful router.
something like this will be more than enough to get the job done. You could definitely spend less if you wanted though.
This ASUS is right in your price range, and has all the great QOS and scheduling tools you've heard about. But if you're already paying for a premium router, please go for the AC-876. I can easily get 4 floors and 400 ft of range out of it with 2.4 GHz N band 300 Mbps coverage, and at least 200 ft of 5 GHz at least 1200 Mpbs AC band (my AC devices can only do 1.2 Gbps AC, but it's rated higher). This is a future proofing router than you should easily get 5+ years of use out of. You can also probably find a better price through another vendor, this is just the quickest link I found. I've seen them for closer to $200, but never sub.
I have the Asus AC68U Router paired with an Arris 6190 Modem. Blazing speeds ready for Gigabit internet. I'm a network engineer, and this is what i use.
Edit: I also game with this Asus PCIe WiFi Adapter
Is this deal from /r/buildapcsales worth it?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00FB45SI4
I am using this router. I will hop on tonight and see if I can find out how much data people are using.
Do you know how to block BitTorrent? Google gave me the Port ID. Would that help at all?
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4
I have this. My nephew bought his PS4 over and everything works perfectly out of the box zero issues. Played AW together no problems.
The Motorola SB modems are great! I can confirm they work for both Comcast and TWC. (Parents have comcast and a 6121, I have TWC and have used a 6141 and 6183). Here are a few links to them:
SB6121
SB6141
For routers I use an Asus RT68CU, but I have a lot going on in my apartment. You could get away using any name brand, cheaper one really.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=asc_df_B00FB45SI44704260?tag=hawk-future-20&creative=395261&creativeASIN=B00FB45SI4&linkCode=asn&ascsubtag=hawk-1522664648-20
I have this router and I really like it. it has support for adding accesspoints aswell.
Surfboard Modem with Docsis e
3 ARRIS SURFboard SB6183 Modem 16x4 Docsis 3.0 Cable Modem- Retail Packaging- White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MA5U1FW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_eJCSAbX1T8PQ8
And a fancy Asus router ASUS AC1900 WiFi Dual-band 3x3 Gigabit Wireless Router with AiProtection Network Security Powered by Trend Micro, AiMesh Whole Home WiFi System Compatible (RT-AC68U) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_YJCSAb3XP5Y3P
Well, for starters it is Christmas Weekend, so people are probably downloading their games, patches, etc - so it's bogging Sony's servers a bit. The other piece of the puzzle is that the wireless card inside the PS4 is crap. However, I did see that you said you're hardwired, so first and foremost, try restarting your modem/router. If that doesn't fix it, try unplugging it and leaving it unplugged for 10 - 20 seconds, so that it can refresh itself. If that doesn't work, then you'll want to look into getting a new router/modem. However, because you're with Xfinity I can already tell you, they will give you a modem for $X/mo, and then you can just get a router. My suggestion, if you have lots of people using the internet, or you just want to buy to not have to buy every 2 years try this - I have been a loyal customer for ASUS for the last 7 or so years and I love their products.
The easiest route I would recommend is buying a WiFi router that can run a VPN Server on it. If you bought a consumer grade router it might support it already. (Most ISP provided routers don’t) My parents use this option on their network. You’ll need to open up specific ports on your router and setup a DDNS domain name. Hit me up if you have any questions about the process.
ASUS RT-AC68U
Also to clarify, if you know you'll be using a router for any prolonged period at time (e.g. more than a month or two in your near-future life), then you should invest in buying the router yourself, rather than renting it. You can obviously get a higher-end router, or a lower-end router, and both will be sufficient for 1Gbps transfers (just check the stats first. 1000Mbps = 1Gbps). Either way, even with an insane router, you'll probably pay it off inside a year (in terms of EPB). If you need help setting it up, ask around, offer some beers to a tech friend/acquaintance to set it up and show you anything you might need to know.
This is my router, which is obviously one of the pricier ones, but this specific one is "paid off" inside 7 months.
From initial glancing, this router would also be sufficient, and would be "paid off" inside 3 months.
Also, the main reason to rent would be that the monthly payment is cheaper in the long run - e.g. you replace the router every 1-2 years or something - but that's not going to happen. The monthly payment will rarely be cheaper in the long run. Routers will last multiple years even outside of warranty. And they don't have the upgrade cycle of a phone. And you'll rarely, if ever, need to "turn it off and turn it on" like those old blue Linksys routers. Those sucked.
You don’t need to jack with QoS, I’ve never touched that in my life.
Do yourself a favor and go buy an Asus router like this one and you won’t need to screw around with any settings. Unbox, plug it in, race. Do NOT waste time with budget routers, stay away from Netgear and Linksys.
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900-System/dp/B00FB45SI4
Most ISPs will not allow two separate data connections in the same household. Your best bet is to get the highest tier internet you can get, anything north of 50Mbps should be sufficient, though I'd really try to get 100Mbps if you can. It would also make sense to invest in a higher-end wireless router, ASUS makes some nice stuff.
This is what I am running at home, and it works flawlessly. I own both the portable and the Shield, and use both with this router without issue.
I am also running a wireless PCE-AC68 card from my PC, instead of wired, but again have zero issues.
Like /u/WindAeris mentioned, the T-Mobile Test Drive is a great way to get a real-world idea of what their service is like.
They do put a $700 hold on your card, so make sure whatever card number you give them can take that. The iPhone 5S they give you has unlimited minutes, texts, and unthrottled data so you can then run around and test the network to your heart's content, then return the phone to any T-Mobile retail store on the last day. Once you return it, and the store determines that it's not damaged, the hold is removed from your card and that's it.
Also, if you're frequently at areas that have good Wi-Fi networks, T-Mobile has Wi-Fi calling and texting on iOS 8 and almost all of their Android phones. Devices which also support VoLTE (iPhone 6 and a handful of Androids) can do seamless handoff between Wi-Fi and VoLTE calls without dropping the call.
If service is so-so in your home, you can get a free signal booster from them which'll strengthen their 3G, 4G, and LTE signals ($25 deposit after September 24^th), or you can get what's basically a ASUS RT-AC68U (a seriously kick-ass 802.11ac dual-band router) optimized for Wi-Fi calling for a $25 deposit (though you have to return it if you ever leave T-Mo) or $99 outright from T-Mobile if you're on a prepaid or a no credit check plan.
I like the Asus RT-AC68U
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WrfyDb3N1GVWP
It has good range and I like the firmware.
For mesh the orbi from Netgear is pretty good.
I had Frontier (Verizon at the time) provision ethernet. So I have straight ethernet from the ONT.
Currently using an this router and so far its worked well for me.
I would suggest to get the Motorola Surfboard 6141 or the Surfboard 6183
And one of these routers
It's not cheap having a decent setup. I personally have the Motorola Surfboard 6141 with a really nice router But I also live with 4 other guys and we usually have about 20 devices connected via wifi.
Just did a speed test here at work: 7d/8u
And at home: 28d/5.7u
I use this router, which I actually got just for the purpose of remote play (my old router did not support UPnP) http://amzn.com/B00FB45SI4
I stress that the PS4 needs to be plugged into the router. At least, this is so in my case. Though, you may also need to specify to use a wired connection and not wireless on the PS4.
If you're getting the 1000x1000 LUS package, be warned that most consumer grade routers simply cannot handle that much bandwidth. ASUS routers can. I've specifically been using this ASUS RT-AC68U for a few years and it has been rock solid. Much more reliable than any of the Cisco, Netgear, DLink routers i've used over the years. I've yet to have an instance of needing to reboot it to magically fix any connectivity issues, and it can do a decent job of QoS, albeit it's QoS processing is limited to about 20% of the bandwidth of my connection (if you're using QoS that is)
Alright so,
I have 1gig internet (supposedly), and I'm getting serious packet loss and lag on any online game right now with my new rig.
Router https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FB45SI4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Modem:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgear-nighthawk-32-x-8-docsis-3-1-voice-cable-modem-black/6319962.p?skuId=6319962
I pinged my router and had no packet loss or issues. This is happening on both wired and wireless connections. Even if my SO is streaming Hulu/Netflix I would have thought the internet and hardware i bought would prevent this issue...
You need a separate modem and router. Gateways that combo the two will pretty much guaranteed not give you the full speed you're paying for.
The kind of router you want is gonna be one of the higher end dual band routers. With the amount of connections is recommend one of the flagship models from ASUS or Linksys even.
Heres the router I have: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FB45SI4
Essentially a dual band gigabit router. One of the cooler functions is that it supports the newest wireless band which is significantly faster than the current standard (though not many things use it yet). Future proofing, basically.
It supports my house fine, with 2 laptops, 2 wired desktops, 3 smartphones, my 360, xb1, smart tv, Blu ray player, you get the idea. It handles heavy loads well. I recommend it if you're interested in a good investment into a router.
Hope that helped a bit. :)
I own the regular version of this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FB45SI4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Does this offer me any advantages other than price?
T-mobile has a router and a signal booster to help with coverage issues.
The router is this one covered in T-mobile branding http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4
Call into support and ask for the cellspot router for wifi calling. It is $25 with deposit for postpaid users although I don't think any has actually paid the fee usually it's waived, if you want to own it it's $99 which is a lot cheaper than buying that specific router on your own. If you don't want to own it, you get to keep it as long as you are a T-mobile customer.
It works just like any other router, plug it into the modem follow installation instructions and you have wifi.
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900-System/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=ac68u&qid=1555012401&s=electronics&sr=1-1
I'd get a DOCSIS 3.1 modem for 400mbps. If you don't want to, avoid 32x8 modems, as they are Puma 6. I guess you could run 400mbps on a 24x8, but if there is congestion, your connection will slow down a lot more than with a DOCSIS 3.1 modem.
​
Comcast has various deals and bundles, so if 400mbps is included or cheaper than 250mbps for a year, go for it, but after that, know that 250mbps and 400mbps are basically the same thing, as most CDNs can't push out 400mbps anyway, and they both have the same puny 10mbps upload, which is much more of a limit than the download.
​
With WiFi 6 starting to come out, but not well established, I wouldn't spend more than $150-$200 TOPS on a WiFi 5 router, and upgrade in a few years if you need to. The ASUS RT-AC68U is several years old now, but still can push 300mbps+ out and is a good router.
​
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900-System/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=ASUS+RT-AC68U&qid=1556661943&s=gateway&sr=8-2
TP-LINK Archer C7
TP-LINK Archer C9
ASUS RT-AC66U
ASUS RT-AC68U
Over in /r/HomeNetworking the TP Link Archer C7 gets recommended a lot.
I'd also recommend the ASUS RT-AC66U or the RT-AC68U.
If those don't fit the need, can always check out Small Net Builder's router chooser.
Edit: Above recommendations are for a DIY solution for the client. If it's in the budget and the knowledge is there, I'd absolutely recommend a Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite + Ubiquiti AC AP's.
It's just one brand of Asus router. It's actually this one with some software tweaks to prioritize wifi calls.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_aJGHwbHQES0TP
What I meant is, if your phone, computers, etc. are old, then you can't expect 200Mbps throughput.
I have an SB6141 and https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-RT-AC68U-Ultra-Fast-Acceleration-AiProtection/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481402565&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+ac1900
Works well. If you are a t-mobile customer you can get the router for free as long as you are a customer.
If you do play on wifi, you at least want a decent router. You can't cheap out, or you will be losing packets, and lagging. The cheapest one I would suggest using is the: ASUS AC1900 https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AiProtection-Compatible-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1519887372&sr=1-1&keywords=ASUS+AC1900
Just FYI, Amazon.com reduced the price of the AC68U from $199.99 back down to $169.99.
Not sure how long it will last, so I'd jump if you were set on buying at least 1x AC68U.
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420840243&sr=8-1&keywords=ac68u
Mind saying what exact problems your having with the nighthawk? Maybe we can help you out?
If not the asus Ac routers are very good. http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC1750-Gigabit-Router/dp/B008ABOJKS
Thank you for the info! Follow up question. What's the difference between that T-Mobile one and one of these?
I'd highly recommend shelling out some scratch for a new router/modem, especially for playing a server-based game like this.
These are what I use:
Router, but mine is a refurb
Modem
Not sure why you would want a router that has an annual license fee (as any Meraki piece of equipment does).
Are you just looking for a solid home use wireless router? If so, my vote goes to this Asus AC-68U router
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416775532&sr=8-2&keywords=asus+ac
Tocmai mi-am cumparat un router ASUS RT-AC68U. I-am comparat pretul cu cel de pe amazon. 500 fata de 700 e bine.
Imi mai trebuie un set de boxe 2.1.
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900-System/dp/B00FB45SI4?crid=1PO0W4ODME1AJ&keywords=asus+ac1900&qid=1536006522&sprefix=Asus+AC+&sr=8-1&ref=mp_s_a_1_1 For a small home this will do the trick. Just connect this to your modem and follow the automatic setup. I use it since 2016 and it never failed me. And then make sure your internet provider makes sure that you get proper internet. If you have fiber there is no excuse for speeds that are not what you pay for.
Ihttps://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900-System/dp/B00FB45SI4?keywords=asus+router&qid=1535837484&sr=8-3&ref=mp_s_a_1_3
f your still have issues try a coax signal booster.
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Amplifier-Internet-Booster-PCT-MA2-4PN/dp/B001EKCGT8?crid=3RUFI23VQYMD9&keywords=coax+booster&qid=1535837224&sprefix=coax+boo&sr=8-3&ref=mp_s_a_1_3
If you are 100% settled between the two of these I would say the TP-Link router. I recommend this due to the external antennas being able to provide better range. However if you are open to suggestions I would recommend this router as I personally own it and have no problems with it.
Personally get this for a modem
https://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI
And a for router i would do this
https://smile.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AiProtection-Compatible-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1518206009&sr=1-2&keywords=asus%2Brouter&dpID=41qT39Zt95L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch&th=1
That should keep you in your budget plus save you money every month so you are paying for rental fees with a modem.
I'm a fan of the ASUS AC1750 and the ASUS AC1900 for general home use. If you want more bells and whistles like mesh capability, MU-MIMO, etc. You'll be paying a bit more money, but you can take a look at Orbi, Netgear and Google for mesh capabilities if you want to go that route.
Additionally, if you want to save some money in the long run, you can buy your own modem. ISPs generally (I'm not sure about Cable America) charge you between $8-$10 a month to use lease their modem. I'm assuming it is a cable modem with a coaxial cable coming in through the back? If it is, you can pick up one of these and install it. It pays itself off generally in 8 months.
These are much higher quality than what the ISP provides and all you have to do is shoot your provider a call and let them know you are setting up a new modem and would like to return theirs. All they need is the MAC address on the box!
I have a seen a few recommendation for the Netgear Nighthawk but in the last year Netgear has started making all their models call home and send info.
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/21/netgear_updates_router_with_phone_home_feature/
I recommend ASUS 1900ac, I used them for home and gaming for a long time and I have put them into lots of small business offices.
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AiProtection-Compatible-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4
>Would anyone be able to tell me if a combination of a TP-Link TC-7610 modem and TP-Link Archer AC1750
The router should be fine, although the Archer C7 is starting to get long in the tooth, and I don't think it has the granular traffic control features that newer routers have. For example, I have a C7 (V4), and it doesn't come close to the options that my Asus RT-AC3200 gives for traffic control. Maybe the ASUS RT-AC68U would be a better fit, you'll have more control, especially with the Merlin WRT firmware.
The modem, I don't know why you would want an 8x4 modem. The 4 channel modems are being phased out, and depending on your plan, an 8 channel modem might not get you the full speed if your plan goes faster than 200Mbps.
At a minimum you should get a 16 channel modem, the Zoom 5370 16x4 Cable Modem is a decent modem, as is the TP-Link TC7650 DOCSIS 3.0 (24x8) High Speed Cable Modem.
I have a bigger list of recommended modems and routers on my subreddit if you want to look at other options.
I know this is double your budget but trust me, I have dicked around with $100~ routers for too long and I just said fuck it. I'm dropping $200 and not wasting anymore time. This will cover your entire home with strong signal, and your mobile devices will get full bars as well. Its future proofed for AC. Its the shit.
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4
get ASUS! either the RT-AC66U posted above or the RT-AC68U (what I have)
I had the prior generation of Netgear routers before (WNDR3700) and one of the WiFi radios just died out on me overnight, this thread on the netgear forums explained exactly what happened to mine and confirms that it is a pretty common issue
Comcast is the fucking worst, on a global scale. I try to not support them whenever I can because they work to pass legislature to restrict liberty and enable mass surveillance, but that's a whole different rant.
Here's what I did that made me a lot happier when I moved to town whose ISP options were Comcast or fist yourself:
I cut the cable cord years ago, and replaced it with Netflix, torrenting, and being okay with watching shows a day after they come out.
When I got Comcast I got Comcast Business: better customer support, priority service, no data caps, better speeds, and for a marginally higher price. They ask you what your business is, so you can kind of tell them whatever. They don't check your tax ID or anything. They try like hell to upsell you to a 100MB/s plan but just insist in the 16MB/s, you really don't need more.
NEVER use comcasts routers or modems. They're garbage and they charge you like 10$ a month for shitty equipment that cost $30 in the first place. It's a higher upfront cost, but your internet won't drop and you'll actually get the speed you're paying for. Here's what I bought for Comcast:
ROUTER - Asus RT-AC68U
MODEM - Arris Surfboard SB6141
Both were super easy to set up and have been kicking ass ever since.
Also, anything the tech can do for you short of refreshing your signal or processing your bill payment, you can probably look up on google.
Sorry to hear you had to deal with their bullshit.
Yeah nevermind, the Nighthawk was what I installed at my parents' for them. I have an Asus router as well, this guy. The single-router solution was also important for my parents, as they have a bunch of Sonos speakers set up and it needed to be on the same network for consistency's sake.
I assume yours is a dual band (pushes out a 5G and a 2.4G signal) router? If you don't already, I'd make sure that the devices further into the back of the house are on the 2.4G signal, since the waves of that band are not as wide and therefore travel better at longer distances/through surfaces better than a 5G signal. Another solution would be to buy yourself a long CAT-6 ethernet cable on Amazon and run it along a wall or something so that you can set your router up in a more centralized location in the house. It doesn't have to simply be right next to your modem. Even moving the router into an area with a few more direct lines of sight would do wonders.
A mesh network will ultimately be the more ideal set up, but it'll mean you'll unfortunately have to configure an entirely new wireless network, which will be a pain. I am pretty sure you should be able to buy a similar Asus router and create a mesh network with your existing router, but I guarantee it will be an annoyance to set up compared to a fresh mesh network designed for such a setup.
Your post is a wall of text and very difficult to read. It needs line breaks.
First, nothing (such as your smart TV) goes between the modem and the router. Ever. You connect an Ethernet cable between the modem's Ethernet port and the router's WAN or internet port. That's it. Everything else connects to the LAN side of the router.
You also seem confused on what a modem is. There's no such thing as a modem with N or AC. Modems don't provide Wi-Fi, they simply translate signals between Ethernet and Coaxial cable. Any "modem" with Wi-Fi is not a dedicated modem, it's a combined modem and router.
There is absolutely no need to get a modem and router from the same company, particularly since the companies that make the best modems typically don't make the best routers and vice-versa. The best modem you can get is the SB6190. For a router, pretty much the best wireless router you can get is the RT-A68U. Don't even think about A/B/G Wi-Fi, only worry about N and AC.
Now, if you really want to go the route of dedicated devices (which is the best way to go but it's more expensive and needs more tech savvy) then you'll want to avoid getting a wireless router altogether. A wireless router is three devices combined: router, switch, and access point. The router directs traffic between your network and the internet and allows more than one device to connect to it, the switch gives you multiple LAN ethernet ports, and the access point gives you Wi-Fi. You can instead get all these devices separately, and each will do a FAR better job. The way to go here is Ubiquiti Networks. For the router, EdgeRouter X, EdgeRouter Lite, or UniFi Security Gateway. They're all very similar but each have some minor pros and cons compared to the others. They can all handle a 1000 megabit internet connection at full speed. For the access point, UniFi AP AC Lite. You'll also need a switch, as (except for the X) those routers don't do switching. Any gigabit switch will do, make sure to get one with more ports than you currently need.
Powerline is hit-or-miss. Your house has two separate phases of electricity, and the only place they connect to each other is the transformer on the pole. If a powerline device on one phase has to communicate with one on the other phase, the signal has to go all the way to the transformer and back rather than just to the breaker panel and back. This will slow it down. Massively. To figure out which phase is which, look at your breaker panel. The rows of breakers alternate between phases. Odd numbered rows are one phase, even numbered rows are the other. Keep everything on one phase or use something else.
A much better, but more expensive alternative to Powerline is MoCA. If your house is pre-wired with coaxial cables for cable TV, it will be the best thing to use aside from actually running Ethernet cables everywhere. You'll need a MoCA adapter at your router and another in any place you need an Ethernet connection. They're also available in pairs at significant savings.
I would recommend a wireless AC router at minimum.. something with decent range. One of the best routers out now is the Asus RT-AC5300 Pretty pricey, but does a hell of a job.
What I currently use is the RT-AC68U. No router's aren't going to be cheap, no matter how you look at it. However going with at least an AC router prepares you for future internet upgrades. If you really want to get prepared for whatever comes down the road years from now.. Look into a Wireless AD router. Not many out currently. I think TP-Link has the first and only one out at the moment.
Depending on your speed you are paying for. The SB6183 modem would be just fine in most cases.
The other end of that is you spend ~ $100 or so and buy a good modem (I like the Motorla Surfboard) and watch as you start to actually get the advertised speeds or better.
Go one step further and buy a nice router (I use the ASUS RT-AC68U) and get those same speeds over WiFi as well. I can hit nearly 60 Mbps over WiFi on our 50 Mbps business plan with Comcast at the office.
Another vote for Frontier here, I've got 75 up/down and it's been solid. I pay like $60 a month.
I got this Asus router because their included router is junk though.
You can get one through EPB but I wouldn't recommend it. I'd suggest this one:
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4
I have the AC66u version and it's a champ and my Macbook Pro can download over wireless AC throughout my house at 300mb/s.
Although the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 is pretty nice as well. Both routers have gigabit capability and provide wireless AC (to any wireless devices you might have that run wireless AC).
As BoozeDelivery said, if you don't have any newer wireless devices you can get by just buying a gigabit capable router with Wireless N that will be cheaper.
Hey OP like /u/SprintLTE said earlier, no need for the modem, I had piss-poor packet-loss with the C2100T and the C3000z.
I opted for the R6700 nighthawk router but to my dismay, suffered from a huge discord voice bug. Returned and have been sitting pretty with the ASUS RT-68U.
It does all the necessary VLAN tagging and PPPoE. https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AiProtection-Compatible-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523390480&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+rt68u
What I love about it is the ease of use, reception, and how fucking EASY the UI is compared to most modems. Additionally I find that router restarts for updating settings are much quicker. Honestly my favorite router.
I do frequent speed-tests with this router, and here are my results: http://www.speedtest.net/results?sh=0eef6823f5de92b5a49ca1f60d13b715
Anything below 800Mbps are over wifi, any over 800Mbps are wired ethernet over CAT 6
One other thing I'd recommend if you use Cox is buying your own hardware. Even their techs have admitted to me that their modems are crap. When I used one, my connection would frequently drop silently and I'd have to disconnect and reconnect to get back on, which could take up to a minute.
I recently bought these and have been a lot happier with them. The Tier 2 tech I called to change the MAC address on my account even said they're what he uses at home!
http://amzn.com/B00FB45SI4
http://amzn.com/B00AJHDZSI
So I think I might return these UniFi AP's. They're not really doing the Zero Handoff thing and I kind of feel like I can get AC access points for the same price (with maybe less range, maybe?).
I am pretty sure that the AT&T router I haven't worked around yet sucks and is slowing everything down (can't change the DNS server!!) so I am waiting until I put this Asus router in place (tomato firmware) to see if the hotspots perform any better connected to a nicer hardware upstream.
That said, after a number of rounds with UniFi support, I'm not getting any better wifi performance and the general feeling around the compound is that our internet speeds "feel slower" after the switch to gigabit. Pretty sure the DNS servers AT&T force are a big part of the problem, but wifi sure feels snappier connected directly to the at&t thing than to the uni-fi things. (no channel collisions happening...)
Well I ordered this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FB45SI4/ref=ya_st_dp_summary but picked like new and i should get it by Saturday. $65 so well see.
After spotty wifi having just upgraded to 50mbps speeds and an old router... I thought about upping my speeds to the 100mbps too... but I wanted to see if a new router would improve things first. I bought this ASUS RT-AC68U about a month ago.
Since then my wireless has been pretty much flawless. I live in a 2000+ sqft house, with 4 kids (two of which are teenagers) and are always online between the phones, tablets, streaming tvs, multiple gaming consoles, laptops, etc... My wife and I both work from home on wifi all day long without any of the lag we had before adding this router.
It might be a little more than you want to spend, or more than you need right now... but it could also save you from having to upgrade your speed and pay that extra monthly fee.
I've been happy with my ASUS AC68U. I run the Merlin software on it and have no complaints.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FB45SI4/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1451674214&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=wireless+router+ac&dpPl=1&dpID=41qT39Zt95L&ref=plSrch
Yeah all my phones are close to the router. I got this actually this month with my earnings and it has really stepped up my game big time. I've already cashed out $100 with Perk and that's with a slow month. (And the fact I only perk p/t at best) and I use it with this modem and Comcast "Blast" speed internet which was recently set up to the correct speeds. None of my phones drop or spin. I do have a lot of black screens on Perk but Checkpoints never quits
You could get another router and turn the superhub into modem mode. I got this router and I went from around 350 to 380Mb/s.
I have used an Asus RT-AC68U for several years and it has been nothing but rock solid, as in I have never once had to reboot the thing or even really think about it since I installed it. The range is awesome too I can use my network at my neighbors house across the street.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00FB45SI4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486704517&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=asus+ac68u&dpPl=1&dpID=41qT39Zt95L&ref=plSrch
Here is the mobile version of your link
No throttling or hidden charges. They quoted me $80/month and I pay $80/month. The biggest catch is you have to be in a building that they provide service. It's not a cable or DSL connection -- they run fiber and microwave links to the building and then run Ethernet to the units.
As for the router, I bought my own (Asus RT-AC68U) because my old Linksys router couldn't keep up with the Internet speed. This is the same model that you can rent from CondoInternet(or it was at the time I signed up)
Well I have an Asus AC1900
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FB45SI4?vs=1
Would that make a difference?
I didn't ditch Commiecast, nothing better here in Houston.
I'm using this beautiful piece of hardware.
I'm using this adapter and this router. Works like a charm.
At that price, I would be looking at an TP-link Archer C7, or if you have a dash of risk tolerance, one of these, which in all likelihood never had any issues and simply came off of a lease.
https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-AiProtection-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B075GYWPCJ/
it's the same unit as this - https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AiProtection-Compatible-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4/
and can be flashed to wrt/merlin for the firmware
I do not like Netgear products. I consider them to be cheap, and not worth the cash.
My personal choice are Asus routers.
With a large area to cover, I suggest you go with 2 items.
Put your router at the center, or close to the center, and the repeater on the edge of your house nearest your garage.
This combination would put you at $255 total USD and give you some really great coverage.
It's pricey as hell though, also we don't need the modem, as I think we managed to convince the cable company to provide it free of charge.
Think either of these would work?
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-R6700-Nighthawk-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=router&qid=1555011699&s=gateway&sr=8-3
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900-System/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=ac68u&qid=1555012401&s=electronics&sr=1-1
DD-wrt or Open-wrt both have vpn servers, you could go that route. PFSense is also an option.
​
Most router brands have higher end routers that can host a vpn server, here's one from Asus: Asus - Amazon
​
Hosting a basic VPN server on a Windows PC: https://www.howtogeek.com/135996/how-to-create-a-vpn-server-on-your-windows-computer-without-installing-any-software/
IF it is wired correctly for cat5e and not just phone, you need a Router (which I wouldn't keep inside that metal box.)
And a switch to distribute it to the rest of the jack.
Thanks for the reply. I was looking at the Asus ones based on what I was reading. I'm unfortunately not familiar enough with the tech. Would this get the job done?
I've played with DD-WRT on my old Linksys routers so I'm not terrified of it. I'm getting lazy in my old age and would prefer something a little more plug and play if I can get it though.
Thanks for the help!
You have too many cooks in the kitchen.. you need to have one device that does the routing... and then Access points that are just access points. I have a setup with my pan firewall does all my routing and my wireless is just an AP that plugs into a vlan and has a static ip address.
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https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=15Y207JW5DXJY&keywords=rtac68u&qid=1571495247&sprefix=RTAC%2Caps%2C188&sr=8-1
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This is the upgraded version of the AP im using (mine is a RT-AC66U ) but it still continues to work fine. I would suggest you get a good device that can do vlans, dhcp, even a smaller cisco router will do, then put your aps around the office as just AP's.
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Just my suggestion...
Quality modem: http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1449635401&sr=1-3&keywords=docsis+3+modem
Quality router: http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1449635449&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+router
Save a few dollars if you don't need wireless AC: http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1449635449&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+router
I've been running that modem since it's release along with it's predecessor - so long as your ISP provides good incoming signal/strength you won't run into an issue. I've deployed both of those routers to many of my customers and they've been nothing but fantastic. I don't personally run them as a router at home - but I use the AC unit as a wireless access point. Well built and quite reliable.
I got an Asus RT-AC68U Wireless-AC1900 router from a local business when they bought proper enterprise-grade equipment, and after playing with it for a few days, it's not really the upgrade from my current router I thought it would be.
Trying to decide if I should sell it. Any idea what it's worth?
Asus^(RT-AC68U) routers are great
especially if you install [Merlin] (http://www.snbforums.com/forums/asuswrt-merlin.42/)
I'm currently using three Asus AC68u across my house.
 
A lot of routers actually don't use the antenna in them to their full capacity or if you have multiple antenna only so many of them are turned on. The AC68U I have were no exceptions. However I'm more than a little technical and running firmware updates is straight forward to me.
 
So with a good router like these you can find 3rd party firmware that brings these routers to their full potential. My personal choice for Asus routers is Merlin firmware.
 
And just as an FYI i get router signal over 100 feet from my house.
I just use an old laptop and my router has two usb slots, which i plug in two 5tb seagates. I thought about upgrading a while back, but it works fine, multiple HD streams yada yada. Worry more about upgrading your internet upload speed, and it'll never struggle with transcoding.
Edit: Links below. If you live in a crowded apartment complex like me, make sure your computer has AC internet connectivity, and same for the router. You want a super fast home network, and you want to be able to upload at 2MB a second or more for this thing to never have any issues. I have 54mbps internet, which translates on my system to about 5MB/s upload speed. The only person who'se ever struggled to watch sometime on my system has 250KB download on her internet.
Router: ASUS AC1900 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB45SI4
Laptop: Asus F555LA-AB3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011KFQASE
It is an ASUS AC1900 we actually got it from TMobile for free if you use their cellphone service they used to offer it (maybe still do)
Maybe something like plume would be the ticket for you since you say you aren't super technically oriented.
https://www.plumewifi.com/
Or perhaps a powerline wireless extender. Instead of slowing down all your wireless traffic by repeating it, it passes it over your powerlines back to an ethernet port on your router. When it works well, it's great. Not all houses are ideal for powerline networking though, so until you try it you can't really say for sure.
https://www.amazon.com/Extender-Powerline-Starter-300Mbps-Wireless/dp/B00HSQAIQU
If you don't have a high end wireless router, you might just start there. A nice device like the Asus 68u can give triple your wireless throughput or more. With beam steering and 3x3 mu-mimo it will reach further and deeper than older devices.
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AC1900-Gigabit-Router-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4
I'll probably get that, however I found a good deal on one used. Any reason to not buy it?
Its the below roiter for $50-$80 Canadian
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_90DYDb4YDD5CF
I am not sure what the hell happened to Linksys routers. I owned nothing but for roughly 20 years. When I got my CC I had a WRT300N running DD-WRT and my CC experience sucked: lag, low quality, buffering, etc. I also occasionally got stutter lag playing online games which I blamed on the game/servers, certainly not my beloved Linksys! So one day after some frustration I decided to try a new router, off to Bestbuy I went. I picked up a E2500, hooked it all up and my wireless network performance was even worse then before, wtf! I started doing router research and kept reading all this hype and love over expensive Asus routers. I returned the Linksys and ordered a Asus RT-N66U bitching the whole time over the price. 10 minutes after I got the Asus hooked up and running I was no longer upset about the cost. Everything improved: performance, speed, range, etc. I can cast tabs on extreme quality, play online games in all their glory with zero lag. All the things my Linksys was apparently struggling to do. By all means dont take my word for it, search reddit for "RT-N66U" and read what everyone else is saying but for me it was $150 extremely well spent, so much that when the brand new $212 RT-AC68U model gets back in stock, I am buying one. The RT-N66U performs so well I cant wait to see what the AC68U does.
This ASUS RT-AC68U is what I use. I got it for free as well. If you happen to have T-Mobile as a cell provider, they will give one to you either for free or a $25 deposit. They didn't mess with the firmware at all really, so basically you have the equivalent router with T-Mobile stickers. Free is always a great deal and this router just happens to kick ass.
EDIT: I just realized how this may sound like a /r/hailcorporate comment. I promise it isn't. One can even look at my comment history. Just trying to help my T-Mobile/Xbox One bros out.
Correct me if I'm wrong but Belkin bought the Linksys consumer line so I wouldn't touch that. I prefer Asus, it's dual band with great signal strength. It's buried in my cellar, I get 1-2 bars standing in the road in front of my house. Asus RT-AC68U $170
I can answer your router question. Do you have T-Mobile (I know you're using a Verizon plan for Internet, buy hey, doesn't hurt to ask) as your mobile phone provider? They will "rent" a router to you for free (normally has a $25.00 deposit fee, but mine was waived). It's called a "Wi-Fi Cellspot" but it's really just a T-Mobile branded Asus AC68U. with slightly tweaked firmware to prioritize Wi-Fi calling. Regardless, if you don't have T-Mobile, it's still a fantastic router with a large wireless range, lots of advanced networking and monitoring options. I own one myself.
Do you know what the difference between this and this router is? They are both the RT-AC68U but one is a T-Mobile version and cheaper?
I would stop renting a modem from them. That's throwing money away.
You want to purchase a DOCSIS 3.0 modem to be current. Preferably, you'd want one that bonds eight downstream channels to handle the most bandwidth and also future-proof a bit. I would target a Motorola SB6141. This is probably the #2 best-selling cable modem, only behind the SB6121, which is cheaper because it only bonds four downstream channels. The more downstream channels the better, but the 6121 would be sufficient if you want to save some cash.
As far as the router (most important for in-house network traffic), something that's got access to custom firmware from Tomato or DD-WRT would be nice. The new ASUS routers are really popular. I'd go for the RT-N66U for a solid 802.11n wifi network. You get 3 antennas and it's dual band (2.4/5GHz). If you'd like to upgrade the router even further (and to really handle all the devices you'd connect to it) you may want to consider the new 802.11ac capable RT-AC68U. Stock firmware on these guys should be plenty good if you don't want to venture into flashing custom firmware.
Also, here's Google's list of compatible routers.
**
Slickdeals search queries:*
I have this one.
Install Asuswrt-Merlin on it. If you don't need wireless AC, you can go with this one.
I put this in my DMZ and only forward the ports I need. Works great.
Yeah, I've got one of these: https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=sr_1_6?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1491506587&sr=1-6&keywords=docsis+3.0+modem
Hooked it up to this jawn: https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AC1900-Gigabit-Router-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491506610&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+rt-ac88u
Works perfect.
You don't need a modem, you only need a router.
If your install is Ethernet (they will automatically install Ethernet with 100/100 or faster) you can use any router you please. If the install is going over the Coax, you have to use their G1100.
If you want something plug and play my usual recommendation is an Asus AC-RT68U. It's a capable device with a proven track record. It will easily do gigabit over hardwire, and push 250-400 (depending on your location/interference,etc) over wifi.
If you are looking for something that requires a small amount of setup, but will have more reliability, get an edgerouter-X for the hardwire connections, and a Unifi Lite access point for the wireless.
I have this ASUS router
I'm not above it being the router, but my proximity to it along with it's signal strength makes me skeptical that it is the router.
The Asus RT-AC68U is very slightly above your budget, but is a lauded router with great custom firmware (AsusWRT-Merlin) as well.
How do you plan to have your two HTPCs, smart TV, and your PS4 connected to the router? Most routers in this price point only have four LAN ports (and one WAN port to connect your router to the Internet), and you'd need a Gigabit switch if you want more wired connections.
It's possible it is your router, or it could be a congestion issue from your ISP. If you do want to replace your router, these days you would probably want to look for features such as:
One possibility is something like the Asus RT-68U (a good mid-priced option): https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AC1900-Gigabit-Router-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4?th=1
But I really don't know how much you want to spend, the sky is the limit when it comes to networking hardware :).
Just depends on how much you want to spend. This is the one I have.
How do YOU connect? Ethernet or WiFi?
It is "up to 1Gb" plan, but realistically it is in the region of 700Mb.
I was looking into AC68U or into AC88U but they both have mixed reviews.
Buy this - http://www.amazon.in/Asus-AC1900-Dual-Band-Wireless-Gigabit/dp/B00FB45SI4
If I'm understanding what you're saying correctly, I can just use a router like this one and lose no functionality if I use a MoCA adapter?
After some research, I found that a lot of people praise the ASUS RT-AC68U (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB45SI4). The price rests at about $136.
Would this be a good choice, or is there a better router I could get for $150 or less?
Yeah thinking after everything its going to cost around that much.
Key components im looking at right now
Cameras & NVR
Wifi Router
​
Still need a firewall modem
and a network swtich
To be honest, very little tinkering. I have seen the ASUS AC68U which seems pretty good, don’t you think?
We have a 3,500 sq ft ranch home.
I started with a hub and two switches. Just got a feel from there. Every month or so I added another switch or item. We just did the lock this past month. I'm actually surprised at how much I liked that. The dad in me loves a notification on my phone of who just unlocked the door. And the feature to relock the door after 30 seconds is nice. No more "did I lock the door?" moments, because I can check on my phone, and it should have locked itself anyway. I'm trying to convince my brother to get one, even though they don't have a hub or anything smart. Because he has a realtor lock box on his front door because someone is always losing keys (even the spare key inside the box). I opted for a push button Yale lock. I read that people got frustrated having to wake up touch button devices. Even though the sleek black panel looks nicer than buttons, I think the buttons offer better functionality. So the lock was a real sleeper hit to me.
The keystone to the whole system is reliable internet. I see my wireless router (Asus RT-AC68) as the heart of the system and the SmartThings hub is the brain. That router wasn't expensive, offers the best from Google WiFi and Ubiquity in a single cheaper package. And it never skips a beat with three kids streaming videos all day, and me working from home. It covers the whole house with fast reliable signal.
Considerably cheaper on amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ejI9Bb5WBCK6S
I think $25 deposit. It's practically a rebranded ASUS https://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4
> Why metal chassis?
Aside from the fact that you don't have to worry about this yellowing issue, you mean?
Well, there's also the fact that, because it's a pain in the ass to work with, electronic devices with metal chassis tend to be more similar to rectangular prisms, which is better industrial design because then you can stack things on top of them. Compare this metal ethernet switch to the equivalent plastic one, for example. (I would have preferred to use a router as an example instead of a switch because there's even more gratuitous bullshit, including ones you can't even wall-mount or put flat against a surface(!!!), but it's too hard to find a metal-chassis one to compare against.)
Not to mention, it's often the case that I just like the aesthetic of metal better (e.g. in the case of electronics, metal is often more professional/industrial looking). And not just for electronics: I'm also generally a fan of mid-century-modern design, and since most kinds of plastics hadn't been developed commercially yet (except for Bakelite), most products back then were metal. Because design is subject to the limitations (and advantages) of the medium, today's plastic products would have a hard time replicating that look/feel even if they tried.
Consider a Radio Flyer stamped-steel wagon, for instance: the rolled edge of the body was easy to grip tightly for a kid riding in it (or an adult picking it up), the steel made a satisfying clang when you dumped rocks into it, and it had a strongly-horizontal, lithe look. In comparison, a plastic wagon has convex sides that are probably easier to manufacture but harder to grip, surely makes a dull thud when stuff is dumped in it, and just looks thick and bulky compared to the metal version. (Note: I suspect that the difference in noise is not only due to the material properties of steel vs. plastic, but also the geometric fact that stamped steel uses embossing or corrugation to increase the strength of panels, while injection-molded plastic uses ribs instead: the varying thickness of the latter probably deadens the reverb more.) Moreover, the versatility of plastic tempted the designer to add a bunch of extraneous bullshit like a big depression/footwell in the middle, fold-down seat backs, and even fucking cupholders (which you can see in this photo)! The result is that the horizontalness is destroyed and it just looks like a bulbous mess.
Granted, that plastic wagon is probably objectively superior to the classic steel design, in the sense that it won't rust (give or take the axles) when left out in the rain and appears safer and more comfortable for kids to sit in. But even then, the steel design is better because it's worse! The fact that the steel design affords not only the ability to grip the edge, but the need to as well because the sides are low and you're riding more on top of it than in it, creates the opportunity for experiences that the plastic design precludes. If I were a kid planning to ride one down a hill, I know which design I'd pick! In short, if all wagons were plastic, this would not exist.
Finally, I don't know why -- maybe its survivor bias, maybe it's the fact that steel has more heft than plastic, or maybe it's (as you mentioned) simply because it costs more -- but I feel like most products seem more high-quality if they're made out of metal. I guess it's probably mostly the latter reason, because the same phenomenon applies to e.g. hardwood floors in houses: they seem upscale now in comparison to cheap nylon carpet or vinyl laminate, but the reason oak strip flooring is so common in old houses is because it was the cheapest flooring available at the time. Heck, maybe it isn't even the higher-cost itself, but merely the signal that picking a higher-cost material conveys: implying that the designer is optimizing for quality instead of cheapness.
Asus 68U-$200 Asus 66u $156. These are the best consumer routers on the market. The Netgear routers are really good too. The Asus UI is really simple and you can hover over words like port forward and a little box will pop up and will give you an explanation of it.
Asus makes a nice line, that's what I use: here's a cheaper one: http://smile.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1414080231&sr=8-3&keywords=asus+router
I run my own router behind the Uverse RG. Remember that since it's AT&T's property that you're leasing, they can do whatever they want remotely. They've pushed firmware updates to my RG that have completely obliterated my wifi and firewall settings. Maybe they're not supposed to reset it, but they have, more than once. If you run your own router, it's under YOUR control.
Instead of the router you linked, I'd suggest this one. It's what I have, and I get great coverage and throughput.
I'm going to have to disagree with you guys. Though I won't argue the superior performance that comes with a high end router (I have the AC-RT68U), a cheaper router can be completely usable, reliable and provide decent performance.
Prior to this router I was using a Cisco E2500 (which I got for $40ish) that I had flashed with DD-WRT. In the 4+ years that I had that router, I never had an issue with it. I really only replaced it because our new house was way too big for it and I was getting 4 Mbps in my office from my 40 Mbps package. Hence why I went with the best I could find, I needed the range.
For tasks such as basic streaming or web browsing, what the average user is doing, spending more than $120ish on a router isn't really necessary unless range is an issue. Sure, there are many more features, but the average customer isn't running an FTP server, using their router for NAS or needs remote access to their network whenever they want.
/u/Sparkum, you do need to use one of the approved modems. The modem that we sell, the ZyXel VSG1432, is a wireless all in one modem. It may serve your needs just fine, it's not a bad idea to try it out before spending more by getting a separate router. Though if you're concerned about the absolute best experience possible, a separate router would likely be a good investment.
Let me know if you have any questions.
That FW update pushed that branded the UI as Arris ruined it, it was perfectly fine before they pushed untested code.
A client has the same issue so I've got them the CM500 + Asus AC68U going in this weekend. Should be unfathomably different.
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4
Yes, not only that, but you would need to set the time-warner modem/router to "pass through" rather than being where your network "starts". It will pass through the internet connection straight to your new router, which will then act as the DHCP server for the devices on your network.
My recommendation is to invest in a better modem as well as a router:
Mainstream routers YMMV, but I've had a lot of good experience with the ASUS RT series (not the "gamery" ones) and a lot of bad ones with anything Nighthawk (Saw 2 fail within 6 months of purchase at 2 separate locations, and I live in the sticks)
The catch is that you both can't get a gigabit at the same time, but that's the case anyway. You'll both go over one 1gb backhaul to the router. If you had greater than a gigabit speed or something you MAY see slowdowns. Your network topology though, you'll be more than fine.
And you don't need something expensive either. Stuff like these will do you just fine:
Switch
Router
Cable
these are great and will last you a long time. it will handle all those devices and then whatever else you throw at it.
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AiProtection-Compatible-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1527802347&sr=8-3&keywords=asus+rt-ac68u
Router
Range Extender
I live in a small town that is down in a river valley. There is barely any cell service because of the surrounding hills, and I have a little over an acre of property. The main reason why I switched to Fi was to have wifi calling/texting available no matter where I am on my property.
We're looking at this one: http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/
According to bf, he wants this one because it has Broadcom (so good support for Apple devices) and it has DD-WRT support. It is pricey though--just under $200. Even though that's an Amazon link, we'll probably buy from Newegg due to no tax.
https://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-AiProtection-Complete/dp/B00FB45SI4
https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6183-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00MA5U1FW
Look on slickdeals, you'll find more help there (because more up-to-date deals)
I would recommend separate modem + router for various reasons.
I'm currently with Xfinity, and I've been using this modem ($75, 5 years old) & router ($120, 5 years old).
These are ancient stuff though, there's a lot of cheaper ones now, just grab one on sale.
If you are under 2300 sq feet this should work just fine:
https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900/dp/B00FB45SI4
Make sure you turn off the wifi on the pace 5268ac and put it in bridge mode.
Also make sure your problem is with the Wifi not the internet connection by connecting your computer to the ethernet port on your pace 5268ac and testing (make sure you turn of the wifi on the computer when you do this).
They both will work.
Modem seems good, DOCSIS 3 is def the way to go. For router, if you can spring for it I would go with this. Wireless AC is great for the home, even if you don't use it today you will see benefits eventually. Especially if you doing any kind of media sharing over wireless.
I would recommend the Asus RT-AC66u - $150 on Amazon over any Linksys (I have owned several higher end Linksys/Cisco routers as well as the Asus). I've had my Asus for about 18 months now and it handles everything I can throw at it (I have 3 chromecasts and over a dozen other devices connected to the router at any given time). It has a fairly powerful multi-core processor and plenty of RAM. There is a newer model which is probably even more powerful.
RT-AC68u (newer model)
It's hardly an ideal home router, but I'm absolutely loving my Ubiquiti EdgeRouter but at around $175 US, and with NO WIFI, it's probably not what you're looking for. I recently picked up an Asus wifi router though, and I'm loving that as well, though I wish I had spent more and gotten the RT-AC68U, but at about $200 that's also probably not ideal. I have the AC1200 (RT-AC56R) model and picked it up at walmart for about $100, it lacks exterior antennae, but coverage at my apartment seems good, and it will function as just an access point if you do end up getting the EdgeRouter from Ubiquiti, or just want to later extend your wireless coverage. Here is an image of my current networking setup taken with my potato. The SMC box beneath the EdgeRouter is the modem charter has given me, with the Asus RT-AC56R next to it on the right.
Edit: Forgot I was in /r/wireless... Even lacking wireless, with the POE (Power Over Ethernet) that the EdgeRouter provides, you can relatively easily add a ($70...) wireless access point to the thing, but then you'll be over budget if you just got the wireless Asus router. You could also just get a cheap wireless router to use with it, but if you just get the Asus you'll get a very pretty looking dual-band wireless router.
well, the wifi would mostly be for family iphones (misc generations) and a couple tablets bought w/in the last 18 months (nexus 7, asus transformer).
If i'm reading this correctly, some routers push across multiple bands for these old devices? like this asus router
> Up to 1900 Mbps, 802.11AC(1300Mbps over 5G) + 802.11N(600Mbps over 2.4G).
Am i reading that correctly? Would it be a mofo to get set up? Or does it share security protocol for both bands?
thanks!!
Has all the basics for modern laptops/computers. 802.1n wireless, gigabit ethernet ports. I've had one for around 7 years, and only ever rebooted it to install firmware updates. Good range (~25Mbps signal from basement to 2nd story). Recently replaced it just because I have some AC capable wireless NICs now. Unless you're doing home file sharing, it will be plenty fast for streaming, gaming, downloading (unless you have google fiber).
Super fast, tons of features, tons of customizations, rock solid. Only reboots on firmware updates. The merlin firmware is based on the OEM firmware - but has additional customization options (professional wireless settings and tuning, etc.) and squeezes a bit more speed out of the thing.
yeah my bad, I assumed that it was this one.
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1410827034&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+router
It's based on the Asus 1900ac router and the firmware does most of the heavy lifting.
IMO you cant go wrong with the asus ac68u or those in the same family.
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411290781&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+ac68u 200US
cheaper:
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC1750-Gigabit-Router/dp/B008ABOJKS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411290781&sr=8-2&keywords=asus+ac68u 170US
cheaper still
http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1411290781&sr=8-3&keywords=asus+ac68u 130US
All of those are probably more power than you need, but im big on future proofing. Those routers will be with you for a long time. All of those almost fit under the 150 euro with the exception being the most expensive, but its like 5 or 6 euro off. The top two are both AC with the last one being wireless N. If you want the future proofing go for one of the top two, if you want the here and now get the bottom one.
Umm, 802.11ac is the most current standard, newer than 802.11n.
And I would recomened an Asus AC router like this one.
Thanks for the reply. My router is the Tmobile Cellspot Router. Here are the specs of the router: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-15759#specs
It is basically a TMobile branded Asus router (https://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4)
I'll have to dig around for a different cable but will try that soon. Any idea on why WiFi on my PC is relatively slow also (around 40-50 down) even though my phones and tablets are solid (around 150 down)? WiFi adapter on PC is 802.11 b/g/n.
What is your data plan with Mediacom?
What is your budget for a new router?
Do you own a modem compatible with Mediacom? Or are you looking to buy a modem-router combo?
I’ve been using the ASUS RT-AC68U over the last year. I have it centrally located on the 1st floor. It provides excellent coverage to my basement and 2nd floor.
Note, you’ll need to pair this with a cable modem as it is not a modem-router combo. I pair mine with the NETGEAR CM1000.
Do not purchase a router with the ADSL modem built in. A straight router, I could recommend the Asus RT-AC68U or the TP Link Archer C9 i
>If I am paying for 50 mbps up and down internet, how fast should i be downloading a steam game? I just tried it plugged up to my router and it was averaging round 1mbps but shot up to 4/5 at some points.
50 Mbit throughput connection peaks at 6.25 MB/sec, given you are actually getting 50 Mbit through the line. Don't just take your ISP's word for it though, do a speed test to validate the stability of your connection. If you are on wifi, you will experience slower speeds unless you have a really nice dual channel 5 GHz router in an area where the channels aren't over saturated with connections.
>When i downloaded the steam game however, after i downloaded 2/3rds of the game it would keep dropping to 0 bytes and staying there for a while, any idea why that is?
This could be a connection issue, depending on if you are on wired or wifi, and depending on the condition of your ethernet cable. Or it can be an issue where you are downloading faster than your hard drive can write. Go to your downloads section and look at your drive activity, or look in the Windows task manager and look at what the write time is on your hard drive. Eg: is it pegged at 100%?
>I'm thinking about getting a new router because my wifi is very shotty, slow, and weak. what kind would you recommend?
This probably leads me to assume you are on wifi which explains everything you are experiencing. This Asus RT-AC68U will do anything you need it to, and then some.
As always, I recommend you to connect any system you will use for gaming hard wired, no matter how good of a wifi router you have. Even if I had this bad boy, I would still go with a Gigabit ethernet connection over wifi for a gaming machine, or anything that was data extensive. Save wifi for mobile devices that you are actually moving around with.
Asus RT-AC68U no question
Should be fine, like you originally stated you can just buy another router and see what happens. If the problem still arises then you can always just return the router since you'll know it isn't a router problem.
$79.49 https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-R6700-Nighthawk-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00R2AZLD2/
$89.99 https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Wireless-AC1700-Gigabit-Router-RT-ACRH17/dp/B07628HLTM/
$132.67 https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900/dp/B00FB45SI4/
All these are pretty good choices, I'd probably just go with the Netgear since it's the cheapest. ASUS routers however get updated more frequently. If you care about loading up custom firmware for your router then AC68U is the best choice.
I only recommend this because you said that you're having a problem with that many devices on your current router, so it would only make sense to upgrade to a router with higher specs to handle more devices. The Archer router has similar specs to the ASUS one you're using right now (single core and RAM wise).
Hey, I'm glad I can talk about this with someone who is interested! No worries of annoying me with your question, networking is my passion.
An unmanaged gigabit switch would be fine for 99% of normal setups. Having a managed switch that supports VLANs will allow more flexibility in how you decide to connect devices logically but in a normal house, it's not necessary. If you start having a lab to play with, security camera you want on a different network, or a guest wifi with users that shouldn't be able to see your other devices, the managed switch becomes a necessity. Honestly, switching hardware for unmanaged switches are probably all made in the same Broadcom factory in China, so any brand will do. When you go for a managed switch, then software quality matters and spending a little more can avoid large frustrations later on.
For a 1Gbps internet link, there are two kinds of setup possible. If you have a larger house, or can't place the router centrally, I would recommend a "separate devices setup" with the Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite, a switch like the Netgear Prosafe GS116E if VLANs are needed or the TP-Link TL-SG108 if they aren't needed and on the AP side, one or two of the Ubiquiti AP AC Lite, or if you want more speed the AP AC Pro. This would allow you to make use of the 1Gbps you get.
You could also go for an integrated unit like the Nighthawk R7000 or the Asus RT-AC68U. If you have a smaller house or apartment and the router can be placed centrally, this is probably the most cost-effective setup.
For something not Ubiquiti, I would suggest Mikrotik, as they will have something that supports 1Gbps routing. They also have nice APs. They have a lot of models though, so I can't say which one would work best.
There are so many choices it's hard to be able to say "this is the best device for you". There are combinations that I know they will work well, but there are so many options I don't know them all.
I love the Asus AC68U. It has been great for me, stable, doesn't drop connections at all, but is pricey (~$200). Since you are on a 10Mb/s line, you won't notice the speed increase, but I figure the router will last me 4 or 5 years. Hopefully in 2 years you'll have a much faster internet pipe and won't have to change out the router.
The stability of the router trumps any savings on a cheaply made router.
Also, I have the exact same modem, the SB6121. It is a stable choice.
edit: The reason I upgraded from my Cisco/Linksys router was my internet speed increased to 100Mb/s but the 802.11n routing could only output 50-60 Mb/s and not nearly as stable.
Some popular (and reasonably priced) routers:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Archer-C7-Wireless-1300Mbps/dp/B00BUSDVBQ?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PDLRHFW/ref=psdc_300189_t1_B00BUSDVBQ
https://www.amazon.com/RT-AC66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC1750-Gigabit-Router/dp/B008ABOJKS
https://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1465599997&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+router
Both brands should be good-to-go out of the box, but people do like to flash either DD-WRT or Tomato firmware on them. This will give you some more options, but most likely overkill for what you're looking for atm.
Remember, it's not just the hardware. Distance from your router and your devices plays a large roll. If possible, use ethernet as much as possible or put the router as close to the clients as possible.
>Question: what are DD-WRT and Tomato?
Well, the short answer to it is that it is open source software, and you typically have to install it your self. It's not difficult, but the learning curve to use it might be off putting and it voids the warranty (although you can put the old software back on and nobody would be the wiser).
>What do they do that stick software doesn't?
Typically, it will just work right, under lots of load for long periods of time. Most routers with stock software, typically fail after you use BitTorrent a lot for example. The reason is that BitTorrent opens up a lot of connections, and routers aren't tested under those circumstances.
My mom which is an older lady, had trouble all the time with weekly router crashes. Installed one of these and it ran for years and didn't need a reboot.
>Do I need to install these for multiple consoles to work openly?
Well, typically they work right out of the box, but let say it doesn't. Well, with WRT you have many options, like Tomato, DD-WRT, OpenWRT and so on.
BUT my best advice to beginners is to stick with someone that offer WRT based software out of the box. Asus routers typically have these, so just look for AsusWRT on the box (and of course what feature you want). They have customized the WRT to make it easier for you to use and can give support.
Any of these are all good options (with varying price and features):
I own the last one. It doesn't have the latest wifi whiz bang speed, but the price is great and the speed is likely to be far more than what my internet can give.
I use a Asus n66u with merlin firmware its been rock solid for me. I like ASUS routers but Apple routers are also rock solid products too
AC is new wireless that will improve on the 5GHZ signal and AC is able to go through concert walls and such better and offer better speeds in a LAN (i think), but you will pay a premium for that.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/802-11ac-vs-802-11n-what-s-the-difference
Asus N66U- http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408222428&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+n66u
Asus n68u - http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408222403&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+n68u
AC68U just went on lighting deal for 108:
​
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB45SI4/?coliid=I1GM73PVMUI93I&colid=3LSS6AFCKKRMN&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
If you are going to purchase a new router/modem, then I would buy those devices separately. What I mean is, purchase a modem which either works with DSL internet or Cable internet. Then purchase a router that meets your needs. Typically, the router that companies give out is actually a router and a modem in one. Separating those devices gives you better flexibility in the future. If you switch from DSL to Cable or vice versa, all you need is a new modem which is a lot cheaper than a modem/router combo. You could drop $300 on a super high-end router that won't need to get replaced if you switch to a different style of connecting.
You could purchase something like this TP Link Modem and this ASUS Router. Another company that a lot of people get routers from is Netgear. I stopped using their products after they wanted me to pay for their customer service on a product that was defective. I could understand if I broke the router, but the product never worked and now they wanted more money? No way.
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AiProtection-Compatible-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518952088&sr=8-1&keywords=rt-ac68u
RT-AC68U is a very popular router and Asus is the most popular brand on real networking sites like Smallnetbuilder for a reason.
Forgot to actually link the router .. this one
You think a better WiFi than https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Dual-Band-AiMesh-Router-AC1900/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sxin_4_osp4-5e5b46cd_cov?
I can get one for $70
Yeah I don't know, wireless has improved vastly. You can get some pretty beefy adapters. A wired setup wasn't feasible for my apartment, so I have this adapter in my PC, paired with this router and I haven't noticed any different in performance at all. My friend has the exact same combination but with vastly faster internet and his ping is always a singe digit.
That said I wouldn't have bought a wireless adapter had I not needed to.
http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1410983904&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+routers+wireless