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Any one experience with Netgear, Asus, and Linksys routers?
- Thread starter MacBH928
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In the past I’ve tried almost all brands of networking equipment and now I have ONLY Netgear. They are sturdy and reliable and keep their stuff (even several years old ones) updated with new firmwares.
I keep them on 24/7 in places where the ventilation is scarce and gets really hot and they are still happily chugging along after years of non-stop use.
I keep them on 24/7 in places where the ventilation is scarce and gets really hot and they are still happily chugging along after years of non-stop use.
I know about mesh products, the problem is even mesh products have brands behind them. I saw some videos and they seem to degrade download speed a lot, the best were the Arlo's. My current 1 router solution is working fine, mesh scares me since its a bit on the newer side of technology and I don't want to suffer signal dropouts especially for the price of $300
Thank you, I have one that is really working well but I was wondering what else is out there and if Asus or Linksys might be better, or TP-Link
For consumer-grade kit, I'm a big fan of ASUS routers. Modern Linksys and Netgear are trash IMO.
My next upgrade will probably be to Ubiquiti gear though.
My next upgrade will probably be to Ubiquiti gear though.
Frankly, all consumer routers are trash. Most actually use the same firmware underneath, which is full of vulnerabilities, and a quick Google search for consumer router security will tell you plenty of tales. They also have too many bugs to count, offer little to no debugging info, and have limited features.
As a network consultant, I have the pleasure of dealing with these things when a business calls us after their network goes down. Just the other day I was watching a DHCP server on a Netgear router silently crashing and failing to hand out IP addresses.
Here's what I would do: get an Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite, any quality switch with more than enough ports for your needs, and a UAP-AC-LITE access point or two for wifi. You can get the more expensive stuff depending on your budget. You'll be much better off this way than with any consumer router and it might even cost less.
Ubiquiti is on a completely different level. Like, another world.
Although I have all Netgear network components in my home, my main server/router is an Edgerouter Lite and it's been nothing short of astonishing so far.
Fast, reliable, flexible, you name it. If you have the cash, go for it.
Although I have all Netgear network components in my home, my main server/router is an Edgerouter Lite and it's been nothing short of astonishing so far.
Fast, reliable, flexible, you name it. If you have the cash, go for it.
Another vote for UBNT for robust and a good value. Less feature-rich...or I should say less user-friendly. Would still be my first choice; rock solid. I run an Edge Router at home, has not hiccuped in about 4 years. Just added the third UBNT access point (2 AC Lite, 1 AC Mesh for outdoors). Also rock solid. Never need a reboot or much of anything.
If on the other hand, I was looking for the best user experience and feature set, Synology outshines everything else I have ever used.
To be fair, have not used a Netgear, Linksys, Asus, Belkin or TP-Link in a few years. Perhaps they are better....but based on previous generations, none came close to the ease, flexibility and features of a Synology.
If on the other hand, I was looking for the best user experience and feature set, Synology outshines everything else I have ever used.
To be fair, have not used a Netgear, Linksys, Asus, Belkin or TP-Link in a few years. Perhaps they are better....but based on previous generations, none came close to the ease, flexibility and features of a Synology.
isn't Synology the new kid on the block when it comes to networks? Shouldn't companies like Netgear and Linksys be much better since they have been there forever and its their core business?
Essentially this. Lack of flexibility, lack of features, lack of reliable firmware. ASUS is a bit better in my experience, although still not great.
+1 for ASUS. Not great, but works better than the rest of the "average club" in my experience. I tried many brands over the years and stayed with ASUS and its network components.
I remember my acquaintance with TP-Link in a form of a repeater some years ago. Was a disaster. Never again.
I was advised with your method of having separate AP, router, and switch but I am a simple home user. If I was in an office or school then maybe. Plus I will have to install ethernet wiring for the APs and its just not feasible in my situation.
May I ask you, does more antennas mean better of wider signal? All-in-One manufacturers seems to boast about their devices being better for have 6 or 9 antennas sticking out (Link), or is it just a novelty and marketing scheme? Because those UAP-AC-LITE are so very small and have no antennas on them.
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i buy separate boxes:
FIOS interface c2200z (craigslist $40)
PFsense fire wall box (in an old appliance box)
older HP 8port router (1810-5g J9802A) ebay $35.00
older Apple wifi (employer's trash bin)
if simple can ever be achieved
i would go with the cable modem or FIOS modem all in one box with the best user interface as in easy to understand but lets you adjust everything.
FIOS interface c2200z (craigslist $40)
PFsense fire wall box (in an old appliance box)
older HP 8port router (1810-5g J9802A) ebay $35.00
older Apple wifi (employer's trash bin)
if simple can ever be achieved
i would go with the cable modem or FIOS modem all in one box with the best user interface as in easy to understand but lets you adjust everything.
Perhaps, but Synology has been at it for several years, and seem to have ported over their GUI from NAS boxes, which are the undisputed leaders in the market regarding features and interface. Check out their interface and feature set and decide for yourself. If you are familar with typical consumer routers, check out the intro video to see why Synology is very different, and in many folks view, better.
Not sure why the old guard has not lead (again, as of a couple of years ago...have not used any of their latest gear), except perhaps they were happy with sales, and felt no urgency to improve. Sometimes it is advantageous to start fresh, rather than continuous build on the old code base.
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Another option that would be on the top of my list for sexy, easy-to-use would be Amplifi, especially if I were in a smaller space, or any space that the router/APs would be visible. Amplifi gear would look great out on a desk or where ever, not to mention that this is the consumer friendly brand of UBNT, so I would have good faith they know wireless and networking in general very well, certainly at least on par with all of the old guard in the consumer market.
Perhaps not as feature-rich as Synology, but simple to manage from a phone app, and probably one of the easiest, non-tech interfaces out there today.
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i was in the market for a new NAS box and looked at Synology. From the stand point of tech support, exchange of information, manuals, FAQ, user forums and they seem to lag. Reviewing the Synology user manual it seemed difficult to read even from a grammer and logic point of view. I have low standards but this Taiwanese seemed to under whelm my low standard.
do companies like this hire 3rd party country based marketing firms?
do companies like this hire 3rd party country based marketing firms?
There are several types of antennas, but one cannot know by appearance. Please note that most of high end AP market does not have visible antennas, yet have supior range and throughput. Check out enterprise stuff like Aruba Networks, Meraki, Ruckus Wireless, and yes, high end UBNT.
Number and size of external antennas is a NOT good indicator of AP range or throughput.
As to multiple APs, one of the best things about UBNT gear is that one can add more APs easily, and the hand-off of devices between APs is seemless and invisble, a well as that in auto-confiugre mode, one does not have to sort out channels and signal strength manual. You can, but the auto feature works well, so no need.
You mentioned NOT being able to connect APs with cables. That rules out alot of the APs on the market.
I would consider the Amplifi router to start, knowing that I could add mesh units as needed to increase coverage. No cables, plug into a wall outlet. Done.
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I agree. A legit knock on Synology. Although not severe like I have seen from some other consumer electronics, there is room for improvement. Too bad they don't simply hire a native english speaker for documentation/manual editing....seems and easy fix. Can't speak to support, never used them.
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You don't really need to install ethernet cables if you don't want to. I have an AP just sitting on my switch with a short ethernet cable.
The antenna stuff is mostly for looks, though it does help to have MIMO capabilities which is usually what those antennas are ostensibly for. Of course, all APs these days will offer MIMO anyway whether their antennas are visible or hidden inside the case. Wifi range has more to do with transmission power, frequency (2.4 GHz is better than 5 GHz here), and the environment. 2.4 GHz will go through walls and other obstacles better; 5 GHz gives you better maximum speeds and probably less interference. One nice thing about separate APs is you can move them around and/or add more as you desire for better coverage.
Keep in mind that the radio on your end devices has to be able to transmit back to the AP/router. It does you little good to boost your wifi range with a monstrous AP or router if it can't hear your laptop's transmissions. Many people (including pros) make the mistake of installing a wifi network without testing end devices to ensure they can actually push data back to the AP(s).
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May I know whats the difference between "enterprise" devices and "consumer" ones? That Ruckus AP costs $600 while the Ubiquiti Networks one is only $127.
About 400 bucks.
Seriously, most enterprise gear has always been pricey, but offered good hardware and great support. Same as IBM servers. Not a better spec on paper than a Dell server, but reputation and support makes IBM gear worth more (supposedly) than Dell gear.
UBNT does not offer that same level of support, but you don't pay for it. And they have a really big community that historically has offered great support and advice....but not the hand-holding that Cisco or Aruba or the rest offer in exchange for their premium pricing.
Not being a hardware engineer, I can't say UBNT gear is exactly as good as other brands, or that it is not.
But I can say that I have rolled UBNT gear out to small businesses and use it myself, and that many orgs like K-12 schools use UBNT gear to good effect. I can also report my previous employer's IT group has been using UBNT APs and switches in about 50 remote locations plus their corporate campus, and have been for more than 10 years. Very happy with them, having moved from Cisco gear.