What's a good wireless router?

Discuss anything not covered in another forum (life, the universe etc.)... Please keep it PG-13 and avoid spam.
Post Reply
User avatar
PsykoPenguin
Posts: 1376
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:31 am
Location: Somewhere in the Antarctic Circle

What's a good wireless router?

Post by PsykoPenguin »

So I'm open for suggestions here. I need this for a client, they're using it for an entire apartment complex. 48 studio apartments (approx. 150'x300'), seems like they're having issues with their router giving IP addresses and the wireless randomly crapping out (they also have WAP's to extend the wifi). I believe it was a Netgear R6300 that they had, so in the event that I need to just replace the router what would be a good replacement?

Not entirely certain what price range they're looking into for a replacement so I'll have to get some recommendations for different price ranges.
Sub $100 to $300ish

Thanks.
"I'm like a lion on the prowl after prey"
User avatar
Lefty
Posts: 18882
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 12:00 pm
Location: SG Tavern

Post by Lefty »

One without wires. J/K Linksys, NetGear,D-Link and Cisco are probably the most popular brands.
User avatar
PsykoPenguin
Posts: 1376
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:31 am
Location: Somewhere in the Antarctic Circle

Post by PsykoPenguin »

Lefty wrote:One without wires. J/K Linksys, NetGear,D-Link and Cisco are probably the most popular brands.
lol, Well then, it's a good you came by and gave me the heads up.

On a more serious note, was just trying to see if anyone had some personal recommendations they had some good experience with. Otherwise I'll just take a shot at whatever review sites say are the best and roll the die, they all got problems in some form or another.
"I'm like a lion on the prowl after prey"
User avatar
RaisinCain
Posts: 1941
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:11 pm

Post by RaisinCain »

I have a Netgear WNDR4000 and I really like the performance and features.
User avatar
Dan
Posts: 18684
Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2000 12:00 pm
Location: Orangevale ,Ca

Post by Dan »

ok,never mind,I did'nt read the entire first post. :D
User avatar
YeOldeStonecat
SG VIP
Posts: 51171
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2001 12:00 pm
Location: Somewhere along the shoreline in New England

Post by YeOldeStonecat »

PsykoPenguin wrote:So I'm open for suggestions here. I need this for a client, they're using it for an entire apartment complex. 48 studio apartments (approx. 150'x300'), seems like they're having issues with their router giving IP addresses and the wireless randomly crapping out (they also have WAP's to extend the wifi). I believe it was a Netgear R6300 that they had, so in the event that I need to just replace the router what would be a good replacement?

Not entirely certain what price range they're looking into for a replacement so I'll have to get some recommendations for different price ranges.
Sub $100 to $300ish

Thanks.
I'd spread it out with a couple of access points behind a good business grade wired router.
A single home grade wireless router won't handle all of this well...that many clients, that kind of load. Just gonna end up with the same thing...barely 10% better, and flushing 200 bucks down the toilet plus someones time.

I'd probably tackle this with some Ubiquiti gear. A hell of a lot of performance and features, for a damn good price. Excellent hardware! Below list would be around 600 bucks hardware, plus wiring, plus a couple of hundred bucks for someone to set it up (unless you are volunteering this)
http://www.ubnt.com/

EdgeRouter POE
http://www.ubnt.com/edgemax#EdgeMAXhardware

And 3 or 4 Unifi AP Pro access points . Run "client isolation mode" to secure each wireless guest from each other.
http://www.ubnt.com/unifi#UnifiHardware

If they can't spent more than 400 bucks or so...look at some OpenMESH access points. You'll still need a decent biz grade router at the edge.
MORNING WOOD Lumber Company
Guinness for Strength!!!
User avatar
PsykoPenguin
Posts: 1376
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:31 am
Location: Somewhere in the Antarctic Circle

Post by PsykoPenguin »

YeOldeStonecat wrote:I'd spread it out with a couple of access points behind a good business grade wired router.
A single home grade wireless router won't handle all of this well...that many clients, that kind of load. Just gonna end up with the same thing...barely 10% better, and flushing 200 bucks down the toilet plus someones time.

I'd probably tackle this with some Ubiquiti gear. A hell of a lot of performance and features, for a damn good price. Excellent hardware! Below list would be around 600 bucks hardware, plus wiring, plus a couple of hundred bucks for someone to set it up (unless you are volunteering this)
http://www.ubnt.com/

EdgeRouter POE
http://www.ubnt.com/edgemax#EdgeMAXhardware

And 3 or 4 Unifi AP Pro access points . Run "client isolation mode" to secure each wireless guest from each other.
http://www.ubnt.com/unifi#UnifiHardware

If they can't spent more than 400 bucks or so...look at some OpenMESH access points. You'll still need a decent biz grade router at the edge.
Thanks Cat, I'll suggest the EdgeRouter POE. They got a Ubiquity WAP somewhere in the mix as well which they were using for their entire complex I suppose. I go tomorrow to the job site, not volunteering this is a paying job.
I'll have to talk to them about their budget still since they don't get back into the office until tomorrow which is when our appointment is.

They did say that their current setup was working perfectly fine before up 'til now so they may be a bit hesitant to purchase new equipment but we'll see tomorrow.
"I'm like a lion on the prowl after prey"
User avatar
morbidpete
Posts: 7283
Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2002 12:00 pm
Location: W. Warwick RI

Post by morbidpete »

YeOldeStonecat wrote:I'd spread it out with a couple of access points behind a good business grade wired router.
A single home grade wireless router won't handle all of this well...that many clients, that kind of load. Just gonna end up with the same thing...barely 10% better, and flushing 200 bucks down the toilet plus someones time.

I'd probably tackle this with some Ubiquiti gear. A hell of a lot of performance and features, for a damn good price. Excellent hardware! Below list would be around 600 bucks hardware, plus wiring, plus a couple of hundred bucks for someone to set it up (unless you are volunteering this)
http://www.ubnt.com/

EdgeRouter POE
http://www.ubnt.com/edgemax#EdgeMAXhardware

And 3 or 4 Unifi AP Pro access points . Run "client isolation mode" to secure each wireless guest from each other.
http://www.ubnt.com/unifi#UnifiHardware

If they can't spent more than 400 bucks or so...look at some OpenMESH access points. You'll still need a decent biz grade router at the edge.
Ubiquity for the win, I would also go with an appliance for handling the nat and IP's (I suggest untangle) plus adding the captcha portal to hand responsibility for any legally sketch stuff to the end user.
User avatar
YeOldeStonecat
SG VIP
Posts: 51171
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2001 12:00 pm
Location: Somewhere along the shoreline in New England

Post by YeOldeStonecat »

Ubiquiti Unifi's can do the captive portal.
As much as I love Untangle....it's really for business networks and I think it would get in the way of too much stuff that home users do. Turning it into a support nightmare and source of too many phone calls complaining some game isn't working right.
MORNING WOOD Lumber Company
Guinness for Strength!!!
User avatar
morbidpete
Posts: 7283
Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2002 12:00 pm
Location: W. Warwick RI

Post by morbidpete »

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Ubiquiti Unifi's can do the captive portal.
As much as I love Untangle....it's really for business networks and I think it would get in the way of too much stuff that home users do. Turning it into a support nightmare and source of too many phone calls complaining some game isn't working right.
I should mess with our ubiquiti ap's more. thanks for the tip. As far as untangle I was thinking just using it for nat and dhcp, no firewall or rules at all
carson
New Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:37 pm

Post by carson »

try ASUS RT-AC68U, the speed is awesome
carson
New Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:37 pm

Post by carson »

<spam link removed by SG staff> . I totally second the ASUS, it did great jobs on the wireless router
Post Reply