There's really a couple different paths to choose when embarking upon this journey. Some folks purchase brand new hardware, while the alternative option is to consider picking up an old/used enterprise server, which can offer incredible value for slightly older, yet awesomely powerful machines with a lot of life left in them for home usage. I hemmed and hawed and was in an almost identical situation as you are right now, only this was roughly ~2 years ago.

I would encourage you to start by taking a gander at /r/Homelab's wiki, you probably won't find a better single source of information anywhere on the web: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/wiki/buyingguide

It's chock-full of great information. Do you have a budget in mind? What's your ISP bandwidth like? Are you planning to share things remotely, or going to keep most of this in-house? Do you have a decent router to build out your home network around? LOTS of considerations to make, it's difficult to find a one-size fits all solution, as every use case is going to be different to a certain extent.

For me, personally, I started with a trusty little Edgerouter-X that I managed to pick up on sale for $49 way back when. It's an amazingly powerful and versatile device that handled most everything I threw at it. From there you'll need to decide what type of hypervisor you want to run, as this can seriously affect the hardware requirements you initially inquired about.

The path I followed for learning hypervisors was sort of:

• VirtualBox -- widely used, totally free, can pretty much be installed on any desktop PC, but i found it to be a bit clunky once I got some experience with other options.
  
• Microsoft Hyper-V -- there's two variants of this (type 1 & type 2), the former being what you would install on baremetal, as your OS, then manage remotely from another machine on the network... no admin GUI, so you'll need to learn some command line. The latter option (type 2 Hyper-V) can be added to any Windows 10 Pro (or Enterprise) desktop PC, by simply going into "Programs and Features" and using the appropriate checkbox to "Turn Windows features on or off" but be advised, virtual machines want memory. Lots and lots of RAM, depending upon what type and how many virtual machines you ultimately end up running.
  
• Proxmox -- is something i only initially dabbled with, so I don't have much firsthand experience, however it's an excellent choice, is also free & open-source if you are comfortable delving into the *nix realm.
  
• VMware ESXi -- there are licensing costs associated with this, but ESXi is the free version for home use, with a somewhat limited feature set and can be rather particular about what type of hardware you run this on. This is what we were using at work and is pretty much considered the gold standard in virtualization, so I wanted to get my feet wet and learn more about what our guys were using on a day to day basis, so this is where I ultimately landed. You must check the hardware compatibility list before dropping a ton of cash, if you decide to go this route. This is ultimately what lead me to the used enterprise gear, I picked up my first legit server from Craigslist with intentions of going this route... and i currently have two ESXi 6.7 compute nodes providing all my virtualization needs.
  
  These are by no means the only options. There's a very passionate community (albeit sometimes a bit toxic) surrounding the FreeNAS project, and just as many folks love unRAID for the simplicity and versatility it offers (at a small, one-time cost, I believe fifty or sixty dollars for the license). Or you could even run your favorite flavor of Linux server and build everything yourself, from the ground up. This is a wonderful resource for getting an idea of what that might entail: https://blog.linuxserver.io/2017/06/24/the-perfect-media-server-2017/
  
  Some general tips I've managed to pick up over the years; RAM, RAM, RAM... you can almost certainly never have enough. It will be the single most in-demand resource once you get going. Don't stress too terribly much over CPU power, unless you have intentions of pushing out 4K HDR transcoded streams. Knowing what devices the end-users will be using to consume your media from a Plex server is also very helpful, but the general rule is ~2000 Passmark score per 1080p stream. This will be your bible for determining Plex requirements.
  
  Don't just take my word for anything that's been mentioned here, as my network is an absolute mess and being constantly built, broken, fixed, torn down and rebuilt all over again. That poor attempt at a jumbled network diagram is a bit outdated already, but gives a general idea of the various options available. I mostly am what you would call a "tinkerer" type homelabber. If you have a more specific professional sysadmin path in mind, this may be more of what you are looking for, but I tend to stick more to the homelab realm and get into all sorts of bad little projects. They have a great "Start Here!" thread with an incredible overview that presents things in a MUCH better fashion than I have been able to just now.
  
  Good luck and welcome to the machine! Used enterprise hardware can be had for fairly cheap these days and you are in luck, it's a great time to embark upon a homelab journey as flash memory prices have finally started to plummet, so SSDs are much more reasonable, as is ECC memory for your server(s). Storage and memory are going to be your biggest costs getting into this. You can get older generation Xeon CPUs with really decent horsepower for next to nothing. Are electricity costs going to be a concern for you? What about physical space and/or noise constraints? Lots to consider which could tip you in one direction or another.
  
  I think I've given you plenty to chew on for now. My apologies in advance if I've overwhelmed you, as that was NOT my intent... just hoping to save you a little bit of time, as I've spent a couple years constantly reading, researching, evaluating various software and projects and I've really only scratched the surface of what's available. Never enough time in the day.
  
  Regardless of what path you choose, have fun! I highly encourage both Plex and Pi-hole as your first two projects once you get going. In a perfect world you'd have at least two Pi-holes set up for redundancy. My primary runs in a little Ubuntu Server VM, the secondary nameserver is on a little Raspberry Pi 3 B+ which can take over if I need to reboot servers for whatever reason. Bonus points if you consider combining Unbound with your Pi-hole, as well as an OpenVPN server, or PiVPN for secure browsing while out and about and potentially connected to any sketchy open WiFi networks, PLUS ad-blocking for your entire network and while on the go. Next to Plex, it's probably the single best project I've tinkered with over the past couple of years.
  
  Please keep us posted on what you decide -- don't hesitate to ask questions if there's stuff I've ranted and raved about that isn't clear in any way (sorry, i tend to ramble in a stream of consciousness style that isn't easy to follow)... rely on the communities of each of these projects, as they're often fantastic resources to help you. If yer unfamiliar with Linux and wanted to learn, then Linux Mint is where I started and would encourage you to use that as your first Linux VM once you're ready. You don't need to buy anything to get started, you'd be surprised how much you can learn on an old PC that's just lying around -- and once you've gotten your feet wet, you may find that your plans will continue to evolve and change. I don't think I've ever once seen a "finished" homelab. They're always a work in progress as there's no limits to what you can learn and do. YMMV.
  
  Thank you, please drive through. . . =)

Here, have an upgrade guide. This is mostly oriented for gaming, but I tried to make it as general purpose as possible.

First off, if you're trying to survive gaming on an older system and are wanting to upgrade, remember to check out the PC Gaming Wiki as well as the Low Spec Gamer YouTube channel and /r/lowendgaming. There are lots of tips and tricks to get games running better, and if you discover your own, don't forget to share them!

• If you have a motherboard older than DDR3, save and upgrade to a new platform. It's not worth investing in a platform that old for anything other than novelty purposes.
  
  
• If you want to upgrade your motherboard (like if you're looking at buying an unlocked CPU but have a locked motherboard), save and build a whole new system, unless you happen to come across exactly what you want for cheap. Used motherboards are usually just as expensive as new ones so it's not really worth investing that much into an older platform.
  
  
• If you have an Intel motherboard and want to upgrade your CPU, see my reply to this comment. Character limit, woo!
  
  
• If you have an AMD motherboard, I'm not as experienced with this but upgrading to an 8320 or 8350 Black edition would be good.
  
• I'll do some research and put some detailed information here later; like I did for Intel processors. Again, after the aforementioned good night's rest.
  
  
• When buying any used processor, especially on eBay, be very wary of scams. Any price that seems too good to be true or is from a seller with very little feedback is something of which you should be very wary.
  
  
• If you have less than 8GB of RAM, buy a 2x4GB kit. Dual channel actually makes a difference these days. If you want more, well, divide the amount you want by the number of slots you have. 16GB / 4 slots = 4GB sticks, so get a 4x4GB kit. PCPartPicker is a good resource for this, although new DDR3 is getting more expensive. It might be worth looking at the used market, but be careful you don't buy ECC RAM (server memory) unless you have a motherboard and processor that support it.
  
  
• If your system isn't using an SSD as its boot drive, buy an SSD and reinstall your OS onto it. I don't know if I can recommend a SSD smaller than 250GB considering how cheap they're getting. Brand doesn't matter a whole lot but make sure to do a little research first. PCPartPicker, again, is a great resource for this. Filter by the minimum capacity you want and sort by lowest price, then go from there. Samsung is expensive but reliable; I don't know a lot about other brands.
  
  
• If you're running out of space, 2TB HDDs are pretty cheap and reliable these days. Here's a Seagate one, although I couldn't find Western Digital's equivalent for some reason.
  
  
• I don't really know much about graphics cards other than they're hard to buy new these days. If you buy new, I can't recommend anything with less than 4GB of VRAM, because modern games are getting better at using it. If you buy used, try not to go less than 2GB. Other than that, pick what fits your budget and performance needs, and remember you dont have to run everything on max settings. Dropping the settings a little can allow older cards to still compete today. I still run a 7870 and haven't found any unplayable games yet; 99% of games I get a solid 60, and once I upgrade to an e3-1240v3 that's in the mail I expect that to go to 99.9%.
  
  
• Make sure you have a good PSU. You can get really solid ones for $50 or less these days. Don't forget this one when upgrading your system, unless you already have a good PSU. This is the SeaSonic one I've been recommending a lot. Fully modular and 80 Plus Bronze seems pretty good to me. PSUs are a topic of a lot of controversy, though, so make sure to do your research.
  
  
• Similarly, investing in a case you like will last you a long time and significantly improve a build's appearance. Not its frames, though, so this isn't a priority. Pick one with all the features you want, good cable management options, something you don't mind looking at, that kind of stuff. Look up a review (google "[case name] review") where someone builds a computer in it so you can get an idea of what kind of issues people run into when building in it and if those issues are dealbreakers for you.
  
  
• Optical drives aren't really used this day but if you don't have one it can be worth it to pick one up. Blu-ray drives are getting cheaper, too. PCPartPicker -> optical drives -> filter by features -> sort by price.
  
  
• Monitors I cant speak much on, but if you're gaming at all, get one that goes at least 120hz at its native resolution, and don't get one lower than 1080p. If you don't do any gaming, make sure you get an IPS panel. I personally can't recommend any resolution other than 1080p (1920x1080) because compatibility issues are annoying and most software is either designed to work at 1080p, or have workarounds to run at 1080p. 4k is the next jump worth taking since that seems to be the next big standard (again, in my opinion), but hardware is still a generation or two out from that being mainstream.
  
  
• Multiple monitors are a thing. I don't think I can live with less than 3 monitors again. It's so nice to have a game on the center monitor, a webpage on the left, and a voip program on the right. You can kind of do this with window snapping, but, well, you can also do that with 3 monitors for much more information when you need it.
  
  
• Invest in good network gear. I cannot stress this enough. It will cost a chunk of money but will make your life so much better. If you're renting a modem from your ISP, or your modem/router has your ISP's logo on it, you need to upgrade. I'm currently running the Netgear R7000. If you're on cable internet, get a Motorola SurfBoard and something like the R7000. If you're on DSL, there's a variant that has a phone jack for dialing in. If you have fiber, the ONT that you have isn't replaceable but it's probably fine (but you'll still want to replace the included router). For all of these, you'll probably need to look up a guide on switching and it will probably involve calling your ISP. Expect to spend $200ish on the equipment, but seriously, you won't be constantly rebooting your router, wondering why the WiFi isn't working this time, etc. And a good modem will let you know if it can contact the network or not so you'll know if the internet is actually out or not. And if you're renting a router, you'll save money in the long run.
  
  
• If you're using WiFi, get a good network card. I saw this one linked on this subreddit the other day and it looks pretty good. I've personally found USB WiFi dongles unreliable, but YMMV.
  
  
• Don't forget to upgrade your peripherals. Check out /r/mechanicalkeyboards, /r/steamcontroller (it's about more than just the Steam Controller there, the name is a little misleading TBH), and the YouTube channel Rocket Jump Ninja (he does mouse reviews). I think /r/emulation has had some good threads on controllers, too. There's fun stuff like Mayflash adapters for GameCube controllers, or you could pick up a bluetooth dongle for a DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 (or WiiMote passthrough in Dolphin). There's lots of fun to be had in the peripheral department.
  
  I think that's about everything. Let me know if I missed anything and I'll include it.
  
  edit: Updated some stuff and tried to include more details.

> Here is a layout with the modem/router included: https://prnt.sc/nvevd4

It's a good thing you pointed out that your house has brick walls. Wi-Fi signals have a tough time getting through brick, so you should rule out mesh.

> Currently I am using an old router (Asus RT-N12+B1) and a powerline extender (TP-LINK Powerline TL-WPA2020) in the "Office" room - both marked on the layout. This way I am getting around ~55Mbps on wifi from router and ~30Mbps from the powerline extender.

For the benefit of other readers, both the Asus and the TP-Link only support 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. They also have 100 Mbps Ethernet ports. Yikes! This equipment is holding you back.

> Suffice to say both equipment has a cap of 300Mbps (wired I assume).

No, that's wireless. Due to the way Wi-Fi works, actual wireless speeds will be at least 50% slower. Worse, cut speeds in half again because 2.4 GHz is generally limited to using 20 MHz wide channels, whereas TP-Link's number assumes 40 MHz channels. IOW, you're looking at nominal Wi-Fi speeds of around 75 Mbps.

>I am looking to exchange these to use the bandwidth from our provider a bit more. I should note that I am not a networking enthusiast (yet).
>
> I don't want to spend a lot here (aiming at around $100) but for example I'd like to have the option to perhaps create a mesh network at some point.
>
> Here are the options I have considered. (feel free to suggest additional ones also):

> #1 TP-Link AC1900 ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PDLRHFW/ )

> Just a better router which I think has a bit better coverage also.

I don't have any personal experience with this model but it looks like an average, run of the mill, consumer grade router. That's not to say it's bad. For a long time, an AC1900 class router represented the sweet spot in terms of Wi-Fi bandwidth and cost. BTW, AC1900 stands for up to 600 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and up to 1300 Mbps at 5 GHz. Again, these are inflated by at least 100%.

Moreover, the Wi-Fi capabilities of devices must also be taken into account. The average smartphone with 802.11ac Wi-Fi, for example, will at best leverage only 2/3rds of what this router is capable of. You're still looking at 200-400 Mbps, which is quite an improvement.

It's always hard to say anything about range. The TP-Link may have better range, but the brick walls in your house are going to put a damper on that.

> I probably would still have to use the powerline extender in the Office. (would that have a better performance also with a better router?)

A router with Gigabit Ethernet ports will certainly open up access to the full bandwidth provided by your Internet connection. But it looks like your Powerline extender only has a 100 Mbps Ethernet port, so that's going to be a bottleneck. Honestly, I would not expect much, if any, improvement.

I would be careful about upgrading to a faster Powerline adapter with a Gigabit Ethernet port. You may not see very much improvement. Powerline is a notoriously finicky and, frequently, disappointing technology. Real world and published speeds are nowhere close to each other. That's not to say that it doesn't work for some people, but you can forget about seeing anywhere close to Gigabit speeds.

> #2 Netgear Orbi RBK30 ( https://www.cclonline.com/product/243512/RBK30-100UKS/Cable-Routers/Netgear-Orbi-RBK30-Wireless-AC2200-Tri-Band-Network-Router-with-Satellite/NET2800/ )
>
> With AC2200 it should of course give much better speeds than the current router (I hope), and there would be the option to exchange the powerline extender with an other Orbi unit to create a mesh network? Would that work?

While the Orbi is one of the better mesh products, you should not consider it with a brick-walled house.

> #3 Unifi AP AC LR
>
> I've seen this being suggested numerous times but I am a bit hesitant about it. Mainly because I don't quite understand how it would work and it seems to me that it would be more expensive that I'd want to pay.
>
> Since I am not well versed in networking I am unsure how access points actually work.

Think of an Access Point as a device that provides a Wi-Fi connection to a network. A Wi-Fi router has a built-in Access Point, along with an Ethernet switch, firewall and NAT. If you were to disable Wi-Fi on the router and connect an external Access Point, like the Unifi, into one of the router's Ethernet ports, you would functionally have the same thing.

The beauty of Wi-Fi is that you can distribute multiple Access Points throughout your residence to provide strong Wi-Fi coverage. You can even use the Access Point built into the router to complement the external Access Points. The catch is that external Access Points must be wired to the router. BTW, your TP-Link Powerline extender is technically an Access Point. It just happens to be wired to the router using A/C wires.

> 1. I would need a router obviously and I had the idea that this AP can work as one. Is that so? Or would I actually need to purchase a router and this would only serve as an access point somewhere else?

As I explained above, the Unifi would only serve as an Access Point. You would still need a router. You might consider a Ubiquiti USG. It's limited to a total throughput of 1000 Mbps (up and down combined), so it falls a bit short of what your Internet connection is capable of. In practical terms, you are unlikely to ever notice unless you intend to frequently hammer your Internet connection. Unfortunately, a USG + Unfi AP would significantly exceed your budget of $100.

> 2. Now my question here: if I wanted to have a second AP would I need to get the ethernet wiring over there also (meaning it wouldn't work wirelessly as mesh networks do)? Powerline would work for me as well I just don't want to install another 50meter cable into the walls (although I might consider it through the attic if it's that good of an idea).

An Access Point does need to be wired to the router. Ethernet is the fastest and most reliable medium. If you have coax in your house, I would seriously consider MoCA. Think of MoCA as Ethernet over coax. It's much more reliable than Powerline. You need a MoCA adapter at each end of the coax segment. The fastest adapters (Bonded MoCA 2.0/2.5) are pricy but they can achieve near Gigabit speeds. Powerline should only be used as a last resort.

> 3. well this is worrying as I wouldn't want to keep a separate machine running just to keep the internet up

It's true that Unifi Access Points are managed by controller software running on a separate machine. But it's only necessary if you want to have a guest network with a login portal or if you want to monitor Wi-Fi traffic statistics. A guest network without a login portal does not require the controller to run continuously. There is also a smartphone app that can be used in lieu of the controller. It provides only very basic setup functions, which might suffice for you. Note: The controller can run on something as a small as a Raspberry Pi. Ubiquiti also sells something called a Cloud Key, which is basically a small computer dedicated to running the controller software.

If this all sounds like too much trouble, then you may want to consider TP-Link EAP Access Points. They have a built-in web portal for management.

> 4. on paper the Orbi gives a 2200Mbps performance compared to the Unifi one which if I calculate correctly is 1300+Mbps. So why opt for this?

2200 Mbps includes a 866 Mbps connection that's dedicated to the mesh function used by the nodes for communicating with each other. The bandwidth available to devices is 1300 Mbps, so it's basically the same.

First things first - the cable modem and the wifi router are two completely separate things. In your specific case, the two things are integrated in one device - but I highly recommend not doing so.

Comcast charges a ridiculous amount of money for the "modem rental". Are you renting your modem/router from Comcast? If so, I highly recommend buying your own cable modem and wifi router. You will recoup the cost in just a few months from the rental savings. I'm saying this from personal experience - after spending 3 times the cost of the modem for just the rental fees.

The cable modem is a device which connects to your Comcast cable and lets you connect your other home devices to the modem. Even the cheapest most basic DOCSIS3 modem will support speeds that far surpass the actual internet speed you will buy from Comcast - and these are super reliable devices - so just buy the cheapest.

For example, this Arris refurbished model is available for $30. Non refurbished is $50 - although refurbished is honestly just fine. Consider that I was paying 8 bucks a month for the modem rental while I could have bought my modem outright for 30 bucks.

Now for the wifi router. This is mostly the real reason why people complain of poor internet speeds. And often this is because of poor wifi coverage to begin with - i.e. the wifi signal is simply not strong enough in all your rooms. As someone else said, the best thing you can do is to place your wifi router high up and in a central location that has the best "line of sight" to most rooms. Typically a central passageway, mounted high up on the wall. You would connect to your cable modem with an ethernet cable, by the way.

In my case, upgrading to a better more powerful wifi router with 4 antennas (from 2) made a huge difference. From my experience, I can recommend this Asus model which has 4 antennas and costs $67. There are many other models you can research and buy. It has run non-stop for over a year without requiring a reboot or without any of the flakiness I had with my other router that would randomly shut down or reboot itself. Wirecutter recommends TPLink Archer C7 which also costs $70 and they say it has really good coverage. Avoid the more expensive "802.11 AC" routers. This AC technology is great but is honestly overkill for your needs, just as you don't need to buy some expensive cable modem.

By the way, you can also download an app on your phone that will tell you how good your wifi coverage is in different parts of your house or establishment. Just search for "wifi coverage" or "wifi analyzer" in your app store. As someone also said, there are some advanced tweaks you can do. See this article, if you are so inclined.

Lastly, besides your wifi signal coverage and strength and quality of wifi router, your internet connection itself needs to be reasonably fast to support multiple users. Nowadays, everyone is streaming videos and such on their smartphones so everyone "needs" high bandwidth or fast internet. And all these multiple videos streaming quickly eat up your internet connection's bandwidth. What is interesting is that there isn't that much of a price difference between the different Comcast options. Or to put it another way, there is no $40 or $50 option at all. 25mbps is quite low to be honest - at least when multiple people hammering away at your internet. It is not horrible or anything - in fact it is perfectly decent for average home use - it is just not blazingly fast. There is a $10 difference between 25mbps and 100mbps, and a $3 jump to 200mbps. So if you don't mind the extra $13, you are in serious blazing fast territory. Consider that Netflix takes about 3-10mbps, so you can imagine that 200mbps will give you a lot of room and speed even with multiple users logged in and streaming high quality video. Else, you can start with 25mbps after you make all the other improvements to your setup, see how it goes. Then you can easily upgrade to 200mbps if needed.

The Netgear I linked to is just a modem. It will only have one port (no wireless) which needs to be connected to a router.

If you do a lot of online gaming on the Xbox and don't have to have wired downstairs, it would probably be best to have the modem in the same room to use a wired connection.

I doubt the two floor townhome would be big enough to have significant concerns over wireless performance. But I will point out a couple options you may not be aware of. First you can set up a wireless bridge which is essentially a wireless cable. The device acting as the bridge would normally have 4 or 5 wired ports to plug into. This of course still depends on a good wireless connection between the router and bridge device. But the advantage is that the bridge can have stronger wireless antennas and is better able to communicate with the router than the built in wifi on devices like game consoles or laptops.

The other option is powerline adapters which actually provides networking over powerlines. Simple plug one into the wall near the router and connect a cable to it, and then plug in one or more into other electrical outlets. Powerline performance can vary greatly though. In some homes they work nearly as well as running an ethernet cable, but in some homes they are completely unreliable. In most cases they will at least work well enough for streaming and anything else other than gaming. Gaming over powerline is certainly possible if they end up working well in the townhome.

In a two bedroom townhome these probably aren't necessary, but something to keep in mind if the xbox isn't wired and the connection isn't stable.

For the router/wireless..

Personally I am a big fan of Ubiquiti products, but they are a lot more advanced than routers designed for home use. Their routers do not have wireless built in, but rather they sell separate wireless access points (Unifi). I use an Edgerouter X which costs about $50 and a single Unifi AC wireless access point. I have the Unifi AC Pro which is $130, but there are also the Unifi AC Long Range ($100) and Unifi AC Lite ($80) and any of them should be fine. The Pro is capable of a bit higher speeds, but the extra speed would likely only be beneficial if you are sending files between your devices (Plex media server for example). Just make sure you don't get the older non AC models.

While they are more advanced they really aren't very difficult to set up. With the Edgerouter you basically just need to login to it and select a wizard (specifically the one named WAN+2LAN2 which will set it to act like most any home router). Then for QoS (quality of service) to prevent streaming, etc to cause a lot of spiking while gaming, you go to the QoS tab to enable Smart Queue and then simply enter the Download/Upload speeds of your Comcast plan.

Unifi wirelss access points are a little different in that you can't directly access them to manage. Instead you install Unifi controller software on your computer to configure all Unifi devices on your network. There are a lot of advanced options for Unifi but basically all you need to do is go to settings and add one or more wireless network, being sure to set the security to WPA Personal with a security key (password).

Aside from Ubiquiti I have had the best experience with ASUS Routers. Probably just about any of the ASUS dual band wireless AC routers would be fine (such as https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-AC1750-4-Port-Gigabit-RT-AC66U_B1/dp/B01N08LPPP/). Not sure how well their QoS features work since haven't used them, but I imagine. Netgear Nighthawk AC routers also have a great reputation although I never used them personally. https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1750-Smart-Router/dp/B00R2AZLD2/

So recommend one of the following:

1. Unifi Edgerouter X ($50) plus one of their Unifi AC wireless access points ($80-130)
   
   
2. ASUS dual band AC router such as the RT-AC66U (around $100)
   
   
3. Netgear Nighthawk dual band AC router such as the R6700 (around $90-100)
   
   Along with the Netgear modem

Well - let's see.. I know that you have Verizon with a 75/75 Connection. So it sounds like you have a FiOS Connection and most likely have an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) on the outside/inside of your house. My guess is a 611/612. None the less, it's TYPICALLY better to utilize their Modem with their services. I am not sure Verizon allows a "bring your own Modem" when you have FiOS. I do not have them, however. But from my memory, I believe that is the case. If you CAN use your own - I can definitely recommend a Modem for you!

So otherwise would suggest contacting Verizon or going to a local store - to see if you can get a STANDALONE Modem. Something with 1 LAN Ethernet Port and no internal Router/Switch. As said above - a lot of people with Modem/Router combos seem to run into more issues than not - with a lot of basic configuration changes. Such as Port Forwarding, etc. But - mileage varies depending on the user.

As for a suggested Router? Oh boy.. that depends on how hardcore you want to go. A lot of people give NETGEAR some flak, but they've been killing it lately in their Quality Control and market. I'll give you a few to go by, depending on how intense you want to go.

-----

NETGEAR Nighthawk R7000

• Link: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-Gigabit-Support-Compatible/dp/B00F0DD0I6
  
  This is the more.."Lightweight" of the Nighthawk Series. They go up in "quality", for more money of course. The feature set is different as you go up in the line, but doesn't necessarily mean things will be "better". But they are great for Gaming. Not particularly because of the reasons they market, but because of how they handle Traffic internally, and their support for any odd configurations you may need to handle. Feel free to check out the Nighthawk Series a bit.
  
  NETGEAR AC1750
  
  
• Link: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Router-AC1750-Gigabit-R6300v2/dp/B00EM5UFP4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1494439575&sr=1-2&keywords=netgear+router
  
  It's basically the same concept as the Nighthawk R7000 - actually within the same technical family. The biggest difference for the Nighthawk is more or less it's range and a few other capabilities. But in terms of performance - they typically function the same. Another excellent Choice.
  
  TP-Link Archer C7
  
  
• Link: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Archer-Wireless-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00BUSDVBQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1494439549&sr=1-1&keywords=C7+Router
  
  This thing is moderately known - but not often talked about. TP Link has always had some great quality hardware. The software isn't anything too extreme, but the quality and performance is decent enough for me to recommend it.
  
  NETGEAR N600
  
  
• Link: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-N600-Wi-Fi-Router-WNDR3400/dp/B0041LYY6K
  
  A cheaper alternative, if you don't want anything super crazy - and need something more affordable. It's a pretty decent quality, I used to have this at one point and a few of my friends use these and have never had any issues with any Port Forwarding, or extras that they've needed to take care of. Great signal quality in a 2 story home - and kills it in performance for the price.
  
  -----
  
  Those are a few of my recommendations. Of course there are plenty more - but those ones specifically I have had great experiences with. Either with friends, or my own personal preference. For myself, I have the Nighthawk R7000 and previously had the NETGEAR N600. The only reason I left that one behind - was because I wanted a little more of an extended range when I was outside of my home in the yard. Which the R7000 handled perfectly. But - that's not a scenario many people really deal with. Plus you can always make/buy an extender.
  
  I'm glad to help, when I can! :)
  
  
  

DD-WRT and Tomato are 3rd party firmwares that you can flash onto your router. They are generally much more feature rich than the standard firmware that comes on the consumer grade home routers.

In general, DD-WRT / Tomato will not change any of the physical characteristics of the device. They will not make your device significantly faster or significantly improve your wireless coverage. But, I have noticed that some 3rd party firmwares can improve the device performance, but this is due to some 3rd party firmwares being based around a newer kernel. Also, the 3rd party firmwares generally allow you to change the TX power to the onboard RF amplifier.

Remember that Linux kernel is monolithic. What this means, essentially, is that all of the device drivers live in the kernel. I have seen that the device drivers for certain chipsets (eg: Atheros) get updated in newer kernels and this can lead to better performance. The benefits here are only slight, however. The real solution, if you want better performance, is to buy better hardware (a router with more RAM or a better processor).

If you want my personal recommendation - I highly recommend the Asus RT-N16. It's a very good router at a very good price. Flash with something like Tomato by Shibby and forget about buying another router for many years. Shibby's mod enables things like GUI configuration for a lot of advanced features (USB, VLANs, VPN, etc). Refer to this page for a router compatibility list.

Again, my apologies that you have Comcast.

This is all assuming that Comcast will cooperate, and you will actually be able to turn off the wifi signal and routing on that device, and install your own. They may/may not help you with this. If they do, great! If they don't, I can certainly try to help you, but obviously having the internet go out won't be super helpful.

Anyway...

I've had a great deal of success with Netgear. It's what all of the sites at work use, and that's what I use at home. Like I mentioned before, you really do get what you pay for when it comes to networking devices. Personally, I have this model, and I absolutely love it. Very easy management (even if you have no idea what you're doing), easy setup, good signal, no issues. I know there's a lot of bad reviews on it (I was worried at first as well), but I love it. I got it on the suggestion of a friend, and also suggested it to one of my friends, and none of us have issues.

If that is out of your price range, this one is $10 cheaper, and basically the same thing.

If that's still too much, based on looks/reviews, this would likely be okay. Personally, I have never used that brand, but I have heard of it, and it is pretty popular.

In any event, you'll probably need to call them to work this out, unless (and probably even if) you have someone tech savvy to help you out. If they tell you that you can't do it unless you buy a modem as well, you're looking at a whole 'nother expense (~$100) on top of buying a router to make that happen. If you are renting the modem (you probably are), it will pay for itself over time, but it has a lot of up-front cost.

I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions, and I'll do what I can to help!

First, for a modem+router to work you need to receive service from a internet service provider (Cox, At&T, etc.) not from a mobile carrier (T-Mobile, Sprint). Do you already receive receive service from a internet service provider? Someone would be paying them a monthly fee and you would be receiving internet to your home from a cable/coax outlet or a DSL outlet.

Second, Nighthawk equipment is typically targeted to intense internet usage. Nighthawk's maximum capabilities will generally not be realized unless you are paying for the highest internet subscription from your ISP and also using multiple network-taxing PCs for gaming, livestreaming, and downloading. If all you want is faster internet for a few home devices like phones, you can use a cheaper modem and a cheaper router.

The first Nighthawk router you linked is designed for train stations and mansions with all smart appliances, not for typical home use. There's probably no reason for you to fork over $450 for it.

The second Nighthawk router you listed for 60 GHz, which means super fast speed but doesn't work outside of close proximity (like 10 feet). While 60 GHz chips have been developed, basically no commercial devices use them, only prototypes. I imagine 60 GHz will eventually be used for 4K streaming to smart TVs located near the router, but it's just not worth forking over $400.

Third, pick a modem that matches the speed of your subscription with your ISP. Here is a guide for picking a cable modem. Basically, higher DOCSIS version number (3.1 vs 3.0) and higher number of channels (32 vs 16 vs 8) means higher capabilities and more expensive. For typical home internet use, DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem with 8 channels is plenty. This is the type of cable modem I have, and it supports my 100 Mbps internet subscription. A DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem with 8 channels should be about $50. If you really want to make sure you match your internet subscription, you can get a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem with 16 channels for about $80-$90. You probably don't need the Nighthawk DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem with 32 channels that you listed, which is about $150.

Here is a guide for picking a DSL modem. Basically, a VDSL modem has higher capability than an ADSL modem. An ADSL modem might not be fast enough for your typical home use, but you can get an ADSL modem for about $40-$50. VDSL modems should work for your typical home use. VDSL modems are usually sold a as a combination modem+router, rather than a standalone modem. You can get a VDSL modem+router with a faster router half for about $120+. You can get a VDSl modem+router with a slower router half for about $70.

Fourth, pick a router that suits your home use. You want a router that (1) has fast speed and (2) has enough range for a signal to reach you based on your home size. Here is a brief guide of routers speed. Basically, WiFi "AC" protocol is the standard for home use, and higher numbers after the "AC" (AC 1900 vs AC 1750) means faster speed. AC 1200 routers are typically about $405-$50. AC 1750 routers are typically about $80. AC 1900 routers are typically about $120. You might notice the speed difference between 1200 and 1900. You probably won't notice the speed difference between 1750 and 1900. Anything above 1900 you probably won't be able to tell the difference.

There isn't really a guide on router range. Router manufacturers have collectively agreed not to advertise their signal strengths. So you have to look around the internet for reviews, or do your own tests. You can do you own tests by buying multiple routers, using any of the millions of free Wi-Fi strength apps on the app store, and returning the the routers with lower strength. I tested some routers this way and ended up keeping this router.

I prefer standalone routers. They sometimes perform better than combination modem+routers because designers didn't have to worry about incorporating a modem. Also, I can swap them out without having to buy a new modem. However, you can also buy a combination modem+router to save space. But make sure the modem half matches your internet subscription, and the router half matches your home use. By paying for a decent internet subscription, matching my modem to the internet subscription, and matching my router to my home, I have the best in-home WiFi of any of my friends.

EDIT: Fifth, wait for Black Friday and Cyber Monday electronics deals. Electronics usually go on sale the weekend after Thanksgiving. You might be able to pick up compatible modems and routers for cheaper.

Don't get a combo router/modem; it unnecessarily limits your options and it's annoying when your device ends up half-broken or half-obsolete, but the whole thing has to be replaced at once.

modem:

Check the approved device list for your tier of service and buy whatever's cheapest (except that if the list still contains DOCSIS 2.0 devices for some reason, ignore those and get a modem that is at least DOCSIS 3.0). If you shop around for cable modems you'll notice that they're labeled as "MxN": M is the number of downstream channels and N is the number of upstream channels, which determines the maximum connection speed the modem supports. IMO 8x4 (which corresponds to 343 Mbps download) is the current value-for-money sweet spot; unless you plan to switch to a faster service than that within the next couple of years it's not worth paying extra for future-proofing.

The Arris/Motorola SB6141 ($40 on Amazon) is a popular choice.

router:

If all you care about is Internet access speed (i.e., the thing that's limited by your 70 Mbps connection) then even an old 802.11N router would be good enough, let alone an AC one. If you care about transferring files and/or streaming between computers within the house, then having gigabit ethernet and 802.11 AC (and dual-band/MIMO/other buzzwords/etc.) starts to become more important.

Don't pay extra for fancy software features (security, antivirus, parental controls, etc). Instead, pick a router that is supported by open-source third-party firmware such as LEDE, which can turn even a basic router into a pseudo-"enterprise"-level device with every fancy feature you could possibly imagine. (Subject to hardware limitations, of course!) (If you decide to care about third-party firmware support, pay close attention to exactly what hardware you're getting, including the revision number. Sometimes hardware changes in ways that break compatibility without any way to tell just from reading the outside of the package.)

Also pay attention to the physical form-factor of the device (this goes for the cable modem too, by the way). If you want it to lay flat on a surface instead of standing up on its edge (or vice-versa), make sure it actually supports being used that way. For example, this piece of shit would have been a great device, except that some dipshit designed it such that it can't sit flat or hang on a wall. It's asinine!

I concur with /u/JustBeefTaco in recommending the TP-Link Archer C7. In addition to the reasons he said, it's also good because it's supported by LEDE. My own home network runs on an Archer C7 (running LEDE 17.01)

That said, if you wanted to "do it right" using one access point per floor, then you'd put a non-wi-fi router such as this Mikrotik in the basement next to the cable modem, and then connect it using gigabit ethernet to ceiling-mounted access points on each floor. (Disclaimer: I haven't researched this kind of setup, so I don't know if these are the best devices to choose.) Note that the devices I listed support PoE (Power over Ethernet), which IMO would be important for that kind of more permanently-installed setup.

Note: The points system is currently broken. We're working on it.

In case you missed it, click here for yesterday's Daily Simple Questions thread.
There may be some questions still unanswered! Below are a selection of questions with no replies. See if you can help them out.

If you don't want to see this comment click the little [-] to the left of my username to collapse this comment.

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> So I posted this http://i.imgur.com/1O4Ii4E.jpg around 2 weeks ago asking people if my OC was alright, and it is.
>
> But today going back to Precision X I noticed that "Power target" slider maximum option is 112%. Why did it change, why is that I cant put it back to 120% anymore?
>
> edit: Also, my VOLTAGE slider is still at 0% should bump it?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmqisay

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> So I'm looking for a new router and modem to upgrade my current one and thought I'd ask for some suggestions.
>
>
> Currently I've been looking at the ASUS RT-ACRH13 Router and the NETGEAR CM400 modem.
>
>
> My current internet plan is 100/15 and looking to spend under 130$ and my isp is cox. Thanks for any help guys!

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmqpbo2

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> Been trying to find a solution to this for a while. I'm getting this error out of my energy report.
>
> >PCI Express Active-State Power Management (ASPM) has been disabled due to a known incompatibility with the hardware in this computer.
>
> Here's my build. Any ideas?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmqr60v

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> trying to connect 6 dualshock 4's so we can play Towerfall Ascension 8 player , anyone can help us out? we tried ds4 windows but that only supports 4 max it seems...

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmqstf1

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> What does lastpass premium povide me that laspass free does not?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmr22lv

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> My friend is offering me an Asus r9 270 for 55$. Is that a good deal? I'm basically looking to just play some pubg and rocket league. I plan on rebuilding a brand new PC around tax time so would that be able to hold me over until then? My Frankenstein PC right now has an i5-6400 and 12gb ram.
>
> Edit: I had to sell my PC that's in my flair for financial reasons but I built a PC from old parts I had

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmr9fp8

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> Does anybody know when the 8 series CPU benchmarks for gaming will be released? I want to upgrade my CPU but don't know if it's worth the wait or if I should just say fuck it and buy a 7 series CPU.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmrbwfk

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> Hey all.
>
> I just built a new PC and I'm not getting power from USB ports or a BIOS display on start up. What could be the issue here? Faulty motherboard? Any help would be appreciated.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmrcmpt

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> Hey guys,
>
> I'm looking for a good alternative to the modmic, I had a modmic 4.0 and its attaching mechanism literally crumbled to pieces and they want to charge me 3usd + 15 USD shipping for their own piece of shit failure, so i'd rather avoid giving them any money.
>
> I've heard some good things about the zalman clip on, but looking to spend a bit more to get higher quality.
>
> Thanks in advance! :)

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmrdbm7

----

> Looking for a good new chair, always see people with those dx racer chairs. Are they good? I like that you can tilt it back up to 160ish degrees. Any other chairs with that feature anyone knows of?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmreqq3

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> So I'm having an issue getting three displays working on a GTX670. It has 2x DVI, 1x HDMI and 1x Display Port. One of the DVI ports is most likely dead.
>
> I can have any two of the three displays working through the DVI and HDMI, but when trying to connect a DP to HDMI passive adapter for a third, that one never works. Even if it is the only display connected. I figure the 670 doesn't support DP++?
>
> Is there anything else I can try?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmreyrb

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> Looking to buy a 2.5" SSD for my laptop (ideapad 14-isk running Ubuntu Gnome 17.04). What are things I need to know about SSDs beforehand? Like keeping it healthy, storage and partitioning, things to avoid.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmrgvuz

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> I have two monitors plugged with dvi i and dvi d to my GTX 980. I played alot with super dynamic resolution in the control panel so both have higher than native res at this point and I was wondering if using display port over dvi d on my 24'' LG could let me overclock refreshrate more (currently 74hz on 60hz native) and possibly increase quality of image?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmrkz7p

----

> I need help with RBG :( I have a new pc (first time) and my mobo is the Asus Prime Pro x370 and my led strips are Phanteks RGB 360. The strips work and all but I can only control them with the remote and not Aura Sync. I tried syncing them and it said they should be red but they weren't. Then it said they should be hooked up to the mobo, but idk how? Someone pls help me. I'm a n00b ik.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmrni1l

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> I can't seem to get my RAM to run at full speed. This is my current setup, and I've tried A-XMP and Memory Try-It! but I can't get the memory to run at 3200MHz. It worked once when I activated A-XMP, but then it stopped working again, I don't know why. The RAM is listed as supported by the motherboard.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmrpdjp

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> The hurricane is heading right for me. I'm gonna wrap my rig in big trash bags. In case this isn't enough to save her, will the manufacturer warranties cover hurricane damage?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmrpzbo

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> any good silent mouses? want to do cad work in a lecture class without being herd

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/6yv015/daily_simple_questions_thread_sep_08_2017/dmrqljn

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I am a bot - This action was done automatically. Please direct any questions or concerns ( or bug reports ) to \/u\/eegras - About /u/PCMRBot

ok. I get it. if I'm going to be buying a router I should buy an AC model so I could future proof myself. everyone is suggesting the ac66u, but if I'm going to spend $150 to future proof myself, I'd rather pony up an extra $50+ to get the best available router out right now.

so from my research I noticed that the ASUS AC87U is pretty neat (sorry about the ASUS love but I am basing my research off of mainly one article and the author, at the time of writing, really loved the ASUS routers).

ASUS model: http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-RT-AC87U-Wireless-AC2400-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00MPI5N7U

is this a good option or is there a better, cheaper option? would the ac66u suffice? would this linksys be a better alternative?

Linksys: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K91DB7Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1427049742&sr=8-1&keywords=linksys+wrt1900ac&dpPl=1&dpID=41BI8x1i4HL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

or maybe even a nighthawk?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00F0DD0I6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1427052167&sr=8-1&keywords=netgear+nighthawk&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=41651m2TjVL&ref=plSrch

anyways I'm just wondering how do those compare to the router you've suggested? which is the best today? is it worth it to go for the ac87u even though it's still $250 or am I better off going for the $200 routers?

So the first thing you should decide is what type of internet to get. The vast majority of people get cable or fiber (if they can afford it and if it's available). Both of those options give you good reliable internet. The cheap option is to get DSL which works over telephone lines. DSL usually has low speeds and isn't as reliable but only costs like $30 a month compared to $60-100 for better internet. If you like to stream movies or do anything outside of very basic browsing, I would say to get cable if you can afford it. What you do then is find a provider for that internet (internet service provider - ISP). Comcast, Cox, AT&T, Verizon, and many local companies are ISPs but you're probably limited to only one or two in whatever region you live (assuming USA). You should also know that these companies have random naming conventions for their services (Comcast calls their cable Xfinity while AT&T calls theirs Uverse) So you go to their web sites and compare plans and find something that works for you (if you don't know what speed you need, I would recommend 20 Mbps or more for streaming and normal use, 50 Mbps if you're a really heavy user). You can use this to find out what providers even have wiring in your area (if the top speed for a certain provider only shows as 10-25 mbps, then it's likely only DSL).

If you go with cable, you'll need both a modem (which receives the internet connection from the cable built into your apartment) and a router (which takes that wired connection and turns it into wireless - wifi). I would recommend buying your own hardware because companies like Comcast charge you something like $7-10 a month per modem/router that you get from them, which ends up being more expensive than buying your own to start with. If you buy your own modem, make sure it will work with whatever cable provider you select (something like this is standard). After that, you hook up your router. There are many to choose from. You can get one for as little as $10-30, but I would recommend getting a better one like this if you can as it performs exceptionally well and is easy to set up as well.

If you have any specific questions, let me know.

Here are your options for home wifi networking:

1. Buy a super strong wifi router and you're good to go even in a large home - as long as you don't live in a repurposed bomb shelter. An example of a "super strong" router: here
   
2. Buy a normal router or your current one and add access points. An example of a "normal" router: here . An access point (AP) is not a wifi extender. You must run a cable (CAT 5E/ CAT 6) from your router to the location where you need improved wifi signal, there you plug in the AP and attach the Ethernet cable from the router. The AP simply turns a wired connection into a wireless one and broadcasts the same network as that coming from your router. An example of an AP: here .
   
3. Buy a normal router or your current router and use a wifi extender(s). I wifi extender receives packets from your wireless router, ups the signal strength, and then forwards them to a nearby host. If you are having poor signal at point B and the router is at point A then put the extender directly in the middle of the 2; I have seen so many people make the mistake of putting the extender at point B, which defeats the whole purpose because it is just your host device's antenna vs the extender's.
   
4. An extender/AP all in one device. An example: here
   
5. A mesh wifi system. It can be difficult to distinguish a multi-AP/ multi-extender setup from a mesh system, but the main differences are that the mesh will be easier to setup and more "polished" in general. A mesh system will automatically detect the SSID (network name) from the wifi router and extend it. Want to add a signal booster? With mesh you can buy another matching unit and use WPS for a one button setup. The mesh is also smart in identifying when you move from one area to another ans switching to the closer device to server you your packets. Now, this is seen in some higher end APs and extenders such as here , but its not as seamless and usually more expensive in the long run. An example of a mesh system: here
   
   APs are generally more stable (UBIQUITI makes great ones) due to the wired connection. I like using APs because I can buy as I need more and set some up on different VLANs and hide SSIDs, but those are more advanced options. For most people who do not want to run cable or go with more of a permanent networking setup, the easiest and most effective solution is generally a mesh system. The TP-Link one is great as well as Google WiFi.
   
   EDITED: Because the bot thought I was using affiliate links...

Faster is better. Internet is measured in megabits per second. Megabyte is the unit of measurement of data stored on your computer and phone. Megabit is the measurement of data getting transmitted over a connection. There are 8 megabits to a megabyte.

When shopping for ISP, get the fastest speed you can get at the cheapest rate you can find. Depending on your area, you can have a couple to choose from. Generally, it's one DSL and one cable. I'll try to elucidate.

DSL are companies like AT&T. They deliver their internet over old DSL (phone) lines. Generally speaking, their internet speeds are lower. AT&T, for example, cap out at 18-25mbps. This is generally okay but maintaining a 1080p stream on Netflix or having more than one stream while doing other things (downloading stuff to your Xbox, torrenting, etc) would all be bottlenecked. DSL companies use modems that connect to a phone jack. DSL companies also generally have worse performances (based on my experience).

Cable are companies like Time Warner Cable and Comcast. They used to do cables only but now have expanded to internet. They generally deliver faster speeds of 30-300mbps depending on the market. These higher speeds are better for your needs. While you may only have Netflix in mind, be aware that a lot of things you own require internet. The apps on your phone auto-update and can be quite large in size. If you have a console like an Xbox, digital games can go up to 50 gigabyte, neverminding the software updates. Your computer is constantly connected to the internet and its software updates can be quite big. Maybe you want to FaceTime your mother, a good connection would give you better quality and less issues.

Basically, don't cheap out on the speed. Now since, you're living by yourself you should go for a 100mbps package at minimum if you can get it. A price of $30-60 is reasonable. Apartment or housing shoppings now a days also depending on knowing which ISPs service your area and how fast they are. If you can't get good internet at an apartment, you should probably walk away.

Cable companies will try to rent you a modem or a modem/router combo which will add a monthly fee to your monthly bill. Don't do it. Buy something like this. If they give you a modem for free with no fees, take it. DSL companies generally force you to buy their modems upfront. In that regards, you have no choice.

Some modems provided come with wifi capability. Don't use it. Buy your own router that can provide better wifi. Something like this is good. Notice that it says gigabit and AC. Gigabit means that the ethernet port on the back is capable of 1000mbps speed. If you're thinking of buying internet speed faster than 100mbps, make sure you go for the gigabit router otherwise you're bottlenecking your speed. The AC router will guarantee better coverage, range, and performance on wifi as well as giving you speeds above 100mbps (again, not bottlenecking anything).

I'll try, if you have any questions or if I wasn't really clear on something, ask away and I'll try to explain it better.

A normal home network is quite simple, in order starting from your ISP's line coming into your house, you usually have a modem, a router, a switch and an access point. Most consumer routers are actually a combo router-switch-access point all in one. They provide you a few ports for wired connection and the wifi in a single convenient unit. What you can also do is split up this combo unit to be able to place each device in a better location. If you have your modem in the basement, putting the router next to it makes sense, but putting the access point there often means it will be completely unusable on the second floor. Don't be afraid, separate unit aren't really more complex, you just need to wire them together. I'll recommend a few unit throughout, but feel free to ask for a second opinion!

Personally, after witnessing the extreme difference in quality between home all-in-one routers and dedicated separate unit, I will strongly recommend you go with a separate unit setup. Ubiquiti makes super great hardware that won't cost you much more than a combo but will give you much more performance. Here are the recommended devices, I'll explain the setup right after :

• Router : Ubiquiti Edgerouter X
  
• Switch : TP-Link Gigabit switch (8 port / 16 port / 24 port)
  
• Access point : Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC Lite
  
  So, your provider will supply you with a modem (or you will buy your own) and plug that directly in the DSL/Cable/Fiber line that comes from outside. Then, you will plug the router in the modem. The router will allow all the devices in your home to communicate with the internet. In the router, you will plug the switch. In the switch, you can plug all the lines that are going through your house. You can also plug several switches in the router, or a switch in another switch (example : a switch in the office plugged into a line that goes to the second floor, a switch on the second floor, that will work). Also plugged in the switch : the access point. You can plug it (or them if you buy more than one) directly in the switch, or at the end of a long line that goes where you want the access point to be. For a two stories house, you might get good result by having a central AP on the first floor, or an AP on each floor, depending on construction, materials and interference.
  
  So now, we have the classic modem > router > switch > AP, using separate devices for greater flexibility and performance. Once it's all plugged in, time to set it up. For the router, simple, follow the wizard. For the switch, these switches are plug and play, no config needed. For the AP (or APs), install the software on your PC, follow the wizard, done! The controller software is used to configure the APs, but is not needed for the APs to work. The APs, once they get their config from the software, are completely standalone and independent, you can turn the PC off without issues.
  
  Hope this answers your questions, as I said, ask anything that wasn't answered and I'll try to explain it.

>I've gotten around this by plugging my own router into the ISP's router and having that be my network, and disabling FIOS's Wifi.

You're still using the VZ router as your main router this way. Unless you bridged it, did you or did you simply turn off the wifi? Disabling the wifi does nothing to your network.

To be completely honest this sounds like it's way over your head. But it's great if you want to learn. If you do here's what your set up should really look like.

• A dedicated router. Not a wireless router, not a all in one appliance. A router. We around here really like the features and price of the Edge Router Lite. This will allow you to create separate vLANs, one for the main network, one for the security cameras, one for a guest network. vLANs are virtual separate networks, this is a great security feature for internal networks. Setting something like this router up and vLANs is not for the network newby. It's not that difficult but you do need a sound understanding of how networks are set up.
  
  
• A switch to distribute the LAN. TrendNet has some good unmanaged switches. If you want to play with vLANs you may want a smart switch though. I have an HP smart switch but there are other companies that may be better.
  
  
• An AP (Access Point). This is what creates your wifi, that is it's sole responsibility. We here all recommend Ubiquiti's Unifi line of products and yes, I have one as well.
  
  If you subscribe to FiOS TV, then you also need a pair of MoCA adapters per STB. Yea this is starting to rack up that bill really fast. But again, this is an ideal set up. And it will take a moderate home networker to set it up.
  
  So I'm not sure if you're up to the task. If all you want is some cameras, get yourself a switch. Call up VZ and ask them to bridge the router. Then set up your router as the main. To read how to do this and other options with that router if you have FiOS TV, read this.

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

• TP-Link Archer C7
  
  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.
  
  
• D-Link DIR-880L
  
  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.

Are you deadset on PFSense? There are a number of options for really good routers that can do what your looking for for not to much if your not hard set on PFSense.

• Option 1: Edge Router X - Really cheap at only $60 but it can easily handle routing for 100+ devices. Its software is called EdgeOS (which is based on VyOS, an opensource switch/router OS) and is super configurable and powerful. Admittedly its Analytics aren't super useful, as it doesn't really do much Deep Package Inspection (DPI) but its good enough to figure out whats going on and who is using what. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C/
  
  
• Option 2: Unifi Security Gateway - This is like the big brother of the Edgerouter X (sorta). The OS is still based on VyOS so it super configurable. It also does the DPI you're wanting for analytics. The downside is that you need to have a Unifi Controller to make real use of that. You can either set one up yourself using a VM, Docker or you can use a Raspberry Pi. If you don't want to roll your own controller, you can pickup a Unifi Cloudkey and it will handle all of that for you
  
  
• Option 3: Meraki - If you do the Webinars you can get a Security Gateway, Access Point, and a 8 Port switch for free. Well sort off. You might need to hound the Sales people to get one, and its possible that you might not qualify for the free hardware. Additionally, the hardware is only licensed for 3 years so you'll have to reevaluate what you want to do when the license is up.
  
  If your dead set on using PFSense then I would recommend that you buy a Zotac Zbox CI323/CI325 Nano computer. It has dual NICs and the CPU supports AES-NI which will be required in furture PFSense versions. I have one myself that I used with well over a 100+ VMs/devices without any issue. Only stopped using it because I got the free Meraki gear. They go for about $150 on Amazon but they are barebones so you need to add RAM and storage to get everything going.
  
  Shameless plug: As I said I have a Zotac Zbox CI323 Nano, and I'm selling it (again because I got free meraki gear) for only $125 with RAM and Storage. You can look at it here: https://reddit.com/r/hardwareswap/comments/9wk6im/usauth_x79_partout_mini_pcs_ram_g903_switch_old/

NOTE: I posted this yesterday and got a lot of helpful information about modems, but not as much about routers. As such, I decided I'd try posting again today to see if anyone else could spare some thoughts on router choices.

My parents are switching their ISP from AT&T to Time Warner Cable. They mentioned that they wanted to purchase a router / modem instead of renting one since it will save them money in the long run and will likely perform better than the leased product from TWC. So, I come here asking for router suggestions

Relevant Information:

• The budget for the router, is $200. Obviously, if it's possible to spend less that would be excellent.
  
• My parents have a fairly large house (I can provide square footage if helpful) with many walls and at times there can be up to three people streaming content at a time.
  
• The internet speed they'll be receiving will be 300 Mbps.
  
  I came across the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 and it seems like a pretty solid router, but on Newegg it only has three stars. I also came across the TP-Link Touch which has high ratings on both Amazon and Newegg. Any thoughts on either of these? If neither of the routers I linked are adequate, please point me in the direction of one that would work better.
  
  Thanks for your help.

I've been managing the network for our house with at least 9 people and upwards of 15 devices. Half are gamers, the other half stream netflix, etc. I've gone through 5 routers with multiple firmware over the last 8 years. The home routers (even high performance "gaming" routers) choked under the load. The only all in one router that got close was an Apple Time Capsule (Airport Extreme + wireless Time Machine backup drive.) Unfortunately while it makes a beastly good AP, it's pretty bad at being a router.

Nowadays I use an Edgerouter with a Gigabit switch. The network has been near flawless since. I'm using a couple old routers as APs (the Time Capsule as the primary), the only issue is AP handoffs don't work very well on some devices. I'm about to upgrade to some UniFis, which should fix that issue, but don't support 5ghz.

Basically, my recommendation for a small house with lots of users that needs dual band is Edgerouter + Airport Express = $190

• I have never actually used an Express, but it appears the only difference is a lack of gigabit ports and 802.11ac support. My Time Capsule is old enough that it's only N, and it's still gives rock solid wireless.
  
• If you have Mac owners, I would HIGHLY recommend pooling to upgrade the Airport to a Time Capsule, those automatic 24/7 backups can be lifesaving. As soon as the Mac connects to the network it starts backing up, a new Mac can restore the entire system from a Time Machine backup in one click, or just access old files that were changed/deleted.
  
• If you can run CAT6 or CAT5e to as many stationary devices as possible, that would reduce the load on the wireless. For that, these babies are particularly nice and cheap.
  
• For media sharing, you can upgrade the Express to [Airport Extreme] (http://smile.amazon.com/Apple-AirPort-Extreme-Station-ME918LL/dp/B00DB9WCR6/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1416366278&sr=1-2&keywords=airport) (or Time Capsule), use an old router as a NAS, or get a dedicated device; those would let computers access it. For consoles or other devices, you would probably need a DLNA server (Windows media sharing is DLNA I believe.) The best solution is to setup a HTPC near the projector or dedicate a wired desktop to act as the server.
  
  Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!

So it looks like Fios is available in Georgetown. If you're just looking for internet I'd recommend their 300Mbps package at a minimum, but with 5 people splitting it I would probably go for the gigabit for $79.99 a month. If you want TV, they have bundles with TV for an extra $20 or $30 a month. I would go with at least the "extreme TV package" if you want TV, because their "preferred" is nothing but Home shopping network and religious crap. If you do Fios, this modem is only $90 on Amazon and can handle speeds up to 1.7 gigabits.

If you're going the cable internet route, Google your modem's specific model number to see what DOCSIS version it is. If it's 3.1, you're good to go with any cable internet package. If it's 3.0, you can still use it with any package up to 550Mbps, but anything over that and you'll be paying for more bandwidth than your modem can handle. If it's 2.0 or below, you need a new modem. If you do need a new modem, just google "DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem" and take your pick.

For cable internet, I recommend RCN. They definitely service Georgetown It looks like they've got a great deal going on right now for gigabit internet and TV for $79.99 a month. That's probably going to be your best bet.

Between moving and switching providers to get a better deal, I've bought internet in DC and set up home networks probably a dozen times by now, so if you have any questions about the process or need help setting anything up feel free to message me anytime.

I would recommend the ASUS RT-AC66U Dual-Band Wireless-AC1750 Gigabit Router. From a misc source:

> 5th generation 802.11ac chipset gives you concurrent dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz for up to super-fast 1.75Gbps

> ASUS Aicloud service: Access, stream, share, sync – all on the go with unlimited storage expansion!

> Gigabit Ethernet ports for the fastest, most reliable internet performance

> AiRadar optimizes wireless coverage with detachable high-powered antennas

> Enjoy the ASUSWRT dashboard UI for 3 steps easy setup, signal monitoring, and network application control

> Download Master for wireless data storage and access to your router-connected USB storage devices

>* File sharing, printer sharing, and 3G sharing via two multi-functional built-in USB ports

Essentially, good range and a good value that is very easy to use and has exceptional capability--in my opinion.

Total cost: $170-$190 USD

*

Alternatively, I'd also recommend the Netgear WNDR4500 since one of your primary concerns is range.

> This is a N-series wireless router and features 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless connectivity and can go up-to 900 (450 + 450) megabytes per second and Gigabit LAN ports as well as USB for sharing printer or external storage with the devices connected on your network. Also it has a TimeMachine server for all the Mac folks and You can use an attached hard-drive as a TimeMachine backup drive(wirelessly or wired) . You can monitor this router from your iOS/Android smartphone or tablet (using Netgear Genie App) as well as from PC. It has a good Wireless range so you can enjoy connectivity even by your poolside. Got guests? You can enable Guest Wireless and they are completely separated from your personal data and can only surf the web. You can also use DLNA to stream videos to your smartTV and bring up the show.

Price is about $130-160 depending on where you buy it--making it rather affordable.

If the range of the wi-fi signal is not to your satisfaction, you may need to also purchase a wi-fi signal booster such as the ZyXEL WAP3205 v2 for $49.99.

In total, this duo would set you back around $200-$220 USD, depending on where you can buy it--in addition to giving you insane range (you could probably provide wifi for your neighbors too, haha). Only do this if you need really insane range, though.

There are dozens of routers available for less than $150 that would offer much better performance than what you have now and support more advanced features like bandwidth monitoring. The easiest way to identify something as trash, although there are exceptions, is to ask the following questions:

1. Can you see antennas on it?
   
2. Does it cost more than $40?
   
   If the answer to both is no, you could probably spend $15 at Goodwill or a yard sale and walk away with a comparable router.
   
   Generally, the bigger and dumber looking a router is, the more capable it will be. This is unfortunate, but mostly true until you start looking at commercial-grade items. For home use, something like a TP-Link Archer C7 or Netgear Nighthawk R6700 would make for a good entry point into higher-end routers. Both are <$150, have bandwidth monitoring capability out of the box, should provide improved range and speed versus your current router, and add AC support, which will offer shorter range but much higher speed to devices that support that standard. Routers are one of the few items where 'what's available locally' is actually a reasonable question to ask.
   
   Since your goal is to gain bandwidth monitoring capability without sacrificing performance or paying more than $150, I'd head down to Best Buy or Walmart or Currys or whatever you have nearby, see what they've got in your price range, remember the "Is it trash?" test, and google to make sure that specific model has bandwidth monitoring capability.

I browsed what a lot of other people said, take my information with a grain of salt, I work in IT and do construction build outs and surveillance and security as an all in one consulting shop, my background is in cisco.

Suggestion 1: Ubiquiti

Suggestion 2: Get a decent router, and put your ISP modem into Bridge mode. I'm a huge fan of mikrotik but it's kind of expensive, or the Ubiquiti version

Suggestion 3: If you're going to hard wire EVERYTHING add a gigabit switch in to the last gigabit port on the router, place anything not critical on that switch, if you're going with cameras and AP's, I suggest a Ubiquiti POE Switch But it's VERY Expensive, I'll detail reasons why it's pretty neat to stay with ubiquiti the whole way, but if that's too expensive you can go with this

Suggestion 4: Pick up a shelf and some velcro and a nice power strip or battery backup to organize all this

Suggestion 5: Unifi AP's
Dual Band AC Lite
in wall ap
cloud management

Suggestion 6: Unifi Cameras
all listed here

Or LTS Cameras, but good luck finding them cheap, I'm a vendor and get them for sub 100$

Why sticking with ubiquiti is neat:

All your equipment (except cameras) will show up in the dashboard, your router, your switch and your ap's will all be visible and manageable from a single location (a web page). Granted, I'm not sure it's worth that 400$ switch, but unless you ABSOLUTELY need POE at the switch, you could go with the less expensive edgeswitch, which I want to say is only 200$

Answer: If you use TRUE Wireless Access Points and routers not repurposed as WAP's then they receive an IP on your lan and work as an interface and only pass traffic from wireless devices to your primary dhcp server/router.

It would work as so

Modem > Router > Switch > Camera

And

Modem > Router > Switch > Wap >> Wireless connection >> Devices.


A switch is just a digital splitter for your network, at the most simplest of explanations. and a WAP is simply a translator from wireless to ethernet.

Since you don't want to get rid of one of the providers, let's combine them!

Proposed Layout:
http://imgur.com/FzGXyE4

Bear in mind that you will need to locate the wiring and current switch used to distribute the Internet access from ISP B to your wall jacks and modify it to fit the layout above. Your current setup from ISP B probably looks something like this: http://imgur.com/K6GEXr7

For the Multi-WAN router I suggest a server running pfSense (http://pfsense.org/) or an EdgeRouter Lite from Ubiquiti (http://www.amazon.com/EdgeRouter-ERLite-3-512MB-Ethernet-Router/dp/B00CPRVF5K). This will allow you to combine and balance the load between both Internet connections.

The Optional Switch devices at the top of the network allow you plug devices directly into the network from ISP A or ISP B, bypassing the combined connection. You would only do this is there is not a way to handle the connection for those devices through the combined connection. You should be able to do everything through the combined connection, but it may take some tinkering around with load balancer rules and firewall rules, so the Optional Switches are a super easy way to get the same functionality if you don't want to burn time doing configs. All switches in this diagram can be basic unmanaged switches, any off the shelf device from your local electronics retailer will do the trick.

For the Access Points, I highly recommend replacing your routers with real access points. This can be done with routers by switching them to AP-only mode, but you will encounter issues with having to manually align the configs between devices, etc. For an entry level exercise, I'd suggest Ubiquiti's UniFi AP line -- 2.4ghz-only APs start at $69, and the 5ghz AP options start at $229. 2.4ghz is fine if you're in a house by itself without other signals nearby; if you're in an area with many other wireless signals present (besides the ones from the routers you will be replacing), you should get 5ghz access points. https://store.ubnt.com/unifi.html

The other major benefit that getting real access points like UniFi will provide is the ability to manage them from a single central point. You can align and roll out configs to all devices simultaneously, and you also get a single view of traffic and usage across the entire network which helps identify and resolve any issues that may crop up.

I hope this helps!

>
>Any advice/experience is greatly appreciated!




A few things.

If you guys are trying to save money, downgrade your service from "Ultimate 300" to something closer to "Regular 100" or whatever that 100 Mbit tier is. From your description, you're needs are more than covered by a more modest plan.

BUT, if you do decide to downgrade your service, ask them for a free modem before you do so! That way, they'll give you a beefier one that can support the Ultimate 300 plan. I like the Arris models, but if they are giving it to you for free, take any model they offer. Then downgrade your plan.

Separating modem and router is preferred because it gives you flexibility on where to place the router independent of modem location. Even if they stay close together, you have better stability dividing the work over two machines rather than over tasking one machine that has to do it all.

Here is a router I've been recommending a lot recently, which happens to cost just under $60:

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-Super-Fast-Gigabit-MU-MIMO-RT-ACRH13/dp/B01LXL1AR8

It has really good specs for that price, and I've installed this exact model in multiple friends' homes, and they are all pleased with its performance and range. The only downside is that it does NOT support custom firmware like "ASUS Merlin" like other ASUS routers, but that is why they are so inexpensive for such good hardware. If you don't care about third party firmware, and just want to set it up once and forget it, this it's a solid router.

Tell your dad he'll recoupe the cost in just six months, and only losers rent equipment from their ISPs. And that you want to split all the money you are saving with a downgraded 100Mbit plan.

Not all-inclusive, still need some physical cables and such, but hopefully this is a starting point:

16-port gig switch: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00GG1AC7I/ Probably overkill but a few more ports doesn't cost all THAT much more and this leaves you plenty of room for expansion. Also managed so can setup VLANs, QoS, whatever.

Router: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00HXT8EKE/ These are solid for home and small business use. Config can be a little tricky if you are using any of the advanced features but plenty of throughput (1 million pps). Also supports VLANs if you want to spin up a guest wifi later.

Wireless AP: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B015PRO512/ This supports multiple SSIDs on different VLANs and offers really solid performance for not a ton of money. From the physical space you listed below I'm thinking one should me more than enough.

Cable modem: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B016PE1X5K/ I know you said this wasn't finalized but thought I would toss it in anyway. Don't skimp here, a low-end modem will really limit throughput and can crash under heavy-load. Whatever you go with make sure it's on your ISPs compatibility list! They may not support it if not.

That should put a total around $512 USD or so JUST FOR HARDWARE. Keep in mind this is a pretty basic setup but should serve as a starting point. You'll still need the physical cabling and someone able to set it all up. As mentioned earlier also this is only MY BEST GUESS as to what you will need. Please don't take this as your bible or anything like that. :)

I know I mentioned it before but I really don't mind helping set things up if needed. I'm not going to be your "call at 3AM tech guy" but if you need a bit here and there I can try to assist. :) Let me know if you have any questions or thoughts on the build. Cheers!

EDIT: Something else to keep in mind that's not really network related is backups. YOU NEED THIS. Even if you go with a cloud service like carbonite or whatever, you need to make sure the PCs have regular backups. You WILL have a hard drive die and need to pull a backup from somewhere.

Seconded. I use Arlo and love it. Decent price point, good mobile app, usable browser app. Small (easy to hide), completely wireless, and you can get different skins to camouflage the outdoor ones. Up to 5 cameras can be used on a free plan. If you'd like, OP, I recently wrote up a decent wall of text about Arlo and can send it to you.

EDIT: I'll just post the wall here.

_____

Here's some more information about Arlo to help you out.

5 wire-free cameras + base station ($630) - https://www.amazon.com/Arlo-Security-Surveillance-Outdoor-VMS3530-100NAS/dp/B01CT6VOAW/ref=pd_sbs_421_1?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01CT6VOAW&pd_rd_r=ST6WJ3DCWE0Y7EGRWS34&pd_rd_w=uy9oi&pd_rd_wg=7FNzz&psc=1&refRID=ST6WJ3DCWE0Y7EGRWS34

other camera bundles are on that listing as well. 4 camera bundle for $499, 3 camera bundle for $419, 2 camera bundle for $299, 1 camera kit for $173.99, plus a couple other options. i would say to just get the 5 camera bundle and don't bother with the arlo q if you're only worried about the outside of the house. the add-on cameras are on sale right now for $145 instead of $160, so if you want more than 5 then now is the time to buy!

3 silicone skins ($24.99) - https://www.amazon.com/Arlo-Smart-Security-Silicone-Wire-Free/dp/B016D0O10U/ref=pd_sim_421_2?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B016D0O10U&pd_rd_r=EXQYGG3TDFGC05X6AHD6&pd_rd_w=C2Jxo&pd_rd_wg=MoyX4&psc=1&refRID=EXQYGG3TDFGC05X6AHD6

i like the black skins for the cameras i put outside. if they are on a white background though (maybe the house is painted white where you mount it) then the skins would make it stand out more. since mine are in trees i like the black.


indoor/outdoor mount (black) ($19.99) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D2PHVS8

also has the white version, the standard wall mounts the cameras come with (maybe you want multiple mounts for a single camera so you can move it around), and the table/ceiling mount.



as for the cameras themselves, they are weatherproof and can operate between 14 and 122 degrees F (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/Are-Arlo-cameras-weatherproof/ta-p/1705). the batteries are the limiting factor as they stop functioning properly outside of those ranges. it should be noted that below freezing temperatures will reduce battery life significantly, but the cameras will still operate down to 14F (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/How-can-I-extend-my-Arlo-Wire-Free-camera-s-battery-life/ta-p/291).

the cameras should be at least 10 feet away from the base station and can be up to 300 feet away. walls and barriers limit distance a bit, but the LEDs on the cameras and base station can let you know if there is a connection problem (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/How-far-can-I-place-my-Arlo-Wire-Free-cameras-from-the-base/ta-p/35).

you can have a max of 15 cameras attached to one base station, but only 5 can all be streaming at the same time (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Buying-Options-Tips/How-many-cameras-can-one-base-station-handle/td-p/1063320). you can also add base stations to extend your range.

finally, subscriptions (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/What-are-the-available-Arlo-subscription-plans-and-how-much/ta-p/88). 5 cameras + 7 days cloud storage/1 GB of video for free; 10 cameras + 30 days of recordings/10 GB of video for $10/month or $99/year; 15 cameras + 60 days of recordings/100 GB of video for $15/month or $149/year. if you get an arlo q, you can purchase a 24/7 continuous video recording (CVR) feature for $10/month or $99/year for 14 days or double that for 30 days, all per camera. unfortunately you can only watch these videos from the cloud: they can't be downloaded.

if you want to save your videos, you have to download them yourself and store them. videos are cycled out every 7/30/60 days depending on your plan. there is no undelete, so if you delete something, it's gone, and if they delete something, it's gone.

arlo provides useful help videos for setting up the system and debugging any possible problems (https://www.arlo.com/en-us/support/). there are recommended heights/angles for the cameras and that's all addressed in the videos.

if you happen to own a netgear nighthawk router, you might be able to use that as a base station instead of buying a bundle with a base station. you can also still get the base station and use that to extend the range for cameras you might want to place far from the house. if you don't already have that router and want a good upgrade, i highly recommend it (https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1474291904&sr=1-1&keywords=netgear+nighthawk). i don't have mine set up currently, but it's a good machine. if your existing router works fine, then no need to spend the money!

it should be noted that if you want more than 5 cameras but dont want to pay the subscription fees, you can simply make a second account with a second base station and link up to 5 cameras to that. then you have two free accounts, but you do also have to sign in and out with each to check cameras, which can become cumbersome.

It's a lot of things - but your internet is likely a component. The poor netcode quality of nintendo's first party games (and I love smash but it's worse than 90s era netcode) and the poor quality of the networking, and especially the wifi chip itself all go together with what might otherwise be a good enough network for online play.

Job number one is to go wired if you are playing docked. The adapters are cheap and you do not need a nintendo official one - this one will work just dandy.

Wireless inherently loses packets and isn't perfect and is higher latency than wired. If you can go wired at all, do it. If you want to go further, with typical home network infrastructure your best bet to reduce as much routing/fuckery as possible is to give your switch a static IP and then in your router set it as the DMZ - this will allow it to communicate directly to the internet, remove the need to ever forward ports and remove all routing components entirely - it's about as direct a connection as you can get, and most consumer routers support this. If you are using a "router" or all in one/gateway unit your ISP provided, knock that off. Ask them to put it in bridge mode and hook up your own router. I used a cheap ASUS router for a very long time and it worked just great - and lets you have a ton of control over your network. This often isn't possible with ISP provided equipment.

My current network setup is much more complicated, including a couple thousand dollars of very high end enterprise-grade access points in a mesh network. It's incredibly high quality and I still don't game on wireless for anything competitive because wifi always adds some latency and some jitter/packet loss/inconsistency.

But even on the absolute best possible connection, connected to someone else with the best possible connection, you'll still have issues. Sometimes smash is shitty with a buddy of mine with a similar setup for no explicable reason. And it's p2p so the only remaining issue is either network fuckery with the switch/netcode itself, or fuckery with our local ISP, but testing doesn't reveal any issues when it's happening.

So the moral of the story - there is a lot you can do to improve it, but it'll never, ever be perfect. It sucks and there are a lot of reasons for it but it's still worth some effort to make it better if you game a lot - it'll help with everything, on other consoles and PC as well.

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.

Definitely get a new router. If you go with a Roku 1 a good single band wireless N router will be good. I prefer to spend a bit more than you would think you need to for quality.

ASUS (RT-N16) is pretty rock solid and you can usually get at least 30mb down wireless off a 60mb connection.

If you do not have Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime your options will be limited. Crackle is good and free but has commercials. There are a lot of niche channels that specialize in a genre or type of show. As with cable 90% of the channels will not be anything you care about. Explore the net for options on the "private" channels that you can add with a code instead of through he normal Chanel store. Some of those will charge a subscription, but a lot are free.

Think about if you'd like to stream media to the TV from your computer. If so look into using the Plex or Rarflix channel to connect to a Plex Media Server you run on your computer. Also if you run a Plex server it can be used to access other channels as well.

You can just a buy a Roku box for each TV you want to watch on.

As with many things you will get back what you put into it. A lot of work setting up Plex with channels/searching for the channels you like in the channel store and in private channels will result in a very good range of choices. If you have Netflix and/or Hulu or Amazon Prime you'll have to search less to find what you want.

I quit cable and went all Roku based streaming 2 years ago and have never regretted it.

I have a TP-Link TL-WDR3600 N600 and it works flawlessly with DD-WRT v3.0-r28015 std (10/23/15).

$59 on Amazon but I got it on sale for $36 from....newegg maybe? I honestly can't remember, it's been a while. I order from a few different sites. Heck, it's $52 at Walmart. Long story short, if you do some shopping around you should be able to get it within your $50 budget, possibly even close to $30.

4 gigabit LAN ports, 300Mbps 2.4ghz wifi + 300Mbps 5ghz wifi (so 600Mbps of wifi to play with if you want to configure your devices to optimize the different bands - ie. dedicate the 5ghz just to media streaming, the 2.4ghz gets shared between everything else).

560Mhz single core Atheros AR9344 v1 rev1.2 processor, 128MB of RAM.

Also had 2 USB ports which I currently have set up with external storage that's shared via samba...

It's a good all around router, look up some reviews. Even with stock firmware it's a good router, and a good deal at around $50 IMO.

EDIT: BTW - if you search for the latest "compatible version" of DDWRT on the router database it shows a MUCH older version (from 2013 I think) but I've had it running the one I mentioned up above for months and it's fine. Not a single hiccup.

I can only speak to what I did, and am very happy with. I bought the netgear r7000, flashed dd-wrt onto it, and then setup PIA on it.

Here is the router: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00F0DD0I6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1425526696&sr=8-1&keywords=r7000&dpPl=1&dpID=41651m2TjVL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

Here is a guide for flashing to ddwrt (I think it's the one I used about 6 months ago). http://www.tweaking4all.com/hardware/netgear-r7000-dd-wrt/

Here is the PIA guide for setting up openvpn on a ddwrt router with PIA. https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/client-support/#ddwrt_openvpn

This is the beginning of what I setup. I've since done more, like only having my HTPC go through the VPN using routes on the router, and certain services bypass the VPN (plex for one). I also can throw other devices onto the VPN as needed like Roku, Xbox one, iPad, etc. But that starts getting a little deep. I love this router, and it is also recommended by wirecutter.com, which usually provides pretty good reviews on products (headed up by a former gizmodo editor).

Good luck, and feel free to ask questions anytime.

Edit: this might be more than you want to spend, and it can be done cheaper I'm sure. The router runs about $200 usually.

So there is not a simple end all be all solution this problem, unfortunately.

But a good place to start would be upgrading your 2 devices initially. I am assuming you have Cisco small business router and not 2 home routers.

The home routers looks something like this - https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AC1750-Smart-WiFi-Router/dp/B079JD7F7G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=router&qid=1557460874&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Cisco small business routers like this - https://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Systems-Gigabit-Router-RV325K9NA/dp/B00HODK3N0/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WUJF97665J0D&keywords=cisco+small+business+router&qid=1557460910&s=gateway&sprefix=cisco+small%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-1

​

I would invest in something like the Cisco router I linked if you don't have it already. Fortunately, the Cisco router I linked is ready out of the box and can work on day 1. I would still confirm that with Cisco support as I only learned that from the Q and A page on Amazon. Having a router ready out of the box IS NOT THE NORM, and you generally need someone who knows how to configure them come in, usually a contractor of some sort. Alternatively, most home routers will support 255 devices, and that being said, and good Asus/Belkin/Netgear 150$ - 300$ router would likely be good enough for only 30 people.

Secondly - I don't know why you would need 2 routers. Routers enable a network to connect to the internet and to other networks. Having 2 seems unnecessary unless we are missing something. You can set up 1 router where your network meets the internet and have that second router be turned into a dedicated switch.

Cisco Switch (THIS IS NEEDS TO BE SET UP BY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO MAINTAIN/CONFIGURE CISCO DEVICES) - https://www.amazon.com/Cisco-SLM2048T-NA-Mini-GBIC-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B07HFKMR2B/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=cisco+small+business+switch&qid=1557461367&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Or - https://www.amazon.com/SYSTEMS-10-Port-Gigabit-Managed-SG35010K9NA/dp/B01HYA36SG/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=cisco+small+business+switch&qid=1557464529&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Unmanaged Switch (Commonly used at homes, Ready out of the box) - https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-16-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B01AX8XHRQ/ref=sxin_3_ac_d_pm?keywords=network+switch&pd_rd_i=B01AX8XHRQ&pd_rd_r=5575aed3-5184-474d-83c5-aca41f5c556a&pd_rd_w=K09zH&pd_rd_wg=uxzTY&pf_rd_p=5cc8abfe-8f78-4f34-b19f-d09d6ea0dca4&pf_rd_r=3F3DJSBGZNTDJQK0H8GG&qid=1557461743&s=gateway

*none of these switches will really impact performance, it's more along the lines of available ports and scalability.

From your second device (the switch), you should then be able to hardwire a few accesses points. The access points will broadcast the Wi-Fi signal covering generally about 1400 - 7000 FT depending on quality.

​

Cisco Access Point - https://www.amazon.com/SYSTEMS-802-11ac-Wireless-Access-WAP371AK9/dp/B00L0LIM62?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1

This AP claims that it is also plug and play. Again plug and play is great, but still, expect some troubleshooting if things don't work initially out of the box. It's always best to do research and consult a local IT person/department. Having a few of these AP's would provide some pretty solid Wi-Fi for the area as long as the ethernet cable is properly insulated and outside ethernet (CAT-6) cable is used where it needs to be used. Remember ethernet will have problems if it is exposed to the elements or if it exceeds 300 FT.

​

There is still so much more to consider and I'm really not that smart. Just your average IT guy trying to be helpful. Iv done this sort of things to an extent for a few years. Let me know if you have more questions.

> I'm having an electrician come out to run Cat6 throughout my house. The idea is to have 6 pulls in the office/game room, 6 in the living room/media room, and 2 in each of 3 bedrooms.

Sounds good, but you'll also want drops for your APs. These go to the spots on your ceiling where you'll mount your APs, and the locations depend on the layout if your house. If you have one large spread out floor you'll want at least two that are fairly far apart and in rooms with heavy Wi-Fi use. If you have multiple floors you'll want one per floor, each centrally located. You don't need to run power to these as well as the APs will use PoE (power over ethernet).

> The cables will be terminated using RJ45 connectors on both ends. One end in pass-through faceplates on the walls and the other will terminate in a pass-through patch panel in a network rack. This will then hook into a Netgear Switch (linked below).

Don't do this. All permanently installed cables should terminate at punch-downs at both ends. Punch-down keystone jacks at one end and a punch-down patch panel at the other. Punch-down terminations are easier and quicker than RJ45 terminations and work better. The cable itself needs to be solid core copper, no CCA (copper clad aluminum) and no stranded cable. The only exception is the AP drops, these terminate in an RJ45 plug that will connect directly to the AP. Cat6 is fine as long as all your drops are under 180 ft.

> Second, is there anything I can do to lose the Verizon router if I plan to still use their television package? I may drop it in the future, but for now we plan to keep it.

Absolutely. You just get a MoCA adapter and connect it between your coaxial lines (just use the line that was previously connected to your Verizon router) and an Ethernet port on your switch/router. Before you install this you'll want to make sure to have Ethernet cable run from your ONT to your router and have your ONT set to use Ethernet rather than Coax for internet. This will not affect your TV service, and will already be the case if your service is 100 megabit or faster. Getting it done just requires a quick phone call to Verizon, but have the ONT to router ethernet cable in place before you do this.

> Third, is there any benefit to getting a different router if our wireless use is limited? We do a lot of gaming and a lot of people suggest getting a gaming router, but can I have 2 routers on the network? I don't fully understand what the second would do or how to use it for everything but TV usage?

Any typical home network always has exactly one router. The purpose of a router isn't to provide Wi-Fi, it's to act as a gateway and traffic cop between your network and the internet. It allows multiple devices to use a single internet connection, gives IP addresses to devices on the network, and blocks unwanted incoming traffic. Only one device, the device directly connected to your internet connection, can do these jobs.

The device that provides Wi-Fi is an Access Point or AP. A "wireless router" is just a router with an AP built in. In your case, you'll want to use dedicated APs. I already went over where they should be located and the cable that needs to be run to them. You do not need a PoE switch to power them, each one comes with a PoE injector.

As for the actual router, this will be your best choice. This is a router only, it is not a switch and it is not an AP. You just connect the WAN port to your ONT and the LAN port to your switch. It works particularly well with the APs I linked, as they're all on the UniFi platform they're all controlled with the same UniFi Controller software.

Here's my setup, which is pretty similar to what I'm proposing:

ONT. Nothing too special here, just notice that the Ethernet port is hooked up and the MoCA light is off, indicating the internet connection is not using the coaxial cable. The Coaxial cable goes to a 2-way splitter, one cable from it goes to the MoCA adapter (it used to go to the Verizon router when I used one), the other goes to a 4-way splitter, cables from there go to the cable boxes.

Front view of network gear. That's an EdgeRouter Lite at the top, it has the same hardware as the UniFi Security Gateway but uses its own web-based GUI rather than the UniFi Controller. Practically the same thing. The left port on it goes to the ONT, the right one goes to the switch at the bottom. In the middle is the patch panel, a punch-down one.

Rear view of network gear. There's a lot going on here. The back of the switch can be seen in the middle, above it are all the lines leading to the back of the patch panel and the outlet/surge protector. The MoCA adapter is at the top left, this takes the place of the Verizon router's MoCA hardware to give internet access to the cable boxes. At the top right are two PoE injectors for two UniFi APs.

A UniFi AP. Please ignore the wallpaper, it's not my decision. The Ethernet cable runs directly to one of the PoE injectors in the previous picture, then a short Ethernet cable connects the PoE injector to the switch. No other cable runs to the AP. The other AP is on the floor above. Mine are wall-mounted and work just fine, but they're designed to be ceiling mounted and will work better that way.

If I were in your shoes, and strong wireless is desirable in every corner of the house, I'd put a router on one end and an AP (or router in AP mode) on the other end of the house, connected via ethernet or MoCA (via TV cable, if the house is wired for it. Even if it's not, it's stupidly simple to run an RG6 cable around the outside of the house, assuming you aren't renting).

I've done essentially this in my own house (which is half the size of yours, and square). I didn't need the wireless coverage for inside the house, but for outside when I'm doing yard work. Since I use Google Fi for my cellular service, I want to minimize my data usage. Having strong WiFi outside lets me listen to Pandora (using a pair of BT headphones so I don't have dangling wires to get caught in things) without using up my data.

The specific parts I'm using are:

Primary router : Netgear WNDR3700v4
Secondary router (in AP mode) : TP-Link WR1043ND V2.1

I suspect both of these items are no longer available. I've read that the TP-Link Archer line (C7 or C9) are both excellent options, and both should support being configured as an AP, so you could use one for your primary router and the other to help provide stronger WiFi throughout your house. You can buy two C7's, two C9's, or one of each -- it doesn't matter -- either of them should handle the load you've outlined. It helps that they have thousands of very good reviews for you to read through. :)

I have that ASUS RT-N66U and it's been more than capable of all of my demands. I usually have around 13 devices on the network and it does well. Granted all of those devices aren't using the network at all times but the only issues I've had with any performance issues is due to poor signal (from basement to upstairs bedroom) so not really a problem in the sense that it's bad router, just my implementation. It also has a ton of features so if you want to delve deeper into networking it has a good range of extra stuff you can do if you're into that sort of thing.

I've got 100 Mbps from Comcast and whenever I have strong connection I get my full bandwidth (and then some) according to Speedtest. Looks like you'll have around 10 devices and depending on what your connection is the Asus router should be more than capable of serving all your needs. I've mine for a couple of years now and as I said earlier, no issues.

I might recommend spending a little extra and getting one that has wireless AC on it. That way whenever you upgrade devices that have AC capability you can use it and you'll be a little more "future proof."

Here's a link to basically the same router, but with AC: RT-AC66U

Another suggestion I have would be to go ahead and buy your own cable modem. This is modem I have. Since I own it I can take it with me. I don't get charged monthly to rent the modem/router combo from Comcast. You don't have to do this, but for a lot of people (including myself), it's nice being able to control your own hardware. I know that I received a new unit and not some refurbished unit that who knows how many people have used before me (this applies to routers as well).

Buying your own stuff and getting it set up is easy enough. Usually just have to call customer support or something and give what numbers they ask for. Then you're not paying extra per month to rent a modem.

Just my 2 cents on the matter. This response turned out a little longer that I thought it would, sorry 'bout that. Hope it helps.

Hi,

yes, Separate modem + Router is always better than Combo devices but it also depends on your needs and use-cases

read this link and see where you land:
http://pickmymodem.com/cable-modem-wi-fi-modem-router-combo-one-buy/

for Suggestions om Combo devices:

1. C7000 AC1900 is pretty good http://amzn.to/2nbGF21
   
2. Motorola MG7550 is good as well and I have seen many good reviews http://amzn.to/2nB50PR
   
   Both of these are Broadcom based and dont have latency issue which has plagued Puma6. Dont buy Low power WIFI Combos as you will regret later.
   
   If you have high budget, I suggest you go separate modem + Separate Router
   
   Modems:
   http://pickmymodem.com/approved-modems-for-xfinity-internet-service/
   
   SB6183 (http://amzn.to/2minyUV) OR CM600 (http://amzn.to/2mG4zPi) are good choices
   
   
   Routers:
   NETGEAR R7000 AC1900 (http://amzn.to/2qnhZG2) OR TPLink Archer C9 (http://amzn.to/2pRApP3)
   
   Mesh??:
   Do you want Best WIFI range and have budget? then go for MESH WIFI systems:
   
3. NETGEAR Orbi RBK50 Kit http://amzn.to/2pq1ojA
   
4. Google MESH WIFI system http://amzn.to/2qmYqO7
   
   
   
   

I am a noob, so listen to everyone else first. However, I can tell you what I've done:

I wanted to route all my internet traffic through a VPN tunnel. I tried this first on a DD-WRT router, but didn't have nearly enough processing power to keep up with my 60/3 mbps cable WAN.

So, I built a pfSense box with a Celeron 1037U mobo, 4 GB of RAM, and a mini ITX VESA case. Shipped cost was about $220. It has been in service for almost two years, and flawless except for a USB flash drive failure (I was running pfSense from the flash drive, and now I have an old 2.5" laptop hard drive installed instead). This setup easily handles OpenVPN AES-128 at 60/3--even without an AES-NI processor.

However, thanks almost entirely to this sub, I have caught the homelab bug and am expanding my network. I needed more ports, and started looking for something:

• Fanless (it's dusty here)
  
• 4 NICs
  
• Low power
  
• Embedded/internal storage
  
  So I picked up a Netgate RCC-VE 2440 and loaded pfSense on it myself. About $350. This blog post was extremely helpful.
  
  As for wireless access points, I'm using an Asus RT-AC66U with DD-WRT. It has been awesome! I briefly considered adding wireless capability to the 2440, but I wanted 802.11ac and I like being able to put the AP somewhere other than where the pfSense box is.
  
  For what you've described, you could save $75 and get the RCC-DFF-2220, or build a box yourself. Also, check in with the awesome peeps at /r/pfsense.

http://lifehacker.com/5060053/set-up-universal-ad-blocking-through-your-router

Thats an example. I am using tomato so thats pretty much what I'm doing, but I'm using a package that came with my build of tomato rather than the one theyre talking about in the article.

http://tomato.groov.pl/?page_id=69

any of the routers on that page would be compatible, personally for my main router I'm running the Asus AC-3200 because I needed the extra memory and processing power since I run a bunch of services out of my house and need the extra power for processing all the connections along with running applications directly on the router, but for more average home use literally any of the routers listed on that page are great.

https://www.amazon.com/RT-N16-Wireless-N-Maximum-Performance-single/dp/B00387G6R8

That one in particular is good and well priced, there are cheaper options but I am a fan of asus products as I've always had good luck with them. I think the netgear ones are also well liked and even cheaper.

Yeah I'd put money on that being the source of your problem. The 2.4GHz spectrum is already crowded with so many things: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, wireless devices like keyboards, mice, game controllers, etc. Add an entire household of devices and the poor network is going to be crying for mercy.

So you have a few choices going forward:

• There might already be a separate 5GHz network available. Do you see anything like YourNetworkName-5G?
  
• Switch the WOW gateway to 5 GHz, if it's even supported by the device. WOW tech support might be able help with this. If you can find the model number on the device, I might be able to dig up the directions.
  
• Get your own router. Put the gateway into "passthrough" mode and turn off its Wi-Fi, the use your router for 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Most new devices are dual-band. I like this Netgear R6700.
  
• If you want a completely hands-off approach, at the cost $14.99/month, call up WOW and have them switch you over to their Whole-Home WiFi, which uses Eero devices, which are pretty good from what I hear.
  
• Combine the last two options and buy your own Eero devices. Given the cost of WOW's whole-home service, this will pay for itself in about two years. ($393.30 / $14.99/mo = ~26 months)
  
  Edit: typos

For everyone blaming my internet this is what I currently use:

• Modem : https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6183-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00MA5U1FW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1503838413&sr=8-4&keywords=best+modem+gaming
  
  
• Router: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1750-Smart-Router/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1503838466&sr=1-2&keywords=best+router+gaming
  
  Also have the most expensive xfinity internet service, which goes beyond 200 Mbps. I would blame my internet if i was experiencing this in other games, but FFXIV is literally the only game where I have such high ping and notice delay.
  And yes, I am on Wired connection, no way in hell I'd use wireless connection ever considering how anal I can be with these things lol.
  
  Here is my rig as well for anyone wondering: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/7rCpm8
  
  EDIT: At this point, my only solution would be by using VPNs like everyone has suggested. I never used one before, have a friend who used WTFast she claimed it did make things a lot better but after reading some reviews online it seems like it's not the best option available. Is Mudfish a better option? Or which one is considered the best? Thanks everyone for replying btw, very helpful!

everyone in this thread for the most part seems to love Ubiquiti. looks like you can get a secure gateway, 8 port managed switch and an AC access point for ~$400 and have a prosumer/enterprise level system.

if you are looking for simpler/cheaper all in one and like netgear, the r7000 is well regarded at ~$150. i've had one for a couple of years and its been rock solid. (the r7000p might be the better option for an extra 30 for the MIMO capabilities, but i don't have the experience with it to say). when you feel like tinkering, throw Xwrt-Vortex or dd-wrt on it.

ultimately ubiquiti looks like the more robust solution, and future upgrades to new wireless standards would clock in most likely cheaper then a new all in one router as you just need to swap in a new access point, all while giving higher security and more overall network capability and flexibility.

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:*

• SB6141 - $53 to $75
  
• RT-N66U - $80 to $100
  
• RT-AC68U - $149 to $160

Cool! Hope you survived the flooding.

That is a cable modem so: Motorola 6121 or 6141 to replace the modem part

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=zg_bs_284715_2

Ubee makes this, but I have never heard of them before. Recommend: Motorola. The quality goes in before the name goes on. Or was that Quasar?

Regardless: you need a router/wireless router too, and have about 70 bucks left.

IF you can afford an Apple Airport Extreme, and don't have game consoles, please get that. It's a great router and just works, and if the Ubee combo unit was good enough for you, the AAE will be great.

Failing that:

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Dual-Band-Wireless-N-Router-RT-N56U/dp/B0049YQVHE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1370541191&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+rt-n56u

Asus RT56U is in your price range and works great.

If that does not work for you, check back....

4 people streaming regularly on a $40 router is probably asking for reboots and slowdowns. I don't own any of the routers on this review site, but you might want to look that over. Their pick for best cheap router is the TP-LINK TL-WDR3600

You have to think of routers like little computers that literally route network signals to each of your devices within your home. Just like a computer, the cheaper routers have slower processors and less RAM, which can slow things down pretty quickly when multiple people are doing bandwidth-intensive things like streaming.

I'd seriously consider upping your budget if you want a smooth streaming experience in your house.

Personally, I have a ASUS RT-N66U and it's an amazing router, and I've never had a single issue with it, but it's well above your price range.

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.

I personally would buy another router. You can easily do what /u/michrech said but it seems like you don't like the prices (which I understand).

So yes searching "wireless routers" is a good term because 9 times out of 10 wireless routers have at least 4 ports on them. If I was in your position I would buy this router, or even this one. I linked these two because I have personally used them and i haven't had any issues with them.

Configuration wise, these routers should have a "Wireless AP" mode. Which will turn off the routers DHCP and just work off your main one, if you said you're running Cat5 cable (hopefully Cat5e).

The other configuration option you can do is to login into whichever router you get and turn off the DHCP server and then only plug ethernet cables into the 1-4 ports and NOT the WAN port. This will simply extend your existing router DHCP range to this new one. So you have options.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: Both configuration options I listed do the exact same thing...just different ways of doing them.

EDIT 2: I just now saw the second option /u/michrech listed and that does seem like a very viable option. Especially if you don't have a basic understanding of how to access a router's login page. It's probably a more plug and play option.

I have an 867MHz G4 TiBook, running OS 9. I do most of my writing on it.

It isn't that heavy, although I guess that depends on what people mean by mobile. I'm not hiking somewhere to setup and work on it, so I don't have an issue. I wouldn't think twice about a bus/train commute with it. It's just a laptop. Doesn't hurt at all to use on your lap, if that's what you mean.

Battery life is poor, but it depends on what you do and how you want to use it. At full brightness and running the CPU for performance, even without crunching I can burn through the battery in an hour or so. But turn the brightness down, minimize everything else that eats power - I can get 4+ hours out of it. If you're serious, you either buy a new battery, or take the time to rebuild your own.

You say you don't need WiFi, but if you do: AirPort cards don't play nice with OS9, and they don't support WPA2 so they don't really connect anywhere even on OS X. What I do is use a USB-powered travel router that basically turns wifi networks into an ethernet connection. Aside from a couple of cables and a tiny box connected when online, it's a really simple way to connect to any/every modern wireless network - I recommend it even if just to surf and download classic software directly to the system. Speaking of surfing: Classilla. You can do quite a few useful tweaks to it, block out ad servers, and ultimately you are able to surf most reasonable websites (Reddit, Google, Mac Garden, anything text-driven or served by the great wiby.me search engine for ancient-friendly websites).

That said, the TiBook makes for a great writing machine with OS9, specifically because it takes that effort to get online and be distracted. Even if you can't get all-day battery out of it, it puts you in your creative space and leaves you alone. Even if it needs cables, or a power outlet. When it comes to writing, the most important aspect of a laptop to me is how much my fingers and wrists like the keyboard, and the keyboard is great.

If you are so inclined, I also recommend a good solid clamshell iBook. They are bulkier and heavier, and smaller screens really bother some people, but the keyboard is without a doubt the greatest laptop keyboard I've ever used (and it's a common sentiment around the web).

For your NAS I would highly recommend the Synology Disk station. I currently have the 212j, and couldn't be happier with it. It has a great user interface, and some pretty nice features. It has a usb port on it, and will run your printer. Synology also has an application similar to "dropbox," allowing you to sync files between your computer and the NAS. It allows for multiple users, and it's super easy to setup.

Link on Amazon

As previously suggested, solid state drives are probably your best bet.

As for the router, I would suggest the Asus RT-N66U

Link on Amazon

Out of the box it has a great firmware if you don't want to have to deal with Tomato or DD-WRT.

>

>Thank you so much! I hope you don't mind me asking a bunch of dumb questions but these are the last ones I promise!

>

• When you said:
  
  >>This is how the linked extender should work
  
  >You mean the extender I linked right? The photos I put on the original post?
  
  Upon closer inspection, i was wrong about the one you linked, and it is actually the first type of extender i described. They do work, but if there is already a lot of traffic in the air, this type will make things worse (really, adding wireless signals can never make congestion better).
  
  This would be the second type, and putting one of these into Access Point mode is what I would recommend.
  
  > I calculated the length of the ethernet cable I need to get it from the router to the room. And it's at about 50 feet, does that cross the limit of ethernet cable length you were telling me about?
  
  The limit for 100mbps is 100 meters, so 50 feet is well within range.
  
  >
  
• Will having an ethernet cable this long diminish my Internet speeds at all?
  
  Connecting the Wireless Access Point with a cable instead of wirelessly will actually improve the speed of communication between the Access Point and your router.
  
  >are there different kinds of ethernet cable? What is the best one to use? Or is there just a standard ethernet cable?
  
  There are several standards for cables. Cat5e is the most common, and it can reliably support speeds much much faster than the speeds your devices function at.
  
  >
  
• last question I promise: I don't know what this wire is called but the big end comes out of a wall socket and the small end goes into the router.This is the wire that I assume gives Internet to the router from the ISP. What is it called? Should I buy a better quality one? Is there a better quality of this wire? What should I ask for? The one I have is around 10 years old, and it's about 40 feet long
  
  I've actually never seen the white connector on that cable before, and I'm sorry that I have no idea what that cable is called. If the cable doesn't need to be that long, I would definitely ask for a replacement.
  
  

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. :)

Figured. You can try to call back during the day and speak with a fiber engineer (if there is any due to the strike), and have them check to see if its self install ready.

Internet only you dont need their routers. The ONT is in/outside your property right? you can run a cat6 ethernet line from the ONT to your own router and be done with it. Their may be provisioning needed on VZ's end but that should be it.

My assumption would be they are defualting a tech out to not only run that line, but upgrade the ONT if its not rated for that speed.

For your own routers, i have a RT-AC68U Asus as well as many others, and its perfect. Otherwise i recommend the TP-Link archer C9 - http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-AC1900-Archer-C9-Wireless/dp/B00PDLRHFW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1464698899&sr=8-2&keywords=ac1900+router

Both should be fine, my Asus AC68U covers my 2 story house with 5 bedrooms + basement perfectly, the router is on the 2nd floor. (moving it downstairs soon).

If you have a very large house - or old house with plaster & steel lath walls consider this - , big price but i've installed this for a few people in similar situations and it was great. http://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-Wireless-AC3100-Gigabit-Router-RT-AC88U/dp/B016EWKQAQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464698973&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+ac+3100

Buy this modem and the router/wireless access point of your choice. I like this one but you can go cheaper or more fancy if you like. Connect the modem to the cable line and the router to the modem. Write down the MAC address and serial number for each thing.

Next, take a shot, and call comcast. Tell them you want their $35/month internet-only plan and you have your own modem. Connect the modem to the cable line before calling to make things easier. They will try to sell you some stuff and get some info, but just be patient and stay on target.

This is where it gets fun. If you've been graced by heaven, you'll be done in 5 minutes but I've never seen this happen. Most likely you will be transferred around to several people, having to repeat the same info while they struggle to activate your modem. They will claim there's no signal, they'll say "maybe it's not supported," and they'll very likely drop the call at least once. Keep calling and eventually, probably within 45 minutes to an hour, they will miraculously succeed.

It will end up costing $40/month, because there's some retarded $5 fee on top of the subscription. If they try to charge you for a modem rental or installation, challenge it immediately.

Yes, this is the easiest and cheapest way to get internet in this city. Fortunately, setting up gas/electric is about a 5 minute phone call with the lovely folks at national grid.

• If you're on T-mobile One, enable Kickback on all your lines. That will get you a $10 credit for every line that uses less than 2gb.
  
  
• I'm not sure if they're still doing it, but if you go to your local T-Mobile store, you can get a free "CellSpot" router. It's a rebranded Asus router and it's pretty kickass.
  
  
• If you're interested in Sling TV, they offer a 30% off promo to T-Mobile customers.
  
  
• I would uninstall/disable all of the T-mobile apps you can except for visual voicemail. It's name tells you what it does, but it simply lets you listen to your voicemails without having to call. My T-mobile and Device Unlock cannot be disabled, but the rest can.
  
  
• Samsung and T-Mobile are running a promo that will get you a free VR for purchasing the S8. They're also offering a free entertainment kit that you can redeem in the Shop Samsung app.

Honestly, Spectrum is the way to go. Use your own modem and router.

I have been using a Zoom Modem DOCSIS 3.0 for the past 3years, with no issues. Along with this ASUS RT-ACRH13 for the past 10 months. I had another, much cheaper router than that, but between these two I paid $55 for the modem and $70 for the wifi router...so basically $0.65/month for the modem, and $7/month for the router = $7.65 as opposed to whatever they will charge for their modem router combination, and when I first used theirs, it wasn't nearing as good. Just make sure you get one that is at least DOCSIS 3.0, which is easiest to view here. I am partial to Motorola, as they have worked great for me, though the Netgear and TP-Link I used before where a while back, and was provided to me, didn't work as well, so I am biased against them, even though a lot of people talk good about them, so I could be wrong about them. A good combination is this Motorola N300 router modem combo both for the same price at Best Buy and Amazon. Which, even if it only last 1 year, it would be the same cost as $5.84/month renting, and then less as it will last more than one year.

Not sure how heavily you will be using the Internet, but I use it to stream all TV, constantly on reddit or whatever with my phone, and even some gaming...most going on at the same time. I like my router, but will be getting myself a new modem soon, which will probably be a Motorola MB7420 or a ASUS CM-16.

You can find what is compatible with Spectrum, and how to activate, if you go HERE and open this PDF file

Edit: formatting with links
Edit2: grammar

I use ddwrt interchangeable with openwrt. https://openwrt.org You are correct though that none of those look like they will work with that. What I've actually looked into though is one of these https://www.amazon.com/GL-iNet-GL-MT300N-V2-Repeater-Performance-Compatible/dp/B073TSK26W

$20, and powered by 5v (USB if needed) and I can take it with me. Reviews look good. For a single device or on the go, it would be great. I have a lot of wired devices though, so if this came after my router, I'd have to have another network switch after it, and I might as well just use a different router. If you want to switch in for one hard wired device, plus a phone or a couple of wireless it would be fine. Not the high end hardware, but to lock in OpenVPN at the router, it seems perfect.

So then that circles me back to something like an Asus router. https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-N300-Technology-streaming-performing-RT-N12/dp/B00DWFPDNO

N12 has my 4 ports I'd need for hardwired devices, WLAN stuff is a little on the low end though. But probably better than that $20 mobile box while still being under $30.

Asus next bump up takes it all the way to $50 https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-Super-Fast-Gigabit-MU-MIMO-RT-ACRH13/dp/B01LXYT7XB

But, now hard wired is gigabit ports and dual band ac wireless. It's not a high end router, but it has openwrt support and would meet my needs. If you're doing tons of home media streaming, downloads, and gaming, you would just have to invest in something a lot more expensive. For most of us though, that would work great and is probably what I'll get once I replace my router.

I have already suggested 3 options.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeMax-EdgeRouter-ERLite-3-Ethernet/dp/B00CPRVF5K

https://www.pfsense.org on an old Intel system

The first is cheap, has a switch and uses the least electricity, but is like 2% shy of giving you peak speeds under optimal conditions. People in /r/Ubiquiti can help with it.

The second lacks a switch, but will give you peak speeds under all conditions. Unless you get a separate switch, you would not have anymore wired ports and you will need to put the MoCA bridge and Unifi AC HD on separate subnets. That latter part could be a good thing for privacy if you configure the firewall correctly. People in /r/Ubiquiti can help with it.

The third is overwhelmingly superior to the other two and potentially cheaper upfront if you already have an old Intel system around the house. The electricity costs are the highest though. People in /r/pfsense can help with it.

Yes, Cat 6a solid for inside the walls, CM rated is best (not really 100% necessary, unless you want to be fire code compliant), but definitely shielded, as there are power lines running in most walls which would affect.

You then want stranded (instead of solid) for the cable from the patch panel to the switch. Honestly it's not really necessary, but it fits a RJ-45 a bit better (stranded = many little strands, so that when the piece of metal is crimped down onto it, it pierces the wire, and makes an easier connection than a solid wire that could crack and split).

Monoprice doesn't seem to have read the memo about cat 6a for some reason, but amazon has. This cable here should do you fine.

 

Links to the ERL and the Unifi AP for convenience and anybody reading.

 

Oh this reminds me, which one of the APs are you looking to get? There is the standard one, linked above, then the LR, the PRO, and the AC.

I would either go for the normal one that is ~$70 or the PRO, as the pro has both 2.4 and 5 Ghz (the normal only has 2.4) and it has a faster speed (450 on 2.4 Ghz and 300 on 5Ghz). It depends what your wireless requirements are.

I went for the normal one as I don't use wireless much at all, I prefer a wired Desktop to being able to move around, and use wireless only for mobile devices.

Yup. Never rent a modem, you will pay for a new modem within your first 6 months if you have Comcast. Plus speeds are generally much better. How fast of a connection are you getting? I'll link what I went with. It's not the latest and greatest anymore but the modem is solid for up to 680 mbps download. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R92CEVU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As for the router, up to you. I went with this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z0V2NQ8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 but there are definitely better options out there now. I hard wire my desktop PC, Xbox One and PS4 so I don't really care much about the router. It does what I want. I use a few Macbooks/iPads/iPhones/Switch on the wireless and it works great. One thing to consider, they have automatic dual band routers now which switch around devices from the 5ghz to the 2.4ghz depending on congestion and speed requirements. Mine is manual so I have to set my devices to which band I want. Not a big deal but for the average user, might be more than they want to do.

But yes to answer your first question, just tell them you have your own equipment. If they have previously hooked up the internet at your location, you can do the rest by yourself and save a lot of time and no one will have to come out to your house/apartment.

This! Sort of...

For one, you will need a cable modem:

• $45 NETGEAR CM400-1AZNAS Cable Modem 8x4 Bonded Channels
  
• $90 NETEAR CM600-100NAS Cable Model 24x8 Bonded Channels
  
• $100 NETEAR CM700 Cable Modem 32x8 Bonded Channels
  
  Why multiple options and price-points?
  
  In a nutshell, download and upload bonded channels supports how much up and down bandwidth your cable modem would have. 8 (8 download) x4 (4 upload) theoretically supports 340 Mbps download and whatever upload speed. My current 2x2 supports 125+ Mbps download.
  
  Why get something beefier? You will get slightly better performance if each bonded channel isn't operating near it's ceiling. With Comcast, they have 16 and 24 download channels in most markets so that will help with your overall connection. Also having 24 or 32 download channels will help you break through speed barriers if Comcast offers faster connection speeds in the future.
  
  Personal Note: I pay for 100/10 from Comcast and bought the $90 NETEAR CM600-100NAS Cable Model 24x8 Bonded Channels for my new home. While the theoretical download speed from the modem far out paces what I will get from Comcast, the new modem will take full advantage of the 24 bonded download channels in my area.
  
  Then you will need a router. With Ubiquiti, you can really go with one of two router options:
  
  
• ~$50 Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X
  
• ~$100 Ubiquiti Unifi Security Gateway 9USG
  
  There's a lot of YouTube videos that will explain the differences between each router. The short version is that they use the same hardware and have all of the same features available if enabled over command line but:
  
  
• The EdgeRouter X has more features available in it's existing UI, CAN be powered by POE and is less prone to crashing when making changes over CLI. The Edgerouter also has a built in switch (if you want) and POE passthrough so you can do: Cable Modem -> POE Power Injector -> EdgeRouter -> Ubiquiti Access Point (more on this shortly)
  
• The USG has fewer features in the UI than the Edgerotuer, CAN NOT be powered by POE and is more prone to crashing when making changes over CLI. What the USG does have is full integration into the Unifi family of products which means you can manage the router over the cloud along with any other Unifi product like your access points (APs... We'll get to them in a minute).
  
  Personal Note: I bought the EdgeRouter X because the price point is so good. This thing EASILY out performs my Linksys WRT 1900 AC or any other Linksys, Asus, etc. routers that I have ever owned. With that said, I will never fully leverage all of the controls in the UI and I wish I had gone with the USG as it integrates with the Unifi cloud stuff. I will eventually switch to a Unifi router.
  
  Then you will need an Access Point (AP) to create an access point for your devices:
  
  
• $75 Ubiquiti Unifi UAP-AC-Lite Lite
  
• $100 Ubiquiti Unifi UAP-AC-LR Long Range
  
• $130 Ubiquiti Unifi UPA-AC-Pro Pro
  
  If you get the EdgeRouter X, get a UAP-AC-Lite. They both operate off of 24v so you can do Cable Modem -> 24v POE power injector (comes with the UAP-AC-Lite) -> EdgeRouter X -> UAP-AC-Lite. This is what I have now.
  
  You can upgrade to the UAP-AC-LR which has the longest range of all of the Ubiquiti APs or the UAP-AC-LR because of it's 3x3 MIMO which gives it a higher input/output than the rest of the Ubiquiti 2x2 MIMO. The latter two devices use 48v POE injectors.
  
  Personal Note: I'm using two UAP-AC-Lites in my current two story home and will transition to four in my new three story home. Even at the cheapest price point, these far out perform the other routers and access points that I have ever owned.

Two options to accomplish the goal:

(1) use a Wi-Fi bridge to convert the upstream wireless network into a wired input that can be plugged into a traditional Wi-Fi router WAN port;

(2) use a router or other device that supports WISP (wireless ISP) mode, where it will connect via Wi-Fi to the upstream network, and then provide you with a protected segment behind the free wireless segment. Example: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Travel-Extender-TL-WR802N/dp/B00TQEX8BO/

Good luck!


PS - contrary to somebody's reply in this thread, yes, you can use double-NAT. There isn't really a limit to the number of times traffic can run through NAT. NAT = Network Address Translation, where the IP address (and often the TCP/UDP port number) of the client device is rewritten to a different, outside-facing address. The NAT gateway maintains a session table to ensure returning packets are passed back to the correct client device. Inbound conversations only work if there is a manual mapping performed, or the gateway has advanced application inspection to determine the optimal client device to pass a new incoming session toward (still requires at least one outbound initiation from the client device).


In this specific thread, inbound services are already limited due to not controlling the first position (upstream) where NAT is performed. Adding additional NAT gateways works fine for outbound services (e.g. web browsing) where your client device initiates the connection to a remote resource.


Using a NAT router behind a NAT router will work for web browsing, emails, Netflix streaming, many games, etc. Any multi-player game that requires a special config on the router to allow incoming traffic likely won't work, which is generally limited to older titles.

when I google that router the only for sale link that popped up was on ebay for $5 so it may be time for an upgrade in general. There are a lot of factors to consider but in general: you could upgrade your modem from the one given to you by your ISP. It will usually be a little more reliable and saves you the $10 or so a month rental fee. Next, you have to look at your house set up. Most routers should handle more than 30 feet without to big of an issue (assuming there arent weird walls or other things that would create interference). So a simple upgrade would be great. My favorite is the Netgear AC1900. It's easy to work with and will cover a solid area. I get single when working in my yard easily 200ft away from the router location. Those would be the two most common things to upgrade. Also to consider is what speed is expected from your ISP and if your laptop's internet card are current enough to take advantage of current bands.

Using the modem supplied by google is fine as the front-line router handling any wired connections. But do NOT use it's wifi, you need a separate router because that modems wifi is terrible.

I am personally a fan of ASUS wireless routers, but there's nothing wrong with the usual big names like Netgear or Linksys or whoever. All are easy to use and fine for typical home use.

I use an older version of this:
https://www.amazon.com/RT-ACRH13-Dual-Band-AC1300-4-port-Gigabit/dp/B01LXL1AR8

And it works great

All you really have to do is set your google fiber modem's wifi to OFF in the web-based settings. Then you just run an ethernet cable from the google modem(any ethernet port) to your new wifi router.

Now, the instructions for your wifi router will typically tell you to use the 1 designated ethernet port that is labeled as "uplink" or "internet", but I actually had issues with that on several different routers and just plugged straight into a standard ethernet port(your wireless router will likely have 4+ ports to choose from) and it worked much, much better.

That was the one small quirk compared to how I used to have my Time Warner service setup, using a wireless routers uplink port always worked flawlessly using cable, but not so much with Google Fiber, just use a standard ethernet port for chaining the 2 boxes together.

That definitely sounds like a router issue then. I am currently using the buffalo AC 1900 router which is AMAZING! I also just recently bought my parents the TP-Link AC1900 since it was on sale for $99 which is the first TP-Link product I ever bought. It was super simple to setup and they now get perfect wifi everywhere in their 4 story house with no issues. Here is the link to that one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PDLRHFW I hope that info helps. If any of you have any questions feel free to contact me. I have had cable one for a few years now and rarely have issues.

Uhm, none of the above? Yeah none of the above. It looks like you are looking to spend around $200-230 for your networking gear, which is fine, we can work with that!

• Router: Ubiquiti Edgerouter X normally $50 but appears to be $60 right now. Get fucked I guess.
  
• Switch: TP-Link switch $25
  
• Access Point: Ubiquiti Unifi UAP-AC-Pro $130
  
  Total is around $210
  
  Now here is the thing with this setup. You will mount your access point on the ceiling as close to the center of your home as you can. It will give you much better coverage than the netgear setups, as well as a far more mature and stable access point. If in the future you decide you need better coverage still you can just buy a second one and hook it up, make sure to wire it back into the switch as well. The access point comes with a PoE injector so you only need to run a single line to it.
  
  You are buying gear for your business, buy business grade gear :) Especially because it costs you the same anyway.
  
  

I just started setting up LibreNMS on a RPi. I only have it collecting data on a few hosts so far, but it's responding well. Like /u/farptr said, if you don't have something that supports NetFlow or similar, you're in a pickle. I run a Ubiquity EdgeRouter X between my modem & network that gives me the best view of what's going in & out of my network. Good luck!

I am pretty sure mine is a v2. I have not had an issue with firmware updates as mine got an update recently. My version I actually got on Amazon for $80 under used. I have had not one problem with the router. Wish I could say the same with my internet(Spectrum). Lol.

I have never had an issue like yours. I think back in those days they were different chips and when they upgraded a version it wasn't backwards compatible. I think that's fixed now since the Nighthawk series is open source. Open source is great because you can flash your own firmware from myopenrouter.com. Dd-wrt is great I just haven't had a reason to use a secondary firmware as I've had no issues at all.

NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 Dual Band Wi-Fi Gigabit Router (R7000) with Open Source Support. Compatible with Amazon Echo/Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NFXJzbGM6XA88

Thank you very much! That's much more affordable than the ones I was looking at before and they both still look really good.

What do you think about this router? It's by the same brand as the one you linked, but it's less than half the cost:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Router-300Mbps-TL-WR841N/dp/B003Y5RYNY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1482709709&sr=8-2&keywords=tp%2Blink%2Brouter&th=1

I think the big thing that makes this one cheaper is that the max speed is less. This one's is 450 while the one you linked is 1750. But honestly I'm never going to be able to afford internet that fast lol so I don't think I would get enough use out of the ultra expensive one to justify the extra cost. Is there anything else you think I'd be missing out on if I went with the cheaper one? Like I said I don't do a whole lot of demanding activities and I'm not a super tech person. I just want something that's above average and not more expensive than necessary.

Also, if I wanted to switch from Xfinity Comcast to AT&T, would that modem still work for that? It says it's compatible with Xfinity, Time Warner, WoW, and some others, but not AT&T. AT&T is a pretty big company so I figured if it works with all those companies it must also work with AT&T, right?

Thank you again!

This is what I use:
https://www.amazon.com/HooToo-Wireless-Performance-TripMate-Hotspot/dp/B00HZWOQZ6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1498692158&sr=8-4&keywords=hootoo+travel+router

Runs off micro USB so I don't have to worry about how to power it when I'm in another country really. I just run it off my battery pack if I have to. It works well with hotel portals. Works perfect with the hotels Ethernet connection (although many hotels nowadays have Wifi only). It's only 2.4ghz wifi-n so the highest speed you can every possibly get is like 70mb/s. The range is pretty much like the size of your room. You can plug in a USB drive to pull files and stuff if you need to like a media server. I used that part like once, when I first tested it to see if it works LOL

Grab a retractable cat5e cable while you're at it since most hotels don't even supply that cable nowadays and you should be good for the most part.

Amazing how many people still have that general model of router...I do some "IT-related-work", and frequently encourage customers to upgrade from these.

The biggest thing with these is that Wireless G has been out of use since around...2009, 2010? And while it says speeds are 54Mbps, that's a max theoretical, and is literally never reached by these devices. Practical speeds are 19-22Mbps.

It seems like your external antenna is helping with range, which would be another one of the pitfalls of wireless G.

Since you've asked for suggestions in some of the other posts on here, I would say if you wanted to upgrade, my recommendation would be a Dual-Band Wireless N (or if you wanted to spend more money, Tri-Band Wireless AC), where you use the 2.4GHz band and your antenna for the POGO players, and the 5GHz band for your personal devices (assuming that your devices have 5GHz capability). And, as others have said, you can use DD-WRT or something similar, and limit the available domains/ports.

Examples - Dual Band Wireless N or Tri Band Wireless AC. I used the Dual Band one for 4 years before I ended upgrading, and it worked great for me.

Awesome on you for wanting to try such an ambitious project!

I'm more then happy to lend a hand to someone having issues with stuff I know. I'm hesitant to tell you to buy X & Y to solve it because I cannot be certain of what the issue might be without doing a site visit & survey.

If your paying for close to the 21/3 then a normal DOCIS 2.0 modem should be sufficient so I'd hold off on buying the modem just yet (if your paying for >50MBps then you do need a 3.0).

Do you see many other WiFi networks nearby? I wouldn't believe so off what you've stated so far.

Are you comfortable potentially having to mount the router near a window with a view of the property line? While its well within the realm of being feasible, trying to stream anything at 200ft will be a bit iffy. If you can put it near a window & aim an antenna out it you should greatly increase your odds. There's also ways to boost your broadcast strength but that requires more power, heat dissipation & no one to complain if you knock them off the spectrum.

Are your devices losing connection to the WiFi hotspot or is it just failing to download anything? The other possibility for the issue is a power imbalance on your line coming to your house if you can stay connected but lose data access. Have you ever had a tech come from TW to make sure its not a bad run for cable from the main drop?

Do you know what your walls are lined with? I've done numerous installs that due to the rebar in the concrete, equipment room location & duct locations interfering with the connection to make Netflix stutter but is 100% to surf on.

Are you comfortable setting up a WiFi router that isn't always the most intuitive & will bury you in options? Once they are up, SMB routers are very stable but can be finicky to config 100%.

Do you know what wireless standard your computers have or are you willing to upgrade a desktop/laptop? It'd be preferable of you use the higher channel numbers & also have it in both the 2.4Ghz & 5Ghz spectrums. Unfortunately a lot of older wireless cards from the 802.11G days don't support 5Ghz or the really high channel numbers.

If your comfortable with all that then I'd wholeheartedly recommend the ASUS RT-AC66U (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ABOJKS), if you don't have anything with AC, can't upgrade your existing or are not planning to replace your existing there's also the ASUS RT-N66U (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006QB1RPY).

If you do want a DOCSIS 3.0 modem I recommend the Motorola SB6121 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XC6GJ0) if not the Motorola SB5101U (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002M3SHXA) is a good DOCSIS 2 modem.

Note: Double check that TW has those modems on their approved list otherwise look for the best reviewed ones they do allow

Agree with others, this is not a BIFL item. Even wired connections will get better (is terrabit a thing yet?) - but if you are asking for a long lasting feature rich router that is great for a home user, I like the Asus Dark Knight, its a couple of years old but works great without issue. Its great right out of the box, but if you want to customize it has all the options that you could want.

I picked up the Asus RT-AC5300. It's super expensive, way more than what I currently need, but I tell you, I love it. Rock solid connection, easy user interface (for the most part), the default settings are great (unless you have apple, then disable beam forming), my speeds are unwavering--big upgrade from my buffalo. I picked this up to future proof (number of devices, not necessarily speeds) as the majority of my future networking will be streaming large videos to many devices throughout the house. The other options is https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-AC1750-Gigabit-Router-compatible/dp/B00Z0V2NQ8 . Works extremely well and won't break the bank. The speed you see on the router is more for home networking, ie streaming or tranferring large files on a LAN. You'll likely never maximize the internet speed on any router unless you have gigabit internet. The biggest thing you gotta think about is your cost, size of your network coverage, and how many devices.

Modems are completely independent of if a router is dual-band or not. You can safely connect that modem to a dual-band router.

For dual-band routers, personally I'd see if you can stretch your budget a little higher. I have mixed opinions on those models (750) after using it. You don't maention how large of a coverage area you need but at a minimum I'd go to the N900:

$90 N900

$120 AC1750

And my favorite AC1900/R7000 which is nearly double your price but it has excellent coverage for a two story house even. I've been really happy with the performance.

The N900 (step up from the 750) I have used successfully as well. If you want to stay under $100 I'd go with it.

Ahh, that link is super helpful. I had only found the official documentation initially, which didn't seem to mention security support. I can see a couple options:

1. Run an ethernet cable to the device. Pros: Requires zero configuration and is arguably the most secure. Since it's within wifi range, it shouldn't be /too/ far from the router that running a cable would take forever though. Cons: Most time consuming (or costly if you hire a contractor).
   
   
   
2. On the access point that is closest to the aquarium, dedicate one radio to a new SSID called "Aquarium." Give it security settings compatible with this unit (WPA2-PSK with AES encrpytion). Ideally, turn on MAC Address whitelisting and have the only whitelisted MAC Address be that of this aquarium unit. Pros: Costs nothing to implement. Don't have to run a wire. Cons: If your current security scheme is more complex, this creates an easier attack surface. Reduces the capability of that access point for all other tasks since one radio is dedicated to this unit.
   
   
   
3. Use a wireless bridge to take wifi in from your existing setup and send out an ethernet cable to the aquarium. You could probably get away with a fairly cheap unit like this one. Pros: Just slap it in client mode and your setup is done. Dirt cheap too. Cons: adds another point of failure. Make sure it works with your specific security setup before buying it.
   
   
   Personally, I'd probably pick option 3 if it works in my environment most of the time. I'd pick option 1 only if there was already an ethernet port nearby in use and just throw a little cheap 4-5 port unmanaged switch on it. Option 2 works well only if the wifi from that access point is not utilized to capacity.

For my modem I use SB6183 (yes, I buy refurb) for $70, and have had great luck in general with the surfboard / arris line. This one is good for up to ~600Mbps (which is far faster than what Comcast sells me now).

For routers I go with Asus; huge user base and they're super solid. You can get this one for $60 ; it goes faster than most every speed tier that comcast currently offers in any market, so you can be sure it won't be the bottleneck on your network.

If you go with that set it'll take you a little more than a year to break even, but at that point you have it paid off and you have the peace of mind that you're in control of your own network.

Good luck!

You're better off buying your own router and access point (preferably two discrete devices). The combo devices (modem/router/AP) provided by ISPs are typically disposable low-quality junk that they can afford to buy by the hundreds of thousands, and toss in the trash when they break.

From a security standpoint, it is "best practice" to have your own router and relegate the ISP modem/router to "bridge mode" (where it is acting as only a modem, with the firewall functions disabled). The HH3000 is Bell's device, managed by Bell. By plugging things into it, Bell gets to see what your home LAN consists of. With everything connected to your own router/firewall device, Bell doesn't get to see all of the other devices that live in your home LAN.

Put your router somewhere where it's easily accessible (for inspection of lights, troubleshooting, resets, etc). Put the access point in a central location in the household, and run a cable to it. If coverage is inadequate, considering buying a second AP and placing it in the dead/weak signal zone.

Run cables to as many non-mobile devices as possible; TVs, streaming media boxes, game consoles, etc. Save your wifi bands for mobile devices that actually need wifi (ie. laptops, tablets, phones), and put them on the 5GHz (not 2.4GHz) band.

A pair of dedicated appliances like the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite and AP AC Lite will give you more flexibility and better coverage than any ISP combo device.

Yes that should sort your problem out. I don't know what type of budget your on or what plans are available to you but upgrading your internet speed would help as well. I would absolutely recommend getting your own router in either case.

I have the Asus AC1300 (https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-Super-Fast-Gigabit-MU-MIMO-RT-ACRH13/dp/B01LXL1AR8) and it has some nice QoS settings on it. Feel free to shop around or ask for other recommendations though. Its pretty straightforward to set up.

• My modem is out of date, but i have an ARRIS SURFboard with DOCSIS 2.* or 3.0 and comcast said it is out of date, and that i can't update the firmware. So i need to have them refresh my signal and reboot the modem every 1-3 months now... I think DOCSIS 3.1 might be the one you want to go with? Don't quote me though!!! haha

• I purchased the TP-Link 1900 and it has worked flawlessly!! Steaming to my phone, my wife's tablet, my mother-in-law's phone, a bedroom tv, main living room tv and my neighbors across the street that hypothetically have a wife extender and my old roku 2 box. My main network is hidden, the guest network 2.4 and 5 is showing. And a sub guest network at my neighbors with 2.4 only. Plus multiple users on the network when at the neighbors pool. No 4k streaming though, only 1080p.

I have comcast running into my basement and into a modem, then i have an ethernet cable running up into the living room and into the router. Then from the router and back down into an unmanned switch. From there, i have ethernet cable ran to every room of the house, but i still need to hook it up....

This is the one I have, and LOVE it (i could only find the refurb link on amazon, but same thing):

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Gigabit-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B07F9221FC/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=TP-Link+AC1900&qid=1555421510&s=electronics&sr=1-4

This appears to be a newer version, but i believe the one i have above an amplified antennas:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AC1900-Smart-Wireless-Router/dp/B00PDLRHFW/ref=wsdps_5?cv_ct_pg=detail&cv_ct_wn=woodstock-detail&linkCode=oad&cv_ct_id=ws&pf_rd_r=2R6Z03YPKDD9Q6RGVSND&pd_rd_wg=gWXhv&pd_rd_w=NIezO&pd_rd_r=dcb9d328-604b-11e9-a945-818b360be682

This one is newer as well and looks more like the one you posted, but almost half the price:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AC1900-Smart-WiFi-Router/dp/B07NF3K74H/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

So the modem you have is almost certainly a combo unit that also functions as a firewall + router + wireless access point. In consumer nomenclature this is just called a wireless router.

Wireless coverage is indeed ideal when placed in an elevated vertical position. Think of the antenna radiation pattern as a doughnut, when elevated you can use the bottom half of the doughnut as well as the middle. Central positioning is also important, you want to use all sides of the doughnut because the radius isn't large.

I have three suggestions.

1. Move your current modem/router combo unit to the middle floor in as central of a location as possible.
   
   
2. Buy your own wireless router or a dedicated router + wireless access point. This will give you a boost to range, speed, and functionality compared to your ISP provided equipment.
   
   
3. Buy your own modem. This won't do much for you in terms of performance or functionality but gets rid of that pesky rental fee that adds up over time.
   
   Decent router + access point combo (cost effective but not as good as having dedicated devices for each).
   
   https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Archer-Wireless-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00BUSDVBQ
   
   Dedicated devices for best performance and functionality.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-AC-LITE/dp/B017MD6CHM
   
   Finally, a modem that can handle entry level to medium speed tiers offered by cable ISP's.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6183-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00MA5U1FW
   
   Let me know if you have any questions.

The only question you need to ask yourself is "Is the current speed I'm seeing in all the areas I use it, fast enough for my needs?"

Roughly translated, do you want it to be faster? If that answer is yes, then you should absolutely consider getting something new. If you do purchase something new, do yourself a favor and don't buy the budget AC model on the shelf at best buy. I would consider at a minimum getting an AC1900 if not more. if you are going to upgrade make sure it will meet your needs for a while!

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-Gigabit-Support-Compatible/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494005297&sr=8-1&keywords=netgear+1900

I have the netgear nighthawk 7000 listed above, there are similarly priced modems from linksys and asus that will perform just as well. The transmit power on the nighthawk is great. It sits on the middle floor on one end of my ~2000 sq ft. colonial and can pull a few hundred mb/sec on the opposite end of my house through a floor, and around 4 walls.

The distance is even good enough to stream music to my phone at any point of my property, the farthest point being around 150' away and across the entire house. I fiddled with your run of the mill $80 router for years. When I ponied up and bought this one it was an unbelievable difference. When I bought it the R7000 was one of their higher end models. Now it's practically on the bottom.

I would shy away from a travel router, but there are plenty of consumer ones that are small enough to throw in a backpack or a small bag.

The problem with a travel router is that they only usually have a WAN port instead of a LAN port. WAN is looking for a internet connection/modem and will do weird things if it doesn't find one. Basically the same as plugging your console into the WAN port on a consumer router, it is trying to use your console to create a network, but all you want to do is connect your console to a network, not have it be the source. I am no network engineer(even though it feels like it sometimes), but if anyone else can explain better I would love to hear how you interpret it.

I am using a small ASUS router right now as I write this to run sound for a college graduation. This one to be exact.

Router is under the stage next to a stagebox mixer, and I can walk everywhere in the arena, and even outside and have no issues with dropouts. I am using a iPad air which takes advantage of AC routers and beamforming.

Just stick with a brand that is reputable, Asus, Netgear, and Apple are a few that come to mind.

You dont have to spend a fortune to get good coverage, you just have to spend smart, and get good, reputable gear.


Another tip: Hide your SSID in router settings. You basically get DDoS attacked by people wanting free wifi if you don't, even when you password protect.

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.

1. For fear of advertising my own thread... you may find these tips useful on improving your PS4 speeds. I basically had the same problem as you. I was getting 42 mbps download wired on my macbook and about 5 mbps wireless. The PS4 was getting maybe 20 mbps wired and 4 wireless. (Both wireless devices were about 10 yards from my router.) I vastly improved my speeds with the tips from my post. Hope that helps!

2. Since then, I've done two things because I had a little money to spend ($150 to be exact). I bought a new router to improve my speeds to my wireless devices and I bought a wireless bridge to my PS4. I'm now getting about 30 mbps on my PS4 when I was only getting 4 to begin with.

So #1 helps if you have no money to spend and #2 helps if you have some. If anything, I recommend just buying the $30 wireless bridge because it gives you a wired connection.

Good luck!

I have a deep and long-standing love for pfSense.

Used it's predecessor on an ancient-at-the-time Pentium MMX 233 MHz system with a CF to IDE adapter ~10+ years ago, it was called m0n0wall.

The pfSense fork has only gotten better with age. I find it very intuitive, and it's very, very comprehensive and rock steady. It'll run on almost anything.

I've tried a pile of routers/firewalls/all-in-ones over the years after the Pentium system died (Asus + Tomato, Untangle, IPFire, ClearOS, Sophos UTM, etc) but keep coming back to pfSense with it's clear layout, easy config, and extensive features. Highly recommended if you have some spare hardware laying around. I've found consumer routers to be nearly universally junk unfortunately. I'm sure some aren't terrible, and the Asus with Tomato wasn't utter rubbish, just woefully under-powered for what it was trying to do.

I think the only thing I haven't tried yet that looks really nice are Ubiquiti's routers, specifically the EdgeRouter-X as from what I've read they're very feature-rich (and an AMAZING value): https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C

This is very informative. For anyone else checking here, if your only goal is to reduce ping and you don't want to do any drilling and don't live in a mansion, just get yourself a quality wireless router that's hackable with DD-WRT or Tomato or similar. Even if you do live in a mansion, a few of these carefully setup as repeaters can still work great.

Running direct ethernet cable is the gold standard, but if your wifi is working well then it'll usually only give you better performance transfering huge data streams on your home network, or letting you connect devices that simply don't have wifi at all (though even then you can use a hacked router or a stock wireless bridge to connect it locally). I have ethernet all over my house and the only time I notice it helping out is when I'm watching HD video via Windows Media Center, which apparently has pretty terrible/nonexistent video compression. Netflix/Hulu/gaming/etc work great in either case.

Currently in a house with 5 gamers total

I live in house with 3 other guys and a buddy of ours has been crashing on our couch for the past month (long story, but he's cool and contributes to cooking, cleaning, and utilities) We all play League of Legends, a handful of us play BF3, a few others play Tera, and then various other games such as CS:GO and TF2, and other console games like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart.

We have been here for about 1.5 months, below are some issues that we encountered:

• Bandwidth: we have a 105Mbps down/ 20Mbps up pipe provided by Comcast. The Router that comcast provided sucked, constant latency spikes, no QOS, terrible admin console. I ended up going out and buying my own modem and Router. I got the Motorola SB6121 and an Asus-RT-N66U Router (I could have paid an additional $30 and got an AC router, but honetly, none of us use the wireless for our computers, and any wireless device we do use which include phones, tablets, laptops, Apple TV, Ouya, PS3 etc, do not support 802.11AC and even if they did, none of them even saturate 802.11N) This completely solved our issues with lag spikes, and by far was the most frustrating issue we dealt with thus far.
  
  
• Electricity: I don't know where you guys are living, but being in Texas the A/C was on constantly, so be prepared for a large electric bill. Our last bill was ~$270, but that is pretty much as high as it will go.
  
  
• NAS: Currently I have 3 1TB drives in my computer and I am using Windows to share the content, we are currently using XBMC to play media across our computers as well as the Ouya and the Apple TV which are both hooked up to TVs. (1 in the living room, the other in the breakfast room/nook) I want to eventually build/buy a NAS, but I have been way too busy at work and I've been spending too much money on going and eating out.. so that needs to change.
  
  
• Last bit of advice I'd have to give, is make everyone do chores or something, it gets dirty very fast at our place with 5 guys living there, 2 dogs, 1 cat(although she is mostly outside), plus friends, girlfriends, and parties also all happening at our place.
  

I bought a house in March and had the intention of going all in on HA, but so far it hasn't exactly panned out. budgeting for a few good products as i go.

BUT, Here is what i started with so far. I've settled with silo'ed stuff so far. This is what i've done, others will probably have stronger recommendations though.

1. a good wifi router.
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z0V2NQ8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
   
2. Power meter
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XOZG0Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
   
3. thermostat
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FLZEQH2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
   
4. 4x wifi cameras
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0145OQTPG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
   
5. entertainment http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STR-DN1050-Channel-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B00JC31SEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1452667821&sr=1-1&keywords=str+dn1050
   
   Yes, that's 5 separate apps on my own Note 4
   
   Next on the list is a zwave hub and garage door controller.
   
   

I've been using ASUS RT-N56U and been happy with it.

• Dual Band, Data Rate: 802.11n - up to 300Mbps data rate; Wired Performance: WAN to LAN: up to 900Mbps; LAN to LAN: 1Gbps
  
• Interface: 1x WAN port, 4x LAN ports for 10/100/1000 BaseT, Port: 2x USB 2.0 ports
  
  They also have a newer model ASUS RT-N66U
  
  
• 3 x Detachable antenna for 2.4GHz/5GHz with peak gain 3dBi/ 5dBi
  
• IPv6 support; VPN Server Support
  
• 802.11n: up to 450Mbps ; 802.11a/g: up to 54Mbps; 802.11b: up to 11Mbps
  
• Supports Ethernet and 802.3 with max. bit rate 10/100/1000 Mbps
  
• 4 x LAN ports for 10/100/1000 BaseT
  
• 2 x USB2.0 support got Printer sharing or HDD sharing

I have no personal experience with the Google WiFi ecosystem, but from a quick Google search, I could not find anything that shows it being supported.

I was able to find this netgear router that supports creating a OpenVPN server, and quite easily infact, just seems like a couple of clicks.
Netgear R7000-100PAS Nighthawk AC1900

VPN Guide

I chose this router because of my personal trust for Netgear products, and their simple to use interface for a home user with some advanced functionality for the prosumers. For your Modem, heres one that I found: Netgear N300.

>The UAP-AC Pro is a good choice, especially where you want to cover three floors, the best spot would be on the 2nd floor, as close to the middle of the floor (front to back) as practicable.

Thanks a lot for the advice. The other day, the wiring technician who came to fix my cable told me something appalling. He said Wifi signal only goes downwards so I shall place AP on the top floor. It's BS right? I thought Wifi signal goes in all directions just like regular radio signal.

However, I am having some second thoughts due to other comments in this thread. Is it better to have a Pro on 2nd floor or 1 AC-lite on 1st floor AND 2nd floor?

> especially in a router/firewall configuration.

Would you care to explain to a newbie what that is please?

> A better candidate would be an ER-Lite or ER-4.

Thanks. Is this okay?

> but these are few and far between for a simple NAT firewall.

Would you explain this sentence again please? Not quite following. Is NAT firewall a must for home network?

Thanks again.

I'm a teacher and use thewirecutter.com to teach my students about good research and fair evaluation practices. They are very thorough and honest in their reviews.


That said:


http://m.thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-cable-modem/


http://m.thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-router/

About their router choice, that it's for as they say "most people." If you're having connectivity issues, you should probably do two things

Get their "upgrade" choice for best router (from that same article) http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-AC1750-802-11ac-Gigabit-R6400-100NAS/dp/B00Z0V2NQ8?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAJM4NKIQGABP2PIRA&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00Z0V2NQ8&tag=thewire06-20&ascsubtag=WC29013


And then learn about the difference between 2.5 vs 5 ghz wifi. On mobile or I'd find you a good guide. Use an app like this to see how many other wifi access points are in your area https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=en&referrer=utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_term%3Dwifi+analyzer&pcampaignid=APPU_1_vk2IVv2PJ4OvmQGFkZywAQ

Then choose a channel thats not crowded for most of your devices and save the 5ghz for your media devices.

Edit
Pm me if you have any questions

I've seen two people suggest ubiquiti, and I would also as well. Thought some links might help you get an idea of what to look for. Usual disclaimers that I'm not suggesting that you get the specific equipment here, or even that this is the best setup I could've gotten. Do you're own research etc.

In my home setup I have:

• 1x EdgeRouter X
  
• 2x [EdgeSwitches] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LHU98EK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• 4x UAP-AC-PRO 802.11ac Access Points
  
  Running over Shielded Cat6A. I don't have as large an area to cover as you, but I do have some pretty thick stone walls in my house that are very effective at blocking wifi (and cell) signals. I have somewhere on the order of 50 devices connected pretty consistently and haven't had any real issues in over a year. Setup isn't trivial for a non-technical person though. Do-able, but not trivial.
  
  Edit: one nice thing with this particular setup is everything outside of my network closet (and some things inside it) are running off of PoE, so I don't have to worry about running new electrical to the access points.

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.

Techies!

We struggle with wifi connection at our end of the house, I want to improve the connection. I did try a wifi extender but that was no help.

I am comparing two routers and would love some help.

Medialink AC1200

or

Netgear R6700 Nighthawk

Thanks for any help!

Sure, I use this one https://smile.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ which is a few years old at this point. It works fine, and I don't use the wireless access point portion of it anymore, just for router/vpn/security. Something like this is a newer version, https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AC66U-B1/. It also has the VPN server/client stuff which is nice. So basically, the way I have mine setup is the router is what's generally referred to as a VPN concentrator, as in their can be multiple clients (your mobile phone, laptop at the coffee shop, whatever) that phone back home to your router running the VPN server. Setup is easy, you turn on the functionality in the web panel for the router (from inside your network), and it has you setup an account to use for the VPN agent. It then gives you some config files/certs and stuff which you email to yourself or whatever. Then you download the openvpn client for IOS or whatever you have and load the config/certs, put in a password, and point it at your WAN IP. You can use a dynamic DNS service like someone had brought up to make your life a little easier if your WAN IP changes often. This goal of this is that you have secure, proven and reviewed, 2-way encryption between your mobile device and your home network. From the point of view of your phone when connected, it's as if it's at home connected to your wifi. So you can do all kinds of stuff, I mostly use it to watch my security cameras at home when I'm away. I don't go through any "cloud" services, my video feeds never pass through any systems that aren't mine in an unencrypted form.

Yup, I'm definitely planning to game on ethernet as I do now.

That modem looks pretty good. Fair price and not time-limited for Cyber Monday like the Netgear stuff I was looking at.

I might as well ask, are you familiar with this router at all? TP Link AC1750 Archer A7. Also a fair price and not a limited time offer. I've seen it on a couple lists for great cost-performance balance.

That is so weird, last night that link was taking me to the page for the Archer A7 (which also has a $10 coupon to clip)... I don't know if maybe I clicked something else while I was tired, but I could have sworn the link was taking me there, but now it takes me to the C7, haha.. My bad.

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I guess the question then, is should I get the A7 or the C7? The A7 is cheaper, and from I read online, the only difference is the smart functionality with Alexa (though I don't use Alexa) would that hinder the router at all having that additional software? Would it be worth it since it's already $20 cheaper AND has a clippable $10 coupon?

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As for the router and modem you listed, I wasn't saying what you suggested would cause a bottleneck, I just meant if I were to upgrade one or the other, which should I upgrade without causing a bottleneck? Would the AC1900 give better range or work any better with the smart home devices? My last network would get bogged down by smart home devices due to all the chatter on the network and Google mentioned some kind of bug of "built up packets" that stemmed from the devices always listening to each other.

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Edit: Just woke up and I'm forgetting words

What this guy says. ISPs deal in the tens of thousands, if not millions, so even though it may only save them $5-$10 per modem/router combo unit by using a cheaper one, it ends up saving them a ton of money in the long run. It's worth the money to go buy a nice router (I use and recommend the Netgear R6400 to many people), it has great range, fantastic speeds (as well as I've tested on my 200mb/s internet), a pretty full feature set including QoS, Beamforming, guest networks etc, and most importantly, it won't break the bank, it's currently $95 with Prime Shipping on Amazon.

Source: I work for an ISP, I explain this multiple times a day to customers who want to know why they're having trouble running three game consoles, six tablets, eight phones, five computers and four smart tvs off the same shitty modem we paid pennies for half a decade ago.

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

I actually do all the VPN's for the county in VA that I work for. I highly recommend GnatBox if you are going to purchase any hardware. We replaced all of our Cisco ASA's and PIX's with these, we have site-to-site connections with the DMV and State Police and they require a fairly hefty piece of hardware before they will all anything into their systems.

We run GB-2100 class hardware in most of the government buildings but for the offsite we have GB-250e or GB-820 if you have more than 50 users.

Super easy to setup and a breeze for VPNs, either point-to-point or mobile.

Also points for Hamachi and Teamviewer VPN

EDIT: Have to throw this in, for my personal use, I have an Asus RT-N16 that I have the Toastman Tomato VPN firmware loaded on it. With this, you can turn on the PPTP Server and do a quick setup, which really isn't all that hard with a bit o' Google help, and then setup a PPTP dial-up connection on your home PC and "tunnel" into your work network on demand. I can elaborate further if you are interested. This would be your cheapest hardware solution, around $100 US.

There isn't too much as long as your not going to setup any type of VPN or processor heavy tasks on the router. All the new routers just have much nicer processors and wifi performance which if you don't need either then it's best to save some money. I had an ASUS RT-N16 for a while running as router only (no wifi) and I was extremely happy with its performance. It fully supports dd-wrt, in fact mine came with dd-wrt from the factory. Right now on Amazon you can get it for less than 50 bucks after a rebate. ASUS (RT-N16) Wireless-N 300 Maximum Performance single band Gaming Router: Fast Gigabit Ethernet, support USB-Hard Drive and Printer and Open source DDWRT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00387G6R8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_8F-BwbS7H30P9

The ASUS RT N66U is pretty spectacular.

If you can't budge that $2, the N56U is good too.

I've never tried the RT AC56U but if it's like the others then it'll be great and supports 802.11AC.

The N66U is much better than the N56U, so if you can go with that one over the cheaper version.

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.

Right off the top of my head the PS3 uses an 802.11G wifi adapter which would lock the WiFi network to an 802.11G mode which would produce speeds in the range of 20 mbps over wifi.

The laptop MAY have the same problem.

So what you would want to do is power down your devices, press and hold the reset button on the back of your modem for 25 seconds to preform a factory reset.

Then power them on and test the speed on your devices in this sequence : ipad 3, ps4, laptop, ps3. Stop testing when speeds fall to 20 MBPS because you have found your culprit. At that point you can look into replacing or retrofitting the device (in the case of the tablets, replacing with newer model, in the case of the other hardware, retrofitting)

Don't ask why it does that, I didn't design it.

Also, depending on how you're testing the speed you could be getting a false positive on the low speeds, as the PS3 and PS4 will test your speeds on the PLAYSTATION network but not actual network speed.

OOKLA has a speedtest app you can download for the ipad and for the PC you would want to use Speedtest.comcast.net.

You mentioned 2 stories, so you may want a wifi extender to extend the signal coverage on the 2nd story (1st story?) and would definitely want a wifi extender if the floorspace of your home is greater than 2000 square foot.

If you really want a dedicated router then you would want one where you could turn DCHP off, and the only ones I am familiar with that have that capability are the ASUS brand, Netgear or Linksys might have that capability but I'm not as familiar with them so they might not. Also apple airports.

For actual specs you would want an 802.11AC unit. http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC1750-Gigabit-Router/dp/B008ABOJKS/

or http://www.amazon.com/Apple-AirPort-Extreme-Station-ME918LL/dp/B00DB9WCR6/

Why would you want something where you could turn DHCP off you ask? Just in case there is a problem with turning DHCP off on your TG862G.

Why would you want 802.11AC? Range. http://www.pcworld.com/article/2061907/all-about-beamforming-the-faster-wi-fi-you-didnt-know-you-needed.html

Now, personally I prefer routers with visible, external antennas, and I'd like 4x4 MIMO which is just a fancy way of saying it has 4 antennas and uses them.

Any followup questions?

If the verizon router looks like this, it's a decent modem but a garbage router. If it's one of the newer ones, it's actually pretty solid, and your wifi problems aren't coming from the router. I've had both of these, the newer one is good enough that I didn't bother hooking up my nice router when I moved in..

Buy something like this. Set it up. Turn the wifi off on the TWC/Verizon FiOS router. Enjoy having decent wifi.

What we've done is put everything that matters on the main network, and everything that doesn't matter on the guest network. That includes the IOT type devices, true guests/friends that come by, etc.

If you like the Google Wifi performance/security, but want to add more network segmentation, you could always add something like an Edgerouter X ($50) downstream of the Google Wifi puck. Create a completely separate network or networks behind it, and all the Google Wifi box sees is a single IP coming from it.

We've been through quite a few different wireless setups over the past few years, including ones much more pricey and complex than the Google setup, but nothing comes close to its reliability, ease of use, and performance throughout the house. Going back to a standard router + extenders would seem like the dark ages at this point. It's also fun not having to tweak router settings every week or two as things crop up; it just works.

>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):

• http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4
  
• http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ABOJKS/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687582&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00FB45SI4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=00WATJTN0KG1FGJRTG02
  
• http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1465182381&sr=1-1&keywords=rt-n66u
  
  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 believe so. My office is detached from my house which my DHCP server (Ubuntu on x86) lives in. To get ethernet out in my office, I used two Asus Routers. I had one working as an access point that serves wifi to the whole house. The other is in my office as a wireless bridge linked to the AP. It feels like a virtual cable and it worked pretty well, but apparently when enough devices get behind the bridge it stops forwarding broadcasts from certain MAC addresses and has other troubles.

It doesn't look like it was a "first come, first served" situation either. Broadcasts seem to never work for some devices (MACs). Even when you statically set IP addresses, certain MACs could occasionally ping across the wifi bridge others were 100% solid. Something else was going on there. Pings to another device on the same side of the bridge were solid.

I had about 20 to 30 devices behind it. The PIs were the ones that showed the most trouble. I wonder if there was some kind of table that's too small or hash table that has collisions.

I pulled an Ethernet cable and direct wired, all seems good again.

Those routers make really good APs though, this is the first issue I've seen with them and the wifi signal quality is great! At my old house, I just used them both as APs. Firmware is very polished and has several niceties that I haven't seen elsewhere. I just gave them too much credit on the wifi bridge function.

You got all the cheap solutions already but if you want an better but slightly pricier option, you can do what I did, note: You need one of Guelph routers in your room or a neighboring room because you need an Ethernet connection.

Buy a Cat5 or Cat6 network cable, a cheep router (the one I got was https://www.amazon.ca/TP-Link-AC1200-Smart-WiFi-Router/dp/B01IUDUJE0) set up your own network and tada you have your own personal internet bubble, you can use this router for a lot more then playing on your switch.

If you are interested in computers I would recommend this option as you can do a lot of things with your own router. The most common is creating your own proxy so you can tunnel to your router from anywhere, which if set up right can let you remotely access any connected device on your network with the right authentication. If you dont really care about Computer stuff and just want to play smash go with a cheaper option

This is going to be very dependent on how deep into the weeds you want to be getting with your setup. We've got one key, being "needs to do gigabit internet". Another is you seem to be looking for gigabit/AC wireless. You also mention needing an AP on the far side of the house.

Do you expect that the router will have wifi capabilities on it's own? Some of the options that I know will handle gigabit throughput don't have built-in wireless.

The "easy" answer - meaning, if you just want good stuff that works well enough and don't want to learn all there is to know about networking before you get your LAN running - is to go with Ubiquiti gear. An EdgeRouter Lite will do gigabit for your router (as long as you don't get fancy, like trying to do QoS/rate shaping) for about $90.

You would then need at least one AP to handle the wireless, for which a UAP-AC-Lite would probably work okay - that's about $80.

For getting the ball rolling, just about any 8 port "dumb" switch would do, but you can get a TP-Link TL-SG108 gigabit switch for $30 on Amazon right now. You'd almost certainly want to replace that eventually, but it won't be useless and it's a good price.

Eventually you could look at getting a 16 port Ubiquiti switch and another AP or two if you have a large area to cover, and there's options for unified configuration setups I believe.

If you really want to get snazzy, spring for the Unifi Security Gateway which is the same hardware as the EdgeRouter Lite, but works with the Unifi controller software. Get that, as many APs as you need, and a Unifi switch and you can (eventually) run a VM for your Unifi controller to configure all of it through one, locally controlled web page.

Oh you already have it? Well yea, I'd definitely go ahead and call Comcast to make the swap as soon as you've got a wireless router in hand as well. I brought all my own hardware to my new place a year ago with Time Warner, wasn't any hassle at all.

Personal note, Google Wifi is cool and all, but it's main strength is in niche cases where you have a huge house or a house with tons of brick that causes dead zones. For the cost of a single puck, you can get a router that will perform significantly better in most cases. If you're looking at getting multiple, something like this would still be significantly less and be great.

Going to copy/paste this from my history as its asked rather frequently on this sub.
--

Spectrum is fine, if you can get AT&T Fiber go that route. Check to see if you're able to get Fiber here;

https://www.att.com/internet/fiber.html

(Note, only their 1000/1000 speed is 'uncapped' -- the rest of their offerings, Fiber or DSL has a data cap)

For Spectrum, you're looking at:

200/10 (or) 400/20 (or) 940/35

The base tier is fine for the vast overwhelming majority of people. You'd probably know if you needed more speed than the base tier (Eg: Off site backups, serving up Plex to friends/family..etc) Spectrum also has no data caps on any of their speed tiers. You'll use a Spectrum modem (which they provide for free) but use your own router as they do charge a monthly fee for wifi. As far as what networking gear to get, that's easy.

Get yourself

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534877933&sr=8-1&keywords=ubiquiti+edgerouter + https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Long-Range/dp/B015PRCBBI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1534877954&sr=8-3&keywords=ubiquiti+access+point

and have worry free wifi. Don't bother with routers from Asus/Netgear/TpLink..etc. They're comparatively junk next to the ubiquiti equipment.

If you're going with Spectrum, use your own Wifi infrastructure. The Ubiquiti stuff linked above is a fantastic solution. The Spectrum provided modem will work fine, regardless of the tier you subscribe to

The 400/20 tier will probably get you an Arris TM1602 which is an absolute piece of trash as it uses the Puma 6 chipset. Read more about that here;

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumers-file-class-action-lawsuit-against-arris-for-defective-cable-modems-300433510.html

If you do sub to the 400/20 tier, I then suggest picking up your own modem, specifically, the Netgear CM600 as it does not use the Puma 6 chipset, but rather, a Broadcom BCM3384 and is an 'approved' modem by Spectrum.

The base tier as well as the Gig tier with Spectrum will get you a satisfactory modem at no additional cost.

Milwaukee has been activated as a "Gig" market for Spectrum, and has been for 4 months or so.

This means a speed of 940/35 is now available for most--if not all of the area. The gig tier does require a $200 technician visit as well as a Spectrum provided modem. Customer owned modems are currently not being provisioned for the gig tier. The Spectrum modem is a Technicolor TC4400, but there is no monthly charge for using the Spectrum provided modem.

I'm currently using this modem.

And this router, and I love them both. I'm also on a Comcast 105Mb tier.

Now I got the AC version for future-proofing, and because I love taking my phone outside with me and still having high speed. Once I get a good AC lock, the damn thing doesn't wanna let go! If you don't have any devices that can use AC, or don't plan on getting any then you can go with an N66 instead. But I HIGHLY recommend never buying a gateway. You should buy a standalone modem (I LOVE Motorola), and a standalone router (Thise ASUS routers the past couple years are absolutely amazing).

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.

At a much more reasonable price point for most people's gaming needs than what the others are posting below, I can recommend the ASUS RT56U.

Not a brand new model, but one of the best at its price-point a couple of years ago. Great range, very realiable and easy to set up.

I suggest option two. It might be a little more expensive, but you can find a newer WiFi router that likely has gigabit Ethernet ports. This will allow your WiFi and Ethernet clients to reach the WAN speeds you’re paying for. It’ll be simpler, cleaner, and more secure than option 1.

Something like this should take care of your needs nicely:

ASUS Dual-Band 2x2 AC1300 Super-Fast Wifi 4-port Gigabit Router with MU-MIMO and USB 3.0 (RT-ACRH13) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXL1AR8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xmppDb9C8BE2G

This guy is right on the money.

What you're looking for is essentially the following two items (or three, if you're supremely obsessive)

1. A docsis 3.0 modem. The Motorola Surfboard brand has been king for quite some time.
   
   
2. A router. You can go for wired (advantage: Never ever crashes) or wireless (crashes more often, particularly the cheaper ones). I recommend either his DIR 655, or if you want to spend more, the Asus RT-N66U (http://amzn.com/B006QB1RPY). I can count the number of times this router has crashed on me so far on zero fingers.
   
   
3. If you got a wired router in step 2, you'll need a wifi access. I have become a big fan of the UniFi access points (http://amzn.com/B005H4CDF4). I got one for my parents, programmed it, then told them they were allowed to move it anywhere in the house they felt like. It has improved their wifi substantially. Please note, this entire step is only really useful if your house is at least 2,000 sq feet.

Do you use Comcast for phone service? If so, you can't get rid of the rented gateway, unfortunately, but it can be placed in bridge mode and you can then put a router behind it to take over. If that is your situation, then a router like the TP-Link Archer C7 ($92) is a good choice. I'm a big fan of the Netgear R6700, which is a more powerful router than the C7 and is $88 if the coupon is available to you on Amazon.

If you do not use Comcast for phone, you can return the rented gateway and use your own modem and router. For simplicity's sake, here is a solid modem/router combo for $130 at Amazon.

that one is ancient.

and no, you would need to configure it as such with the same settings but a different wireless channel, or disable the FIOS wifi.

http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UniFi-Access-UAP-LR-US-Version/dp/B005H4CDF4/

or

http://www.amazon.com/Business-class-High-power-Wireless-n-300MBPS-Access/dp/B005SSQHTM/

or

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY

put it into AP mode

or

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-AirPort-Express-Station-MC414LL/dp/B008ALA2RC/

put it into Bridge mode.

The Ubiquiti's are great if you want to us multiple and have your devices switch to the strongest signal seamlessly. i would recommend a POE injector for the EnGenius but its not required. a POE injector allows you to have the power supply up near the main router and only run an ethernet cable to the unit. the Ubiquiti MUST use an injector, but it comes with an injector.

the Asus and Apple units will be the most user friendly to install and set up.

Time for some WIFI lessons.
Your cable modem brings you the internet signal at the speed you pay for, so lets say the 300 Mb/s speed. After it hits your modem, you wire it to a router(wifi source).
Routers have different rated WIFI speeds, the most common being N150, N300, N450 with older models in the G54 range. That means that the N150 has a MAX theoretical speed of 150 Mb/s on the WIFI signal within a certain range. Now obviously, these speeds were tested in optimal conditions, no other wifi signals around, and without much radio interference.
So for a 300 Mb/s signal coming into your modem, your WIFI router should at LEAST be a N300, the higher the better though! Here's why:
The N450 (450 Mb/s) will have a larger "pipe" that can handle the down speed and up speed. There are also faster routers that use a connection type called "AC", these are newer routers and they can provide speeds above 1000 Mb/s (Google fiber speeds). A standard Cat 5e ethernet cable will provide you with 1000 Mb/s or 1 Gigabit (Gb).
You might be asking "What do all these numbers mean and how do I use this for my home?" Well here's how.

[Internet] ~~ [Modem@ 300MB/s] ~~ (Ethernet @1000Mb/s) ~~[Router] --(WIFI @ 450 MB/s) --[Computer @ 300Mb/s]

This simple set up will make sure your WIFI signal can be NEAR the cap speeds that your modem provides. Now of course, a wire is always better, but the better your Router , and your WIFI adapters (on your devices) are, the better your WIFI speeds will be.

Hope this helps!


This is the router that I use at home.

This is an adapter I have for one of my desktops at home

My main computer is hardwired, but I have a secondary desktop that I use as a small media machine and to use steamstream with, and the items above are what I use. You can of course go with more expensive options, but these should be sufficient enough to use TWC services at this time.

uh... what? Are we even looking at the same link? The Nighthawk AC1750 is an excellent middle-of-the-road router for regular consumer use, and the Amazon listing I linked you to has 21k reviews with a 4-star average. 70% of the reviews are 5-star reviews.


Edit: I see. Apparently they are starting to ship the R6700v2 instead of the R6700. Hmm. I don't really know what to tell you do about that. The Nighthawk has been pretty widely regarded as the top consumer-grade router for the last couple of years. I'd be shocked if the v2 trashed that, but it's not out of the question. You could always spend more and get the R7000, which is a great device, or spend less and get the R6230, which is a perfectly serviceable device that most consumers won't max out anyway. Are any of these the v2 device? I have no idea. Amazon has an awesome return policy though.


Edit2: Another reviewer recommends this as an alternative in the same price range: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00Z0V2NQ8

Lol im royalty because a gbe router nowadays is sooooo expensive...and FYI i have no work at the moment, thanks for asking tho...also FYI again the newest raspi3b+ comes with gigabit, ofc cant totally take advantage of it because of usb2 and because all usb is shared but yea...15MB/s is achievable...top and with all the fury...

To add a bit, you can probably get an used super solid tl-wr1043nd for like 20-30 bucks, or well...something like this

What router do you currently have? I know that the Asus RT-N66U is probably some of the most robust routers (that thing can take a lot!), but, you could improve the performance of your current router by using DD-WRT.

The Linksys E3200 is also rather robust and should be able to handle simultaneous tasks over ethernet. The Wi-Fi capabilities are OK, and you can take some of the load from the 2.4 GHz band to 5 GHz if you have an iPhone 5.

The Linksys E2500 is probably the most basic you can get with how many devices you want to handle, but Ethernet is slower (no gigabit) and Wi-Fi has less TX power (which you can adjust with the right Firmware).

If you have any more questions, just ask!

Ubiquiti APs are straight-up the best you can get in that price range, as well as ranges above it. I've found that a single AC-Pro will be able to provide the same coverage that two lesser APs could when properly located.

If you like the Unifi control plane then yes the USG and switches make sense, although you will pay for it. Personally I like the greater control and flexibility of something like the EdgeRouter line, and the ER-X just rocks for smaller installations due to the price.

I recommend an 802.11AC router, so you can actually take advantage of the 1gbps connection over wireless somewhat.

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-Gigabit-Support-Compatible/dp/B00F0DD0I6

I often refer the Netgear Nighthawk to friends, very consistent, works great. I've been using it for the past 2 years, doesn't have any issues. Older models usually have more support and all the bugs worked out/updated by now too. It's easy to setup.

It depends on what you are doing though... are you a technical person? Do you have a home server that you want to utilize? Are you going to use Power of Ethernet? etc...

If you just want something that works and doesn't need a whole lot of headache, just get the Nighthawk.

I love my Asus RT-AC66U, but that was a bit overkill for my mother-in-law so I figured it was a perfect opportunity to try the RT-N12

I gotta say, this little thing kicks some major ass. On Christmas and New Years we were streaming movies to their 2 smart TVs from our cell phones and it never skipped a beat. 1 TV is wired, the other TV and our phones (obviously) were WiFi. On top of that we had 3 more phones, 3 tablets and a chromebook on the Wifi. All were being uses simultaneously. I switched them to VoIP a couple weeks ago and that's been working great too.

First thing first what speed are you actually paying for? That will determine equipment for the most part.

Best bet is to get a dumb modem and a separate router. While I can't find a proper list of approved modems, silly comcast, the Arris Surfboard always gets solid reviews, coming in at $45. It tops out at 343 Mbps download and 131 upload speeds. I've never had comcast or any dealings with them, so anyone else that does please feel free to chime in.

As for router, I've been a fan of TP Links product, so I'd recommend the TP-Link Wireless Router AC1900. It will give you 4 gig ports, its dual band, meaning both 2.4 GHz (up to 600 mbps) and 5 GHz (up to 1300mbps) for wifi, priced at $90. That will keep you under the $200 price range and give you good service.

Edit; words are hard

For an AC1900, get the Archer C9, it is the same price, but newer model, and it's amazing. AND it's on sale right now, didn't realize that!!! (I bought it when it wasn't on sale).

I typically recommend the Archer C7 AC1750 to people. The Archer C5 AC1200 for people on a budget, but I didn't realize that the C5 and C7 are about the same price now, so might as well get the C7 instead of C5.

Here is a good combo for you. Archer C9 + 16x4 Modem. You should get it while it's on sale! $149.39.

There are some nice routers having price drops, but I would still recommend the ASUS RT-N66U

Feature-rich stock firmware, strong 2.4ghz channel, good hardware, flashable with dd-wrt and other 3rd party firmware.

Yea, it's not 802.11ac, but most devices still only have 802.11n adapters and I would wait for the 2nd wave of 802.11ac routers to fully cycle in before considering. There's a 802.11ac verison for $20-30 more that's just as solid.

Most of them use Verizon FiOS. Under FiOS, you get the same upload and download speed, so if you get 100Mbps download, you'll get 100Mbps upload; very good for streaming at a price that's better than competitors' like TWC and Comcast.

For routers I suggest the Netgear AC3200 Nighthawk X6 Triband Router (http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-AC3200-Nighthawk-Tri-Band-R8000/dp/B00KWHMR6G). It's costly but this thing will give you WiFi speeds that are equivalent to wired ethernet speeds, and the LOWEST band (which is a 2.4GHz band) is capable of 600 Mbps, with the other two 5GHz bands packing up to 1.3Gbps capabilities each (which you won't get even with Google Fiber).

If you don't want to spend $270, get the Nighthawk AC1900 Dual Band router for $185 (http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1412720595&sr=1-2&keywords=netgear+nighthawk).

If there are a lot of people in your house that use WiFi, and you guys do any kind of video streaming or need constant, stable WiFi connections nearly the entire day, the extra money you spend on the TriBand AC3200 is WELL worth it. You will not need to upgrade routers for a long while. Furthermore, AC is the newest WiFi technology, and it just started to be included in several new technological devices like the iPhone 6 or newer laptops. 802.11ad is just around the corner, but it will still be backwards compatible with a/b/g/n/ac

You'll get extremely quick and stable WiFi connection with the AC3200 TriBand router. No need for a wireless adapter to boost signal capture unless your PC doesn't have a built-in WiFi card. Reason being is the router has range that will cover your entire house while still being extremely stable, especially if you're able to get it somewhere near the middle of your house in an open space with no surrounding furniture or objects to 'deter' any signal.

+1 on Intel network cards.

Mikrotik products are well regarded and are particularly popular in Europe. In addition to the Mikrotik, the Edgerouter X is also very popular at this price point.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YFJT29C/ref=pd_cp_147_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=70FZY2GATQXW5MYK7AZW

Neither of these is a plug and play solution, so you may wish to view the software manuals for each of these two products, before making a purchase decision. There are many useful YouTube vids for the Edgerouter X. This is a general overview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SianDqAQaR0

In addition to the Crosstalk Solutions channel, look at the Ben Pin and Willie Howe channels for additional configuration guidance.

Sorry for the late reply, here is the Modem. I can't remember the one they gave me, I do know I had to return at least 2 of them over the course of 2/3 years (tech support requested that I return them). The thing to do is to go HERE and pick one that is more than your max speed that you are paying for (please note that the modem I linked before is actually rated 3.4x what they have on their site, which I think is a screw up on their chart). Basically, as long your modem's Mbps is higher than the speed your paying for, you're good. It's also a good idea to have some extra to grow into. I would shy away from the wifi modems. I prefer to handle all wifi access via a router (a Wi-Fi modem is just another security hole and you should always have a router just for troubleshooting and it's an extra security layer). Also, here is the ROUTER I paired with the aforementioned modem. They've worked pretty much flawlessly for over a year and it costs about $80-$90 for both. You can certainly find more robust systems, but this is a really good value in my opinion.

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/ (I don't know much about modems, but have seen this one frequently recommended on support subreddits)

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N16-Wireless-N-Maximum-Performance-single/dp/B00387G6R8/ (2.4 ghz only, good enough for 99% of people)

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ (5ghz + 2.4ghz, good if you are in a heavily congested WiFi area, i.e. have 10+ strong-medium strength interfering networks)

http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ (If you can spend more then get this instead of the N66U above)

Hey all, I'm wondering which is the better router here.

I recently bought this one on amazon, but this is still within the return window if the other one is better:

TP-Link AC1900 Long Range Wireless Wi-Fi Router - Amazon's Choice for Essential Wi-Fi Router (Archer C9) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PDLRHFW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kLnDzb7T0R6DT

Below is the router that just went back on sale. I'm wondering if it's better than the above router to justify me returning the TP-Link.

NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1750 Smart Dual Band WiFi Router (R6700) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FInDzbR34GW34

Thanks!

You'd be better off segregating your devices. Use the modem for a modem, get a Ubiquiti Edge Router, and then get an Access point like a Ubiquiti AC Lite. Your current modem is fine; it's on their 2018 approved list. Also, pulling down 100Mb/s isn't very taxing. It's when you start pulling down 300+ that you need much more expensive gear.


If this set up is too complicated, I'd still recommend getting a separate router / access point combo. TP-Link is a great brand and many of their SOHO routers are compatible with 3rd party firmware, such as DD-WRT or OpenWRT.

Routers from ISP's typically are quite bad. They are mean't for light usage and Perk usually quickly goes over that light usage (Depends on how many devices you are using). The EdgeRouter X is available ($52), but I have no experience with it. It is recommend by a few people on this subreddit. This is a wired router.

Most people are used to routers including wireless in this. In this case you need an access point for wireless ability. I linked one below that keeps getting recommended by others ($75). /u/back_like_woa made a great point about consumer routers and Perk earlier today. In a nicer way of saying it, these options are better than dealing with cheaper consumer routers that have issues.
___
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YFJT29C/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017MD6CHM/

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.

I'd recommend just getting a router and using it as your internet gateway. I assume from your minimal description that you have a Comcast cable modem plugged into the wall, and from there directly to the PC via ethernet? If that's the case, you should be able to go out and buy almost any basic wireless-capable home router, plug it in between the Comcast modem and the PC, and you'll immediately gain wifi (great for phones, tablets, laptops, etc) as well as a few extra switched ethernet ports. Note that the PS4 also has built in wifi capability, so you can use that if you don't want to immediately run an ethernet cable to the machine. Wifi is not as stable (especially in an area with lots of access points) as the wire though, so keep that in mind. But it'll get you connected.

Router examples:This is a pretty good unit, especially at the current pricing. You do not need one of the super fancy $150+ routers in almost all cases. https://smile.amazon.com/TP-Link-AC1750-Smart-WiFi-Router/dp/B079JD7F7G/ (at time of posting, it's on sale for about $57)

On the cheaper end, https://smile.amazon.com/Linksys-E1000-Cisco-Linksys-Wireless-N-Router/dp/B003B48UNG/ will...do the job, I guess. As you have Comcast cable, there's a decent chance that you may have faster than 100mbit download speed, and if so, this router will limit you to 100, before anything else. But things do exist that will do the basic connectivity job, which is why I mentioned it. These older E-series are... they're okay, but less than stellar. By all means shop around for something, I'm just providing some examples of what exists - I don't know your budget or what you're willing to set up.

Oh, one last thing - if your internet plan offers more than 100mbit down, you'll absolutely want to get a router that has gigabit ethernet support. Otherwise you could end up with something like the above E1000 which only goes up to 100.

There are likely many options for your setup and maybe you'll get a lot of suggestions. I can tell you that I have a similar setup as far as home and devices. I had the Linksys WRT AC1900 (with DD-WRT open source firmware). It worked just fine, but I wanted a bit more control and options. I went with the Ubiquiti EdgeRouterX and the Ubiquiti Unifi AP-AC LR (long range) access point. This provided the ability to separate out devices by network (VLANs) as well as give the option to be able to easily add additional access points if I need it. Head over to the r/Ubiquiti subreddit for more info if you are interested. This setup hits pretty close to your budget, but does require a bit more tech know-how than setting up a single all-in-one router. The Ubiquiti line is sort of considered Pro-Sumer I think.

Okay then I would stay away from the proprietary Verizon routers and go either with the Archer C7 or the Asus AC-1750.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ABOJKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1LKnyb9HYGH71

You will want to use the Ethernet jack that is coming out of your Fios ONT for the routers that I am recommending and if they only set up coaxial, it is an easy phone call to frontier to change it to Ethernet.

I can't speak about much on the TP-Link router but everyone in this community seems to recommend it a lot. I have a Asus router at home and it was really easy to set up as a router with frontier. And when you move the ASUS router can be easily turned into an access point that can extend your wireless easily.

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

Your modem wasn't an issue, it was the router attached to the modem. I think you wasted your money there.

If you want a hecking good router, the [Asus AC5300 is a fan favorite] (https://www.amazon.com/Tri-band-AiProtection-Accelerator-Compatible-RT-AC5300/dp/B0167HG1V6/ref=bdl_pop_ttl_B0167HG1V6). Ensure you sacrifice an xbox 360 to it now and then to keep it happy.

[The TP-Link Archer AC1900] (https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Archer-AC1900-Smart-Router/dp/B00PDLRHFW/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1522431079&sr=1-3&keywords=dual+band+router+tp-link) also has great wireless speeds and control. I recommend this one, TPLink has good products.

So I just upgraded myself and I'm on Xfinity (Comcast) also. Check out the comcast Modem combatiblity list here. I first got a refurbished Arris SB6121 and long story short I nor Comcast could get the Modem to activate. Then after doing some research I picked up the Netgear CM400 New for $60 and its been working great thus far. Since I only need 802.11n wifi capability I decided to get a TP-LINK N450 for $30. But if you want a bunch of bells an whistles or 802.11ac its gonna cost you. Everything I purchased seems to work great, the new router reaches all the way to my upstairs bedroom chromecast, I highly recomend any TP-Link wifi router they have all worked great in the past. Hope I helped.

Actually swapped out a TP-Link Archer C8 for this....https://www.amazon.com/RT-ACRH13-Dual-Band-AC1300-4-port-Gigabit/dp/B01LXL1AR8 and so happy I did. Best router I've owned in long time. We cut the cord also and we do a lot of gaming and TV streaming (mutliple devices) at same time and it handles the bandwith brilliantly. Good luck in your search.

P.S. We are also in a large 2 story house and coverage is excellent throughout.

There's a cheap, easy way around the redirect/sign in problem. Bring a travel router. I own the hootoo tripmate elite and I bring it and my chromecast on vacation all the time

Here's a link to the nano version. It's cheaper than the elite because it doesn't have a battery for charging but it should be enough to get your roku going.

HooToo Wireless Travel Router, USB Port, High Performance- TripMate Nano (Not a Hotspot) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HZWOQZ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_CTwtzb2JN2H73

You can pm me about it if you want

Hope everything goes well

Edit: just to be clear what you do is plug this in and use an app on your phone to connect the hootoo to the existing hospital guest network and accept the terms/enter your room number or whatever. The hootoo will create its own network that you will connect your roku to

I'd recommend the Netgear R7000 Nighthawk, on sale on Amazon.ca for $179.

I own it and it's absolutely amazing for speed and range, plus you can run Tomato/DD-WRT on it. There's such a big community of owner that you'll get awesome support from other owners, and the custom firmware ecosystem is very strong.

I just replaced my 6 year old Netgear WNDR3400V2 with this TP-Link Archer C9. Its only $77 right now and It's been fantastic so far and has doubled what speeds I was getting with my old router (albeit that one was probably on its way out). Best of all it was so easy to set up. Just plug it in and it's up and running. Make sure it's on their compability list. But I'm sure it is.

For modems arris surfboards are good. They go higher in price depending on what speed you're getting. Make sure the modem will get you enough speed though. Because I have a modem capable of 680mbps but WOW limits my bandwidth to a max of 100mbps with my specific modem.