Assuming we just need a router better sized for our midsized home or to punch through that minor metal interference, it seems any of the TP-Link Archer AX3000, Asus RT-AX68U, and Netgear Nighthawk R7000 would suit our needs, but I’m curious if we should explore anything else before putting money into new equipment? Reply I’m considering a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter (4?) and a couple of Unifi access points. Or possibly an EdgeRouter, Unifi Switch and Unifi access points. I’m open to any manufacturer though. Maybe one of these consumer mesh systems would do if I could disable the wifi on the main router. I currently have a Netgear R7300 that seems to be failing (it is about 3 years old). I’ve tried reloading firmware and more or less anything I can think of, but the WiFi is almost completely unresponsive now and even cabled connections are starting to slow dramatically. Second followup question on the Wi-Fi basics article since it hasn’t been Wi-Fi 6. Has Mu-MiMo expanded past four devices in 6? I see some companies advertising 8 stream Mu-MiMo, is that 8 devices or just 4 devices with 2×2 connections?

And then, in late 2022, Asus did it again by introducing the RT-AX86U Pro, which is basically the RT-AX86U plus a slightly faster CPU. Asus didn’t confirm this, but my take is the S in the RT-AX86S is short for “stripped-down.” This new router has way less to offer than the RT-AX86U. Why 4G? For the moment, a 4G router is my only door to the internet, but in future I am planning on getting a landline. Is some router exists with the functionality of the RT-AX86U without the wifi included ? Is it a good idea even to get a router without it ? You'll find in this post the comprehensive top-five lists of "the best" standalone Wi-Fi 6 routers.Thank you for your advice. I have a very large home spread among a few buildings, and bought an ASUS XT8 set of WiFi 6 AiMesh routers and am very happy (almost). There is still one area (home office above the garage) that has occasional connectivity issues, mostly for a laptop connected to a work VPN. Phones and TV’s have adequate bandwidth most times. It is difficult, but I am running a Cat6a cable from the main node to that area soon. We’re using a 3.5-year old TP-Link Archer C7 (v2), so it doesn’t seem like the router itself should be outdated, but perhaps it’s just not optimal for a house over 3,000 sqft. And since the cable connection puts the router on the main floor within 5 feet of both our smart TV and the gas fireplace with its metal exhaust pipe (the only other option was in the basement), and with both of us working upstairs and regularly on the 5G band, it sure seems like any of range, bandwidth, or interference could be our culprit, especially since this was never as much of an issue at the smaller condo. Just updated the firmware last night and fixed a mismatched time zone issue as well, but that hasn’t resolved our problems yet. And while we do have several connected devices (3 total laptops, 2 smartphones, 1 tablet, 1 smart TV, 1 smart thermostat), this isn’t exactly a fully “smart” home that would need the most high-end internet setup, as far as I can tell. bedrooms are on the left side of the house, and 2 rooms on the right side with the gateway being more or less center of the property. All the rooms (on both sides of the house) are separated from the main living area by a door which is usually closed. One node is in my office (furthest room from gateway about 30 feet) and the other node is in the laundry room (about 20 feet). THE question I have for you is – which router (router software) would give me greater control of ensuring that only my desk wifi5 5Ghz client/adapter connects to the main router (or would I benefit from connecting to the satellite being in the room above me) only?

The company’s select models — including RT-AX86U Pro, RT-AX88U Pro, GT-AX11000 Pro, GT-AXE16000, GT-AX6000, ZenWiFi Pro ET12/ XT12, and ExpertWiFi Series — also support a more advanced VLAN feature allowing users to customize their network ports accordingly. Additionally, these models generally share the same Pro-only features on top of the standard set available in all Asus routers. The takeaway I’m looking to get a new router. What I plan to do is get a router which will be connected to my current MR400 which is then connected to the internet. The Wi-Fi 6 standard's first router became available in early 2019, and since then, I've reviewed dozens of them, but only those I'd use for myself make it here. And I've been updating this post regularly. Dong's note: I first published this frequently revised post on November 11, 2019, and last updated it on March 30, 2023. Best Wi-Fi 6 routers: The shortlisted top-five

I don’t need mesh right now, flat is about 70m2, but I prefer to keep the option in the future as at some point we plan to move to bigger one (>100m2) Guest WiFi: Create a guest network with a WiFi schedule and access rights to control when and how guests can use the network. That said, just like all Asus Wi-Fi 6 routers, these three routers seem to have more in common than they do in differences. VLAN capability on the LAN side was added with the release of Firmware: 9.0.0.6.102.3506 (Beta Version)

These generally are routers for the budget-minded or those living in a small or medium home with modest bandwidth needs. 5. Synology WRX560 As for the fight between the RT-AX86U vs the RT-AX86U Pro, the “Pro” notion of the latter is a bit arbitrary. There’s not much extra to qualify the new hardware for the moniker. But that’s just semantics. Chances are the two are the same in real-world usage, and I wouldn’t consider the Pro if it costs noticeably more. The TUF-AX5400 is a different shape from the GS-AX5400 below. It has the same hardware inside but is part of the more affordable TUF product that's more popular in Asia and the EU than in the US. There are a few lists for different home sizes, including small, medium, and large, determined by the number of users and not necessarily space -- again, you need a mesh for a large home.Reading your posts and other sources suggests to me that a wired network appears to be the best option by some margin. I was considering the AX12 just for sheer performance but am concerned about range. I was also looking at the AX5400 is it just seems like a WiFi6 version of what I have now and seems to have more range.