Router and Wi-Fi set up

[jsf721]

Currently using Google mesh Wi-fi with 5 nodes to cover 3400 sq feet with 2 floor and a basement, So 3 levels.

Wi-Fi speeds are good as I’m getting at least what I’m paying for. Pay for 200/35 and getting 199-230/35.

I have a 5g main network almost everything is on and a 2.4 guest network for guests but also has my smart lighting bridge.

Currently about 34 devices and I’m looking to upgrade the router to future
Proof my Wi-Fi.

Seems everting I read had downsides

Though EERO pro 6 (3 pack) would do it but at a high cost. But I seems lots of users have issues where the devices don’t connect to closest node
Effecting speed.

Also do I need to hard wire these for best backhaul? Or is the 3rd band sufficient ?

Thanks for any insite into routers and set up philosophy. I’m not to up on it.

[ryan stewart]

Ive been rocking the ASUS XT8 system using the wireless backhaul since the start of the pandemic and I can get my 800+ down, run multiple HD streams locally from media server, and have about 35 devices on at any given time. I also use it as a backup NAS, like a time machine, since it has USP ports for drives and can run a SAMBA/FTP server.

The only knock is if you want to use QoS it uses a cloud service in China so I nixed that shit.

[M_Six]

That Asus XT8 looks like a sweet system. I've been wondering where to go once my Apple AirPort mesh starts to die. Knock on wood, it's still working great.

Does the Asus system have decent configurability?

[Frostynorth]

Happy with the Ubiquiti AP that I got a while back. Wired from router with their supplied POE injector. Easy setup with the phone app, think multiple devices in a mesh is a bit more complicated.

[paquet]

Both Ubiquiti and Belkin owned Linksys have excellent cloud managed access points that work remarkably well with mesh setups - no issues with client roaming in the setups I've done

[zx10guy]

I detest any cloud managed networking systems. You're totally dependent on the manufacturer to keep that product operational. So in essence, you don't own your equipment and are just leasing it.

I'd look into a system from Aruba called Instant Access Points.

Due to firmware limitations with my equipment which uses a Dell OEM'd wireless controller from Aruba. I can't upgrade it past the current firmware to support the newer access points despite the 7008 controller I own as still being current. But even with that limitation, I'm able to do file transfers at a real world rate of 400 to 500 Mbps over wireless. I don't see myself needing to upgrade any time soon. This performance more than satisfies what I need when I'm moving about my home on any mobile device. It also more than satisfies 4k streaming uncompressed.

If I need to really push bits, I just go to my wired desktop or just connect up my laptop to a network drop. The network drops I can connect any client device up to supports 1Gbps and 10Gbps.

[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by M_Six

That Asus XT8 looks like a sweet system. I've been wondering where to go once my Apple AirPort mesh starts to die. Knock on wood, it's still working great.

Does the Asus system have decent configurability?

TONS. You can still tell they market to gamers and nerds so you trade the clean, simple interface of Apple/Google/etc for an ugly interface that has tons of control.

You can individually optimize signals and test, bind devices to a specific node, they come with wired connections at each AP, can to wired backhaul, etc. The app lets you check the dba of each device, etc. You can monitor the routers performance as well, CPU, memory, throughput, etc.

I'm actually running my media server on my remote node wired and it really helped with multiple 4k streams I think because now its not sending and receiving the whole thing wirelessly. And the wireless backhaul doesn't miss a beat. I just ran a test and the media server and got an average of 762.6 of the 800Mb/s Im paying for. I have the option to put in wired backhaul since my house is pre-wired with cat6 but since it works so well Ive been too lazy to mess with it.

And then of course all of the family stuff, access control, scheduling, etc. The stuff that everyone else does that I dont use anyway.

[zx10guy]

Something else of note which is not being discussed. You can have the fastest wireless APs available. But if your clients can't support the capabilities of the APs, you're wasting your money. You have to look at how many streams the wireless NIC in the client device can support. Many wireless clients only have a 1x1 or a 2x2 wireless NIC in them.

[M_Six]

So you don't use another router between the Asus system and your modem? If so, how configurable is the firewall on the Asus? Can you create your own rules?

[paquet]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

I detest any cloud managed networking systems. You're totally dependent on the manufacturer to keep that product operational. So in essence, you don't own your equipment and are just leasing it.

Agree. The approach I've started to take is write it off in X number of years.
Keeps me from pulling out what's left of my hair...

Another 'backup' option I look into is - if the unit can be managed without the cloud service - so yes you do lose the remote management piece unless you have some local controller, etc.

[ryan stewart]

No the asus is the router, I just have a motorola surfboard modem (my own) connected to Comcasts cable.

You can set up to 128 individual firewall rules, can use remote IP, port or protocol. You can also filter sites, keywords, services. For fun I was blocking fox news when my dad was visiting just to annoy him.

FYI the Asus system is basically just multiple routers. Its not the main router and then "dumb" pucks. They basically just developed a mesh protocol that all of their routers work with. You could, in theory, use one of their massive gaming routers as the main one and the others as the nodes. Really all you are doing is installing full routers and just designating the primary and nodes.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by ryan stewart

No the asus is the router, I just have a motorola surfboard modem (my own) connected to Comcasts cable.

You can set up to 128 individual firewall rules, can use remote IP, port or protocol. You can also filter sites, keywords, services. For fun I was blocking fox news when my dad was visiting just to annoy him.

[ryan stewart]

Also FYI I havent really played with it but their routers have IFTTT and Alexa skills. All I can really think to do is maybe turn the guest network on/off. I never turned on the guest network so I havent played with it.

I guess with kids you could shut their internet off using a skill or something.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by packet

Agree. The approach I've started to take is write it off in X number of years.
Keeps me from pulling out what's left of my hair...

Another 'backup' option I look into is - if the unit can be managed without the cloud service - so yes you do lose the remote management piece unless you have some local controller, etc.

I know it's beyond the technical capabilities of many home users. But for remote management, I just SSL VPN into my network infrastructure. The SSL VPN system I'm using is from SonicWall which has both mobile and laptop/desktop based clients. If I want to create a clientless setup, I can but am too lazy to set up the virtual desktop for clientless SSL VPN.

[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

I know it's beyond the technical capabilities of many home users. But for remote management, I just SSL VPN into my network infrastructure. The SSL VPN system I'm using is from SonicWall which has both mobile and laptop/desktop based clients. If I want to create a clientless setup, I can but am too lazy to set up the virtual desktop for clientless SSL VPN.

Another option is Chrome Remote Desktop. Its free and you just need a windows client running on the local network, in my case I can remote into my media server and then login to my router from there.

My router has WAN management options but unless youre running a static IP not much use.

[Pauldunlop13]

When I moved last July, I bought the Orbi RBR850 - primary and a satellite unit

pretty happy with the performance and config options

I pay for 1.2Gbs and regularly get test results of 1400+

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by ryan stewart

Another option is Chrome Remote Desktop. Its free and you just need a windows client running on the local network, in my case I can remote into my media server and then login to my router from there.

My router has WAN management options but unless youre running a static IP not much use.

You can use dynamic DNS. I have two domains registered with two different dynamic DNS services. One is with Dyn.com which used to be free. I've been using it for years and have much of my VPN clients configured to use the domain registered with Dyn...decided to keep paying for it. ChangeIP.com is another which is as far as I know is still free. I have a backup domain registered with ChangeIP.

Most consumer grade routers have support for dynamic DNS. You just configured your login credentials into the router. The built in client will report any new IP address assignment to your router's WAN port to the dynamic DNS service.

Been using dynamic DNS for coming up on 10 years without any issues.

[ryan stewart]

the asus does support DDNS I just suggested chrome remote for the layperson who might not want to go through all of that but still thinks they need remote management.

[M_Six]

I have a domain name that points to my home as well. But my IP changes so rarely I don't bother with dynamic DNS. In the 10-12 years I've been with my cable provider, I've only had 3 or 4 IP changes. But in general I agree, dynamic DNS is easy to use and is included in many routers.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by ryan stewart

the asus does support DDNS I just suggested chrome remote for the layperson who might not want to go through all of that but still thinks they need remote management.

There are other options such as Teamviewer for remote management. Call me paranoid, but I just don't trust anything from the likes of Google, Amazon, etc where part of their revenue model is collection of data.

[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

There are other options such as Teamviewer for remote management. Call me paranoid, but I just don't trust anything from the likes of Google, Amazon, etc where part of their revenue model is collection of data.

Oh yeah feel you. I didnt mind it because its just on my HTPC server which has nothing on it but plex and MKVs and the account its tied to is a "whatever the fuck Google is calling G Suite now" domain so the accounts are separate from their data collection apparatus. I would have had to enable it as a domain admin and did not.

[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I have a domain name that points to my home as well. But my IP changes so rarely I don't bother with dynamic DNS. In the 10-12 years I've been with my cable provider, I've only had 3 or 4 IP changes. But in general I agree, dynamic DNS is easy to use and is included in many routers.

I could probably shift my domain to my home media server but it would be more than 3 or 4 changes for sure, Comcast loves to knock out my cable for 15 minutes every few weeks, causing me to pull a new IP when it binds. Id have to setup a notification for when it goes offline to remind me to update the DNS record.

Not that I would, I have only logged into my server to see if it was the network or something else that knocked my cameras offline, etc. Which has been a WHILE. I just keep my domain because it belonged to a business I had so its kind of sentimental.