Question Replacing Linksys EA8300 router

papaschtroumpf

Senior member
Mar 5, 2003
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My Linksys EA8300 just died, so I am in the market for a new router.
The EA8300 is still around $200 and I'm guessing I can get a better router in the same price range ?

Ideally I would like the router to be able to connect to CenturyLink/Lumen DSL modem which is set in transparent mode, so the router would need to support logging in the DSL account. I don;t know if this is par for the course for every modern router, or if this is something I specifically need to research. the Linksys does it great.
I'd love to get Wi-Fi6 for future-proofing (it's not like I upgrade my routers very often).
I also have a server that needs a static IP address, so the router needs to be able to reserve a range of addresses for static IP addressing, or at least DHCP reservations (which I think it what I used on the linksys)

Beyond that the most important feature to me is range. The router is in the basement but bedrooms are on the 2nd floor. I do have an ethernet cable between the basement and the main floor so if I really had to I could connect the router to the modem that way but my wife is not too keen on having a router as a decor item.
We tried the Google nest marshmallow Nest and I was not happy with it, both from a mesh performance point of view (kept disconnecting) and with the "easy for the consumer" interface.

I will have several devices (tablet, Amazon TV 4K, etc...) streaming simultaneously, but I've never had an issue with the linksys, I think the DSL bandwidth is more the limiting factor here, but range affects speed too.

Any suggestions? I'd love to stay in the $150 price range, but willing to go to $300
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
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Future-proofing is Not a Real variable in the Consumers Computers market. The changes are fast and some of these changes are deliberately done in a way that will force consumers to buy new hardware.

Since you have DSL (which is very limited from an Internet perspective), then currently the main factor is your LAN.

I.e. to what extend you have Client Wireless using the local network per-se rather than sharing Internet..

As an example, this Wireless Router would do a little better than you current defunct Router for $79.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AC2600-Smart-WiFi-Router/dp/B07QF74ZXB/

Otherwise it depends to what extend you are willing to risk until you can Upgarde your Internet form DSL to the current Fiber Model.

So.. if you want to save and take it easy for a while



:cool:
 

papaschtroumpf

Senior member
Mar 5, 2003
869
2
81
I've been out for a few weeks and finally got home and installed my new Asus RT-AX3000 router. I am very satisfied with the purchase, it is highly configurable (setting up DHCP pools, reservations, etc... was a breeze and I love the breadth of options for WiFi)
 

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
8,059
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Just for kicks (if you haven't yet), I'd try a different power adapter with the ea8300, maybe it died instead of the router itself.
 

papaschtroumpf

Senior member
Mar 5, 2003
869
2
81
thanks for the suggestion, I had tried it already, so that wasn't the issue.

It looks like the new router has a VPN server built-in, that's kind of neat and easier that my current SSH port forwarding solution.