Question Time to upgrade my router...

ibex333

Diamond Member
Mar 26, 2005
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Currently, I have an ASUS RT-AC68U - there's nothing wrong with it. It works great. However technology is moving forward at a lightning speed, and AC Wifi is already old news. I want to be at Wi-Fi 6 speeds, especially since shortages of chips can lead to a fall in router availability.

I am looking at this Wi-Fi 6 router NETGEAR - Nighthawk RAX35 AX3000 WiFi 6 Router - Walmart.com - Walmart.com

However I heard Wi-Fi 6e is coming and if that is very soon I don't want to be outdated so quickly again. Shoudl I wait or buy now, and is my choice a good router or should I go with something else?

This is for a small 1 bedroom apartment - not a house. General use + gaming.

Thanks!
 

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
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What's the point upgrading to 6 or 6E if AC already works great? Makes you feel good/ happier or live longer? 😁

As mv2devnull has pointed out, you have to upgrade router itself and the clients (PC, smartphone/tablet) at the same time.

If your game playing or video watching only consume 50Mbps, why do you need to expand the bandwidth to let's say 2400Mbps (in theory for the Netgear model) for WiFi but you got 1G internet however? Also wired gaming > wifi gaming if you really care, which mv2devnull also has pointed out.
 
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VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
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What good is "WiFi 6*" AP unless your clients are at same level?
This.

OP, are you mostly wired or wireless? I use 2.5GbE wired for my desktops, and wireless AC for my laptops and cell (and my WDS AP, linking some other wired desktops).

Unless you have newer Wifi 6 / AX clients, I wouldn't bother.

I'm holding out for 6E (6Ghz band), 160Mhz channels, AND at LEAST 2.5GbE, BOTH LAN AND WAN.
 

ibex333

Diamond Member
Mar 26, 2005
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This.

OP, are you mostly wired or wireless? I use 2.5GbE wired for my desktops, and wireless AC for my laptops and cell (and my WDS AP, linking some other wired desktops).

Unless you have newer Wifi 6 / AX clients, I wouldn't bother.

I'm holding out for 6E (6Ghz band), 160Mhz channels, AND at LEAST 2.5GbE, BOTH LAN AND WAN.


Well, you certainly have a point... However, some of my clients do support Wifi 6, such as my Galaxy S21 Ultra. Then again, I completely forgot that my ISP speed is only 110Mbps so thank you for saving me money. ; )
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
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Currently, I have an ASUS RT-AC68U

There's nothing wrong with those routers, BTW, other than perhaps aging.

If you're hankering for something new, consider installing "Fresh Tomato" firmware onto it, there's a lot of nice additional features that the factory firmware doesn't have. (Ideally, have a second backup router, just in case, so that you can at least get online to fix the first one if you screw it up.)
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
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I'm holding out for 6E (6Ghz band), 160Mhz channels, AND at LEAST 2.5GbE, BOTH LAN AND WAN.
That's what I said, then I saw this router, and ordered two (Mesh), from Amazon Warehouse for $137.xx ea, rather than the new price of $219. That's cheap enough for me to consider them "nearly disposable" (what I mean by that is, I won't mind replacing them in 2-3 years once my "ideal" spec router is available and cheaper), and I can get my feet wet experimenting with Wifi 6 / AX technologies like OFDM and WPA3 / SAE / PFS encryption options.


One reason is, seems to have support for 160Mhz channels, which I felt was a must-have (can work with AC clients too that support 160Mhz channels).

Another was support for QuickVPN (using L2TP / IPSec) server support, ease of setup for VPN.

Another was Mesh.

And another was supposedly support for LAGG for a 2x1GbE channel to your LAN.

My only real concern is if the previous owner registered the "cloud" feature, and would therefore be able to control my router(s) remotely. Maybe I can call D-Link and provide proof-of-purchase and serial numbers and get them to reset the cloud feature on these routers.
 
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mv2devnull

Golden Member
Apr 13, 2010
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Well, you certainly have a point... However, some of my clients do support Wifi 6, such as my Galaxy S21 Ultra. Then again, I completely forgot that my ISP speed is only 110Mbps so thank you for saving me money. ; )
With new clients a new AP could make sense. Although, the benefit could show only in LAN-traffic.

Personally, my routers have no AP integrated to them; the AP's are separate devices. AP would be on ceiling, if reinforced concrete would not resist cheap drill ...
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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If i said my Wifi 6 AP has RGB will it be winner? Well, its by ubiquiti.

Lol... but seriously i keep my router and Wifi separate as mv2 states.
It allows me to upgrade each as tech advances without having to replace both.

Also i was not joking about my Unifi Wifi6 AP having RGB. ;)
 

bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
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If i said my Wifi 6 AP has RGB will it be winner? Well, its by ubiquiti.

Lol... but seriously i keep my router and Wifi separate as mv2 states.
It allows me to upgrade each as tech advances without having to replace both.

Also i was not joking about my Unifi Wifi6 AP having RGB. ;)
I so want like three of those but they are sold out everywhere and the third party prices are insane....I'm so jelly that you managed to get them.

But I guess to keep it on topic since this is the tech side of the forum I also agree that getting a dedicated router and some AP's to go with it is the best option if your wired solution allows it.
 

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
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I so want like three of those but they are sold out everywhere and the third party prices are insane....I'm so jelly that you managed to get them.

But I guess to keep it on topic since this is the tech side of the forum I also agree that getting a dedicated router and some AP's to go with it is the best option if your wired solution allows it.
B&H photo is taking pre orders. I couldn't find it anywhere else, so I bit. No idea when it will ship though.
 

fkoehler

Member
Feb 29, 2008
193
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Since he has an Asus, its quite possible Asus MerlinWRT is going to be more feature specific and supported.
It still makes me ROTFLMAO when people get so excited about the new shiny and are ready to throw money at before realizing its not going to move the needle in the least.
Someone should put a succinct sticky on the top of the forum advising of exactly this issue.

There's nothing wrong with those routers, BTW, other than perhaps aging.

If you're hankering for something new, consider installing "Fresh Tomato" firmware onto it, there's a lot of nice additional features that the factory firmware doesn't have. (Ideally, have a second backup router, just in case, so that you can at least get online to fix the first one if you screw it up.)
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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I so want like three of those but they are sold out everywhere and the third party prices are insane

i had to wait almost 2 months for mine from ubiquiti direct.
Overall i am liking them tho.
The shiney wifi 6 icon on my note 20ultra makes me happy even tho it does almost nothing to improve my wifi experience, but at least i have MOAR RGB~!.

In honesty tho... i really do not notice anything as i try to avoid file transfers on Wifi, and i have too many AP's currently per sqrft, i think according to @SamirD to do any sort of reliable network test.

Im running 5 in about 5200 Sqft, so sometimes my handoff's do not work properly, as signal strength is too great between access points anywhere on the entire property lot. (you see now why my neighbor decided to wage war against me when all the time my SSID would sit above his even at his is own home.)

But i would not pay anything but MSRP on these guys.
The RGB and increased bandwith on 6, really isn't worth it i feel for anything but MSRP.

It still makes me ROTFLMAO when people get so excited about the new shiny and are ready to throw money at before realizing its not going to move the needle in the least.

Isn't that why its called Shiney?
Its sparkley and pretty, and makes other people jelly its in your possession.
I think its served its purpose.
Performance gains is just a bonus, everyone really wants the shiney just because its the shiney.
 
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fkoehler

Member
Feb 29, 2008
193
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Understood, however its still ROTFLMAO time hearing people go on and on about this or that, not realizing its not improved their whatever no how. But its sad when friends or family upgrade something expensive like a PC or similar because of faulty information...

Isn't that why its called Shiney?
Its sparkley and pretty, and makes other people jelly its in your possession.
I think its served its purpose.
Performance gains is just a bonus, everyone really wants the shiney just because its the shiney.
 

mv2devnull

Golden Member
Apr 13, 2010
1,495
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The itch for shiney is strong in consumer. Marketing is cunning, just like in the days of miraculous snake oil.

Regular customer does not know that one could minimize overlaps of distinct SSIDs, nor how.