The router guide - what to look for and what is best.

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › The router guide - what to look for and what is best.

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~HONYAKKER!~
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#2025725 30-May-2018 15:39

I've spent a frankly embarrassing amount of time reading through this and other threads, and I think I've narrowed down the options to either a) Edgerouter Lite with one a Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC PRO or the LR
b) Grandstream GWN7000 with a GWN7610

A few questions before I hit the buy button.
1) Will both of these plug straight into my ONU and work with Spark fibre? As in no problems with VLAN tagging etc.?
2) Do both of these have the usual type of router setup - i.e. through a browser?
3) What sorts of mobile apps for tweaking configuration are available (would be nice, but not a deal-breaker)?
4) Is there an appreciable difference in capabilities of the APs? I'm in a 2-floor wooden house, and the AP will be at a maximum of 20 m from anything using it.
5) I want to use these with a VPN such as Express or Nord. Anything I should know?

I like the looks of the Grandstream option, but the sheer solidity and general public awareness of the Edgerouter appeals a lot too. Decisions, decisions. Price is not an overriding issue in this decision, as my company will be paying for a good chunk of it.

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Tinkerisk

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#2025755 30-May-2018 16:47

Gurezaemon:

A few questions before I hit the buy button.

2) Do both of these have the usual type of router setup - i.e. through a browser?

I like the looks of the Grandstream option, but the sheer solidity and general public awareness of the Edgerouter appeals a lot too. Decisions, decisions. Price is not an overriding issue in this decision, as my company will be paying for a good chunk of it.

ad 2) The Ubiquiti APs need a controller - either a H/W Ubiquiti device (to buy) or S/W (on a H/W available 24/7, server, Raspberry, PC, ...)

I use the best of both worlds: The EdgeRouter Lite in combination with a GWN7610 without any issue. That gives me the flexibility (complexity) of the EdgeOS and the capabilites of the GWN7610 AP. The GWN7000 is a good device for people, who don't like to get too deep into network/router technology.

- NET: FTTH, OPNsense, 10G backbone, GWN APs, ipPBX
- SRV: 12 RU HA server cluster, 0.1 PB storage on premise
- IoT: thread, zigbee, tasmota, BidCoS, LoRa, WX suite, IR
- 3D: two 3D printers, 3D scanner, CNC router, laser cutter

Gurezaemon

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#2025892 30-May-2018 20:13

Tinkerisk:

Gurezaemon:

2) Do both of these have the usual type of router setup - i.e. through a browser?

ad 2) The Ubiquiti APs need a controller - either a H/W Ubiquiti device (to buy) or S/W (on a H/W available 24/7, server, Raspberry, PC, ...)

I use the best of both worlds: The EdgeRouter Lite in combination with a GWN7610 without any issue. That gives me the flexibility (complexity) of the EdgeOS and the capabilites of the GWN7610 AP. The GWN7000 is a good device for people, who don't like to get too deep into network/router technology.

Cheers for the input, and that sounds like an interesting yet powerful combination.

I'm surprised to hear that the Ubiquiti APs need a controller. TBH, I'm not really interested in the whole controller thing - this will be purely for use in a home, hopefully with a "turn on, forget about it, and enjoy SWMBO and kids not whinging about Wi-Fi cutting out" type of situation. I'm anticipating that any configuration I need to do will be of the router itself, which is why I also asked about the mobile app support.

cyril7

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#2025896 30-May-2018 20:19

As for the Unifi controller, its simply a configuration instance, its not required to run to keep the system working (unlike other systems) if you want guest systems and accounting, then yes it needs to be running, otherwise once the config is pushed its not required till you want to make a further network change. The controller itself is a .jar

You can also purchase a cloud key if you wish which is a small appliance that the .jar will run on and save you running it on a machine in your network. A further option is to take the kind offer from MichaelMurfy who has stood up a UniFi controller in AWS and you can have your own "Site" and manage it from there.

Cyril

djtOtago

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#2025904 30-May-2018 20:46

A lot of the Unifi APs can be set up using an app. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ubnt.easyunifi

Tinkerisk

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#2025964 30-May-2018 21:47

cyril7:

As for the Unifi controller, its simply a configuration instance, its not required to run to keep the system working (unlike other systems) if you want guest systems and accounting, then yes it needs to be running, otherwise once the config is pushed its not required till you want to make a further network change. The controller itself is a .jar

You can also purchase a cloud key if you wish which is a small appliance that the .jar will run on and save you running it on a machine in your network. A further option is to take the kind offer from MichaelMurfy who has stood up a UniFi controller in AWS and you can have your own "Site" and manage it from there.

Cyril

Don't like after sales dependencies or things who are more complicated than necessary (even it would be simple to get it runnin' on my server). The GWN7610 doesn't need anything like that to be fully operational with all features. When a second GWN AP will be added to extend WiFi coverage, one declared as the master deals with the other as a slave with WiFi roaming and f/w updates.

The only price I have to pay is to handle 3 separate logins - one for the router, one for all APs and one for all my managed switches. A fully integrated solution would only need 1, max. 2 logins and offer mobile apps for (re)configuration. Since I have a strict security policy (I only configure with a wired management VLAN without any access to the internet or WiFi), I'm not interested in comfort gimmicks to weaken the resilience of my network.

rb99

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#2026283 31-May-2018 14:37

The GWN7610 doesn't do wifi-n on 5GHz ?

Also, anyone know how to get a device, any device to actually recognise it ?

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

Tinkerisk

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#2026615 1-Jun-2018 02:38

rb99:

The GWN7610 doesn't do wifi-n on 5GHz ?

Nope. This is known as the GWN has DFS not yet implemented. This would result within the 5 GHz A mode to be detected as Radar waves. After opening a ticket at Grandstream, I was told "working on that".

Also, anyone know how to get a device, any device to actually recognise it?

Not sure if I catched your point. As far as I know the FritzBoxes have that DFS functionality build in.

rb99

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#2026745 1-Jun-2018 09:48

Tinkerisk:

rb99:

The GWN7610 doesn't do wifi-n on 5GHz ?

Nope. This is known as the GWN has DFS not yet implemented. This would result within the 5 GHz A mode to be detected as Radar waves. After opening a ticket at Grandstream, I was told "working on that".

Also, anyone know how to get a device, any device to actually recognise it?

Not sure if I catched your point. As far as I know the FritzBoxes have that DFS functionality build in.

5GHz thing doesn't sound very good to me. Have wireless-n at 5GHz on my old Asus RT-N56U. Will see how it affects things in real life hopefully.

As to the second point, I've got the GWN7610 paired to a GWN7000 and that seems to work, they see each other but nothing (phones tablets etc) sees the 7610 access point. Can see half the wifi in the street but not something thats one metre away. Have done something wrong (hopefully) just not sure what yet. Haven't been able to update its firmware (of the 7610, have done the 7000). Am wondering if there are any basic steps I've missed but the quick start guide is useless and the manual isn't very clear (to me).

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

snowfly

537 posts

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#2026796 1-Jun-2018 11:06

At home I'm using a GWN7610 paired with a GWN7000, and this works flawlessly, no issues at all.

Just make sure both devices are running the most recent firmware, and the 7610 is 'Discovered' by the 7000 router, and then everything is managed by the 7000, one simple login.
Just follow the router guide: http://www.grandstream.com/sites/default/files/Resources/gwn7000_usermanual.pdf

rb99

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#2026816 1-Jun-2018 11:33

snowfly:

At home I'm using a GWN7610 paired with a GWN7000, and this works flawlessly, no issues at all.

Just make sure both devices are running the most recent firmware, and the 7610 is 'Discovered' by the 7000 router, and then everything is managed by the 7000, one simple login.
Just follow the router guide: http://www.grandstream.com/sites/default/files/Resources/gwn7000_usermanual.pdf

Thats how I was hoping it would be. Now I'm sitting here and after changing an upgrade setting from https to http and rebooting the 7610 its now hopefully updating itself from 1.0.1.27 but its taken a really long time and now I see its failed anyway.

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

phrozenpenguin

831 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2026818 1-Jun-2018 11:34

Gurezaemon:

I've spent a frankly embarrassing amount of time reading through this and other threads, and I think I've narrowed down the options to either a) Edgerouter Lite with one a Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC PRO or the LR
b) Grandstream GWN7000 with a GWN7610

A few questions before I hit the buy button.
1) Will both of these plug straight into my ONU and work with Spark fibre? As in no problems with VLAN tagging etc.?
2) Do both of these have the usual type of router setup - i.e. through a browser?
3) What sorts of mobile apps for tweaking configuration are available (would be nice, but not a deal-breaker)?
4) Is there an appreciable difference in capabilities of the APs? I'm in a 2-floor wooden house, and the AP will be at a maximum of 20 m from anything using it.
5) I want to use these with a VPN such as Express or Nord. Anything I should know?

I like the looks of the Grandstream option, but the sheer solidity and general public awareness of the Edgerouter appeals a lot too. Decisions, decisions. Price is not an overriding issue in this decision, as my company will be paying for a good chunk of it.

I run an Edgerouter X SFP and a couple of Unifi AC Lites. Works great and is a tidy setup because the router is plugged into mains power but then does PoE for the Unifi AC Lites as well as being a small switch. I don't have a load of plugs and didn't want a load of PoE adaptors cluttering things up. One to consider. I added another AC Lite recently to get better 5ghz AC coverage everywhere and it was easy. From my reading and experience I would rather go with 2x AC lites rather than 1x AC Pro, but your experience may differ.

snowfly

537 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2026852 1-Jun-2018 11:41

Another benefit of the GWN7000, is that it can be powered by PoE, via the LAN1 port.

So in my home network cabinet, I have a single 8 port gigabit PoE switch, that powers both the GWN7000 and a GWN7610, as well as a secondary 8 port switch.
Keeps things much simpler having only one device power brick.

phrozenpenguin

831 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2026854 1-Jun-2018 11:46

snowfly:

Another benefit of the GWN7000, is that it can be powered by PoE, via the LAN1 port.

So in my home network cabinet, I have a single 8 port gigabit PoE switch, that powers both the GWN7000 and a GWN7610, as well as a secondary 8 port switch.
Keeps things much simpler having only one device power brick.

I wasn't aware of that and actually that is pretty cool. What is your second switch that is powered by PoE?

snowfly

537 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2026856 1-Jun-2018 11:54

phrozenpenguin:

snowfly:

Another benefit of the GWN7000, is that it can be powered by PoE, via the LAN1 port.

So in my home network cabinet, I have a single 8 port gigabit PoE switch, that powers both the GWN7000 and a GWN7610, as well as a secondary 8 port switch.
Keeps things much simpler having only one device power brick.

I wasn't aware of that and actually that is pretty cool. What is your second switch that is powered by PoE?

Primary PoE switch which powers everything is a D-Link DGS-1100-08P (8 port PoE gigabit).
Secondary switch powered by PoE is a Netgear GS108t.

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