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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4138 posts

Uber Geek

#2335781 11-Oct-2019 20:51

So, how do I find the GWN7630?

I'm quite happy with the GWN7630(s) - quite responsive and what I like the most is it's mesh management capability including the GWN7610 as well. As before there is no need for any external controller for configuration or operation - the master AP is doing the job for all slave APs (config, updates, ...). If you are a cloud fan boy, there are some (additional) sophisticated funtionalities in a cloud as well (i.e. site survey, coverage hole detection and other statistical gimmicks) I don't care about because of my own security rules.

So with simple words: an even more powerful next step AP after the already very good and robust GWN7610 which I had/have in operation with 3 VLANs (private, guest, IoT) since 2017 without any flaws. A colleague of mine was a little bit disappointed about the endless GWN7000/GWN7610 router integration time but that's solved since a few weeks and he's happy again. The prices of the GWN7610 might come down further since the GWN7630 takes it's position.

You can't do anything wrong buying a GWN7630 from my point of view and I assume it's capabilities between UniFi nanoHD and UniFi AP HD at a lower price. In my opinion even the GWN7610 could be sufficient for most single AP users (with a single AP only, mesh makes not much sense and not everybody needs the internal IPv6 addressing capability and the higher bandwith more depending of the clients).

Asking me the reason for migrating away from EdgeRouters or not finally jumping on the

UBNT train is, what direction they want to take as a company. They ignored some of the

most upvoted/requested ideas on their forum to pursue new products. "Best" for the rest

was the great idea just to remove the customer's upvotes/requests from the "new forum."

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

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

throbb

675 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2343539 25-Oct-2019 15:08

For a home network at what point would an Edgerouter 4 start to see real benefits over a Edgerouter Lite? Getting gigabit shortly and I am tossing up between the 2.

Will be running up to 4 PCs at a time along with a bunch of wireless devices on a Ubiquiti UniFi AP

Thanks

michaelmurfy

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#2343554 25-Oct-2019 15:38

@throbb If you're going with the UniFi AP's then consider the USG instead of the Edgerouter. Just makes configuration / management quite a bit easier. Handles Gigabit fine.

If you've got your heart set on the Edgerouter (because you want a really advanced router) then either one will work fine. The ER4 is a newer device, runs cooler and has an integrated power supply.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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throbb

675 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2343569 25-Oct-2019 16:52

michaelmurfy:

@throbb If you're going with the UniFi AP's then consider the USG instead of the Edgerouter. Just makes configuration / management quite a bit easier. Handles Gigabit fine.

If you've got your heart set on the Edgerouter (because you want a really advanced router) then either one will work fine. The ER4 is a newer device, runs cooler and has an integrated power supply.

Thank You

Davout

111 posts

Master Geek

#2355312 17-Nov-2019 20:47

I need to move soon and I want to try and pick up a decent router during the "sales season" leading into Black Friday. Looking at about 12+ devices for 4-5 people.

Don't mind buying from Amazon or anything. The cheaper the better but $400 is as high as I will go.

Any models I should keep an eye on?

DjShadow

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#2355341 17-Nov-2019 21:27

I noticed that Ubiquiti have just released a new router called "The Unifi Dream Machine".

Its an all in one unit (router, cloud key and AP) in a single unit, looks ideal for the home. Can't see any word of when its coming to NZ but would be keen to try it out.

michaelmurfy

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#2355413 18-Nov-2019 01:11

@Davout Wait a little while for the UniFi Dream Machine. It'll is a seriously kick-ass router / access point combo.

Go Wireless estimate January if you can wait that long dependent on when their stock actually arrives.

There is also the Cambium R195W launching soon which benchmarks nicely with Gigabit connections. Spec sheet here: https://files.murfy.nz/cambium_networks_cnPilot_r195W_Spec_Sheet_adv.pdf - this is due to launch in the coming weeks and I'll have a review unit soon to put it to its paces.

Don't buy a router from Amazon as it'll be limited to US channels. You're best to buy locally, but honestly wait a little bit as there are some great offerings coming out very soon that'll suit your needs well. Until then, the Fritz!Box from 2degrees will also work very well for your needs if you want something to tie you over.

Davout

111 posts

Master Geek

#2355417 18-Nov-2019 06:11

michaelmurfy:

Don't buy a router from Amazon as it'll be limited to US channels. You're best to buy locally, but honestly wait a little bit as there are some great offerings coming out very soon that'll suit your needs well. Until then, the Fritz!Box from 2degrees will also work very well for your needs if you want something to tie you over.

How big of a deal is this?

My partner will be in the US next week, figured I might be better off having her buy it and bring it over?

ShinyChrome

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#2355818 18-Nov-2019 15:35

GoWireless is going to be retailing the GWN7630 for $205 + GST, releases 9th December according to an email I got this morning.

Hell of a lot of product for the price.

elpenguino

3359 posts

Uber Geek

#2371697 10-Dec-2019 12:41

Since the whole range seems to use the same manual I hope an expert user of the UBQ edgerouters can answer my question. First a little perspective.

I need something like an edgerouter to interface my home network to my ISP. I had been using IPCOP behind orcon's router happily but my IPCOP pc died, again. I know IPCOP support stopped some time ago so this is a good excuse to improve the situation.

I don't need wireless support as I have three (FWIW tplink) PoE APs cabled out from my network cupboard.

What I need from my edgerouter is:

-ability to run VLANs if I ever start home automation type projects.

-I'm not fixated on removing the ISPs router, but if I can, good.

-ability to do some parental limiting , I'm talking blocking web sites and MAC addresses on schedules

-run a DMZ for playing on the big bad interweb

-ability to do some logging in case i want to see if little johnny has actually been doing his homework online

I checked out the ER-X (4 ports and 1 fibre) and the ERLITE-3 (3 ports). Since I have a 24 port switch and PoE injectors for my APs already, it looks like I can get by with three ports (LAN, WAN and DMZ).

OTOH the 5 port device is cheaper.

Can the 5 port device do everything on my list?

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

mdf

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#2371718 10-Dec-2019 13:08

@elpenguino

I have a very similar set up with an ER3 and do almost everything you've described. Works well. Quite a learning curve compared to consumer stuff, but lots of instructions and help online.

FWIW I've found better parental controls using PiHole and APs / VLANs (cambiums in my case) than the router. We have a kids Wi-Fi network attached to a VLAN, that VLAN uses the PiHole to force safe searching and parental filter lists. Our kids are young enough that it is more to stop accidental exposure than anything else. That Wi-Fi network can be individually turned off or put on timer if desired.

elpenguino

3359 posts

Uber Geek

#2371732 10-Dec-2019 13:29

mdf: @elpenguino

I have a very similar set up with an ER3 and do almost everything you've described. Works well. Quite a learning curve compared to consumer stuff, but lots of instructions and help online.

FWIW I've found better parental controls using PiHole and APs / VLANs (cambiums in my case) than the router. We have a kids Wi-Fi network attached to a VLAN, that VLAN uses the PiHole to force safe searching and parental filter lists. Our kids are young enough that it is more to stop accidental exposure than anything else. That Wi-Fi network can be individually turned off or put on timer if desired.

Thanks @mdf. Does that mean you do logging on the pihole too?

My kids are older so can have access to sites like youtube, but I was scheduling it so it didn't cause bickering before school etc.

Forgot to say: the telly is on the wired network so need a certain amount of scheduling flexibility to cover devices, sites etc.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

mdf

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#2372344 11-Dec-2019 12:25

Thanks mdf. Does that mean you do logging on the pihole too?

In theory, yes, logging on the PiHole. I am very bad about actually checking it, but as I say, we filter more for the inadvertent rather than deliberate.

My kids are older so can have access to sites like youtube, but I was scheduling it so it didn't cause bickering before school etc.

We don't stop youtube, but do force the safe search option for the kids.

I'm not sure about scheduling specific sites for certain times. I have been known to put the kids wifi on a schedule (i.e. no internet at all for them at certain times), and we filter websites at all times, but haven't set up specific websites at specific times. That is getting to a pretty granular level of control and would require a bit of finangling I would suspect? I certainly don't know how to do it on the router. One way that could work be to set up:

- Wifi network "kids_freetime", attached to VLAN 2222 (both on the APs)

- Wifi network "kids_schooltime" attached to VLAN 2223 (again, both on the APs)

- Use the APs to turn off/turn on/toggle/schedule when each of those WLANs are allowed

- Two PiHole servers (if you use something like Unraid, this is easy peasy. Cost implications if you are buying Pis to run it)

- Configure PiHole server freetime to block adult content, either using custom lists or an appropriate upstream DNS server (I use cleanbrowsing.org)

- On the router, configure VLAN 2222 to use PiHole server freetime for DNS

- Configure PiHole server schooltime to block adult content AND games, youtube, social media etc.

- On the router, configure VLAN 2223 to use PiHole server schooltime for DNS.

- On the router, configure a NAT rule to intercept any port 53/DNS queries and redirect to your PiHole servers (prevents issues with Google hardcoded DNS servers or clever kids configuring a static IP and custom DNS server on their devices).

As you can see, finangling required. Others may well have better suggestions though, and for c. $5 a month you could also just upgrade to one of Cleanbrowsing's paid plans and deal with it from there.

Forgot to say: the telly is on the wired network so need a certain amount of scheduling flexibility to cover devices, sites etc.

For this, just make sure the TV (and your devices) are on another VLAN, say 2224, that uses an open DNS (ISP DNS most likely, otherwise cloudflare, quad9, Google etc). No restrictions on that at all.

As I understand it, packet inspection on the router can be quite resource intensive, much more than DNS controls, but I am no kind of expert on that stuff.

To me, another advantage of offloading controls away from the router to PiHole servers and APs is that if I stuff something up, the internet will still work. I pretty much leave the router alone to just to do routing. In a worse case scenario and PiHole melts down (it has happened), I can just quickly change the DNS server on that VLAN to something else, or else open up one of the alternative Wifi networks.

Hibino

166 posts

Master Geek

#2372366 11-Dec-2019 13:08

Just want to add some info regarding Linksys routers. All speed info is on Spark gigabit fibre(PPPoE+VLAN tagging)

EA8500:

Can reach 900mbps down/450mbps up on speedtest.net, max speed goes up down between 800mbps to 900mbps.

2.4G WIFI range is very good, can cover my whole house with good signal

5G WIFI range is normal, very poor signal at edge of the house, but still better than HG659b(no signal at all).

Very stable, I hardly restart the router in 2 years with it.

But during a fibre troubleshoot with Talkiet(a forum member), he found that the EA8500 has something weird that all transmission is capped around 200mbps for the first second, and then slowly goes up take 3s to reach 800mbps. I emailed Linksys support regarding this issue, after a few weeks back and forward with their support, they replaced me a EA9500.

EA9500:

Can easily handle gigabit fibre. Transmission will go pass 900mbps right from the start(no 1s bug like EA8500), and holds the speed stable, not like HG659b or EA8500 transmission goes up down between 800-900mbps)

2.4G WIFI range is very good, a little better than EA8500

5G WIFI range is very good, can cover my whole house, at edge of the house can still get around 200mbps

Very stable when it is working. The thing runs much warmer than every router I used, there was a crazy hot day in Dunedin last month, the router died on that day evening(room temperature 28 degrees in that evening), went into boot loop and keeps restarting itself. I powered it off and went to bed was thinking call Linksys next day. But next day morning the thing back to life, with 1 5G WIFI band died(it has 2 5G WIFI band), any devices connects to that 5G WIFI band the EA9500 will restart itself. I am still waiting a resolution from Linksys Support(takes a looooooog time).

MR9000:

This is their newest wireless router that supports mesh network.

Can't handle gigabit fibre, has the same 1s bug like EA8500, takes 3s to reach 600mbps, max 700mbps.

2.4G WIFI range is very good, same as EA8500

5G WIFI range is very good, better than EA8500, maybe same as EA9500

Can't tell how stable it is since I only had it 1 week, but no restarts during this week and the router itself is not warm when touching it.

WHW03:

Can't handle gigabit fibre, performance is same as MR9000

I had it to pair with MR9000 to build a mesh network, didn't test it along for WIFI signal. The mesh works quit good, only had it 2 days so can't say it is stable yet.

Other notes:

EA8500 has official openwrt, with software flow offloading, can reach 800mbps(500mbps when off), there is no 1s bug in openwrt.

EA9500 has un-official openwrt, but flow offloading does not work, so max 500mbps. Linksys must know the over-heading issue, they released EA9500v2 just few months after launch of EA9500, with better CPU(4 core), 4x ram(1gb), 4x rom(512mb), but all EA9500 in NZ or AU still the old one, you can tell the difference by the v2 has 2 USB3(blue) and v1 is 1 USB3+1 USB2(1 blue 1 white), they renamed the v2 to EA9500S in China. Given it's performance and WIFI coverage, I still feel it is the best option.

All router can handle gigabit LAN<->LAN, EA9500 can stable hold 110mb/s on LAN<->LAN while others goes up down around 100mb/s.

All routers having the 1s bug can be fixed by turn it into bridge mode, so it doesn't need to do PPPoE+VLAN, they can reach gigabit WAN->LAN in bridge mode. But you will need a separate router/modem.

nzkc

1553 posts

Uber Geek

#2372424 11-Dec-2019 13:25

Hey @michaelmurfy

FYI: A lot of the links on the first post that link off to gowifi.co.nz are now getting 404.

Ta!

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