Question Best router option - SOLVED - Asus RT-AX68U

[hicks451]

Hi all,

I am on the lookout for a new router after having my network & Pc- devices hacked and was hoping I could get some advice on what one would be best to choose out of the three listed or would the TH members recommend something different?
I am currently running a gaming Pc, Gaming laptop as well as 2 Xbox One consoles 2 smart Tv's & 2 phones.
Not every device will be running at once but I will be doing a lot of online gaming.
I will leave the 3 I have chosen so far and would appreciate any help on what one might be best for my needs out of the three or would members suggest something else to choose from?

Here are the links to the three I have added to my list so far.

Netgear
AX1800 WiFi Router (RAX10)

4-Stream AX1800 Dual-Band WiFi 6 Router - RAX10 | NETGEAR

Discover the RAX10 4-Stream, Dual-Band AX1800 WiFi 6 Router. Experience a new level of WiFi speed. Connect, Stream, and download faster and interruption-free. Buy now.

www.netgear.com

AX1800 WiFi Router (RAX20)

4-Stream AX1800 Dual-Band WiFi 6 Router - RAX20 | NETGEAR

Discover the RAX20 4-Stream, Dual-Band AX1800 WiFi 6 Router with WiFi speeds up to 1.8Gbps. Includes NETGEAR Armor™ to provide advanced cyber threat protection and USB 3.0 port. Buy now.

www.netgear.com

AX3000 WiFi Router (RAX40)

Nighthawk RAX40 | WiFi 6 Router | NETGEAR Support

Find setup help, user guides, product information, firmware, and troubleshooting for your Nighthawk RAX40 on our official NETGEAR Support site today.

www.netgear.com

I have a budget of around £150 but can go a little higher if the router is worth spending the extra amount or if there might be another router recommend by the TH members.

Thanks in advance.

 

[hicks451]

Edit.

I forgot to mention that it must also have good security to go with my Bit Defender Anti Virus Software so that I have a better chance of preventing another hacked network.

 

[kanewolf]

Edit.

I forgot to mention that it must also have good security to go with my Bit Defender Anti Virus Software so that I have a better chance of preventing another hacked network.

None of the routers will provide significant security benefit compared to the others.
How do you believe your previous router contributed to the previous incursion?

 

[hicks451]

None of the routers will provide significant security benefit compared to the others.
How do you believe your previous router contributed to the previous incursion?

It didn't as they got in via a famous Sci fi franchise online games (game client) but I want to make sure I am secure right across the board this time so that no one can gain access to it like they did the last time via the method mentioned.

 

[kanewolf]

It didn't as they got in via a famous Sci fi franchise online games (game client) but I want to make sure I am secure right across the board this time so that no one can gain access to it like they did the last time via the method mentioned.

Since the weak link was you, by installing the software they used, a router can't fix that. If there is software on your PC initiating (that is the key) traffic, then the router can't protect that.

What you can do is a few things.
Use a unique, long (12 character minimum) password for the router admin.
Disable UpNP on the router
Disable WPS on the router.
Ensure remote (WAN) admin is disabled.
Use a unique, long password for WIFI

Use a DNS service like OpenDNS that will filter out sketchy websites.

 

[hicks451]

Since the weak link was you, by installing the software they used, a router can't fix that. If there is software on your PC initiating (that is the key) traffic, then the router can't protect that.

What you can do is a few things.
Use a unique, long (12 character minimum) password for the router admin.
Disable UpNP on the router
Disable WPS on the router.
Ensure remote (WAN) admin is disabled.
Use a unique, long password for WIFI

Use a DNS service like OpenDNS that will filter out sketchy websites.

Since the weak link was you? LOL Easy tiger!!! Getting hacked via a game client that everyone has to allow through your firewall rule to play the game doesn't mean I was the weak link as this could happen to anyone playing this online game including you and to correct you bluntly as that seems to be your forte I would say the game client and the games security is the weak link which has now been exposed and brought to their immediate attention so that the rest of the community does not suffer the same fate and maybe instead of ignoring the real reason why I asked TH members for help & advice and the real reason I did this thread which was to ask for help on picking the best one out of the three routers or recommend one not on the list instead of insulting me and trying to give me a lesson in networking you might actually be of better help if you suggest the best one on the list or one within the budget I listed.
But at least I know who to contact when I do need a lesson in network security. 👍

Thanks again.

 

[kanewolf]

Since the weak link was you? LOL Easy tiger!!! Getting hacked via a game client that everyone has to allow through your firewall rule to play the game doesn't mean I was the weak link as this could happen to anyone playing this online game including you and to correct you bluntly as that seems to be your forte I would say the game client and the games security is the weak link which has now been exposed and brought to their immediate attention so that the rest of the community does not suffer the same fate and maybe instead of ignoring the real reason why I asked TH members for help & advice and the real reason I did this thread which was to ask for help on picking the best one out of the three routers or recommend one not on the list instead of insulting me and trying to give me a lesson in networking you might actually be of better help if you suggest the best one on the list or one within the budget I listed.
But at least I know who to contact when I do need a lesson in network security. 👍

Thanks again.

I can't recommend one over the other because home routers all have the same basic security. The firmware for the three routers you listed may even have common code.
In fact I wouldn't recommend any of them. My choice would be an Asus router that is on the supported list for Merlin firmware. If you want security, then that is my recommendation.
If you install software with a vulnerability then you are at risk. That software might have used UpNP on your existing router. I recommended that you disable that option to prevent it in the future.
Humans are ALWAYS the weakest link in security.

 

[hicks451]

I can't recommend one over the other because home routers all have the same basic security. The firmware for the three routers you listed may even have common code.
In fact I wouldn't recommend any of them. My choice would be an Asus router that is on the supported list for Merlin firmware. If you want security, then that is my recommendation.
If you install software with a vulnerability then you are at risk. That software might have used UpNP on your existing router. I recommended that you disable that option to prevent it in the future.
Humans are ALWAYS the weakest link in security.

Thank you kindly kanewolf. I will do some research on the Asus routers and post up some links to the ones in my budget and hopefully you will be kind enough to help me like your last post did. Much appreciated!!!✌️

 

[kanewolf]

Thank you kindly kanewolf. I will do some research on the Asus routers and post up some links to the ones in my budget and hopefully you will be kind enough to help me like your last post did. Much appreciated!!!✌

Follow the link to the Merlin page for the list of supported hardware.

 

[johnbl]

-You might want to specify the internet provider bandwidth you have.
(my area link speed is pretty slow: 60 to 80 Mb/s, not much point getting a better router)

You might want to indicate how many competing routers you have in your area.
Huge numbers of competing routers in my area, something like 65-85 routers all taking a time slice for router access.
I run on 5GHz band to reduce the access sharing and turn off the 2.4GHz band. I think I have 10 routers I have to share the 5ghz band with.
I pick a band that has no other router on it to get max usage. Main computer is wired to router. I have also reduced the gain on the router to reduce the signal (just to be nice to other routers)

 

[hicks451]

I have just had a look at both of these Asus routers.
What are your thoughts on them?
I also agree with you regarding human error but I can assure you in my case things were a little more complicated and far more premeditated and planned rather than a simple human mistake and it involved more than your average basement teen hacker but this is a story for another place and another time.


ROG STRIX GS-AX5400

ROG STRIX GS-AX5400

GS-AX5400 dual-band WiFi 6 gaming router, PS5 compatible, Mobile Game Mode, VPN Fusion, lifetime free network security and AiMesh support, Instant Guard, Gear Accelerator, Gaming Port, Adaptive QoS, port forwarding

rog.asus.com

ROG STRIX GS-AX3000

ROG STRIX GS-AX3000

GS-AX3000 dual-band WiFi 6 gaming router, PS5 compatible, Mobile Game Mode, VPN Fusion, lifetime free network security and AiMesh support, Instant Guard, Gear Accelerator, Gaming Port, Adaptive QoS, port forwarding

rog.asus.com

 

[kanewolf]

I have just had a look at both of these Asus routers.
What are your thoughts on them?
I also agree with you regarding human error but I can assure you in my case things were a little more complicated and far more premeditated and planned rather than a simple human mistake and it involved more than your average basement teen hacker but this is a story for another place and another time.


ROG STRIX GS-AX5400

ROG STRIX GS-AX5400

GS-AX5400 dual-band WiFi 6 gaming router, PS5 compatible, Mobile Game Mode, VPN Fusion, lifetime free network security and AiMesh support, Instant Guard, Gear Accelerator, Gaming Port, Adaptive QoS, port forwarding

rog.asus.com

ROG STRIX GS-AX3000

ROG STRIX GS-AX3000

GS-AX3000 dual-band WiFi 6 gaming router, PS5 compatible, Mobile Game Mode, VPN Fusion, lifetime free network security and AiMesh support, Instant Guard, Gear Accelerator, Gaming Port, Adaptive QoS, port forwarding

rog.asus.com

Neither of those is supported by Merlin.
You are picking "gaming" routers with WIFI specs you may not benefit from.
What is your goal? Security or WIFI performance? I am getting confused.
What is your ISP WAN speed? As said above if you have 50Mbit WAN speed, the mega routers won't provide any extra performance.

 

[hicks451]

-You might want to specify the internet provider bandwidth you have.
(my area link speed is pretty slow: 60 to 80 Mb/s, not much point getting a better router)

You might want to indicate how many competing routers you have in your area.
Huge numbers of competing routers in my area, something like 65-85 routers all taking a time slice for router access.
I run on 5GHz band to reduce the access sharing and turn off the 2.4GHz band. I think I have 10 routers I have to share the 5ghz band with.
I pick a band that has no other router on it to get max usage. Main computer is wired to router. I have also reduced the gain on the router to reduce the signal (just to be nice to other routers)

Thanks for your post. I have actually been taking your points into consideration myself but I won't have to compete with as many routers as you but I was also going to get a phone app so I can monitor the different pathways so I can keep on one that isn't used or shared that much. Thanks again for your help John 👌

 

[hicks451]

I am just looking for a router that hopefully can provide for both gaming and security plus have decent Wifi so that the rest of the family can use wifi for their tv's and phones. We also will be using two Xbox Ones plus a gaming lap top and gaming desk top. The desk top will be run on wifi but when I am on a serious session with friends I will switch the gaming desktop to wired and the Xboxes will only be used when the lap top or desk top are not being used so we wont have all those devices listed going at the same time. Security is a serious concern but not the main function over connection speed & Wifi as I will be also monitoring traffic via CMD plus Microsoft Tcp Viewer & Microsoft Task Explorer & Manager and Bit Defender plus other software to protect the network.
Since the hack I have cleared all the infected devices as well as bought a brand new gaming Pc and lastly we got our internet provider to change the line so I am basically setting up the net work as if it's a brand new connection and network so there is no chance of anyone involved in the attack to continue attacking me.

 

[hicks451]

You are recommending router versions like this.

ASUS RT-AC68U | Routers | ASUS UK

AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Gaming Router, AiMesh for mesh wifi system, AiProtection network security powered by Trend Micro, Adaptive QoS and Parental Control

www.asus.com

 

[hicks451]

Ok my inter net speed reaches 74 Mbps but I will upgrade it at some point if needed.

 

[kanewolf]

You are recommending router versions like this.

ASUS RT-AC68U | Routers | ASUS UK

AC1900 Dual Band Gigabit WiFi Gaming Router, AiMesh for mesh wifi system, AiProtection network security powered by Trend Micro, Adaptive QoS and Parental Control

www.asus.com

The AC68U is an award wining router. I used two of them as access points.
The best thing you can do for home network is put in wires. Then have multiple WIFI access points geographically distributed with wired connectivity to the primary router.
If you have ethernet cabling then buying two cheaper routers, like an AX68 (the AX units should be supported longer).

 

[bill001g]

That one will run merlin but there is almost no router that can provide much in the way of security. All routers prevent incoming traffic unless you port forward. When you port forward you are telling the router to ignore the traffic so even if there was some form of security that would disable it. The largest issue with any router security is all traffic is now encrypted with things like HTTPS. This keeps hackers and the government from reading your traffic as it passes over the internet but it also prevent any router from decoding the traffic either. The router will only see ip addresses and encrypted data. It really has no way to tell what is going on. This is why anytime you see firewalls/routers that claim "deep packet" inspection you know that is a lie......or it is a 15yr old router before encryption became standard. This is also why so called "gaming" routers are a lie. They can't really see what is gaming traffic. They have a couple games that they know the IP addresses and port numbers set to have a better QoS. You can do this on any router yourself if it has QoS. QoS is not needed unless you are maxing your internet connection

The best security is maybe a virus/malware software on your pc. The defualt ones from microsoft tend to do the job fine. But as mentioned you the user are the best security method. Always be suspect of any software you install.

 

[hicks451]

Thank you both for all your help tonight!!! Very grateful. It is getting late here in the UK so I am going to pick this all up again tomorrow and do some more research on the routers listed for Merlin support. Again thank you for bringing Merlin to my attention and for recommending Asus routers as a better way moving forward.
Hope you both have a great evening as well and I will keep you both updated once I look at more routers for my network.

All the best

Hicks

 

[gggplaya]

Merlin firmware on Asus routers is awesome. For gaming up to 300mbps internet speed, it's amazing. You can buy the wireless AX version of that router if you want as well, as long as it's supported by Merlin.

Merlin brings in the QOS algorithms called FQ_Codel and CAKE. As long as you set up these QOS traffic shaping algorithms correctly, they'll significantly reduce the client side lag when other people in your house are for instance downloading a console update, or uploading alot of information etc... They're very cpu intensive for the router to run, so that's why the top WAN speed tends to top out around 300mbps. To get faster WAN speeds, you need to upgrade to an x86 router to run these algorithms.

If you're worried about hacking into your wifi. Ubiquiti is a more commercial/small business wifi system which alerts you to copycat access points and wifi bruteforce intrusion. Copycat (rogue) access points are where a neighbor sets up an access point with an identical name, and when one of your devices tries to log into it, they'll get the password from your devices attempt to log in.

 

[hicks451]

Hi all,

Ok here I go again. I have taken everyone's advice and have gone through the Merlin support list to select the routers that would be within my budget.
I will admit I am a complete noob on Asus Routers and what order they where released in or how good each one compares with each other so any help on what would be the best one you would all recommend would be much appreciated.
I will leave the list below.

RT-AC86U

RT-AC86U - Specifications｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS United Kingdom

RT-AC86U Specifications detailed introduction, Network Standard :IEEE 802.11a|IEEE 802.11b|IEEE 802.11g|WiFi 4 (802.11n)|WiFi 5 (802.11ac)|IPv4|IPv6、Network Standard :IEEE 802.11a|IEEE 802.11b|IEEE 802.11g|WiFi 4 (802.11n)|WiFi 5 (802.11ac)|IPv4|IPv6、Product Segment :AC2900 ultimate AC...

www.asus.com

RT-AX56U

ASUS WiFi Routers｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS United Kingdom

Our range of home, business and gaming wireless routers suit any application. And our extendable features ensure compatibility with another ASUS router to create a single, seamless WiFi network.

www.asus.com

RT-AX58U

RT-AX58U｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS United Kingdom

Our range of home, business and gaming wireless routers suit any application. And our extendable features ensure compatibility with another ASUS router to create a single, seamless WiFi network.

www.asus.com

RT-AX68U

ASUS WiFi Routers｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS United Kingdom

Our range of home, business and gaming wireless routers suit any application. And our extendable features ensure compatibility with another ASUS router to create a single, seamless WiFi network.

www.asus.com

Thanks in advance.

 

[bill001g]

It depends on what you actually think you are going to use.

I would say avoid the rt-ax56u because it only support 80mhz on wifi6. Key to wifi6 is that it has 160mhz radio. BUT even on routers that have 160mhz most your end device will not support it and you can have issues getting 160mhz to work where something like weather radar is being used and the router will back off to 80mhz.

The 86u and ax68u use a cpu with a very high clock rate. This helps with certain cpu intensive application. They also have a hardware vpn encryption accelerator instructions.

This still comes back to what feature you actual think you are going to use. In some ways the most stupid router you can get is going to be the most secure becuase there is less software that might have bugs. There are no routers that can actually protect your PC from software loaded on the pc. I mean someone could send you a email attachment you run and install it and the router just thinks its a email.

 

[bill001g]

If nobody asked how fast is your internet. Many times even routers with large cpu will bottleneck say 500mbps internet connection if you use even simple feature. There is a NAT hardware accelerator even in the most simple router that allows them to run gigabit but to do this it bypass the cpu chip. Any feature that needs the cpu to see the traffic force this feature to be disabled and the cpu now must do the first feature as well as the nat function.

 

[hicks451]

Hi all,

I am on the look out for a new router and was advised to look at Asus routers over some Netgear routers I had listed and one of the extra factors for TH moderators & members was due to 3rd party Merlin firmware.
After careful consideration and some research I have decided to take their great advice but now I am unsure what router to pick within my price range and so I am hoping I can get some more help on choosing the best one out of the list provided.
What would you choose if you had to buy one from the versions listed?
Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Asus Routers.

RT-AX68U

ASUS WiFi Routers｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS United Kingdom

Our range of home, business and gaming wireless routers suit any application. And our extendable features ensure compatibility with another ASUS router to create a single, seamless WiFi network.

www.asus.com

RT-AX58U

RT-AX58U - Specifications｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS United Kingdom

RT-AX58U Specifications detailed introduction, Network Standard :IEEE 802.11a|IEEE 802.11b|IEEE 802.11g|WiFi 4 (802.11n)|WiFi 5 (802.11ac)|WiFi 6 (802.11ax)|IPv4|IPv6、Network Standard :IEEE 802.11a|IEEE 802.11b|IEEE 802.11g|WiFi 4 (802.11n)|WiFi 5 (802.11ac)|WiFi 6 (802.11ax)|IPv4|IPv6、Product...

www.asus.com

RT-AX56U

RT-AX56U - Specifications｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS United Kingdom

RT-AX56U Specifications detailed introduction, Network Standard :IEEE 802.11a|IEEE 802.11b|IEEE 802.11g|WiFi 4 (802.11n)|WiFi 5 (802.11ac)|WiFi 6 (802.11ax)|IPv4|IPv6、Network Standard :IEEE 802.11a|IEEE 802.11b|IEEE 802.11g|WiFi 4 (802.11n)|WiFi 5 (802.11ac)|WiFi 6 (802.11ax)|IPv4|IPv6、Product...

www.asus.com

RT-AC86U

RT-AC86U - Specifications｜WiFi Routers｜ASUS United Kingdom

RT-AC86U Specifications detailed introduction, Network Standard :IEEE 802.11a|IEEE 802.11b|IEEE 802.11g|WiFi 4 (802.11n)|WiFi 5 (802.11ac)|IPv4|IPv6、Network Standard :IEEE 802.11a|IEEE 802.11b|IEEE 802.11g|WiFi 4 (802.11n)|WiFi 5 (802.11ac)|IPv4|IPv6、Product Segment :AC2900 ultimate AC...

www.asus.com

 

[gggplaya]

I would get the AC86U or RT-AX68U because they have the best processors.