Looking for budget gigabit router

[xantoo]

Hello community,
First of all I have modem and ethernet cable connected to my PC with up to 300mbps but I'm planing to use the other slot in modem to hook up router for my laptop and other devices. Preferably I'm looking for gigabit router although it will be used more for internet and maybe occasional file transfers, no gaming. My budget is more or less $50.
So far I found these so I would appreciate some feedback or some new suggestions:

TP-LINK TL-WDR3600
TP-LINK Archer C2 AC750
TP-LINK TL-WR1043ND
Buffalo WHR-600D

Thanks.

 

[kanewolf]

Unless your ISP provides you with two IP addresses you could either have your PC or a router but not both.

 

[boosted1g]

As stated you get 1 IP address meaning you can only have 1 device connected to the modem. Thus you need all devices connected to the router.

The WDR3600 is a very tried and true router (use it myself and have set it up for many others). I would go with that one. No point in going AC unless you can get the 1750 or better (like the archer C7 or even better ASUS AC68U).
If you are semi computer savey I would highly recommend flashing the WDR3600 to DDWRT

 

[xantoo]

Unless your ISP provides you with two IP addresses you could either have your PC or a router but not both.

Yeah, it does. Although I didn't know that you can't use router and direct line from modem in same time without having 2 ip addresses.

 

[kanewolf]

I wouldn't recommend having a PC directly connected to the internet because to the risk of zero day flaws in Windows. A router gives you a level of protection (NAT, firewall, etc) that protects your PC from a lot of probing traffic etc.

 

[xantoo]

I wouldn't recommend having a PC directly connected to the internet because to the risk of zero day flaws in Windows. A router gives you a level of protection (NAT, firewall, etc) that protects your PC from a lot of probing traffic etc.

Well, router isn't the problem, speed is. I doubt that $50 router will manage actual 200-300mbps speed on file transfers for PC (even if it's placed right next to it). And about flaws, as far as I'm aware you can get zero day flaws just with router, (especially D-Link?), so I'm not very concerned about that.

 

[boosted1g]

Unless your ISP provides you with two IP addresses you could either have your PC or a router but not both.

Yeah, it does. Although I didn't know that you can't use router and direct line from modem in same time without having 2 ip addresses.

Without configuring your PC to act as a DHCP server and then plug your router into the PC as well on a 2nd Ethernet port, no you cant plug your PC AND the router into the modem because the modem only has 1 IP address to pass to 1 device.

You have to go Modem -> router -> PC

This is networking 101 stuff, that us with certs and degrees were taught.


In regards to plugging in PC direct to modem:
When you use a Router it provides what is called NAT. Among other things, NAT provides the most basic level firewall; it makes your PC IP address private and different from the IP address shows on the internet. With your PC plugged directly into the modem your PC has the same IP your ISP provided and thus has almost no protection. Having your PC plugged into the modem is the equivalent of not having walls or a fence; You can make the gate/door as impenetrable as want but that does not matter when they can just walk around it because there is no fence/wall.

 

[boosted1g]

I wouldn't recommend having a PC directly connected to the internet because to the risk of zero day flaws in Windows. A router gives you a level of protection (NAT, firewall, etc) that protects your PC from a lot of probing traffic etc.

Well, router isn't the problem, speed is. I doubt that $50 router will manage actual 200-300mbps speed on file transfers for PC (even if it's placed right next to it). And about flaws, as far as I'm aware you can get zero day flaws just with router, (especially D-Link?), so I'm not very concerned about that.

If you are talking about your internet connection having 300mbps speed then the router will handle it just fine as the port is gigabit and I know for a fact that it will handle full bandwidth.

If you are talking about 200-300mbps wifi speeds then no wireless N router will give you that.
An N600 router has 300mbps TOTAL bandwidth for the 2.4 band and 300 for the 5.0 band. You can only be connected to one so the maximum perfect bandwidth you could achieve is 300mbps. Now this is for both transmit AND receive thus the fastest download OR upload you could achieve is 150mbps. This is in a perfect ideal lab environment. With line of sight to the router you are looking at 120mbps, and as soon as you drop line of sight and add obstacles like walls that number drops to 40-80 (depending on distance, density of obstacles, your laptop/device wifi chip and other factors).

 

[xantoo]

I wouldn't recommend having a PC directly connected to the internet because to the risk of zero day flaws in Windows. A router gives you a level of protection (NAT, firewall, etc) that protects your PC from a lot of probing traffic etc.

Well, router isn't the problem, speed is. I doubt that $50 router will manage actual 200-300mbps speed on file transfers for PC (even if it's placed right next to it). And about flaws, as far as I'm aware you can get zero day flaws just with router, (especially D-Link?), so I'm not very concerned about that.

If you are talking about your internet connection having 300mbps speed then the router will handle it just fine as the port is gigabit and I know for a fact that it will handle full bandwidth.

If you are talking about 200-300mbps wifi speeds then no wireless N router will give you that.
An N600 router has 300mbps TOTAL bandwidth for the 2.4 band and 300 for the 5.0 band. You can only be connected to one so the maximum perfect bandwidth you could achieve is 300mbps. Now this is for both transmit AND receive thus the fastest download OR upload you could achieve is 150mbps. This is in a perfect ideal lab environment. With line of sight to the router you are looking at 120mbps, and as soon as you drop line of sight and add obstacles like walls that number drops to 40-80 (depending on distance, density of obstacles, your laptop/device wifi chip and other factors).

That's what I thought, but then I'll have to manage with less on wi-fi, probably won't be that bad as I don't need large range but there is wall.
Speaking about WDR3600 I've read some bad reviews about it having poor range, speed drops and other issues, any thoughts on that?

 

[boosted1g]

I have 1700 sqft home and have no rage issues on it, the 2.4 band is strong in my house and 3 bars at the edge of my driveway.
The 5ghz band is always going to perform less then the 2.4 band, that is the nature of wireless signals: higher Hz frequency = shorter distance.

The only issue I ever had with the router on stock firmware is that it would need a reboot every 10-15 days. Once I flashed DD-WRT to it, it has been rock solid.

 

[smitbret]

Another vote for the TL-WR3600

Good solid N routers.

If you think you might ever need AC, spend the extra and get the Archer C7. Best router bargain out there and will future proof you for a few years unless you are a WiFi techno geek.

 

[smitbret]

The 5ghz band is always going to perform less then the 2.4 band, that is the nature of wireless signals: higher Hz frequency = shorter distance.

Actually, 5GHz has the same range as 2.4GHz, with all else being equal. However, 5GHz is far more sensitive to attenuation so it is affected by walls, floors, rain, etc. much more than 2.4GHz.