Question Looking to buy a new router

[TimDC]

Getting rid of my old netgear wifi router and going wired, anyone know any good brand routers?

I've read some reviews on the tp-link safestream router and had good reviews, have no clue about the new linksys routers if they're any good or not.

Any suggestions of what router I should look into?

 

[bill001g]

It all depends on why you are going with a wired only router.

Most people are doing this because these boxes have features some consumer grade routers do not. Things like firewall or VPN. I suspect from the way your post is written you do not fall into that category
This type of router is all about the performance specs for those type of features. Because these features are so cpu dependent it is hard to say which router you want to use you would have to read the detailed specs to determine which meets your exact needs better.

Companies like microtik sell similar devices for prices home type users can afford. There are of course many other more commercial brands that cost thousands of dollars and if you are considering that kind of money you should not be on this forum asking questions.

It all depends on what exact feature you plan on using. Simple internet surfing pretty much only uses the NAT function. This function has been moved off the CPU into a hardware function so even very inexpensive routers can run 1gbit wan/lan. Cheap consumer routers will actually outperform these fancy wired routers many times because those boxes are still using the CPU to do the nat. If you do not have some specific feature you need likely any router with gigabit lan/wan ports will meet your needs. Most the extra expense in consumer routers is the fancy wifi chips. Just turn the wifi radios off if you do not want to use them.

 

[TimDC]

well, my router is over 5 years old, keeps dropping my internet connection, also did a speed test on it and the wireless speed was 10 mbps vs wired connection was 95 mbps

also just a internet surfer mainly while streaming tv

just need a router for a home type user

 

[kanewolf]

well, my router is over 5 years old, keeps dropping my internet connection, also did a speed test on it and the wireless speed was 10 mbps vs wired connection was 95 mbps

also just a internet surfer mainly while streaming tv

just need a router for a home type user

Any of the typical brands, Asus, TP-Link, Linksys should be OK. Get a router with gigabit ethernet ports and a WIFI rating of at least 1900. That will give you a dual band WIFI router for minimum cost. I prefer Asus routers that are supported by the Merlin alternate firmware -- https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/

 

[USAFRet]

Getting rid of my old netgear wifi router and going wired, anyone know any good brand routers?

I've read some reviews on the tp-link safestream router and had good reviews, have no clue about the new linksys routers if they're any good or not.

Any suggestions of what router I should look into?

What specific router do you have now?
What is the service plan from your ISP?

 

[TimDC]

What specific router do you have now?
What is the service plan from your ISP?

right now i have a netgear wireless ac router
my speed for my plan is just a basic 100 mbps internet speed, i live in the country 20 miles from the city

 

[USAFRet]

right now i have a netgear wireless ac router
my speed for my plan is just a basic 100 mbps internet speed, i live in the country 20 miles from the city

So you're getting the expected speed via the wired connection.

WiFi is a whole different animal.
Any WiFi performance is only relevant in the same room with direct line of sight between PC and router.

Your house construction can have major impacts.
As well as your neighbors, other items in the house, orientation of the WiFi antenna.....

Is this WiFi performance drop a new thing?
Was it previously better?

 

[TimDC]

So you're getting the expected speed via the wired connection.

WiFi is a whole different animal.
Any WiFi performance is only relevant in the same room with direct line of sight between PC and router.

Your house construction can have major impacts.
As well as your neighbors, other items in the house, orientation of the WiFi antenna.....

Is this WiFi performance drop a new thing?
Was it previously better?

yes, very happy with the wired connection right now, the only thing i'm using my wireless connection for right now is for my phone, printer and tv

my neighbors are over half a mile away so that shouldn't be a problem and my router doesn't have anything surrounding it

my wifi hasn't really ever been good, so i guess it would just be a usual problem, it's always dropped a connection when i got it, but it's been better, not as much compared to the wifi connection

i just looked up the firmware updated for my router and it shows to have over 15 firmware updates, do routers update the firmware themselves or would i have to update my router with all the files netgear released?