Searching for a new Router (Cox Internet / Small Space)

[rogerham]

Hello everyone, I am searching for a good and reliable router for gaming/videos. I'll be using Cox Internet (300/30 mbps) which requires a DOCSIS 3.0 (not sure what this means).

The device list is as follows: (Figuratively speaking, all could be used at the same time but highly unlikely)

1 Desktop PC (will be hard wired, hopefully)
1 Xbox One (netflix/gaming)
2 Laptop
2 Tablet devices
2 Mobile phones

I mostly use the desktop for online gaming (MMOs, multiplayer etc), Xbox One (download games / movies / netflix) and laptop / tablet for small browsing and homework if needed.

PS: If it matters there will be 1 (2 when my fiance visits) people in the apartment.

Thank you!

 

[DeadlyDays]

DOCSIS 3.0 is a standard for modems, cable modems. Cable modems translate signals(or modulate/demodulate) from coax copper cables to Ethernet cables. After you have the signal translated into something a normal computer can use, now you want multiple machines to be able to use it, or wireless access to that signal. That is what you use a router for. You can get 2 in 1 devices that are cable modems and routers.

Wireless N is probably all you really require bandwidthwise, AC is much faster, but N goes to theoretically 300Mbps, AC is like 1300Mbps? Somewhere around there.

Determine what you require and buy something in your price range that fits. If you have 300Mbps down, then you probably want something that supports wireless AC, but both ends of the connection needs to support AC to get AC speeds, otherwise it will use wireless N, or wireless G(any router should be fully backwards compatible. it goes AC, N, G, etc(these others don't matter).

Now that you understand that, there are 2 frequencies wireless operates on, 2.4Ghz and 5.0Ghz. I typically have better range on 2.4Ghz, but it is a more crowded frequency, so in an apartment it may have a lot of interference. AC will have crippled speeds on 2.4Ghz I believe, it needs to use the 5.0Ghz band to get full speeds. Older devices won't be able to connect to the 5.0Ghz frequency band. A cheap router will only operate on a single band at a time. Otherwise you need a Dual Band router, which is broadcasts on both at the same time(so you see 2 wireless networks, and can connect to either). The really expensive ones are TriBand, 1 2.4Ghz network, and 2 5.0Ghz networks.

If you need LAN ports, make sure you have enough. Some may come with 100Mbps ports, if you are using a 300Mbps internet connection, you will get crippled speeds if you don't have 1Gbps ports. Every port in the chain needs the Gbps port, or one of them will become a choke point and limit the other end to 100Mbps connection.

GL

 

[jsmithepa]

Wireless N is probably all you really require bandwidthwise, AC is much faster,

How come you placed so much emphasis on wireless when the OP specifically mentions GAMING? Gamers seems to want WIRED.

 

[Solandri]

Hello everyone, I am searching for a good and reliable router for gaming/videos. I'll be using Cox Internet (300/30 mbps) which requires a DOCSIS 3.0 (not sure what this means).

If Cox is not providing a cable modem, you will have to buy a DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1 modem yourself. Most DOCSIS 3.0 modems top out at about 150 Mbps. So unless Cox is also telling you which specific DOCSIS 3.0 modem to get which will provide you with your full 300/30 Mbps speed, you're gonna need a 3.1 modem.

http://www.cox.com/residential/support/internet/article.cox?articleId=b2ec95d0-7ef9-11df-5590-000000000000

The router is separate from the cable modem (you can get devices which do both, but I'd recommend staying away from those).

As for the router and gaming, the high-end Netgear, Asus, and Linksys are all good. Visit this site if you want performance tests and comoparisons. I just grabbed a Netgear R6700 at Costco (almost the same as the the R7000).

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/rankers/router/view

 

[DeadlyDays]

@jsmithepa
Because he has wireless devices he wants to support, and ANY router out there with Gbps ports will work almost identically to each other in his use case. Heck, if he didn't need wireless, a switch or Hub would be fine.

I put emphasis on explaining wireless because that is the only complicated part of the equation, and the primary thing separating routers from each other. Most people barely use any of the features modems come with in a residential setting, at least out of the people that would ask this question.

If it supports the features he needs, just about any router will be fine. Quality is debatably and mostly model dependent not manufacturer dependent, it isn't even price range dependent. I've had 150$ routers fail in a year and 20$ routers go for several years. It is what it is unless he goes business class router with a cisco. Cisco's residential modems are just as terrible as any other.

And wireless set up correctly and in a good setting will provide only the barest increase in ping times. I used to use a wireless connection to game on and only saw 10ms added onto ping times. The only factor there is if you are using it wrong, or in a bad setting to use wireless in(long distance, high interference, or lots of material or metal between points)

 

[rogerham]

Hello everyone, I am searching for a good and reliable router for gaming/videos. I'll be using Cox Internet (300/30 mbps) which requires a DOCSIS 3.0 (not sure what this means).

If Cox is not providing a cable modem, you will have to buy a DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1 modem yourself. Most DOCSIS 3.0 modems top out at about 150 Mbps. So unless Cox is also telling you which specific DOCSIS 3.0 modem to get which will provide you with your full 300/30 Mbps speed, you're gonna need a 3.1 modem.

http://www.cox.com/residential/support/internet/article.cox?articleId=b2ec95d0-7ef9-11df-5590-000000000000

The router is separate from the cable modem (you can get devices which do both, but I'd recommend staying away from those).

As for the router and gaming, the high-end Netgear, Asus, and Linksys are all good. Visit this site if you want performance tests and comoparisons. I just grabbed a Netgear R6700 at Costco (almost the same as the the R7000).

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/rankers/router/view

Cox is offering a router for a nominal fee, however I am not sure how "good" they are.