Wireless router for small community room (15-20 devices)

[Rainshine]

Hi there! I'm trying to help out a small group (nonprofit) that's making a space available for some of the community to come in, study, read, surf, etc. They asked my advice for a wireless router. I talked with them about overall bandwidth from the phone company already. Physically speaking, the area to be covered is fairly small, smaller than a 2-bd two story house. Estimating a max of 15-20 devices at any one time. Not an unlimited budget, but they know that going for some cheap $50 isn't going to work out well, so I'd say in the max range of a couple hundred. They're also concerned about appropriate content access (read: family friendly/no porn). My brief research suggests they should probably pick up a MU-MIMO router and then I can set them up with OpenDNS. Looking at the Linksys AC2600. Suggestions or reasons why my thinking is all wrong and I should advise something else?

 

[Pooneil]

With 20 users in two stories, you will likely need two access points linked by eithernet or at least a powerline network to provide trouble free wifi. Ethernet is worth the money in the long run to pay someone to run it if needed because it is next to zero maintenance whereas powerline will require someone who knows how to fix it from time to time.

While the router you suggest is pretty good, entry level commercial equipment is likely to be the best bet in the long run for trouble free wifi. Look at Ubiquiti networks.

Even as a volunteer consultant on this, part of the job is to anticipate the organization's ongoing skills to manage the network. In this regard, the new and evolving mesh systems are also worth a look for covering a this kind of space, rather than a single access point.

 

[Rainshine]

Ubiquiti Wave 2 Pro?