Wifi router for home

[travisza]

We have Fibre with Mweb. I need a new wireless router as the original Mweb one has finally given up the ghost.

 

Will any unit do? Otherwise what are your recommendations?

[Frosty]

I use the stock standard router from my ISP, then have an ASUS router that is customized to suit my VPN settings (requires an OpenVPN for Client setting).

[bertusras]

I'm personally a big fan of TP-Link, and currently use a DECO M4 Mesh Wifi setup at home, and before that I used the AC1350 Dual Band router, but would probably opt for the C6 AC1200 if I were to buy now and I wasn't going for Mesh setup.

[ACM]

I'm personally a big fan of TP-Link, and currently use a DECO M4 Mesh Wifi setup at home, and before that I used the AC1350 Dual Band router, but would probably opt for the C6 AC1200 if I were to buy now and I wasn't going for Mesh setup.

Do you get seamless switching from your devices between the deco units?

[bertusras]

Do you get seamless switching from your devices between the deco units?

 

I do. Since installing these units in our duplex I've not had a single connection issue, and I run multiple IoT devices on the network as well. Previously I had the AC1350 with a WiFi extender and that was an absolute pain.

[travisza]

Thanks, will have a look at  C6 AC1200

[Vetplant]

Consider the NETIS brand of routers.

 

Super strong signal - better than any tp-link or mainstream brand I have ever owned

All the features you need from a management point for a home setup.

Cheap enough to take a chance on something new.

 

https://www.firstshop.co.za/products/netis-system-wf2710-wi-fi-5-wireless-dual-band-2-4ghz-and-5ghz-fast-ethernet-white-96423?_pos=4&_sid=c3f2eef0b&_ss=r

[travisza]

Thanks all. I'm super impatient and after having to mess around and restart with my old router 10 times yesterday while trying to watch EPL I ordered the TP link this morning.

 

[Chris_]

Good thread. I'll probably also need a new wifi router so I'll check these mentioned ones out.

 

I've also been resetting the thing 10 times a day for the last week or so, after not having a single problem for 3 or 4 years. Its very frustrating.

 

Then this morning suddenly the router won't even find the the internet connection no matter what I do. Its difficult for a non-tech-savvy chap to isolate what the problem is but I'm close to chucking the router out the window.

 

ugh...

[travisza]

Good thread. I'll probably also need a new wifi router so I'll check these mentioned ones out.

 

I've also been resetting the thing 10 times a day for the last week or so, after not having a single problem for 3 or 4 years. Its very frustrating.

 

Then this morning suddenly the router won't even find the the internet connection no matter what I do. Its difficult for a non-tech-savvy chap to isolate what the problem is but I'm close to chucking the router out the window.

 

ugh...

This sounds exactly what I have been experiencing...so I am throwing it out the window and ordering a new one.

[Shebeen]

Consider the NETIS brand of routers.

 

Super strong signal - better than any tp-link or mainstream brand I have ever owned

All the features you need from a management point for a home setup.

Cheap enough to take a chance on something new.

 

https://www.firstshop.co.za/products/netis-system-wf2710-wi-fi-5-wireless-dual-band-2-4ghz-and-5ghz-fast-ethernet-white-96423?_pos=4&_sid=c3f2eef0b&_ss=r

that's really really cheep

[Vetplant]

that's really really cheep

I've been running two of them for 2 years now, rock solid. So can vouch for them in terms of reliability.

[Rocket-Boy]

To me the only stable and decent wifi is using a system with a controller and PoE based access points.

Unifi is always my first choice based on cost and ease of use.

Once you have a setup like that then wifi issues are a thing of the past.

Its also really easy to add more devices if you want to extend coverage later. That and the UFO's on your ceiling look pretty cool

[Harryn]

Thanks all. I'm super impatient and after having to mess around and restart with my old router 10 times yesterday while trying to watch EPL I ordered the TP link this morning.

 

 

I have been experiencing the same. It went from being just a pain to a totall embarrassment yesterday when I had 7 people waiting for me to reboot when I could not connect to my own zoom meeting.

 

So, I am interested to know if the new router solved your issues. I had always just assumed it is my line that’s crappy.

[l4y3rcake]

Just got myself the Huawei mesh units. Best decision I have ever made. I get seamless switching between the 3 units and i havent dropped a zoom call since. If you have the budget I would go mesh. 

Edited February 15, 2021 by l4y3rcake

[patches]

I'm personally a big fan of TP-Link, and currently use a DECO M4 Mesh Wifi setup at home, and before that I used the AC1350 Dual Band router, but would probably opt for the C6 AC1200 if I were to buy now and I wasn't going for Mesh setup.

 

+1 for a mesh setup.

 

I use 2x Samsung Smartthings Wifi hubs to run my mesh system. Not as fast as the Deco as they are a few years old now, but they have Z-wave and Zigbee capabilities so work well if one wants to create a smart home.

 

 

The transition between access points in the mesh is petty seamless and they manage whether a device is on 5GHz or 2.4GHz, depending on what that device needs based on range etc.

 

I'm not sure of availability in South Africa, but I believe SA uses the same Z-wave frequencies as Europe so one could possibly be sourced from there.