router comparison question

[Salamander]

I had a Netgear N900 that died on me after a number of years. I got a Netgear R6300v2 on sale, and I am not at all satisfied with it.

I have one wired computer, two wireless laptops, two wireless IPads, two wireless phones. and a wireless kindle fire hdx that are all connected at the same time on occasion (it's a family affair...).

With the N900, everything was fine except we had sporadic dropping of the internet connection, which is why I decided to try a different model. The R6300v2 is much worse in terms of signal strength/range, especially on the 2.4 band.

At this point, I'm considering replacing the R5300v2 with another N900, or going with either the ASUS RT-N66U or the ASUS RT-AC66U. I don't need the ac at this time, but I'm considering it for future proofing.

Does anyone know from direct experience how either or both of the ASUS routers compare with the Netgear N900 in terms of signal strength/range?

 

[SecurityTheatre]

Well, the AC routers have MUCH better quality radios in them in order to support 256-QAM, so the N-band tends to work much better as a consequence with those.

I might go that way.

 

[smitbret]

Just my food for thought.

I replaced my D-Link DIR-825 router (300mbps N) with a TP-Link Archer C7 and the range got much, much better, probably 60-80% greater. So there probably is something to the "better radios" idea.

 

[alkemyst]

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/

Great site for technical reviews on wireless gear.

 

[YBS1]

I've used both the Netgear R6300 and the Asus AC66U (currently using this). I found both to be inferior to my old Netgear WNDR3700 on the 2.4ghz band.

 

[JackMDS]

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/

Great site for technical reviews on wireless gear.

Great source, but Entry Level consumers have to be careful about the Bench marks and its rating. Many of them do not apply to the way regular users use their systems.

In other words, what ever rates there the Best is not necessarily the functional Best for main stream consumers.

 

[billyb0b]

Well, the AC routers have MUCH better quality radios in them in order to support 256-QAM, so the N-band tends to work much better as a consequence with those.

I might go that way.

A modulation technique is inconsequential in the "quality" of a radio. The quality of the transceiver itself dictates the subjective definition of "quality." Objective means of measuring "quality" can be performed in lab environments and measuring finite value (i.e. bit-error-rate values, EIRP measurements).