Can anyone here help me with router recommendations? As the default go-to-person for technica...

[G+_Brett B]

 

Can anyone here help me with router recommendations?

 

As the default go-to-person for technical help for my family I am looking to buy 2-3 routers for different houses. Can you guys recommend a secure, fast, router that will cover a decent sized two story house?

 

I'm open to buying a router that I can put DD-WRT or Tomato on if that is the best route, just need some hardware recommendations.?

[G+_Wayne Black]

I've been toying with the notion of getting a more secure wifi router that I can flash with DD-WRT or tomato. So far I'm leaning toward the ASUS RT-AC66U.

It seems to be well rated on Amazon and is a mid priced router at $150

A little more expensive at $190 is the NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900. People claim to get a good strong signal with it.

I currently have a D-Link which from what I can find can't be flashed with open source software.

[G+_Eddie Foy]

Cisco 2851.  Used. ~ $350  (my Asus has vulnerabilities that I've informed Asus about and last 2 FW made my RT-N66R DOA, had to back out 2 version this past weekend.  My Cico is about to go for a live test run)

[G+_Brian Moses]

I'm the go-to-person for my family for tech. I've been setting them up with Linksys and Asus routers that run DD-WRT for several years. Just lately I picked up a Rosewill RNX-N150RT because I new it was supported by DD-WRT. When I took a look at all the settings it included I decided not to flash it with DD-WRT and stay with their firmware. I turned off WPS and then tested it with WASH to make sure the router doesn't respond to a reaver attack. It's been up and stable with no complaints for several months now.

[G+_Eddie Foy]

wash isn't that reliable.

[G+_Ben Yanke]

My network setup is as such. It works great for me, ymmv.

 

Modems: Two frontier DSL modems - provided by frontier

 

Router: TP Link TL-R470T+ - http://amzn.to/1JayS73

 

APs: TP Link TL-WA801N (three of these spread throughout the house, one on each common channel, hardwired via ethernet jacks I installed, also powered via POE) - http://amzn.to/1uvvVuP

 

Switches: TP-LINK TL-SG108 - 8 port gigabit switch (4 of these) - http://amzn.to/1yu1m8p

 

Patchbay for ethernet jacks throughout the house: 12 port patchbay - http://amzn.to/1xZP7vg

[G+_Ben Yanke]

If my cabinet was bigger, it would get a single large switch, but the space is quite small where I have everything, and rack-sized equipment doesn't fit. so 4 small switches hooked together work well enough.

 

Within the router, I also have some bandwidth management tools for separate users in the house (the parents get a certain amount of guaranteed bandwidth, and the kids get what's left, when the parents are using all their allotment, same with guests, they get what the kids didn't take, with only a very small amount guaranteed).

 

-Ben (Madison, in the TWiT IRC)?

[G+_Brett B]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll check them all out.