Looking for new router - eviltoast

What I have now, in use since 2021…

Linksys WiFi 5 Router, Tri-Band, 3,000 Sq. ft Coverage, 25+ Devices, Speeds up to (AC5400) 5.4Gbps - EA9500

The house is about 2800 sq ft with a semi attached 1500 sq ft garage and detached workshop. I would love to get wifi in workshop a lil stronger but am not tied to that being a need here.

we do have a lot of things hooking up to wireless, not sure what all my daughter has but 3 phones, 6 cameras and 4 PCs a printer plus tablets and misc things- I guess at least 25 connections total. 2 of us game on the wifi without any real issues now other than the occasional wifi drop I have seen recently.

Really just looking for recommendations for a newer model router- 6 or 6E I guess? That would give just as good performance as I have now, no real complaints with this linksys model I am using but it has been recently dropping wifi momentarily. I really hate the phone App setup and prefer the old 192. way of configuring the router.

Price is not really an issue, but I like consistency and a set it and forget it type product would be best. I’ve looked at multiple routers and reviews but just can’t figure out what would give me same/better performance, any ideas?

  • mlcarson@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    Your house is too large for adequate coverage by a single device unless it has no interior walls and you don’t care about the speeds as you get further from the wireless router.

    You should be looking for a router without WiFi but with proper QoS. Your WiFi can then be done with multiple AP’s to provide better coverage throughout the house. You just need cables from your switch to the locations where you’d want to put the AP’s. The solution to bad WiFi is not a more powerful transmitter. You need to reduce the distance to each WiFi source which you do by adding more AP’s. In a case where you can absolute not run cables and nothing currently exists for MoCA then you would use mesh but it’ll never be as good as a cabled solution.

    If you want coverage to the detached workshop, run a cable there and add an AP. If you can’t run the cable then use a wireless bridge designed for point to point and then add an AP to that.

    • StonerPirate007@alien.topOPB
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Thank you, that did clear up some of what was confusing me. I learn quick (or so wife says) but have never been around a multi AP type installation.

      I did have direct TV (no longer in use) I have the box on house where coax comes from the dish, One hookup for cable on wall close to where router is now and one on the 2nd floor. Could I do MoCA from router out to box- then a splitter to hit the existing cable upstairs plus add a new cable run for back of house having an AP at all 3 spots (where router is now, upstairs and back of house?)

      Maybe an easier way to ask is can I do MoCA with a splitter and multiple drops to provide as many APs as I like?

      Any thoughts on something like this Lynksys Atlas 6 done with the wired backhaul through MoCA?

      • mlcarson@alien.topB
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        There’s no issue with using MoCA. There’s also G.hn which achieves the same thing via unused coax. The advantage of G.hn is that it doesn’t require special splitters to accomodate the frequency range; the disadvantage is that it conflicts with the TV frequency range which is why it needs to be unused coax.

        https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SKSKQR3