discussion Need help selecting a good Router.

[wade7575]

+1 on speaking to your ISP. I'm not usually pushing that direction, but for your price point anything you buy isn't going to be an improvement on the ISP provided hardware. And in most cases, I believe ISP provided hardware DOES allow you to remote in and set up a basic guest SSID.

If all you're looking for is more control, I have an old DLink DIR-880L you could have for the cost of shipping. But I haven't even plugged that in to test it in a couple years at least, so I'm only guessing it's still functional? And I'd say the only way that's worth it would be to flash it with DD-WRT or Tomato. Even then, it's pretty old hardware. (EOL in 2020 it looks like)

My ISP doesn't provide a modem or router because with them you can take an ethernet cable and plug it straight into the wall then plug your laptop into the other end.

The only reason I need wifi is for my mother who likes to use her laptop to watch things on youtube and surf the net a bit and that's why I don't need anything special.

I'll keep that in mind about the router that you have,I think I may have already found something.

 

[sswilson]

Sounds like you need a switch and an AP.

 

[Caldezar]

Sounds like you need a switch and an AP.

Agreed, and the used market has a ton of good options there for cheap.

 

[JD]

My ISP doesn't provide a modem or router because with them you can take an ethernet cable and plug it straight into the wall then plug your laptop into the other end.

What sort of IP do you get? Something in the 192.168.x.x, 172.16.0.0-172.31.255.255 or 10.x.x.x ranges? Or does it match your public IP when you go to something like: https://www.whatismyip.com/ ?

Sounds like you need a switch and an AP.

As I would advise against this if you get a public IP. Even if you get a private IP range, I'd question whether it's shared with the entire building. Is Internet included in rent/condo fees?

"Safest" would be to stick to a router as it is also a firewall.

 

[wade7575]

Sounds like you need a switch and an AP.

What do you mean by a switch and an AP.

 

[wade7575]

What sort of IP do you get? Something in the 192.168.x.x, 172.16.0.0-172.31.255.255 or 10.x.x.x ranges? Or does it match your public IP when you go to something like: https://www.whatismyip.com/ ?


As I would advise against this if you get a public IP. Even if you get a private IP range, I'd question whether it's shared with the entire building. Is Internet included in rent/condo fees?

"Safest" would be to stick to a router as it is also a firewall.

There is a business below me and I'm the only apartment in the building and I know from talking to my internet company the my IP is not shared from what they told me.

68.69.156.227

 

[wade7575]

To be clear I just need a router and that is it,there's nothing wrong with my service in anyway shape or form I'm just tired of buying routers every 2 or 3 years even if they are only 80 bucks.

I would purchase a router for 200 or 300 bucks if it was going to last 10 years or more because I know I'm never going to need to have something that can handle 5 or more device's all at the same time,it's just and my mother and she only watch's youtube video and surfs the net and I just surf and download the odd thing I don't need a router that can handle mega speeds or shoot the single half way across town.

 

[moocow]

Anyone try building their own wifi router using something like Linux-Router on Github and a mini-PC with wifi card?

GitHub - garywill/linux-router: Set Linux as router in one command. Support Internet sharing, redsocks, Wifi hotspot, IPv6. Can also be used for routing VM/containers 🛰️

Set Linux as router in one command. Support Internet sharing, redsocks, Wifi hotspot, IPv6. Can also be used for routing VM/containers 🛰️ - garywill/linux-router

github.com

EDIT: completely forgot that I have a Celeron with a 4 port 1GB NIC running pfSense as my firewall and router. But I plugged in a Netgear and Asus router as AP to it. Also have another Asus router as a repeater but it's giving me a lot of problem, I think it's about to die.

 

[Sagath]

My ISP doesn't provide a modem or router because with them you can take an ethernet cable and plug it straight into the wall then plug your laptop into the other end.

I'm very confused by this statement?

Unless you're in a condo where your ISP is defined by your building you're going to require a modem/router.

Even if it is a condo situation, I would still be putting up a router to ensure firewall/security access is maintained. I'm not trusting other people to do what should be done.

 

[wade7575]

To be clear I just need a router and that is it,there's nothing wrong with my service in anyway shape or form I'm just tired of buying routers every 2 or 3 years even if they are only 80 bucks.

I would purchase a router for 200 or 300 bucks if it was going to last 10 years or more because I know I'm never going to need to have something that can handle 5 or more device all at the same time and they are all being used to watch 4K video's,it's just and my mother and she only watch's youtube video and surfs the net and I just surf and download the odd thing I don't need a router that can handle mega speeds or shoot the single half way across town.