[GTALUG] Help with choosing a WiFi router

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: David Mason via talk <talk at gtalug.org>

| We’ve had a DLINK DIR-628 for quite a while.

There's a new standard since then: 802.11ac.  Confusing, because there
already were 802.11a and 802.11c.

There's been a race to be able to claim speed in wireless routers.
They use multiple antennae to allow multiple devices to be supported
at one time (beamforming?).

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11ac>

These advantages depend on the clients supporting 802.11ac.

Enthusiast routers have gotten more expensive and look more like
aggressive alien space ships.  Just look at this one:

<https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIADGE5R87033>

I like the idea of OpenWRT but don't actually use it.  Even though
I have two wireless routers, I only use them as APs -- the routing
functions are not used.  So my advice about consumer wireless routers
is pretty theoretical.  For gateways (including the routing function),
I use little PCs running CentOS or Fedora.

Here's a reddit thread with some useful information and links
<https://www.reddit.com/r/openwrt/comments/6izva9/ive_discovered_80211ac_and_now_want_an/>

The TP-link C7 was a good candidate a few years ago.  OpenWRT support,
cheap, AC1750.  They did decide to lock out firmware replacement due
to their (quite rational) interpretation of a new FCC interpretation
of regulations.  I hope that that has blown over.  Here it is for
$79.88.
<https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIADGE5R74269>

Some folks like Ubiquiti and claim it is a notch above consumer
equipment.

I think that the best reviews of routers are on SmallNetBuilder.
Here's a ranking they have:
<https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/rankers/router/view>
Boy, the Phicomm K3C AC1900 looks inexpensive.
US$40.51 from Amazon.com
C$99.89 from Amazon.ca [Rip Off!]

amazon.com will ship to me, for a total price of US$59.27, about C$77.

Order Summary
Items: 	$40.51
Shipping & handling: 	$13.06
Total before tax: 	$53.57
Estimated tax to be collected: 	$0.00
Import Fees Deposit: 	$5.70
Order total: 	$59.27

I don't know what the "import fees deposit" is.  HST would be US$6.96.
" You won't be charged additional fees if the actual Import Fees exceed 
the Import Fees Deposit we estimated. For items sold by Amazon Marketplace 
sellers, please check the seller's policies."

So that seems like a reasonable choice.

I don't imagine that the difference between AC1750 (C7) and AC1900 (K3C) 
matters.

| When it works it has been 
| great, but it drops out several times a day. Sometimes it come back 
| fairly seamlessly, but sometimes you have to turn off the wifi on 
| connected devices and turn it back on again. Power-cycling it always 
| resolves the problem, but it’s annoying.

Have you tried updating the firmware?  Apparently that's a good idea
anyway since many exploits of wireless routers are in the wild.  
Routers are a big target since they are exposed on the internet.