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  • boopboopbeepbeep - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    Netgear and ASUS have been releasing some really good hardware in the home and SOHO categories, but man does the firmware on these things stink for security and features.
  • lurker22 - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    Yes, most router have just horrible firmware. Guess why apple's Airports while not always cutting edge and not most feature packed, is often the most stable in long run...
  • MikhailT - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    Interesting they're also becoming more expensive as well. A $400 router now, they better come with a solid firmware and consistent updates to fix issues, especially security issues.

    I rather wait for Apple's Airport to gain all of these features next year, so I don't have to deal with the initial stability issues with wave 2.
  • DanNeely - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    I DD-WRTed my asus as soon as I was sure it was working well; I just wish I could configure DD-WRT to auto-patch itself at o'dark 30 so it doesn't stay vulnerable until a big scare reminds me to do a manual update. (Without being prodded, I generally only get around to checking for firmware updates on devices sometime around nEvember 32nd.)
  • extide - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    Personally, IMHO all consumer grade routers are GARBAGE. I want something with this wifi platform as an AP only. I use pfSense for routing and highly suggest you guys check into it as well.
  • Samus - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    Yeah, it's funny how many people still buy a WRT54G just because it's a stable router. Almost nothing these days can run more than a few months of heavy traffic without crashing. The most stable routers I've come across are Asus and surprisingly, high-end TP-Link (because their low end stuff is complete junk.) For access points I typically steer toward corporate-grade Cisco or Engenius if on a budget.
  • Gigaplex - Friday, October 2, 2015 - link

    Everyone I know who owned a WRT54G bought one because of the hype behind running custom firmware. Not because they were stable, which they often weren't (sometimes, with the right combination of patches and configuration, they were). It was more about the tinkering experience.
  • Impulses - Saturday, October 3, 2015 - link

    Mine was supremely stable for quite a few years, finally died a couple years ago, it was the second gen WRT54GS... I was apprehensive about replacing it since everyone seems to complain so much about router stability these days but my newer ASUS RT-68AC has been just as solid.

    Can't remember having to restart it yet over the last couple years, though it'll go thru a restart maybe once every month or two because of the flaky power grid around the neighborhood (mostly people not bothering to keep their vegetation in check around power lines).
  • zodiacfml - Friday, October 2, 2015 - link

    I agree to this. A still have to restart a good ASUS ac router once in few days despite the good build. In AP mode though, it's as good/stable as any other enterprise AP.
  • Impulses - Saturday, October 3, 2015 - link

    Huh, I'd go mad if I HAD to put up with restarting my ASUS every couple days... It's not even in a very accessible spot.
  • nsfw777 - Wednesday, October 14, 2015 - link

    This! Just give me a great AP and forget trying to make it a NAS, a media streamer, a 6 port switch. I too run pfSense and would rather spend my money on some Netgate hardware.
  • Azurael - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    I'd like this hardware, combined with OpenWRT compatibility, in a far cheaper package. I'd also like the moon on a stick.

    Until then, the DIR-825 creaks on. I only ended my 200 days uptime record because I updated to a new build of OpenWRT. Every router running stock firmware I've ever owned has needed to be rebooted at least once a week and had compatibility issues with certain systems/wireless cards... Then there's the fact that after 6 months or so, they won't bother with any more firmware patches for the functionality that's probably been broken since release. Router manufacturers, alongside printer manufacturers, IMHO, are the biggest shysters in the computer industry. I wouldn't buy any of their products if I didn't have to. Which is why I'm using a 6 year old 'Draft N' router still :P
  • azazel1024 - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    Now, I don't disagree on generally poor firmware support, but both of my Netgear 3500Lv1 ran like a champ for years. One finally needed reboots every 2-3 days as DHCP and the admin console would fail, the other one was working fine when I got rid of it (about 3 years for both). All of my TP-Link routers have been running strong. My Archer C8 has required exactly one "problem" related reboot in about a year or use, Archer C5 (6 months?) I think one reboot because of a wireless performance issue, zero reboots so far and WDR3600 (2) about 2 1/2 years of no reboots.

    For one of those WDR3600 it has been running sitting in my garage in temperatures from 0-102F working like a champ.

    All have used OEM firmware (also TP-Link, though not great, seem to run firmware patches for at least 24 months and I've seen the occasional patch 3-4 years out from when they first started shipping the device).
  • juhatus - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    Check http://www.asus.com/Networking/RTAC68U/HelpDesk_Do... they are on their 7th update this year for this 802.11ac first wave device, been running solid since I bought it. Just firmware related reboots and gets all wrt-based goodies with stock firmware.
  • Impulses - Saturday, October 3, 2015 - link

    I'm very happy with mine, and haven't even stayed up to date with firmware.
  • Azurael - Wednesday, October 7, 2015 - link

    Hmm, the first thing I see on there is that it took them 17 days after CVE listing to fix a serious RCE exploit... And that's a 'good' router manufacturer rather than say, Belkin.

    On that subject though, initially replying to this thread got me thinking about how much wireless has come on since the early days of draft-N, and I picked up a (funnily enough) Belkin F9K1115 specifically as it appeared to be the most affordable 3x3 AC router on OpenWRT's compatibility list. Faster NAS, faster torrent downloads (running on the router, that is), and much faster wireless. I guess even if their software sucks, it's worth picking up new hardware once in a while!
  • Thayios - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    My R8000 was garbage - I would have clients drop off the network communication wise while still being connected, even the RMA did the same thing and others reported the same issues (The single SSID 2 x 5 Ghz SSID was the issue).

    My R7000 has been solid, no issues what so ever after they released fixed firmware.

    I won't ever trust Netgear again after the R8000 fiasco when it comes to first release hardware/software later support.
  • WJames65 - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    Strange. My R8000 has been rock solid. Typically, around 10 devices are connected and actively sending / receiving data. I have no disconnect issues at all, and video streaming is flawless.
  • Thayios - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    It is very possible they finally fixed the issue via firmware or a hardware change. Did you have one of the first release ones?
  • Stuka87 - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    I love my Nighthawk, best router I have ever had. For me, it was worth the cost.
  • Makaveli - Thursday, October 1, 2015 - link

    Another Nighthawk user R7000 running Asus Merlin firmware router is solid.

    $175 also much better hit on my wallet. If I'm going to start paying $400+ I might as-well just start looking at Enterprise grade equipment.
  • iwod - Friday, October 2, 2015 - link

    What does it mean by Tri Band, There is only 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz. What is the third band?
    What they say 4x4 for 2.4Ghz and 4x4 for 5Ghz Antenna, does it mean they have 16 Antenna? ( Since the 4x4 is suppose to be 4 pairs, hence 8, and two set is 16 )
    Then the maximum bandwidth from the router is limited by 8 antenna serving maximum possible of 1Gbps + 2.2Gbps.
    Assuming they are using the 5Ghz 2nd 80Mhz as Band 3, you still could not achieve the maximum rate of 5.3 because the 5Ghz antenna is shared.

    Am i missing something?
  • DanNeely - Friday, October 2, 2015 - link

    As explained in the graphic, it can run two 5ghz connections at a time without MU-MIMO in addition to the 2.4 GHz connection.

    As for the rest of your questions, dunno how the antenna multiplexing works.
  • zodiacfml - Friday, October 2, 2015 - link

    The third band is another 5Ghz signal, on another frequency range, similar to having two 5ghz Wi-fi routers.

    The antenna count is 8. 4 external and 4 internal (for 2.4 ghz)

    The 4x4 means that it is a 4 stream signal. The next "4" means it is capable of MU-MIMO to 4 clients/devices. It can stream a 4 stream signal to 4 devices simultaneously (being MU-MIMO). Then, repeat that capability on the second 5 Ghz signal. Super overkill actually. I can't think of a actual scenario that can effectively use these abilities.
  • LarsBars - Friday, October 2, 2015 - link

    That's pretty cool that it has two 802.3ad ports. Windows 10 supports LACP NIC teaming out of the box using with the New-NetLbfoTeam PowerShell cmdlet. It would be interesting to see if the teaming compatibility is plug and play with Windows 10.
  • cromags77 - Tuesday, October 6, 2015 - link

    still, the firmware is problematic. i've gotten to a point where i am not going to use a router, regardless of the tech capabilities, unless it is dd-wrt or tomato compatible. in this age of NSA, tech users need to be careful. if you know enough to be using this site, you should set yourself up a VPN server using a DD-WRT router. TOR has a slew of issues, and seems to be connected to gov't agences- there is a pretty solid PANDO article on this. VPN services, they're cool- but still, if the federal government shows up to their offices- you know they are giving up all the information they have about you. use a DD-WRT router, set up your own VPN server. if you fear bricking your router, buy a DD-WRT router from FlashRouters. if you can do it yourself, do it yourself. you may think you are free from the NSA, as you haven't committed any crimes- but if you have some disparate opinions, they'll put you on "the list", monitor you, and make a case against you. any kind of anti-globalist, anti-government opinion can get you monitored... be it occupy wall street, tea party, hardcore libertarianism... anything outside of "the mainstream". i know i seem crazy, but i've read 1984. this stuff is happening now.
  • jfallen - Tuesday, October 6, 2015 - link

    This is all well and good (awesome actually, genuine gigabit wireless seems a real possibility here.) But you know what would be really awesome, a mini-PCI-E or normal PCI-E 1x card that has 4 antenna so I can actually use the available bandwidth...

    Asus has a 3x3 PCI-E 1x solution (+ a 3x3 on-board solution on some of its skylake MB's,) but the mini-PCI-E space is stuck at 2x2 with intel's (admittedly very good, I get a stable 40-50MB/s sustained transfers,) AC-7260 series products.

    GIVE ME A 4x4 CLIENT DEVICE. (or point me in that direction:)
  • glpdx - Wednesday, October 28, 2015 - link

    My R7000 required the occasional reboot. They've must have sorted out the firmware because it's been rock solid for the past year. I've been looking for an excuse to upgrade but I'm not seeing anything (feature or performance) that I would even notice on a day to day basis. I really do wish they'd make a flagship access point (R8500 w/ just WIFI...no router or other junk)
  • TorXXX - Friday, November 20, 2015 - link

    Having the R7000 with Tomato FW, rock stable! But my NAS required a NetGear smart switch to implement link aggregation, would be useful to include this into the wireless router!
    Tomato FW is the perfect blend of speed and functionality, it even includes support for CTF which enables for up to 1 Gbit NAT speed. But then the IO graph calculations will not work correctly. No need for speed below 350 Mbit line.
    NetGear has good HW, but FW is usually junk. Thank to Tomato and other 3rd party FW makers!

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