Router recommendation

[HIFI]

I need a new router.  Long range.

 

Recommendations  please.

 

Thanks in advance. 

[ericuco]

I have been using Google Wifi for over a year and very pleased with it. I have a three pack where one serves as the router and two as extenders.

 

The router is on the second floor (2 story house, 2800 sq feet) and the two others are on the main level so get great wifi coverage throughout the house.

 

I really like the Google Wifi app that allows you to easily check the system and how much data is flowing to each connected device.

 

Each module has two Ethernet ports as well as you can hard wire devices if needed, which I do use in some cases.

[jcn3]

@HIFI -- do you have the ability to have a router (without wireless) and use access points around the house? are you comfortable with network fundamentals and managed switches?  if so, i would look at the ubiquiti unifi components --  use a security gateway as a router, a us-8-150 poe as your switch, and your pick of access points (unifi product line has many models) and you'll have a rockin' network.

 

not the cheapest way to go (by far), but is very powerful.

 

if not -- the netgear orbi pro components are great.

[Blackmorec]

Hello HIFI, you don’t provide any details about what you’re exactly looking for, so this suggestion may or may not meet your needs. 

About a year ago I decided to implement a new digital system based on local and remote streaming, with Qobuz as a remote source to an Innuos Zenith SE and more recently a Statement. Fortunately I have 2 branches of Curries PC World in close proximity so I was able to try lots of different combinations of routers, internet-over-power line, extenders, mesh systems and direct ethernet connectors, using their 30 day policy to buy, try and return.

My hi-fi is one floor above my router, with a staircase in between, so a 15m ethernet cable was temporarily installed bungee style (flung over the stairs) and would have been a lot longer if I routed the cable properly.  The original router was a Virgin Superhub3 which combines cable modem and router and is a weak-kneed piece of crap with flawed firmware. My first trial was ethernet cable vs wi-fi. Fortunately the wi-fi connection sounded considerably better than the hardwired ethernet solution. 

Analysing my network needs, they break down into the following categories:

1. General fixed location wi-fi devices (PC,  Naim MuSo QB, etc
2. Mobile wi-fi devices (iPads, iPhones etc)
3. Hi-res video
4. Hi-res audio

Essentially I tried several different combinations listed above until I found the ideal.....

• No disconnects or instability on fixed location devices
• No disconnects on mobile devices when changing locations 
• No buffering or drop-outs on video
• Ultra high speed connection for hi-res audio with no drop-outs
• Best sound quality

Virgin mandates the use of Superhub as a cable modem to connect to their network, so I switched it to modem mode and used a seperate router for all connections within my house. 

After trialing lots of alternatives the best I found was the following:

TPLInk Archer AC5400 tri-band router with MU-MIMO, which includes: 

communication with 4 devices simultaneously; ultrafast 1,4GHz dual core CPU with 3 co-processors, maximised range through 8 beam forming antennae and an easy to use interface, giving access to all the router’s advanced features. 

For the hi-fi, I added a TPLink RE640 extender, which offers 2.4Ghz and 5GHz dual bands and the same high speed capabilities as the router. 

Both router and extender are controlled via TPLink’s Tether app, which allows you to set up your network and define what connects to what, who has access etc. In order to optimise my entire network I set up the following:

2.4MHz Band to connect distant and mobile devices

#1 5GHz band for Video streaming and local devices 

#2 GHz band dedicated to the hi-fi 

 

In this manner, the slower but more robust 2.4 GHz band is used to connect low demand and distant  devices, while the 5GHz band is used to connect video, where robust, high bandwidth avoids the dreaded buffering. For hi-fi, the 2.4GHz band on the extender is switched off, and the 5GHz band is dedicated to the router’s 2nd 5GHz band, with no other clients. At over 200 Mbps, the hi-fi server’s iPad based user inter is so fast is feels like a local, hard wired interface and the music streaming is totally robust and absolutely free of drop outs.  Sound quality was exceptional but did improve markedly with the addition of Sean Jacob’s DC3 LPSs for all network devices. 

 

 

[Doak]

5 hours ago, Blackmorec said:

Hello HIFI, you don’t provide any details about what you’re exactly looking for, so this suggestion may or may not meet your needs. 

About a year ago I decided to implement a new digital system based on local and remote streaming, with Qobuz as a remote source to an Innuos Zenith SE and more recently a Statement. Fortunately I have 2 branches of Curries PC World in close proximity so I was able to try lots of different combinations of routers, internet-over-power line, extenders, mesh systems and direct ethernet connectors, using their 30 day policy to buy, try and return.

My hi-fi is one floor above my router, with a staircase in between, so a 15m ethernet cable was temporarily installed bungee style (flung over the stairs) and would have been a lot longer if I routed the cable properly.  The original router was a Virgin Superhub3 which combines cable modem and router and is a weak-kneed piece of crap with flawed firmware. My first trial was ethernet cable vs wi-fi. Fortunately the wi-fi connection sounded considerably better than the hardwired ethernet solution. 

Analysing my network needs, they break down into the following categories:

1. General fixed location wi-fi devices (PC,  Naim MuSo QB, etc
2. Mobile wi-fi devices (iPads, iPhones etc)
3. Hi-res video
4. Hi-res audio

Essentially I tried several different combinations listed above until I found the ideal.....

• No disconnects or instability on fixed location devices
• No disconnects on mobile devices when changing locations 
• No buffering or drop-outs on video
• Ultra high speed connection for hi-res audio with no drop-outs
• Best sound quality

Virgin mandates the use of Superhub as a cable modem to connect to their network, so I switched it to modem mode and used a seperate router for all connections within my house. 

After trialing lots of alternatives the best I found was the following:

TPLInk Archer AC5400 tri-band router with MU-MIMO, which includes: 

communication with 4 devices simultaneously; ultrafast 1,4GHz dual core CPU with 3 co-processors, maximised range through 8 beam forming antennae and an easy to use interface, giving access to all the router’s advanced features. 

For the hi-fi, I added a TPLink RE640 extender, which offers 2.4Ghz and 5GHz dual bands and the same high speed capabilities as the router. 

Both router and extender are controlled via TPLink’s Tether app, which allows you to set up your network and define what connects to what, who has access etc. In order to optimise my entire network I set up the following:

2.4MHz Band to connect distant and mobile devices

#1 5GHz band for Video streaming and local devices 

#2 GHz band dedicated to the hi-fi 

 

In this manner, the slower but more robust 2.4 GHz band is used to connect low demand and distant  devices, while the 5GHz band is used to connect video, where robust, high bandwidth avoids the dreaded buffering. For hi-fi, the 2.4GHz band on the extender is switched off, and the 5GHz band is dedicated to the router’s 2nd 5GHz band, with no other clients. At over 200 Mbps, the hi-fi server’s iPad based user inter is so fast is feels like a local, hard wired interface and the music streaming is totally robust and absolutely free of drop outs.  Sound quality was exceptional but did improve markedly with the addition of Sean Jacob’s DC3 LPSs for all network devices. 

 

 

Pardon mois,,, but a search to garner info on “TPLink RE640” returns absolutely nothing useful. Help?

[seeteeyou]

He meant RE650 and please kindly read further details as follows

 

https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/range-extender/re650/

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/30376-a-novel-way-to-massively-improve-the-sq-of-computer-audio-streaming/page/509/?tab=comments#comment-916659

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/55716-innuos-zenith-mk3-or-opticalrendu-separate-server/page/9/?tab=comments#comment-959334

[Blackmorec]

Hi Doak, sorry about the typo wasting your time. It was last thing after a long day in the sun.  And thanks seeteeyou for the correction and further details 

 

The other detail I didn’t mention is that the RE650 receives signal from the router via wi-fi but the output to the Innuos server is through a highly screened ethernet cable (SR Atmosphere X Ref). 

Cheers!

Blackmorec

[HIFI]

Thanks for input.  I purchased and connected a new router from netgear (AC1900). 

 

All working so well except one issue.

 

i am unable to stream from Mac Mini to my sonus that is connected to a second hifi system that is in my back yard.

 

I can stream Mac Mini to my iPad.  I can stream Spotify from iPad to sonus in back yard.  When I try streaming from Max Mini to sonus in back yard I am getting nothing.  I open sonus app to see an error code stating “ unable to play song, unable to connect to 192.16?.????

[HIFI]

Problem solved 

 

and i I have no idea why

 

thank you