wifi noob - which router should I get?

[captainthrall]

I'm looking to upgrade my home wifi. I currently have linksys WRT110. I use it for gaming and file sharing.

My cable internet theoretically maxes out at 300 MBPS. I had to get a new cable modem to better handle the speed, and I figured it's probably time to upgrade my 10 year old $25 walmart wifi router as well. The problem is I don't know much about wifi.

The cable modem that I'm planning to buy is an Arris SB6190. What would be the best wifi router to pair with this?

Thanks!

 

[NiHaoMike]

Get something that has at least AC1200 (AC1750 or better if you plan to use a lot of bandwidth over wireless), gigabit ports, and support for OpenWRT/LEDE or DD-WRT.
Beware that the modem you're considering has a known bug that causes intermittent high latency under certain conditions. I suggest finding something else.

 

[captainthrall]

Damn, I already ordered the modem. I'll see if I can cancel it.

How's this router? I did some research and it seems to have the very best "actual tested speed" for the price.

http://a.co/ahV7RbY

 

[NiHaoMike]

That one should be fine. OpenWRT, LEDE, and DD-WRT are all supported. In my experience, OpenWRT seems to be better for features and stability but doesn't support as many devices as DD-WRT. LEDE is a recent fork of OpenWRT, haven't tried that yet.

As for the modem, look up "Puma 6" and pick one that does *not* have that buggy chipset.

 

[captainthrall]

Alright, thanks for the info... After reading your comments, I did some research on the Puma 6 chipset, and it sounds like you saved me from a massive catastrophe. THANK YOU!

I cancelled the order for the modem with the bugged chipset and ordered an ASUS CM-16 along with an ASUS RT-AC66U wifi router. Hopefully they will pair well. Thanks again for saving me from the puma-6 lag nightmare.

 

[captainthrall]

Alright, I received and installed the new hardware.
I ran internet speed test and I'm at 173.96 Mbps down, and 29.31 Mbps up with 16ms ping.

I'c be slightly annoyed by these numbers considering my internet package is advertised as "up to 300 Mbps" but I'm only paying $55/month, plus I tripled my previous speed - so I really can't complain. Thanks again for the advice. I'm glad I avoided the Puma 6 headache.

 

[SPL Tech]

If you're gaming your best bet is always to use Ethernet. Even if you have your computer right next to your wifi modem, it will still never be as good as Ethernet. Using a physical connection will ensure the lowest latency and highest speeds, something no wifi router in the world can absolutely guarantee. I park my wifi router right on top of my desktop. I run a short 3' Ethernet cable to my desktop and I use wifi for everything else in my house. Doing that can also save you a ton of cash as you dont need some ridiculous 802.11ac 1400 mbps wifi router just for your iPhone, printer and whatever else. My old router only supports 802.11n 5 GHz 40 MHz band and I can stream 4k Netflix on it no problem.

 

[Janus67]

FWIW, most of the PUMA6 issues have been resolved with a new firmware. I have an SB6190 and really never noticed any latency issues, but even still the latest firmware that was released shows positive signs in a latency/puma6 test on dslreports. That said, I plan to upgrade to an SB8200 here shortly once it is officially supported by my ISP (WOW) and gigabit service is offered in my area (soon)