What router to buy

[IAnthonyFX]

I will be moving soon and mediacom seems to be th cheapest option for internet connection where I will be. I was wondering what router I should buy that was sub 100 dollars the cheaper the better but something that isn't totally bad (my internet connection will be 100mbps). The apartment is less than 700sqft

[Donut417]

2 hours ago, IAnthonyFX said:

I will be moving soon and mediacom seems to be th cheapest option for internet connection where I will be. I was wondering what router I should buy that was sub 100 dollars the cheaper the better but something that isn't totally bad (my internet connection will be 1000mbps)

Here is the deal, many routers have Gigabit Ethernet but not all routers can do Gigabit Internet. Also, keep in mind that the ISP will generally give you a Gateway(Modem/Router) so either your going to want to buy a modem as well or put what ever they give you in bridge mode. Im not familure with Mediacom's policies but MOST ISP's give you a Gateway, some like Spectrum give you a standard cable modem and you can rent a router. Thats the other thing, most of the time you are charged an equpment rental fee for what every piece of dog shit the ISP decides to give you. 

 

That all being said. Asus, Netgear and Ubiquiti are the brands that people tend to suggest. TPLink is OK as well, as they are generally reguarded as the "Budget" brand. I have a Synology router and I say they are solid, but the router I have is around $200 USD. The key spec I would look at is the WAN to LAN throughput. Thats how you will know what kind of connection the router will be able to handle. Though that being said, Mediacom is a cable provider which means your probably looking at a 1 Gbps down but only like 30 to 45 Mbps up. Cable providers have shit upload rates compared to Fiber. 

[sphbecker]

Check and see what your ISP provides. I prefer buying my own router, but with that budget, you are probably better using their's. A <$100 router is going to struggle to provide gigabit connections (it might work for speed tests, but will fall short once you get 5+ devices actively using it).

 

If the ISP doesn't provide anything, or charges an additional fee, and if your budget is non-negotiable, consider this router...

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-R6700-Nighthawk-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=netgear+router+802.11ac&qid=1574448413&refinements=p_89%3ANETGEAR&rnid=2528832011&sr=8-6

You will not get more than about 400-500mbps on WiFi (shared between all WiFI devices), but that is all you can expect at that price point.

 

Sadly, WiFi 6 routers are not in your price range yet, and it is so new that it is hard to recommend one yet.

 

The router is the heart of your network. Its CPU touches every bit of data you use. In my opinion, it is not something you should go cheap on. If at all possible, I would consider something around $200. For that you could give WiFi 6 a try, or get a really solid 802.11ac router with a quad-core CPU.

[IAnthonyFX]

23 hours ago, Donut417 said:

Here is the deal, many routers have Gigabit Ethernet but not all routers can do Gigabit Internet. Also, keep in mind that the ISP will generally give you a Gateway(Modem/Router) so either your going to want to buy a modem as well or put what ever they give you in bridge mode. Im not familure with Mediacom's policies but MOST ISP's give you a Gateway, some like Spectrum give you a standard cable modem and you can rent a router. Thats the other thing, most of the time you are charged an equpment rental fee for what every piece of dog shit the ISP decides to give you. 

That all being said. Asus, Netgear and Ubiquiti are the brands that people tend to suggest. TPLink is OK as well, as they are generally reguarded as the "Budget" brand. I have a Synology router and I say they are solid, but the router I have is around $200 USD. The key spec I would look at is the WAN to LAN throughput. Thats how you will know what kind of connection the router will be able to handle. Though that being said, Mediacom is a cable provider which means your probably looking at a 1 Gbps down but only like 30 to 45 Mbps up. Cable providers have shit upload rates compared to Fiber. 

8 hours ago, sphbecker said:

Check and see what your ISP provides. I prefer buying my own router, but with that budget, you are probably better using their's. A <$100 router is going to struggle to provide gigabit connections (it might work for speed tests, but will fall short once you get 5+ devices actively using it).

 

If the ISP doesn't provide anything, or charges an additional fee, and if your budget is non-negotiable, consider this router...

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-R6700-Nighthawk-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=netgear+router+802.11ac&qid=1574448413&refinements=p_89%3ANETGEAR&rnid=2528832011&sr=8-6

You will not get more than about 400-500mbps on WiFi (shared between all WiFI devices), but that is all you can expect at that price point.

 

Sadly, WiFi 6 routers are not in your price range yet, and it is so new that it is hard to recommend one yet.

 

The router is the heart of your network. Its CPU touches every bit of data you use. In my opinion, it is not something you should go cheap on. If at all possible, I would consider something around $200. For that you could give WiFi 6 a try, or get a really solid 802.11ac router with a quad-core CPU.

 

I am an idiot, my internet connection will be 100mbps not gigabit (internet in the US is stupid expensive for some reason)

[Donut417]

Just now, IAnthonyFX said:

I am an idiot, my internet connection will be 100mbps not gigabit (internet in the US is stupid expensive for some reason)

In that case the TP Link archer C7 is OK. It wont have advanced features but it will work fairly well. But basically router wise, anything Wireless AC (WiFi 5) on up should do the trick. But Id first look at what the ISP gives you. If you connect a router to a gateway you will have double NAT and conflicting WiFi signals if you dont turn the WIFi off on the ISP's box. Im not sure what Mediacom provides, they are not a provider in my area. But in any case Id spend at least $80 on a router, just becuase you buy cheap your get cheap. At $80-$100 you tend to get a fairly good product. 

[IAnthonyFX]

12 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

In that case the TP Link archer C7 is OK. It wont have advanced features but it will work fairly well. But basically router wise, anything Wireless AC (WiFi 5) on up should do the trick. But Id first look at what the ISP gives you. If you connect a router to a gateway you will have double NAT and conflicting WiFi signals if you dont turn the WIFi off on the ISP's box. Im not sure what Mediacom provides, they are not a provider in my area. But in any case Id spend at least $80 on a router, just becuase you buy cheap your get cheap. At $80-$100 you tend to get a fairly good product. 

Thank you for your advice. I tend to be cheap ass but I think I will follow your directions and get something a little bit nicer, regardless I will still save money on the long run as they char 11 bucks monthly for their router rental. 

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, IAnthonyFX said:

onthly for their router rental. 

Are you sure its a router or Gateway? Because if its a gateway, then that box is also your cable modem. You need a cable modem to access the service. So Id be sure before making any purchases. My cable provider only provides gateways. While Charter for instace provides a free modem and charges for a router. You want to be sure what your paying for. If you need suggestions for a cable modem as well, let me know. 

[sphbecker]

On 11/22/2019 at 9:01 PM, IAnthonyFX said:

I am an idiot, my internet connection will be 100mbps not gigabit (internet in the US is stupid expensive for some reason)

Okay, forgive me for assuming your post was correct when you said 1000mbps (I see you have edited it)

 

I did the best to answer the question that was asked. 100mbps does seem like a much more sane speed considering your router budget   The one I suggested is still a solid pick, but you could still go a little cheaper if needed.