Need a router to replace my ISP's unit

[tinpanalley]

The router that comes with my ISP is notoriously not great either as an individual device or for WiFi. But I don't know where to start in looking for a new one. 

I get the highest up and downloads I can get where I live, 400down and 50 up. So I don't need a Gigabit capable router but if price isn't a factor, why not future-proof is my philosophy. I'd like several LAN ports but I will be using my existing Mesh system anyway for the layout of our apartment. Apart from that I just want to not have a router where someone in a tech forum recommends doing something with my router that it turns out I don't have the ability to do. Strong Wifi from the base would be great, but again, as long as I can run my mesh system which I love for our layout, then I'll be happy.

Can anyone recommend something? Budget is hard to answer because I don't know what these go for anymore. I haven't had a router since my Linksys WRT54G over ten years ago. Just give me prices that are reasonable for what I need.

Please, and thank you.

[Falcon1986]

18 minutes ago, tinpanalley said:

I'd like several LAN ports but I will be using my existing Mesh system anyway for the layout of our apartment.

Most mesh systems have at least 1 unit that can act as a router, while the others act as satellite nodes. Why not use your existing mesh system router as your router?

 

Or are you confusing a gateway device with a router?

 

Who is your ISP? And what device did they provide you with?

[Alex Atkin UK]

As above, we need to know what type of broadband you have, what device is it being delivered on and can it even be used with your own router?

[halfbroseph]

I've been using the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 for the last month and it has been working great for me. I recently upgraded to this as I upgraded to gigabit with my ISP and wanted the 2.5g Lan port for my gaming rig. I was using the Google Nest mesh Wi-Fi system before but that had a lot to be desired in my opinion. From what I can tell the GT-AX6000 has better Wi-Fi range versus the mesh system I was using with the Nest Wi-Fi. This may be a limiting factor as the metal roof on my house puts a huge damper on the range. Either way, I have had nothing but a good experience so far.

[tinpanalley]

Sorry, yes of course, left out important info.

I'm on Videotron in Canada with a Zyxel EMG2926 router. My mesh system is a tplink Deco M4. 

[DrMacintosh]

I'm a big fan of the Linksys Velop line. They have a series if Wifi 6 and Wifi 6E mesh routers available. I personally own 2 MX4200 Wifi 6 routers. They have plenty of LAN ports and a USB 3.0 port for network attached storage. The companion app is decent too. 

[tinpanalley]

I'd like the router to handle the ethernet routing I need in that room, and I would then just shut off the WiFi and use my Mesh system that works so well.

[Falcon1986]

13 hours ago, tinpanalley said:

I'd like the router to handle the ethernet routing I need in that room, and I would then just shut off the WiFi and use my Mesh system that works so well.

First of all, confirm with Videotron if you can replace their unit with your own. Videotron might have your account with them connecting through a username/password. Just verify.

 

Second of all, if Videotron allows and your Deco unit supports the WAN type authentication used by the ISP unit, simply replace it with the Deco. Done! Set the primary Deco unit in router mode and the others as satellite nodes. Ports can be expanded by simply wiring in an unmanaged gigabit switch to the ethernet ports on any of the Deco units.

[tinpanalley]

8 hours ago, Falcon1986 said:

First of all, confirm with Videotron if you can replace their unit with your own.

Already did, they couldn't care less what you do with the router, and I'm not even renting it with their non-Helix internet plan. But it's the modem that they don't let you replace. The way I had it before was that I connected the first node to my former Bell combo router/modem and then the others were strategically placed to give enough signal around the apartment. What I didn't realise is the following...
I've had a giant misconception, probably just out of ignorance... I thought one needed to connect a mesh system to extend the capabilities of a router. Not as a replacement. So, that's obviously my mistake. I do need to still use my switch however for a few hardwired things near the desktop. So the question is, do I just go modem to switch and then switch to those devices and the first mesh hub? Or do I go modem to first mesh hub and then first mesh hub to the switch?

And what about guest network tools, better port control, QoS? I'd do all that with the tplink mesh?

[Falcon1986]

9 minutes ago, tinpanalley said:

Or do I go modem to first mesh hub and then first mesh hub to the switch?

This.

 

10 minutes ago, tinpanalley said:

And what about guest network tools, better port control, QoS? I'd do all that with the tplink mesh?

You'll have to tell us what you find in the TP-Link admin interface/app. You have it, so explore.

[Bdavis]

If you want absolute network flexibility, options and control, a PfSense router is the way to go. It's more of an enterprise geared solution, but you will be hard pressed to find a feature it doesn't support. I believe Linus Media Group runs it at their office on a 1u supermicro server with 25gb nics. I run mine on an old hp thin client with a dual gb nic installed. You don't need a lot of ports if you use vlans and have a switch capable of passing them on.