Router Recomendations

[Hierarch]

I am trying to find a router with a good range, a medium-sized house, and a USB 3.0 port for an external SSD. 

Preferably one comparable to or better than the Asus RT-AC86U.

https://www.asus.com/us/networking-iot-servers/wifi-routers/asus-wifi-routers/rt-ac86u/

[Falcon1986]

58 minutes ago, Hierarch said:

I am trying to find a router with a good range, a medium-sized house, and a USB 3.0 port for an external SSD. 

Preferably one comparable to or better than the Asus RT-AC86U.

https://www.asus.com/us/networking-iot-servers/wifi-routers/asus-wifi-routers/rt-ac86u/

1. What internet speeds are you paying for?
2. What existing network hardware do you have already? Makes and models, please.
3. If you have the RT-AC86U, what do you think it's lacking?
4. Are you internal house walls made of wood/drywall or concrete/brick?

[Hierarch]

4 hours ago, Falcon1986 said:

1. What internet speeds are you paying for?
2. What existing network hardware do you have already? Makes and models, please.
3. If you have the RT-AC86U, what do you think it's lacking?
4. Are you internal house walls made of wood/drywall or concrete/brick?

1. 300 down and 10 up.

2. an Arris TM1602A MTA modem supplied by Spectrum.  2 PCs and a printer hardwired in.  About 7-10 wireless devices. A small amount of gaming, mostly streaming.

3. I think the range is diminishing.  I also want to rule out the router of an issue I am having.  

4. Wood and drywall walls.  medium size apartment.

[Falcon1986]

26 minutes ago, Hierarch said:

3. I think the range is diminishing.  I also want to rule out the router of an issue I am having.  

The RT-AC86U is no slouch. Did you change the WiFi settings? What settings do you have for each band?

 

27 minutes ago, Hierarch said:

medium size apartment.

You're more likely to have wireless interference from your many neighbours' WiFi broadcasts. Can you post a wireless survey using WiFi Analyzer of your 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies?

[Donut417]

3 hours ago, Hierarch said:

apartment

Apartment complexes are hell on WiFi. Because there is limited spectrum that everyone is using. 2.4 Ghz in situations like this can become unusable from what I have read. 5Ghz should fair a bit better. 

[Hierarch]

The complex I live in has 1 story building, so it's longer than tall.  I reset my router back to default and set up my wifi again and I still have the intermittent problem.  The second router won't go to waste.  I was thinking about getting the Asus RT-AX3000.

 

[Falcon1986]

3 hours ago, Hierarch said:

The complex I live in has 1 story building, so it's longer than tall.  I reset my router back to default and set up my wifi again and I still have the intermittent problem.  The second router won't go to waste.  I was thinking about getting the Asus RT-AX3000.

 

That screenshot shows that you're not connected to the 5GHz broadcast. Can you show us the 2.4GHz analysis?

 

Also, you never have is the WiFi settings being used on your current router.

[Hierarch]

That would be correct.  My PC is not wireless, it is hardwired.

 

[Hierarch]

All of my wireless devices, our phones, Her work computer, TV, and time to time PS4, are connected to 5G.  The issue lies with devices in different rooms.  The furthest wireless point, the TV, is about 25' through 2 walls (drywall and wood). Her work computer, which is only used once per week, is about 20' away through no walls.  These 2 devices seem to cut away from the network from time to time during the afternoon.  Seeing my wife work from home once per week, is when it becomes a problem.  The hiccup doesn't last too long but it shouldn't happen.  I have recently received one of Spectrum modems.  That could be causing the issue but I want to rule out my router first.