New router

[BiotechBen]

Howdy all, I'm looking to take care of the piss poor performance of the wireless router component of my AIO internet abomination that is a modem.

I've been eyeing up a refurb Linksys Hydra Pro 6E (MR7500) that I can get for a very agreeable price:

I've done cursory research on it, but I am not a networking expert. Mainly looking to utilize the VERY quiet 6ghz band as I'm in a dense apartment building complex. I saw the lackluster 2.4/5ghz performance mentioned, but anything that doesn't support 6ghz or is "mission critical" type stuff is hard wired anyway. If the handful of smart devices I have experience a little bit of connection infidelity or limited performance: it isn't the end of the world.

 

Is there anything I should know about it?

-Horror stories

-Poor performance 

-Security issues?

-Port forwarding a nightmare to implement?

 

 

[saintlouisbagels]

Generally you're having poor performance for 2 reasons;
1.) The provided Gateway very likely has a poor wireless router. I always tell people to disable that part of their gateway and use it as strictly a modem that should then be hooked up to a standalone wireless router.

2.) Living in an apartment complex means there are many other routers in close vicinity and it is possible that you are trying to occupy the same channels as other people instead of using one that's less congested. You can use some Wifi analyzer app to see which channels are less active.

 

I have no opinion on that router. I generally think it's hard to pick a bad router since they all do the same thing, and if you get a bad one that just means you were unlucky enough to get a bad batch and it's not necessarily indicative of the model you chose. 456 ratings and 4.5 avg, sounds like it's a "not bad" choice  

[BiotechBen]

9 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

1.) The provided Gateway very likely has a poor wireless router. I always tell people to disable that part of their gateway and use it as strictly a modem that should then be hooked up to a standalone wireless router.

The Netgear C6300v2 I'm currently using is GREAT as a modem, and the router was definitely a "what if we also put a parts bin wireless chip in?"

 

11 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

2.) Living in an apartment complex means there are many other routers in close vicinity and it is possible that you are trying to occupy the same channels as other people instead of using one that's less congested. You can use some Wifi analyzer app to see which channels are less active.

Been using Ubiquiti's Wifiman as my network analysis tool, and given the stick frame construction of these low-rise buildings, and the obnoxious power that modern AIOs broadcast at constantly: it's like trying to have a conversation while sitting in the middle of grand central station at rush hour.

 

14 minutes ago, saintlouisbagels said:

I have no opinion on that router. I generally think it's hard to pick a bad router since they all do the same thing, and if you get a bad one that just means you were unlucky enough to get a bad batch and it's not necessarily indicative of the model you chose. 456 ratings and 4.5 avg, sounds like it's a "not bad" choice  

That's why I ask: 

I've had great success with poorly rated products (hanook Kinergy tires, Xfinity Customer service, apparently the transmission in my Jetta?, HP after sales experience)

 

And I've had terrible experiences with some highly rated stuff (Bosch whisper silent dishwasher)