Surge broke my router, need to replace. Suggestions?

[skywake]

So two days ago a storm went through and the power went crazy. Out for 16 hours but before that brownouts and all sorts like the house was possessed. When the power came back my Netgear DGND3700 N600 ADSL Modem/Router was dead. I still have the modem/router I was using before it because I upgraded from a N300 modem/router a while ago. So in theory I really only need to replace the wireless part.....

 

From what I gather my power provider will cover it to the amount that I paid for it, which was $180AU. So here's the question(s), should I:

- Get another identical piece of gear which from what I can tell is now $199AU (-$20AU)

- Use it as an opportunity to upgrade to something similar but AC for $220-260AU or so (-$40AU or more)

- Get just an AP to replace it. The D-Link DAP-1665 is AC1200 and only $129AU (+$50AU)

- Realise that I have Gigabit through the walls now and don't really need that much wireless speed. Put up with N300. (+$180AU)

 

I'm also thinking of maybe getting a UPS to make sure that nothing more important breaks next time. Also so that when the power goes out I have the internet for a bit. They're ~$110AU and will give me a few hours with the switch, router and an AP still running.

 

Thoughts? On any of it. Particularly if you have any experience with that D-Link AP or any recommendations for low-to-mid range AC routers.

[Swndlr]

there was just a power surge where i live  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sorry for being off topic but ya know :c

[Builder]

http://soekris.com/products/net6501.html

 

Take that, install OpenBSD on it, set up pfSense, and configure it as a router. 

 

http://glozer.net/soekris/soekris.html

 

You're on an enthusiast forum, that's the solution for REAL enthusiasts.

[EthanMcL]

Dang Arthur!  We were out for only 24 hours thankfully.  I know some people still out up here in NB!

[skywake]

http://soekris.com/products/net6501.html

 

Take that, install OpenBSD on it, set up pfSense, and configure it as a router. 

 

http://glozer.net/soekris/soekris.html

 

You're on an enthusiast forum, that's the solution for REAL enthusiasts.

1. I still have a working router it's just N300 rather than the N600 one that broke

2. Thing you linked to is way more than the cost of the thing that broke, they won't cover anywhere near that much

3. Thing you linked doesn't improve wireless performance at all because it's a router not an AP

4. I'm Australian with Australian internet. <8Mbps. The N300 speeds only hurt because I have a NAS (i.e. LAN traffic)

5. If I wanted to setup pfSense I'd use my netbook that's gathering dust but I CBFed

[Builder]

1. I still have a working router it's just N300 rather than the N600 one that broke

2. Thing you linked to is way more than the cost of the thing that broke, they won't cover anywhere near that much

3. Thing you linked doesn't improve wireless performance at all because it's a router not an AP

4. I'm Australian with Australian internet. <8Mbps. The N300 speeds only hurt because I have a NAS (i.e. LAN traffic)

5. If I wanted to setup pfSense I'd use my netbook that's gathering dust but I CBFed

You asked for a router and it has AP capabilities as well. Did you read through it?

[skywake]

You asked for a router and it has AP capabilities as well. Did you read through it?

Did you read through my post? I was asking if it makes more sense to replace the whole thing like-for-like, live with N300, upgrade to an AC class router or get just an AP for less. Along with maybe some people's actual experiences with some of these options. The router broke yes but I don't need another router. I need improved wireless. If a router tags along for the ride? So be it.

[Builder]

Did you read through my post?

Indeed I did. Nonetheless I still support such a solution.

 

If you aren't brave enough then you've already made up your mind and your choices are fine.

[onionring]

Did you read through my post? I was asking if it makes more sense to replace the whole thing like-for-like, live with N300, upgrade to an AC class router or get just an AP for less. Along with maybe some people's actual experiences with some of these options. The router broke yes but I don't need another router. I need improved wireless. If a router tags along for the ride? So be it.

 

Here s my view on it (Separated by questions because more info is needed here.):

 

Do you have a home server?

-do you stream HIGH BITRATE (wireless N300 can support lots of things) media from it to a tablet/laptop/cellphone?

  -if the answer is no then use your old router

  -if the answer is yes get a new router

 

Do you stream your pc to a laptop/tablet/cellphone (splashtop, steam streaming, etc) ?

  -if the answer is no then use your old router

  -if the answer is yes get a new router

 

Why did you upgrade from your old router to get QOS/other features?

  -if the answer is no then use your old router

  -if the answer is yes and you don t want that many features, get a new router

  -if the answer is yes and you got free time, build a router using pfsense.

 

Now,

-Why did i never even mention the access point?

an access point is really fun when it works, but every one i used caused me problems (except that wr54gl), granted i was re purposing routers to act as access points but still.

 

At one point i was running a wired router (drl4500 which would crash if more than 4 devices tried to access the wifi so it was turned off) with a cisco valet router (configured as an access point) on one end and a powerline adapter leading to another access point (wr54gl).

It worked fine most of the time but it did crash once every few months requiring a reconfig of the access points for no reason.

 

Now every time i can, i will just swap out the router unless i only need more range, in that case an access point will be considered.

 

-Why didn t I say wireless AC router instead of only new route?

Your devices probably aren t able to support wireless AC so it s wasted here, granted it could be usefull in a few years, but till then it doesn t bring you anything new.

 

 

In your situation, i would try out the old router and see if it gets the job done, if not, i d consider other options.

[skywake]

Here s my view on it (Separated by questions because more info is needed here.):

Do you have a home server?

Do you stream your pc to a laptop/tablet/cellphone (splashtop, steam streaming, etc) ?

Why did you upgrade from your old router to get QOS/other features?

 

Now,

Why did i never even mention the access point?

Why didn t I say wireless AC router instead of only new route?

 

- I have a NAS with all of my content on it, from SD stuffs upto decent sized Blu-Ray rips. It's a cheap two-bay NAS. Nothing too special.

 

- Yes but most of the streaming to tablets etc is online content and when it's not it's usually over Ethernet anyways. My 'nets are <8Mbps as I mentioned. I am a "game streaming to portables" convert being a Nintendo fanboy with a Wii U but I don't have a NVidia Shield or anything similar yet. I am however very interested and will probably go down that road before most. Just not yet. For now you're right, N300 is probably enough but it is a downgrade.

 

- I got the N600 one because there was a good deal going with a free adapter which I also needed. Plus at the time I didn't have Gigabit through the walls and I was hammering the wireless transferring stuff to and from my NAS. Lack of bandwidth was a problem and the wireless was dropping out. When I had everything wired up with Ethernet I turned the N600 one into an AP with the N300 being used as a modem/router with wireless disabled. I had been using it like that until yesterday when it died. Right now I'm using the N300 modem/router as it was intended with everything enabled. It sits where the now broken AP was.

 

- Why an AP? Cost. It's cheaper than replacing the whole thing. Plus I did like being able to move it around when I needed better reception out the back. Purely for non-intensive music streaming to the Sonos during the summer in the patio. Where it is it barely reaches there without moving it and I can't exactly take the router out the back and plug it into a powerline adapter. I don't need to be able to do that but it's nice to have that flexibility

 

- I probably wasn't going to go for the shiny new AC router purely because they're not going to cover that full amount and you're right I don't have any ac gear yet. But given I don't need something to replace the router that AC1200 access point option looked like a good idea because of the cost. Especially given it has external and replaceable antennae. Why AC and not N? Cost and availability. When I looked them up the N600 ones were anything from $20AU less for a wall-wart sized one to $20AU more for ones that weren't even simultaneous dual-band. I could go the Ubiquity AP route but for the N750 one I'd be looking at over $300AU...

[skywake]

Also given that nobody has commented on it I assume everyone agrees that getting a UPS so this doesn't happen again is a pretty fantastic idea  

[onionring]

Also given that nobody has commented on it I assume everyone agrees that getting a UPS so this doesn't happen again is a pretty fantastic idea

well closing the breakers till everything is fixed couldn t hurt too (to avoid the on-off brownout phase)

btw i use tp-link archer c7 ac router that costed me 100$ instead of the usual 180$ for asus routers, idk if it s available in your area.

i gotta to mention that there s no many features on this router tho.

[skywake]

well closing the breakers till everything is fixed couldn t hurt too (to avoid the on-off brownout phase)

btw i use tp-link archer c7 ac router that costed me 100$ instead of the usual 180$ for asus routers, idk if it s available in your area.

i gotta to mention that there s no many features on this router tho.

Yeah, they're available. ~$150AU or so which is pretty good when you compare it to the other gear. Could be an good option.

 

As for avoiding the brownout, well at first you don't think anything will break. Then it goes for a bit too long. Then you run to switch stuff off. Then it's over and you missed it  

[Darren]

Yeah, put up with the N300, ask for the $180 to be credited to your account, buy a UPS to protect your more expensive electronics.

 

If that's not an option, just get a wireless AP if that's what you need.

 

That's what I'd do.

[skywake]

Here s my view on it (Separated by questions because more info is needed here.):

 

[...]

 

In your situation, i would try out the old router and see if it gets the job done, if not, i d consider other options.

 

 

Yeah, put up with the N300, ask for the $180 to be credited to your account, buy a UPS to protect your more expensive electronics.

 

If that's not an option, just get a wireless AP if that's what you need.

 

That's what I'd do.

 

Cheers guys, seems like this is the best way to go. I've been forced to do this and so far I haven't really noticed the difference (touch wood). If I do I'll grab the DLink AP or whatever seems like the best option at the time. In the meantime I'll just stick with what I have and grab a UPS to protect the gear.