Upgrading my network...Ubiquiti setup ?

[Guest]

Hi,

 

My current network consists of an Asus RT-N16 router running Tomato and feeding pretty much everything. It is feeding using LAN my main computer, an Obi100 VoIP, a Synology NAS and then another small Dlink Gigabit switch. That Dlink switch feeds a RPi/OpenElec and my Xbox 360.

 

From a wireless perspective, my RT-N16 handles all the traffic. If everything is powered on at the same time, here are the wireless devices that I own : Brother printer, Nexus S phone, S4 mini phone, Nexus 7 tablet, Asus TF300 tablet, Nintendo Wii, Amazon Kindle. If 3 of these devices are active on the wifi at the same time, this would be the most busy scenario.

 

As you can see, my network isn't really busy. However, my RT-N16 has been struggling for few months now. It is now about 4-5 years old and it is doing some soft reboots when the WAN is pretty busy (downloading at max speed).

 

At first, I was looking at an Asus RT-AC56U to replace my N16. Mostly because it can run Tomato/DD-WRT, it is AC (more future proof) and is powerful (dual core). In my current appartment, I don't have a whole lot of wifi area to cover. The RT-N16 does the job very well. However, since we are planning to buy a house in the next year, the area will be bigger to cover. Maybe the AC56U, which has internal antennas, won't be enough for the new house and I would have to upgrade or buy additional APs.

 

I work in a lot of areas of computing including network. I use/program Cisco and HP switches/routers on a daily basis. I was looking at Ubiquiti devices recently and got interested in them. I like the "modular" approach where every device does 1 single thing. A router routes, the access point relays through the air and the switch relays through wires. I would very much like to have that approach eventually. That would give me the opportunity to add or upgrade the APs without touching the router itself and the network switch.

 

I'm pretty sure that a Ubiquiti setup is overkill for my needs, and at the moment for my budget. However, I was thinking that I could buy a Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite to feed my RT-N16. My Asus would then become an AP and switch only, hence moving the WAN load to the new Ubiquiti Edgerouter. Eventually, I could buy a Ubiquity AP and POE switch. I don't have the money to buy everything right now, but I could do it over time.

 

What do you guys think ? Am I overdoing/overthinking everything and should stick to a basic home router (such as the AC56U) or get a Ubiquiti setup overtime ?

 

The only concerns that I have are the following :

 

- Is the Edgerouter a firewall as well ?

- Can the Edgerouter uses QOS ?

- I don't have any DNS/DHCP servers. My RT-N16 handles all that. Can the Edgerouter handles that as well or would I have to setup my Synology for that ?

 

Thanks for any input,

 

Neo.

[dzonidev]

I like the Edge Router as well. The EdgeOS has everything starting from DHCP right down to CLI. While it's a big overkill, it will fix your issues. As far as QoS goes, yes it has QoS but you need to use the CLI to configure it, there are no options for it on the web interface. But since you are working with Cisco/HP that has CLI it's no biggie for you.

 

If I was you I'd get the Edge Router because come on just look at it... If you get the Edge Router, I'd wait till moving to the house, and then setup a proper WiFi network.

 

P.S.
Legion ftw.

[Guest]

I like the Edge Router as well. The EdgeOS has everything starting from DHCP right down to CLI. While it's a big overkill, it will fix your issues. As far as QoS goes, yes it has QoS but you need to use the CLI to configure it, there are no options for it on the web interface. But since you are working with Cisco/HP that has CLI it's no biggie for you.

 

If I was you I'd get the Edge Router because come on just look at it... If you get the Edge Router, I'd wait till moving to the house, and then setup a proper WiFi network.

 

P.S.

Legion ftw.

 

Thanks for your input. I never configured QOS on Cisco switches (most of this was done by our network engineers). Have you used Cisco/HP CLI ? If so, is it similar to EdgeOS CLI ?

[Alibaladin]

Hi,

 

My current network consists of an Asus RT-N16 router running Tomato and feeding pretty much everything. It is feeding using LAN my main computer, an Obi100 VoIP, a Synology NAS and then another small Dlink Gigabit switch. That Dlink switch feeds a RPi/OpenElec and my Xbox 360.

 

From a wireless perspective, my RT-N16 handles all the traffic. If everything is powered on at the same time, here are the wireless devices that I own : Brother printer, Nexus S phone, S4 mini phone, Nexus 7 tablet, Asus TF300 tablet, Nintendo Wii, Amazon Kindle. If 3 of these devices are active on the wifi at the same time, this would be the most busy scenario.

 

As you can see, my network isn't really busy. However, my RT-N16 has been struggling for few months now. It is now about 4-5 years old and it is doing some soft reboots when the WAN is pretty busy (downloading at max speed).

 

At first, I was looking at an Asus RT-AC56U to replace my N16. Mostly because it can run Tomato/DD-WRT, it is AC (more future proof) and is powerful (dual core). In my current appartment, I don't have a whole lot of wifi area to cover. The RT-N16 does the job very well. However, since we are planning to buy a house in the next year, the area will be bigger to cover. Maybe the AC56U, which has internal antennas, won't be enough for the new house and I would have to upgrade or buy additional APs.

 

I work in a lot of areas of computing including network. I use/program Cisco and HP switches/routers on a daily basis. I was looking at Ubiquiti devices recently and got interested in them. I like the "modular" approach where every device does 1 single thing. A router routes, the access point relays through the air and the switch relays through wires. I would very much like to have that approach eventually. That would give me the opportunity to add or upgrade the APs without touching the router itself and the network switch.

 

I'm pretty sure that a Ubiquiti setup is overkill for my needs, and at the moment for my budget. However, I was thinking that I could buy a Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite to feed my RT-N16. My Asus would then become an AP and switch only, hence moving the WAN load to the new Ubiquiti Edgerouter. Eventually, I could buy a Ubiquity AP and POE switch. I don't have the money to buy everything right now, but I could do it over time.

 

What do you guys think ? Am I overdoing/overthinking everything and should stick to a basic home router (such as the AC56U) or get a Ubiquiti setup overtime ?

 

The only concerns that I have are the following :

 

- Is the Edgerouter a firewall as well ?

- Can the Edgerouter uses QOS ?

- I don't have any DNS/DHCP servers. My RT-N16 handles all that. Can the Edgerouter handles that as well or would I have to setup my Synology for that ?

 

Thanks for any input,

 

Neo.

ad. band is in developement now. So... You can just get a wifi extender (power plug/ac.), Its good and affordable. Do Edgerouter for most ethernet (6a/Fa-cat7). If you were to get deliberate virus attack. USB and hyperlink are the first to penetrate. So router firewall are usually not enable by default. Software firewall helps to contain by updating the database screening software. Newer router comes with dual processing chips. So you should rather buy a ac router. Edgerouter for ethernet.

[dzonidev]

Thanks for your input. I never configured QOS on Cisco switches (most of this was done by our network engineers). Have you used Cisco/HP CLI ? If so, is it similar to EdgeOS CLI ?

 

I do have some experience with IOS, setting up VLANS, DHCP, PPPoE.... Here's Ubiquiti' docs on the QoS matter: http://wiki.ubnt.com/Quality_of_Service_%28QoS%29