Most Reliable Home Routers
18 comments
Grab an Intel N100 box, throw proxmox on it, throw an opnsense VM on it and you'll be all set.
https://www.servethehome.com/fanless-intel-n100-firewall-and...
This will run line-speed 1Gbps Internet without issues.
I ended up picking a TP-Link AXE95 (v1 hardware, from Costco) and threw it in AP mode. No issues with that as long as I statically addressed it.
https://www.servethehome.com/fanless-intel-n100-firewall-and...
This will run line-speed 1Gbps Internet without issues.
I ended up picking a TP-Link AXE95 (v1 hardware, from Costco) and threw it in AP mode. No issues with that as long as I statically addressed it.
You throw a lot of things!
Opnsense on a cheap fanless PC. I use a QOTOM box I bought of Alibay, which has a core i3 and 4 ethernet ports, but any mini-PC is good. Doesn't even need to be a mini-pc, but why use full desktop power for something that can be small and lightweight.
It's run for years happily and comes with all the usual open source goodies out of the box. Good choices and GUIs for just about everything you'd want, all the way up to being able to run multiple of them for HA if really want to.
The biggest impetus for me was the ability to have two cable connections (Frontier fiber and Spectrum cable) and setup failover and QoS across them. That's pretty hard on "normal" router hardware.
Works well with Unifi APs too.
If I redo it I'll probably go and get a newer box with mutliple 2.5G connections. Frontier offer 2Gb and 5Gb fiber here now, so would be nice to be able to get closer to filling that, but that's just the geek in me. Family never complain with everything as is over standard gigabit ethernet and WiFi.
It's run for years happily and comes with all the usual open source goodies out of the box. Good choices and GUIs for just about everything you'd want, all the way up to being able to run multiple of them for HA if really want to.
The biggest impetus for me was the ability to have two cable connections (Frontier fiber and Spectrum cable) and setup failover and QoS across them. That's pretty hard on "normal" router hardware.
Works well with Unifi APs too.
If I redo it I'll probably go and get a newer box with mutliple 2.5G connections. Frontier offer 2Gb and 5Gb fiber here now, so would be nice to be able to get closer to filling that, but that's just the geek in me. Family never complain with everything as is over standard gigabit ethernet and WiFi.
I've never met a reliable WiFi router. Even the expensive well-reviewed models have been disappointing.
For years now I have used ubiquiti Unifi access points (UFO looking) for the WiFi (small business, home, parents, installed for multiple different friends) and been very happy with connection reliability and range. PoE means you can install them where they provide good connectivity over many rooms.
I've often plugged them into friends shitty home routers and reliability has been okay.
If you want more complicated router functionality use a small computer and install open source.
I haven't really used any of their other gear, and I dislike their privacy policies and web login. I once used one of their point-to-point links and it worked really really well.
For years now I have used ubiquiti Unifi access points (UFO looking) for the WiFi (small business, home, parents, installed for multiple different friends) and been very happy with connection reliability and range. PoE means you can install them where they provide good connectivity over many rooms.
I've often plugged them into friends shitty home routers and reliability has been okay.
If you want more complicated router functionality use a small computer and install open source.
I haven't really used any of their other gear, and I dislike their privacy policies and web login. I once used one of their point-to-point links and it worked really really well.
There are many different solutions.
If you want an all in one solution (WAN, Wifi, Router, Switch), I would go for a simple AVM Fritz!Box (here in Germany this is pretty much the gold standard of consumer internet access hardware).
The problem with these all in one solutions is, that if one component fails or shows its age, you have to replace it completely. New Wifi standard (e.g. Wifi 6), replace the whole thing... faster Internet available (e.g. FTTH), replace the whole thing...
If you really want a stable modular multi-year setup, I would at least separate out Wifi and WAN, because they tend to evolve the fastest. That also means that you have to run multiple devices consuming much more power than your all in one piece.
I would probable go for:
- WAN: Whatever your provider gives to you
- Router: nanopi_r4s_v1 with OpenWRT (https://openwrt.org/toh/friendlyarm/nanopi_r4s_v1)
- Switch: Cheap 2.5 gigabit unmanaged (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgLU-HT1E64)
- Wifi: 6 Ubiquiti UniFi 6 Pro Access Point
This way you can upgrade every part and it will be a rock solid setup. Expensive though, so maybe you prefer going for an all in one setup :-)
If you want an all in one solution (WAN, Wifi, Router, Switch), I would go for a simple AVM Fritz!Box (here in Germany this is pretty much the gold standard of consumer internet access hardware).
The problem with these all in one solutions is, that if one component fails or shows its age, you have to replace it completely. New Wifi standard (e.g. Wifi 6), replace the whole thing... faster Internet available (e.g. FTTH), replace the whole thing...
If you really want a stable modular multi-year setup, I would at least separate out Wifi and WAN, because they tend to evolve the fastest. That also means that you have to run multiple devices consuming much more power than your all in one piece.
I would probable go for:
- WAN: Whatever your provider gives to you
- Router: nanopi_r4s_v1 with OpenWRT (https://openwrt.org/toh/friendlyarm/nanopi_r4s_v1)
- Switch: Cheap 2.5 gigabit unmanaged (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgLU-HT1E64)
- Wifi: 6 Ubiquiti UniFi 6 Pro Access Point
This way you can upgrade every part and it will be a rock solid setup. Expensive though, so maybe you prefer going for an all in one setup :-)
Piling on top of that, I want what OP wants with an insane amount of configurability.
UniFi does not allow me to redirect DNS traffic / disable rDNS for IPv6. Synology same.
And while I can set up a router with dnsmasq and all of that, plug it into a switch with a couple of APs, one of my limitations is that I really need a mesh network...
UniFi does not allow me to redirect DNS traffic / disable rDNS for IPv6. Synology same.
And while I can set up a router with dnsmasq and all of that, plug it into a switch with a couple of APs, one of my limitations is that I really need a mesh network...
If you want the most configurability, run your routing on a PC or two. I've got a rediculous setup with two redundant routers and all that. The nice thing is when it's working properly, I can reboot either router for software updates with very little noticable impact. The not nice thing is it took a lot of work, and it doesn't always work that way.
Then deal with the APs separately; you should be able to setup a mesh system without having it do routing and NAT; I only have exposure to ASUS's aiMesh on underpowered hardware and I went back to separating the APs, but mesh makes a lot of people happy, so you do you.
Then deal with the APs separately; you should be able to setup a mesh system without having it do routing and NAT; I only have exposure to ASUS's aiMesh on underpowered hardware and I went back to separating the APs, but mesh makes a lot of people happy, so you do you.
I have the same router. It is great when it works, but goes out often. One trick that has helped a lot is to set it on auto reboot. I have set mine to 4 am every morning and it has been doing great for months now. It is a compromise, but I hardly notice the issue now.
I recommend Ubiquiti products. Buy separate router & access point – e.g. EdgeRouter X.
Wi-Fi & AP tech improve every couple years, but router tech & config are very stable.
I’ve gone years without touching the router. APs are also more stable since they don’t have complicated routing + services.
Wi-Fi & AP tech improve every couple years, but router tech & config are very stable.
I’ve gone years without touching the router. APs are also more stable since they don’t have complicated routing + services.
I use pfSense on top of KVM, with TP-Link Omada for wifi. Rock-solid.
You can install pfSense using the serial image[1] for a real text-only console you can access via SSH to the host machine. The Omada controller runs well in docker[2].
1: https://gist.github.com/RulerOf/2608c8455b3dcf6088be206f86c6...
2: https://github.com/mbentley/docker-omada-controller
You can install pfSense using the serial image[1] for a real text-only console you can access via SSH to the host machine. The Omada controller runs well in docker[2].
1: https://gist.github.com/RulerOf/2608c8455b3dcf6088be206f86c6...
2: https://github.com/mbentley/docker-omada-controller
I bought a mikortik router aimed at small offices and can't complain about it's reliability. A general suggestions is to shop in a higher category than home use.
The idea is there's a categorisation of products that goes: home, office, enterprise, industrial. Reliablity and price goes up accordingly. Take this with a pinch of salt.
The idea is there's a categorisation of products that goes: home, office, enterprise, industrial. Reliablity and price goes up accordingly. Take this with a pinch of salt.
I’ve been running a ubiquiti router and AP without any issues for years. I don’t remember having to restart it, there will be times that that I just turn everything off and on again, but it’s not usually at all.
A few months ago I upgraded the router to OpenWrt and the router feels like new again.
I also live in this setup that I can just add switches and access points as I need.
Currently I have a switch and two access points, but nowadays I buy network hardware based on OpenWrt compatibility
A few months ago I upgraded the router to OpenWrt and the router feels like new again.
I also live in this setup that I can just add switches and access points as I need.
Currently I have a switch and two access points, but nowadays I buy network hardware based on OpenWrt compatibility
I use a Firewalla Purple and an old Eero AP in dumb/bridge mode.
The Firewalla is pretty powerful and comes with a great app.
The thing I really like is that if I don’t want to fiddle with it for a year, it will just keep running and not need any attention. BUT, if I do want to tinker, it’s powerful and supports just about anything I’d want to do with it.
The Firewalla is pretty powerful and comes with a great app.
The thing I really like is that if I don’t want to fiddle with it for a year, it will just keep running and not need any attention. BUT, if I do want to tinker, it’s powerful and supports just about anything I’d want to do with it.
While not addressing the root of the problem, I have mine set up to reboot every morning at 4am. I don’t have anything on my local network that can’t cope with that outage so it works alright for me but not great if you’re running devices that don’t handle an outage well.
I’ve had very good experience with Eero. Both for me and a bunch of relatives. They are very stable IME.
OPNSense on a MiniPC such as a Protectli box.
Why does it require a reboot?
I bought an expensive Asus router about 8-9 years ago. Never again, the thing crapped out and thr customer support was shit.
These days I stick with ISP-provided units or PFSense/OPNSense. But the way residential ISP links work in the US, overall it's pretty meh for most of us to mess with it.
These days I stick with ISP-provided units or PFSense/OPNSense. But the way residential ISP links work in the US, overall it's pretty meh for most of us to mess with it.
It is about 2.5 years old and now requires a reboot every week or two. Sometimes a couple of times a week.
I have had similar experiences at every price point in the home router market over the years. It is important to me that my internet stays up while I am away since I have a lot of stuff on my local network (NAS, JellyFin, IP cameras, etc.). I am posting this because we have been away from the house about 24 hours and it is dead in the water again.
What home routers are people running that do not require dropping half a G every 2 years? Consumer product reviews do not at all focus on reliability/longevity, just speed, features, value prop. For my next purchase if I am going to spend money on the features which are important to me, I want to know I am buying something which will reliable to at least 5 years of daily use requiring a hard reset no more often than every few months.