AP Hardware recommendation for highly concurrent users 35+?

I am an openwrt newbie and I have setup Mikrotik RB2011 as a main router in a cafe, currently i have plugged in Asus RT-AC68U (DNS forwarded to Mikrotik , and using Asus Merlin) as the wifi router.
The current problem is happened when either a/some notebook connecting to the Asus or when there are many concurrent users (at weekend 30-40 users) connecting into the Asus, problems are :

  • Frequently sudden disconnect in some of android phone (LG & Iphone)
  • Unstable ping in notebook/macbook

Planned to grab Netgear R7800 to flashed with Kong Firmware. Or such i go higher than R7800?, if yes which brand and type for my case?.

What do you guys recommend with my condition above (Stable 30-40 users activities).

Mostly if not ALL of my wifi client is connected through 2.4 Ghz network/SSID.

2 enterprise class AP's ( ubiquiti LR-PRO / etc )... and/or controller...

as you're talking professional usage you should switch to professional HW as recommended above

From OpenWRT specs, your AP has a Broadcom chipset
https://openwrt.org/toh/asus/rt-ac68u

I don't know what is the level of suport of Broadcom chipsets. You might prefer Atheros.

Your problem seems that all clients are sharing the same AP channels and bandwidth.
Using professional hardware will not solve those issues.

The recurring problem that people are not aware of is that ALL clients listening to the same channel are sharing the same bandwith. Including APs in your neigbourhood. You think these are 40 users sharing the same AP, but maybe much more if you are in a large city.

I would recommand using one AP per room on different non-overlapting frequencies and lower the emission power to a minimum. People think maximum is better it is the converse. You will pick up all APs on the same channels in your neibouhood and things will get worse.

Maybe try segmening your ESSID in name_2.4Ghz and name_5Ghz if you don't already do that. Or call the 5Ghz "fast" to encourage clients to connect.

Then you only need to connect the router with RJ45 wires to the APs and select "fast roaming" in OpenWRT APs.

I am using a GliNet B1300 with good specs and Atheros chipset:
https://openwrt.org/toh/gl.inet/gl.inet_gl-b1300
The GLiNet B1300 is a quad-core ARMv7, dual-band WIFI and it has plenty of power available. Their firmware is OpenWRT by defaut but it is customized and you can easily install OpenWRT stock distribution (which I do). It works like a charm. It goes to full Gigabit routing as for the Ethernet. WPA2/WPA3 is very stable as it is Atheros chipset.

I am using it with 10 clients in wireless with 2 APs and it works like a charm ... but there are no interference in my neibourhood.

Try using 2 or 3 similar APs and you are done.

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