Home Network Upgrade Help

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
1

Hi,
I currently have Archer C80 (4MB/16MB) kinda shitty device as my main and only router. The problem I am facing right now is coverage as some of my wireless cameras are getting disconnected randomly.

I want to upgrade the router to openwrt and make this C80 as a dumb AP for extended coverage.

I am looking at Asus AX53U for the main router, anything I should be changing? I am from India so don't have a lot of options in router. I am concerned about 128MB flash and 256MB RAM in Asus router

2

This device is not supported by OpenWrt -- it doesn't have enough RAM or flash storage, so that part is not possible. However, you can probably make it into a basic AP if the vendor firmware allows you to disable DHCP and set the IP address of the device's lan interface (so that it doesn't conflict with your main router or any other devices on the network).

As far as the new device, I'll leave others to comment. However, you should probably provide more information with respect to:

  • budget (typically in USD or Euro for easy discussion)
  • internet speeds (what is your current and/or foreseeable future subscription speed from your ISP)
  • special considerations like VPN, traffic shaping, Adblock, etc.
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3

Yes, the vendor supports AP mode and allows disabling DHCP so should be fine.

I am looking for something around 100USD, currently on 100/100Mbps internet link with possible upgrade to 300 soon.
Currently I do run Tailscale on my homeserver directly, might shift to router if it's able to handle it well.

4

Look for cudy or glinet or xiaomi filogic CPU for best performance at same price. but for only 300Mbps any of routers in list will do:
https://openwrt.org/toh/views/toh_available_16128_ax-wifi
Probably you can find one in 20-30$ range with Wifi5 in same store and get two for base router and extender:
https://openwrt.org/toh/views/toh_available_16128
How big is your house?

5

Glinet, cudy both are not available in my region. I found AX53U from the same link only. The house is around 1400sqft

6

The mt7621 can forward at gigabit speed but without QoS, maybe 300/300 should be fine.

Check tplink and xiaomi too, maybe one with qualcommax or filogic SoC comes at same price. Always check hardware revisions - if not explicitly supported it may take time to support, or have no chance. eg xiaomi ax(some big number)

In general (not specific to any particular router)
For coverage - you will have one stripe signal in the corner if router is in the house corner, or two if router is central to the house.

You can try now while on weekend to find like thick walls or other obstructions and optimize placement with current router:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ubnt.usurvey&hl=en_US (the fancy AR map)

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7

You have very limited options. I would highly recommend going with either;

  1. Nanopi R2s
  2. Nanopi R4s.

The above two options are available in India on Robu.in or other similar websites and for wifi just get APs from tplink/ asus which supports access point modes. I personally use X86 pc as my main router and Xiaomi ax3000t as AP.

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8

If you have to upgrade your network for multiple AP's and run cables, I'd try to run cables and do wired security cameras too? (At least if you're always streaming from the security cameras?)

A list of questions:

  • Are you running a centralised NVR? (If you're streaming constantly from the security cameras it may just be an airtime/congestion issue and not a range issue?)
  • Do you have mechanical size/ mounting constraints?
  • What's the noise / power consumption /power dissipation requirements?
  • Must it be new equipment?
  • What's the fastest speed you need for a single wireless device?
  • what are the security cameras? I'm assuming these things might be 802.11n 2.4ghz single spatial stream? If they can do 5ghz that simplifies things.

Anyway i suggest separate AP, router and managed switch from an ease of maintenance / upgradability standpoint if you can handle slightly higher power consumption and size.

If power consumption isn't a factor I'd go x86 router. Nanopi R2S/ R4S from the looks of it should be sufficient in speed if they're available in your area?

As suggested above, floorplan plus doing a heat map will then help you with potential access point placement. wifi4/wifi5/wifi6 AP's (that obviously have enough storage / ram) would be my pick. More AP's closer to your security cameras with appropriate band and transmit power planning is a must if they are going to chew up your airtime?

9

Hey,
I can't run wires to the cameras as they are mostly on the outside of the house.

  1. Yup it's a centralised NVR, only two cameras are facing disconnect issue and they are on the far end of the house.
  2. Yup
  3. Not sure around this, can you elaborate?
  4. Nope
  5. I want to be future safe so 300Mbps with cake is what I am looking at
  6. They run on 802.11n 2.4Ghz only

I am looking at NanoPi R4S but I am not getting some cheap dumb APs in my region, Archer C6 is an option but thats 50$ here. I need to get 2 of them minimum.

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10

I am looking at the same, but not getting any cheap APs

11

Cheap is this

TP-Link Archer AC1200 Archer C6 Wi-Fi Speed Up to 867 Mbps/5 GHz + 400Mbps/2.4 GHz, 5 Gigabit Ports, 4 External Antennas, MU-MIMO, Dual Band, WiFi Coverage with Access Point Mode, Black https://amzn.in/d/dEHqJwZ

2 Likes
12

Thank you for local insight :wink:

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14

Dont take over old thread asking for localized purchase advice.