# Network Setup Suggestion



## Durvelle27 (Dec 8, 2016)

I know not long ago I made a post about looking for a router which I ended up finding which wasn't for myself. Now i'm trying to figure out the best way to setup a home based network in a house. the house has 3 bedrooms which I plan to run wired connections to.  what would be the best switch and router to run as a system.  
For the devices being used 

Wired:
Xbox One
Xbox One
Xbox 360
PS4 Pro
Desktop
Desktop
Apple TV

Wireless:
IPhone 
IPhone
2X FireTablets 
2X Laptops 
WiFi Thermostat 
WiFi Doorbell
10x WiFi Light switchs
 multiple WiFi Sockets

Etc....


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## Athlon2K15 (Dec 8, 2016)

Ubiquiti ERL with APs as needed.Add in any multi port gigabit switch to fit your needs. With that setup you will crush consumer routers unless you go very high end.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 8, 2016)

Athlon2K15 said:


> Ubiquiti ERL with APs as needed.Add in any multi port gigabit switch to fit your needs. With that setup you will crush consumer routers unless you go very high end.


Any links


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## Athlon2K15 (Dec 8, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> Any links



i PMd you.


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## Kursah (Dec 8, 2016)

If recommend taking a serious look at Ubiquity for routing and WiFi. The Edgerouter Lite3 would work well here. Then look at the UniFi AP series for WiFi.

For a.switch, they do make good ones but likely more capabilities than you need...which from the sounds of it at least a 12 port, and a 16 would be the true minimum I'd recommend.

There's lots of options here. TPLink, D-Link and Netgear make decent budget gigabit layer-2 switches.

I'd also recommend a patch panel so you can label each run at the network.closet location. Then use short CAT 5/6 cables to connect to the switch. That'll include having and learning how to use a punch down tool...but you already will have both if you're doing plated runs in your home. It'll keep things cleaned, organized, easy to maintain and diagnose.

Do you have a dedicated network rack, desk or area for this equipment?

I'm also partial to PFSense, so you could take an old PC or a mini build and use that for a router and still use UBNT APs.

Though if you need more wireless.coverage and want a sort of AIO package, you might take a read at *this* article. Google's WiFi system actually looks decent and seems to Edge Ubiquity here...this is home grade tho. The ERL and UniFi AP WiFi are SoHo and business-grade.

Another option is to pick up 2-3 Asus AC68Us from the hot deal thread and do.the Asus reID and firmware for *$59/each* new from TMobil. I would recommend Merlin...set one as a router and 2 for an AP. I also still think a budget home or low end business grade gigabit switch will be sufficient here. But you could spend extra and get better backend throughput and management if you feel the need.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 8, 2016)

Kursah said:


> If recommend taking a serious look at Ubiquity for routing and WiFi. The Edgerouter Lite3 would work well here. Then look at the UniFi AP series for WiFi.
> 
> For a.switch, they do make good ones but likely more capabilities than you need...which from the sounds of it at least a 12 port, and a 16 would be the true minimum I'd recommend.
> 
> ...


Got some bulk Cat6 cabling I was going to run throughout 

No rack but it a closet of its own


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 9, 2016)

Any other input


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## Solaris17 (Dec 9, 2016)

Ubiquiti, Add the unify APs as needed like Athlon said. Depends on square footage. but even my pro which is not an LR model can cross my street. 16 port switch. In my shops I personally run the 24s for service stations and they work fantastic. 48's in my core. 

I would probably go with.

Unifi USG
Unifi APs
and the Unifi switch family. keeps everything easily configurable from the app if you are looking for a quick deployment with minimal headache.

The router I am partial to opnsense a PFsense fork, but the sophos UTM is nice. If your looking to build your own.

Personally Ubiquiti is just hard not to recommend for prosumer space. They fit a great price point and have enterprise features for soho cost.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 9, 2016)

Solaris17 said:


> Ubiquiti, Add the unify APs as needed like Athlon said. Depends on square footage. but even my pro which is not an LR model can cross my street. 16 port switch. In my shops I personally run the 24s for service stations and they work fantastic. 48's in my core.
> 
> I would probably go with.
> 
> ...


1500 Square Foot


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## Solaris17 (Dec 9, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> 1500 Square Foot



1 or 2 AP-LR should cover that with no issue.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 9, 2016)

Solaris17 said:


> 1 or 2 AP-LR should cover that with no issue.


So 

Gathering 

Switch 12+ ports
1 or 2 AP

No router picked as of yet


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## Kursah (Dec 9, 2016)

I should mention with the Asus routers in AP mode they also.work as a 4 port gigabit switch. Depending on locations that could make hooking up 8 devices an option.

In most cases that probably isn't going to work unless the devices are fairly close and you have a way to route the wires or can deal with exposed wires.

Here's an affordable semi-managed switch I'd recommend, it's a *Netgear with a Lifetime warranty*. They're excellent units and on sale for $99, and can even do some QoS, VLANs, SNMP, etc.

The *Ubiquity Switches run more*, but for good reason as they are good switches and are a solid value. Though unless you need more advanced networking configurations or are doing a lot of larger data transfers that require stronger bandwidth control, I think it's really more than you need. If you feel you'll modify the network or go beyond the basic VLanning and QoS that the Netgear above can do, then by all means this is a great next step before the $500+ Cisco's, HP/Aruba's, etc.

The *Edgerouter Lite3* is around $90, and is worth it. I have one as a spare. The 1.90 firmware is solid and if you're willing to do a little command line and follow some of the many good guides, this is an easy router to setup and is very effective.

I linked the Asus RT68U above for *$59*, it's a *$150* home-grade router that claims to cover 3,000sq feet, and after conversion is a more friendly and easy-to-work AsusWRT UI and with Merlin is pretty effective and fairly decent for home-use. Though there's also a *$50 UBNT EdgeRouterX*, that many users like and is a solid device if you are going to have a simple network on a budget. Great little performer and in some cases can be a little faster the the Lite, just not as resilient overall and will struggle more if you have more high bandwidth transfers and features enabled.

If your'e going AP's, that's a tough go. A couple RT68U's will do pretty well and give you AC bandwidth for an amazing price... the *Ubiquity AC Lite for $75* is the next best, and probably has the same range. Both should easily handle your wireless load. The AC68U has an 800MHz overclockable dual core, and MerlinWRT is modded AsusWRT and both are very stable. Ubiquity is pretty stable too, and there's more setup options if you want to run multiple SSID's. While you can do this on both, Ubiquity does it better IMHO.

The better option, the *AC Pro* is a beast for $130, I've deployed so many of these. Really I go for Ubiquity at budget locations and Ruckus for enterprise-grade. That's a $500+ AP though. Should speak about how well we like and trust Ubiquity wireless products, the AP's have been pretty solid overall and Ubiquity's been really good about keeping stable firmware releases coming.

A couple of any of the above should really do you just fine, the Asus routers should even perform pretty well in that environment. If you did 3 using one as a wireless router and two as AP's, you could probably do just fine coverage-wise for the cost about $40 more than one AC Pro AP. BUT, in the same breath as @Solaris17 correctly put it, Ubiquity is prosumer. They are overall better products, meant for set-it-and-forget-it and more advanced network management capabilities. They will handle more and be more reliable in the long run. Again, depends on budgets and needs. It also depends on skills because you don't want to necessarily use the TMobil firmware on the Asus routers, but rather do the conversion process which requires using SSL or Telnet for some CLI action...though its not hard, and with patience will be just fine. Plus I could help walk you through it if needed along with other users here that purchased those same devices.

I agree with SophosUTM as well, pretty solid along with PFSense for being options if you build a small PC or re-use an old PC and add a second NIC or a dual-port Intel NIC (I find em on Ebay for $30 shipped for Intel Pro PCIe). I actually retired my ERL for PFSense, while I enjoyed the ERL and it's CLI, PFSense made more sense (lol)...and has a lot more capabilities in the GUI, a lot of options and when you mix in things like Hardware accelerated OpenVPN servers, Squid Proxy/Cache, Snort IDS/IPS, bandwidth monitoring, advanced QoS, better multi-wan support and failover, and faster and more frequent upgrades (could be considered good or bad), I feel PFSense is a better platform for using more advanced features. I also prefer its firewall capabilities and rulesets...its like a happy medium between EdgeOS on the ERL and SonicWall SonicOS. IMHO.

I built a PFSense box for around $250 with shipping spring 2016. I used an Asus N3150-C with a quad core Celeron SoC passively cooled as the core, a dual port Intel Pro gigabit NIC (as PFSense didn't recognize the Realtek onboard NIC, I expected this going into it), 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD, mITX case with SFX PSU. Has been one amazing build that I'm running all the features I stated above that PFSense can do. Mostly for lab, testing, and experience. It has been an amazing build though and its one helluva router. I do keep the ERL around and fire it up to update it and update the config so I can drop it in should my PFSense box ever give up the ghost. There have been folks that have build solid PFSense builds for closer to $150. *Homebuilt routers are capable of better performance* when built and configured correctly.

There's a lot of ways this could go, it depends on what you want, what your experience level is, how much you want to pay, how much you want to learn to make it all work, your concept of networking, etc. Hopefully this post is useful in realizing those to make your decisions so you spend your money wisely.


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## eidairaman1 (Dec 9, 2016)

Kursah said:


> If recommend taking a serious look at Ubiquity for routing and WiFi. The Edgerouter Lite3 would work well here. Then look at the UniFi AP series for WiFi.
> 
> For a.switch, they do make good ones but likely more capabilities than you need...which from the sounds of it at least a 12 port, and a 16 would be the true minimum I'd recommend.
> 
> ...




66 blocks and split50 blocks suck, use scotchlocks.


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## Kursah (Dec 9, 2016)

eidairaman1 said:


> 66 blocks and split50 blocks suck, use scotchlocks.



Nah I'd prefer something like *this *with a wall mount bracket all day long. It's not that hard to punch down a few lines...and less shitty to do than 66 blocks to boot, which really aren't that bad or a pain in the ass IMHO.


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## cdawall (Dec 9, 2016)

I setup a ubiquity LR and their security gateway last week in a client's house it's untouchable.


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## remixedcat (Dec 11, 2016)

Athlon2K15 said:


> Ubiquiti ERL with APs as needed.Add in any multi port gigabit switch to fit your needs. With that setup you will crush consumer routers unless you go very high end.



Very this and not to mention the toughswitches you will need unless the OP plans on injectors and extra UPS capacity...


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## Kursah (Dec 11, 2016)

True, but seeing that the AP's come with injectors, set them on top of the switch, feed a short lead from switch to injector and then out to the run from the patch panel or direct connection. Really no need for a $300 switch for a home user with 2 AP's...IMHO that's overkill unless you're a network admin or aspiring to be. Nothing against the switches though, they're solid.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 11, 2016)

Kursah said:


> True, but seeing that the AP's come with injectors, set them on top of the switch, feed a short lead from switch to injector and then out to the run from the patch panel or direct connection. Really no need for a $300 switch for a home user with 2 AP's...IMHO that's overkill unless you're a network admin or aspiring to be. Nothing against the switches though, they're solid.


Elaborate more on the use with no switches


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## Kursah (Dec 11, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> Elaborate more on the use with no switches



Please see my previous post for the switch options I suggested.

Remix & Athlon are suggesting a very good switch that can handle POE which would allow them to power the UniFi access points. I'm suggesting using the included POE injectors with the Netgear switch for 1/3 of the price that will handle more than 99% more than most all home users would ever need. The 1% that would use that switch or are aspiring network admins that could make a lab.

I'm kind of curious what you're edging towards this far into the thread, maybe you could clarify more of your needs, budget, experience, what you've researched, any new goals to add to the OP, etc.

I'm not suggesting to NOT use a switch, but rather not needing that class of switch. But if you choose to do it, you'll have some very awesome kit to play with.


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## remixedcat (Dec 11, 2016)

Injectors cut into UPS runtime tho  If you got wonky power like I do that blinks for no reason even on a sunny clear day than that's a must....


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## Kursah (Dec 11, 2016)

I sorry to hear that, I haven't had that issue with the UPSes I deploy or use, what UPS are you running if you don't mind me asking? 

Definitely something to consider though, and yeah injectors might cut into UPS run time if @Durvelle27 has their network appliances on a UPS in the first place. Something to consider and very worth it IMHO. I run a Cyberpower for my server and network, gives me plenty of time to cleanly shut down the server and wait a while for the power to come back on.

I guess I haven't compared the power consumption of POE injectors vs. the POE switch, but I'm interested if it extends run time.


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## remixedcat (Dec 11, 2016)

well it's the AC power that does it... That's why I got UPS units... (APC Backups NS1080 for my PC and the router and modem and BackUps-550 for the switch and AP injectors) The Hubs as an APC RS900 and the HTPC has a cyberpower 550VA one that also powers the downstairs switch)


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 12, 2016)

Kursah said:


> I sorry to hear that, I haven't had that issue with the UPSes I deploy or use, what UPS are you running if you don't mind me asking?
> 
> Definitely something to consider though, and yeah injectors might cut into UPS run time if @Durvelle27 has their network appliances on a UPS in the first place. Something to consider and very worth it IMHO. I run a Cyberpower for my server and network, gives me plenty of time to cleanly shut down the server and wait a while for the power to come back on.
> 
> I guess I haven't compared the power consumption of POE injectors vs. the POE switch, but I'm interested if it extends run time.


What's are injectors and POE 

Unless your talking about Fuel Injectors lol

I'm new to the whole hardcore networking bizz and this will be the first time deploying something like this


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## Kursah (Dec 12, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> What's are injectors and POE
> 
> Unless your talking about Fuel Injectors lol
> 
> I'm new to the whole hardcore networking bizz and this will be the first time deploying something like this



POE = Power Over Ethernet

So the Ubiquity Access Points (and many others), accept POE, meaning they'll get data and power from a single Ethernet cable. Negating the need for a WALLWART power adapter. 

There are network switches that have built-in POE, and usually cost quite a bit more but can be real convenient in situations where you have VoIP phones, wireless AP's, environmental monitors, paging amps, etc. that can take advantage of POE.

UniFi AP's come with a POE injector, and it does what its name says... it injects power into the Ethernet cable to the AP.

So what you have is a power adapter, it gets power from the wall. It gets a network cable from your router/switch that provides the data signal, and then has another cable that goes to the AP that has data and power.

The ERL isn't the best router for inexperienced users, but with all the guides and included wizards isn't hard either. But if you want the simplest experience, the Asus AC68U might be a simpler option...I'd still strongly recommend the Asus CFE and firmware conversion on the T-Mobil units for better updates and security. In that, there's added complexity but its worth it.

What's your budget?


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## Jetster (Dec 12, 2016)

Okay going to play devils advocate here. I am no network expert. However I do know how to set up a network, modem and router. Why not just get a nice router and be done? I see the recommendations for a Ubiquiti ERL and I get what it is but my router serves me fine and my seed are incredible, really. I dont see how a Ubiquiti ERL can crush this network. I get very fast wireless and internet and wired is just insane speed. 1200 S Ft two stor. But literly my wireless reaches 3 houses down the street

An honest question btw my router is a TP Link AC5400. It is a little pricey but I had a Linksys WRT AC1200 before and same results


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## cdawall (Dec 12, 2016)

Jetster said:


> Okay going to play devils advocate here. I am no network expert. However I do know how to set up a network, modem and router. Why not just get a nice router and be done? I see the recommendations for a Ubiquiti ERL and I get what it is but my router serves me fine and my seed are incredible, really. I dont see how a Ubiquiti ERL can crush this network. I get very fast wireless and internet and wired is just insane speed. 1200 S Ft two stor. But literly my wireless reaches 3 houses down the street
> 
> An honest question btw my router is a TP Link AC5400. It is a little pricey but I had a Linksys WRT AC1200 before and same results



There is a reason that you see consumer parts and business class. It probably works fine for you. Put 15 clients on either of those and ask it to figure out life and watch what happens.


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## Jetster (Dec 12, 2016)

cdawall said:


> There is a reason that you see consumer parts and business class. It probably works fine for you. Put 15 clients on either of those and ask it to figure out life and watch what happens.



Yeah makes sense. I dont get anywhere near that


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## cdawall (Dec 12, 2016)

Jetster said:


> Yeah makes sense. I dont get anywhere near that



You would be surprised how close most households get to it now. My house, Server for movies and backups, 3 HTPC's (one per room), my gaming PC, wife's laptop, my laptop, 4-5 phones/tablets, playstation etc. That is 10-15 clients right there


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## Jetster (Dec 12, 2016)

cdawall said:


> You would be surprised how close most households get to it now. My house, Server for movies and backups, 3 HTPC's (one per room), my gaming PC, wife's laptop, my laptop, 4-5 phones/tablets, playstation etc. That is 10-15 clients right there



My kids are in college or working, 'I'm divorced and the dog doesn't have a phone yet


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## Kursah (Dec 12, 2016)

An almost $300 router should handle that many clients, but pushing too far past 20 it'll struggle once it can't just brute force network traffic with its CPU. A modified firmware might help to a point, but it'll never match a business/enterprise-grade network appliance as @cdawall said.

But for that kind of money, I could have an ERL ($100), and 2 Asus routers as AP's ($112 from TMobil) (and bonus 4-port switches at each location they're deployed), and a 16-port switch for the runs ($100), with better range, coverage, throughput, control and management than a single device is capable of. For me its a no-brainer, for someone with no experience it's a tougher decision. There's a sacrifice either way. Do you pay for simplicity and limitations with something that's more easily managed? Or do you pay for better management and capabilities but is more complex to setup? Plus knowing the budget at-hand here can have a huge difference.

That's why I recommended several different ways this could go...the budget TMobil Asus router option is great on the cheap... adding a little more and mix an ERL or ERX with 2 Asus routers as AP's, solid choice. Replacing the Asus routers for dedicated AP's is the next step...not as necessary as a better router...especially considering how powerful the Asus routers are and in AP mode they're not even close to fully utilized even with 15 connected devices (ask me how I know!  ). But if that same Asus is responsible for routing, firewall, QoS, wireless, DHCP, DNS, then it'll suffer with that many connected devices. Offloading some of the tasks to separate hardware helps in a few ways.


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## n-ster (Dec 12, 2016)

I think Kursah's cheap option is the way to go from the info OP has given us. Like he said, it also gives flexibility later on. Want to upgrade your router later because you upgraded to gigabit connection and you now have kids coming over all the time with 5 devices each and you want to put Firewall and QoS and VoIP and IPTV and network-wide ad-blocking and whatnot? No problem, just put the ASUS on AP mode and it'll be great.

I love Ubiquity, but in a 1500 sq ft place, where anything intensive is going to be wired... I don't see the value of spending 165$ on ER Lite and an AC lite when you can spend 59$ on that decent ASUS router and spend way less time setting it up. Is there any special needs that would require something better than that ASUS router? Even in routing mode, as long as you don't do too many things on it, can easily handle those devices, especially in normal usage cases. Those smart home devices don't affect the network like a normal device would at all so the number of devices doesn't seem like a concern to me. Hell, I've seen a café use an N66u as their router for a long time before upgrading to a proper SonicWall solution, and the N66u handled all those clients really well.

I have an N56u in my 2000 sq ft house, in the basement where half the walls are concrete, have wired up my house as well, less gaming consoles and smart home stuff (only Philips hue lights) but more laptops and a small server, and even the more sensitive stuff like VoIP works great. I'm still going to eventually get an ER PoE and an AC Pro for fun though


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 15, 2016)

No set budget

Just need a strong network

Also going to be using a server (Xeon Rig to stream and store files on)

Equipment I have so far I could possibly make use of 

D-LINK DIR 655
D-LINK DIR 605
Belkin N150

Also since no one asked 

I'm using Xfinity Internet service 75Mb/s


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## v12dock (Dec 15, 2016)

Athlon2K15 said:


> Ubiquiti ERL with APs as needed.Add in any multi port gigabit switch to fit your needs. With that setup you will crush consumer routers unless you go very high end.



+1 I use ERX and a AC Pro AP


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 15, 2016)

Was offered a D-Link DES-1024D for $15 fully working

What do you guys think?


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## dorsetknob (Dec 15, 2016)

Jetster said:


> My kids are in college or working, 'I'm divorced and the dog doesn't have a phone yet


You can get cat and doggie mobile webcams (wi Fi ) to watch and monitor you pets    just a thought


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## Kursah (Dec 15, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> Was offered a D-Link DES-1024D for $15 fully working
> 
> What do you guys think?



The specs show it as only a Fast Ethernet Switch, which means 100Mbps. A gigabit switch like I linked prior is 1000Mbps. What that equates to is about 9MB/s transfer rates peak on the slower switch and up to almost 100MB/s on the gigabit switch. Massively noticeable for file transfers between devices and also helpful when there's a lot of devices, streaming and different traffic.

I wouldn't pay money for that switch TBH, but I get 100 meg switches all the time since we get them donated from sites that no longer use them...we usually recycle them because nobody wants the slow technology any longer.



Durvelle27 said:


> No set budget
> 
> Just need a strong network



Well all options I've suggested and others have suggested should provide that. Kinda depends on what you want to spend and what you want to learn to work with at this point.

To have a strong network, you need strong hardware and software, and understanding how to use them and properly deploy them. Hopefully we can guide you in the right direction and I feel we have thus far. 



> Also going to be using a server (Xeon Rig to stream and store files on)
> 
> Equipment I have so far I could possibly make use of
> 
> D-LINK DIR 655



Is a so-so device now a days, was maaaaybe decent 9 years ago. Might make a decent wireless-N AP. I wouldn't rely on it as a router.



> D-LINK DIR 605



Meh... possibly another wireless-N AP. I wouldn't rely on this as a router either.



> Belkin N150



I used to own one like this, I used it as a lab router/travel router for a short time. Overall I gave it away as it was junk with more than a few devices connected and choked at even 30Mbps WAN speeds. Was fine for very basic use with 3-5 devices at most. Once I started adding my server lab, kid PC's, smartphones and tablets, TV's, Roku's, this thing was constantly locking up.

Again, might be useful as a wireless-N AP.



> Also since no one asked
> 
> I'm using Xfinity Internet service 75Mb/s



Good to know, but I'm more concerned with how your network works internally at this point. Having a good router will make the best use of your WAN connection whether its 5Mbps or 1000Mbps. That's what something like an ERX, ERL, higher-end Asus routers even can provide. Though the Asus will struggle before the Edgerouters do, whether or not you notice that depends on how you use your bandwidth and how you use your devices.

A router is your gateway to the Internet, it must manage all inbound and outbound traffic, must scan packets and confirm accepted or dropped sessions, might process QoS for bandwidth management for whatever protocols are being used, all while you're busy using your stuff not worrying about what its doing. I wouldn't skimp here and I wouldn't use something cheap and old either, you'll regret it.

Sure you could use one of those D-Links or the Belkin as a router and the other 2 as AP's, it might do the trick for you...but it will eventually cause slowness. 

Going with those $60 Asus routers, those are Wireless AC routers, used as AP's would have good range and AC bandwidth and better N bandwidth. The UniFi AP's near that price point are only N, but they are purpose-built, simple to config, and easier to mount/hide and have better range. It really depends on where you want to go with this. I suggest you research what has been suggested thus far to familiarize with what we've recommended and understand better why we're recommending them, and also to see if they will work for your needs.

There's so many different ways this could go, from cheap to expensive, from incapable to overkill, from simple to complex. I'm curious to see what you end up with and look forward to helping you!


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## eidairaman1 (Dec 15, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Nah I'd prefer something like *this *with a wall mount bracket all day long. It's not that hard to punch down a few lines...and less shitty to do than 66 blocks to boot, which really aren't that bad or a pain in the ass IMHO.



They are when in a old mc10 or a MPOE closet, theyed cause high error counts and scotchlocks would eliminate those, ive had bad pair splices and had to remove the pair out to resolve issues. Ive seen a few of those wall mounts not working properly in apartments and homes even (in smart panels) then again theyed mostly be setup for pots/voip.


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## Kursah (Dec 15, 2016)

eidairaman1 said:


> They are when in a old mc10 or a MPOE closet, theyed cause high error counts and scotchlocks would eliminate those, ive had bad pair splices and had to remove the pair out to resolve issues. Ive seen a few of those wall mounts not working properly in apartments and homes even (in smart panels) then again theyed mostly be setup for pots/voip.



Not really an issue here IMHO since nobody suggested using a 66-block.

Scotch locks are a band aid, which while it gets the job done, that doesn't fix the issue with a bad block or bad splice at the block which should be fixed right in the first place IMHO. But for quick fix, scotch locks sure do get the job done I agree. As a bypass to a 66-block, no thanks. I've seen a few 66-block issues, not nearly enough to write them off...nor would I want to scotch lock a 25-pair. I'd be holding up the guy that punched down on a 66-block.

Not sure that this conversation is really relevant to the OP, but I'd be glad to continue it in PM if you'd like. I'm interested in hearing more of what you have to say.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 15, 2016)

Kursah said:


> The specs show it as only a Fast Ethernet Switch, which means 100Mbps. A gigabit switch like I linked prior is 1000Mbps. What that equates to is about 9MB/s transfer rates peak on the slower switch and up to almost 100MB/s on the gigabit switch. Massively noticeable for file transfers between devices and also helpful when there's a lot of devices, streaming and different traffic.
> 
> I wouldn't pay money for that switch TBH, but I get 100 meg switches all the time since we get them donated from sites that no longer use them...we usually recycle them because nobody wants the slow technology any longer.
> 
> ...


Welp do you have any switches to let go 

Most of the routers I linked I thought a out using as AP's 

A dedicated man router I haven't decided on yet 

I like the Asus option but I also like the Ubi option as well

I want a capable system but I also don't need it to complicated just In case my wife needs to troubleshoot it if I'm not around.


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## Kursah (Dec 15, 2016)

Nothing faster than a 10/100, but it would cost you shipping to get and really you'd be better off getting a decent gigabit switch like the $100 I recommended prior. That would be an excellent switch with a lifetime warranty. Tough to argue with and I've deployed quite a few of them with 0 issues.

You made no mention of using those routers as AP's when you posted them, but I'm glad we're on the same page for what they might be useful for. They won't be nearly as good as that Asus router or a UBNT access point that were previously suggested though...range, speed, reliability, signal strength and management will all be subpar in comparison.

The Asus would make a good main router and a good access point. The UBNT option will of course be better. But both will require your wife understand how to access the webGUI and know what to look for. My wife has 0 interest in that stuff. 

I setup my ERL to be a drop-in replacement and labeled what wires go where, all she's gotta do is plug it in and go. Eventually I may test CARP on PFSense and have my virtual lab router take over should the physical one fail. For now...drop in replacement is effective and cheap and she was able to accomplish it on a test run we did.

The thing with the Ubiquity stuff, it's set it and forget it style... very rarely have I had to go back in and reconfigure anything...though the same is said for Asus routers on Merlin. 

The UBNT have an LED ring that tells you their status, some use Green/Yellow/Red or Blue/White on newer ones. So a simple look at the device will tell you if a wireless issue exists. That might make diag easier on a visual level without needing to understand a webGUI or accessing it.


----------



## Durvelle27 (Dec 15, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Nothing faster than a 10/100, but it would cost you shipping to get and really you'd be better off getting a decent gigabit switch like the $100 I recommended prior. That would be an excellent switch with a lifetime warranty. Tough to argue with and I've deployed quite a few of them with 0 issues.
> 
> You made no mention of using those routers as AP's when you posted them, but I'm glad we're on the same page for what they might be useful for. They won't be nearly as good as that Asus router or a UBNT access point that were previously suggested though...range, speed, reliability, signal strength and management will all be subpar in comparison.
> 
> ...


Oh my wife loves to ticker especially computer related things so that's of no concern


----------



## Kursah (Dec 15, 2016)

Well if that's the case then either should work fine.

AsusWRT and MerlinWRT both have the *same GUI* and its easy to use and navigate.

EdgeOS on the ERL and ERX, is clean and a little more technical, but is easy to navigate after a little time *familiarizing *with it.

Either way should be good. Also the UI for the UBNT AP's is easy to work with, but requires a web-based java application to run and connect to them. But the interface is quite easy to manage after reviewing the *guide *and poking around.


----------



## Durvelle27 (Dec 15, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Well if that's the case then either should work fine.
> 
> AsusWRT and MerlinWRT both have the *same GUI* and its easy to use and navigate.
> 
> ...


Alright I ordered the Netgear ProSafe Gigabit switch 

 but I'm really thinking on the router options and AP's


----------



## Kursah (Dec 15, 2016)

Excellent, you'll be very happy with that switch. They're damn good units. 

Well it depends on what you need, and if you want to nickel and dime it now, use what you have, and upgrade as you need more infrastructure power and capabilities or if you want to jump past go and get the good stuff now.

Do you require high bandwidth over wifi? If so, I'd look at UniFi AP's or Asus routers as AP's, preferably in MIMO with at least N if not AC technology. Also depends on your devices...I have only a few that support AC but I have the infrastructure there for when I have more devices which has been useful for me.

What are you thinking about with the router's and AP's? If you want to lay it out, maybe we can help your decision. Maybe its something you need to mull over and decide on your own. I hope we've provided you enough information to give you the ability to make an informed decision with your wallet.


----------



## Durvelle27 (Dec 15, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Excellent, you'll be very happy with that switch. They're damn good units.
> 
> Well it depends on what you need, and if you want to nickel and dime it now, use what you have, and upgrade as you need more infrastructure power and capabilities or if you want to jump past go and get the good stuff now.
> 
> ...


I do really want high bandwidth just to eliminate the possibility of bottlenecks. 

On top of the list in the Op

Had wireless cameras and more Wireless streaming devices


----------



## Kursah (Dec 15, 2016)

Well while the Asus routers as AP's would handle it, I'd recommend you go with a dedicated AP device to make sure that many devices are stable and getting the signal they need. Frankly I haven't had more than 15-20 wireless devices connected at my site, and that was before I deployed the Asus router I suggested you...that was with my old AC66R/U router in AP mode and it did fine. Now i have that and the AC68U doing AP duties, I'm sure I'll be good for both devices connected, speed and reliability. But I also know that I'm not getting the performance a dedicated AP can provide...but I saved a ton of $$$ which is good because right now I'm broke as a joke.

I'd look at the UniFi AP AC Pro if you want bandwidth and reliability. These can handle a lot of devices connected, multiple SSID's, VLAN's, etc. 

That or a single Ruckus R500/R600 (Read: $400-500+ per AP, but it's an amazing AP) as they have a greater range, higher bandwidth maintained and can handle 100+ connected devices per AP.

If you want fewer bottlenecks, then I'd look at the business-grade gear. That's what that stuff is designed to handle... home-grade is designed to be affordable and get the job done, but will eventually suffer under degraded performance when too much is asked of it.

Do I think using 3 Asus routers, 1 as a router and 2 as AP's could do it? Yes. Would it work well? It should. Could there be issues? Possibly...you're asking a lot. But for under $200 it'd be one helluva setup. 

Do I think that going ERL + UniFi would be better? You bet your ass I would, this is business-grade consumer accessible hardware. It should perform admirably under these conditions. Something you spend time setting up, learning how to setup, saving configs and probably rarely touching again until you replace it or upgrade the firmware. The AP's can auto-upgrade their firmware if you choose which is nice, but can be risky...though UBNT have improved their stable releases IMHO.

One thing to note is if you plan on using VPN tunnels/servers, the ERL can host an OpenVPN server but it will cost it some performance and speed. Was part of why I built a PFSense box...now I run multiple VPN tunnels and can max out my bandwidth both directions with that, Squid web caching, Snort IDS/IPS, advanced QoS, bandwidth monitoring, etc. without any issues. So that might be an option too.

PFSense is easier to work with in the GUI than EdgeOS, and generally PFSense has better documentation for how to set things up as well. And no, there isn't a good PFSense build that will run on the ERL...yet. That project seemed to be scrapped.

I built a small mITX PC using an Asus SoC Intel Celeron quad core board as I stated earlier in this thread...it's such a champ..and is so very much overkill for my needs. But in the same breath, it cost me half what a PFSense SG2440 runs....though those are excellent units and come with 1 year advanced support from PFSense which is actually quite useful.


----------



## Durvelle27 (Dec 15, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Well while the Asus routers as AP's would handle it, I'd recommend you go with a dedicated AP device to make sure that many devices are stable and getting the signal they need. Frankly I haven't had more than 15-20 wireless devices connected at my site, and that was before I deployed the Asus router I suggested you...that was with my old AC66R/U router in AP mode and it did fine. Now i have that and the AC68U doing AP duties, I'm sure I'll be good for both devices connected, speed and reliability. But I also know that I'm not getting the performance a dedicated AP can provide...but I saved a ton of $$$ which is good because right now I'm broke as a joke.
> 
> I'd look at the UniFi AP AC Pro if you want bandwidth and reliability. These can handle a lot of devices connected, multiple SSID's, VLAN's, etc.
> 
> ...


AC isn't a big thing for me as nothing own is compatible with it and by the time I do have devices that do the equipment will be dated. 

Wireless N or Dual Band N should be plenty enough. Both offer above 100Mb and should be able to handle adequate space with a dedicated router and 1 AP 

AP will be located in Hallway in front of the bedrooms ceiling mounted 

Dedicated router will be in the living room at the front of the house


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## Kursah (Dec 15, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> AC isn't a big thing for me as nothing own is compatible with it and by the time I do have devices that do the equipment will be dated.
> 
> Wireless N or Dual Band N should be plenty enough. Both offer above 100Mb and should be able to handle adequate space with a dedicated router and 1 AP
> 
> ...



Well here's the contradiction, you want high bandwidth, but said AC isn't a big deal. AC is capable of providing excellent bandwidth (for wireless) with AC devices and if you think you're going to trend that way soon, then install the infrastructure now. Otherwise, if you truly feel N is good enough, then you can just go with a cheaper N-supported AP. Frankly N on MIMO can provide good bandwidth to the right devices, and if your most data intensive transactions are over Ethernet, then you will be in good shape anyways.

For best results I do recommend the UniFi Pro series though, they are a little beefier. Though even the cheap UniFi should handle I believe up to 75 clients/devices without any issue...iirc at least.

Or for the same price you could go with one of those Asus AC68U's and place it in AP mode after converting it to the Asus firmware (for security purposes), and have AC infrastructure and N infrastructure for $60. Pretty solid deal and it should cover your home and handle your devices. It has a dual-core CPU that runs up to 1GHz (mine runs at 800), so it should have the processing power to handle the traffic. The AC68U is reported to cover around 3,000sq ft too...not sure if that's true. I do know that the UBNT UniFi have better ranges when mounted on the ceiling...the AC68U I don't believe can be mounted or is not intended to be...so that is worth considering.

Do keep in mind 100 Megabits/second equates to around 10Megabytes/second, and with wireless, even when connected at N300 speeds, you'll probably not quite achieve 100Megabits throughput. That's been my experience in a lot of situations, this depends on channel, signal tuning and device matching. But if that's sufficient for your needs, then you'll be set no matter which you choose honestly.

Will the router be near the switch and junction/patch panel for your cable runs? That would be the best place for it honestly. Keep the network devices together and the cables shorter than longer between them. Unless that's not possible and really shouldn't be a big deal...more of a best practice thing.

Does the dedicated router's location need to have a dedicated wireless signal or will the single AP cover that area as well?

This is good information and gives me a better picture of what you need. Thank you for sticking with it.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 15, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Well here's the contradiction, you want high bandwidth, but said AC isn't a big deal. AC is capable of providing excellent bandwidth (for wireless) with AC devices and if you think you're going to trend that way soon, then install the infrastructure now. Otherwise, if you truly feel N is good enough, then you can just go with a cheaper N-supported AP. Frankly N on MIMO can provide good bandwidth to the right devices, and if your most data intensive transactions are over Ethernet, then you will be in good shape anyways.
> 
> For best results I do recommend the UniFi Pro series though, they are a little beefier. Though even the cheap UniFi should handle I believe up to 75 clients/devices without any issue...iirc at least.
> 
> ...


All the data hogs will indeed be on Ethernet. Main reason for the switch

Main router will be near the switch but the AP won't 

And yes the main router will need to have wireless enabled. As the wireless devices in the front will be father away than the ones in the back that will be on the AP


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## Kursah (Dec 15, 2016)

Well if you go with the ERL, it is not a wireless router, but strictly a gateway/firewall router. Not sure if you viewed the links provided on it in previous posts or not, but I believe I linked to it from the Amazon page for you.

So if you go that route, then plan on a second AP that you mount in that area for coverage.

If you go the Asus route, well that's a wireless router so you'd be set up front, use an UniFi AP in the back.

So you could do the Asus router if you insist on keeping things simple and effective for a home-grade solution, and a UniFi AP for the back area and have the coverage you need and the ability to mount the AP. This will be around $130 for both parts if prices are still the same as they were last week. I haven't checked on the Asus sale @ TMobil... if it's back up to $200, then that deal is gone.

EDIT: I checked and the TMobil deal is still on...they have a stupid credit check (that doesn't actually check your credit, just choose I Have AWESOME Credit if it asks). Use the -$40 code, $59. 

https://www.t-mobile.com/accessory/t-mobile-wi-fi-cellspot-router

Keep in mind I do not recommend running the TMobil AsusWRT firmware version, its far behind and not secure. It's worth flashing the Asus CFI Identifier over, and flashing to an AsusWRT, MerlinWRT or Tomato firmware. Even for the AP. Totally worth the effort.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 16, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Well if you go with the ERL, it is not a wireless router, but strictly a gateway/firewall router. Not sure if you viewed the links provided on it in previous posts or not, but I believe I linked to it from the Amazon page for you.
> 
> So if you go that route, then plan on a second AP that you mount in that area for coverage.
> 
> ...


Hmmmmm ok


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## n-ster (Dec 16, 2016)

I think the best way to avoid "waste" would be to get the ASUS router and see if that alone satisfies your needs, my guess is that it will. If not, you can always use it as an AP and get an ERL. That ASUS router is a great router and awesome value at 60$.

Personally, I'm going with the ERL+UAP AC Pro setup in my house, because I like to tinker, and I want a pretty AP with PoE, but I really don't need it at all, and I'm okay with that. If you would be too, the Ubiquiti way will be the fun way. I know I will be installing similar setups for other people too, so might as well learn to do it at my place first!


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 16, 2016)

I never asked this 

Is it possible to do 

Modem 
Switch 
Unifi AP
Unifi AP 

Instead of 

Modem 
Router 
Switch 
AP


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## Solaris17 (Dec 16, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> I never asked this
> 
> Is it possible to do
> 
> ...



No, you need a router unless your modem is also a router. The APs and switches on their own have no way to track IPs the way a router does.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 16, 2016)

Solaris17 said:


> No, you need a router unless your modem is also a router. The APs and switches on their own have no way to track IPs the way a router does.


Nawl it's a standalone DOSC3.0 modem that supports 172MB downstream


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 16, 2016)

Aside from the ASUS and the Ubi 

What do you guys think of these routers 

Netgear R6100
Netgear R6300
D-Link Dir-820
D-Link Dir-860L
TP-LINK C20i
ASUS AC53U 

Paired with a Unifi AP


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## Kursah (Dec 16, 2016)

The router is the gateway to the internet...its the device keeping your network private, among many other capabilities like in your case would probably be dhcp, DNS, port forwarding, session filtering and firewall, subnet management, etc. Definitely don't want to go without (really really bad idea) or skimp here. It wouldn't go well for you without one...

As suggested above you could start with the cheaper Asus $60 option. Its a nice budget router and might do all you need and provide WiFi to the front of your home.



Durvelle27 said:


> Aside from the ASUS and the Ubi
> 
> What do you guys think of these routers
> 
> ...



As routers...no..the only one maybe worth a damn is the R6300 and for the money you'd be wiser to go with the Asus TMobil deal or ERL from Amazon Prime for a router.

Netgear R6100 - Meh...I've replaced a few due to failures...they also run hot in my experience. Pass.
Netgear R6300 - Had better luck with these as an AP, but the Asus and ERL are better performers at routing. Though this one is decent and with DD-WRT would likely be decent...but why you'd pay more for this than the Asus TMobil deal or almost the same as a more capable ERL would be beyond me.
D-Link Dir-820 - No
D-Link Dir-860L - No...
TP-LINK C20i - Sigh...getting worse
ASUS AC53U - Ummm...why? When you can get an AC68U for $60 would you even consider this?
There's a reason the ERL, ERX and Asus AC68U keep getting suggested, its because they're all good. The AC68U is only here because it's not running *$150+*...if it were I'd call it an overpriced home-grade router and I'd rather spend a little more and build my own PFSense box or spend just more than half and have an ERL. 

Maybe spend a little more time researching what was suggested and what you listed to compare, review them, see the pros, cons, mods, options, things you'll have to deal with (pitfalls, disappointments, underperformances). Your router list has me confused as to what you're looking for unless your just grasping for a cheap wireless router for the front...if so, you won't beat the Asus deal right now...but don't screw around before that deal's up if that's what you're looking for. If it's out...then the R6300 becomes the best option on your list....but then I'd suggest an ERL and UniFi for the front too instead.


----------



## Durvelle27 (Dec 16, 2016)

Kursah said:


> The router is the gateway to the internet...its the device keeping your network private, among many other capabilities like in your case would probably be dhcp, DNS, port forwarding, session filtering and firewall, subnet management, etc. Definitely don't want to go without (really really bad idea) or skimp here. It wouldn't go well for you without one...
> 
> As suggested above you could start with the cheaper Asus $60 option. Its a nice budget router and might do all you need and provide WiFi to the front of your home.
> 
> ...


Just to clarify 

I ordered the ProSafe Switch and a single Unifi AP 

Router is what has me contemplating. Not necessarily going cheap just looking around at options on the market.


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## cdawall (Dec 16, 2016)

I would have skipped the switch and grabbed the edge router.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 16, 2016)

cdawall said:


> I would have skipped the switch and grabbed the edge router.


But I need the switch due to needing multiple Ethernet ports for various devices in multiple rooms.


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## cdawall (Dec 16, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> But I need the switch due to needing multiple Ethernet ports for various devices in multiple rooms.



Router is the brain of the system. It should always be above reproach. Any switch can do well enough, the router controls it.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 16, 2016)

cdawall said:


> Router is the brain of the system. It should always be above reproach. Any switch can do well enough, the router controls it.


Really now


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## Kursah (Dec 16, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> Really now



Yes the switch is there simply to pass off traffic to the right device as quickly as it can at its most basic level.

Consider a switch as a port multiplier for lack of a simpler explanation. Managed switches can do some routing and dhcp, but they are not firewalls, they wont' protect your network...it serves a different purpose than a router does.

The extra LAN ports on a router? Yah that's pretty much a 4-port switch added on the router's PCB. The router controls the network (DHCP, DNS, Firewall, being the gateway, etc).

It seems to me you might not necessarily know why these devices are needed completely, and that's fine, but maybe we can better educate you on these topics as this thread progresses. *Here's* a quick read for you on standard network appliances. There's far more material out there...but that article is easy to digest and get you started. 

These devices all server a purpose for your network and services.


----------



## n-ster (Dec 16, 2016)

Since you went with a Ubiquiti AP, I'd pair it with an ERX if you want value or an ERL


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 16, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Yes the switch is there simply to pass off traffic to the right device as quickly as it can at its most basic level.
> 
> Consider a switch as a port multiplier for lack of a simpler explanation. Managed switches can do some routing and dhcp, but they are not firewalls, they wont' protect your network...it serves a different purpose than a router does.
> 
> ...


Looked at the link and majority of all that I already knew 

I just stated that for his comment of any switch would do


----------



## Kursah (Dec 16, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> Looked at the link and majority of all that I already knew
> 
> I just stated that for his comment of any switch would do



Well any switch can do a basic switch's job, but depending on speed, reliability, and feature set that you need that's where things change.

The reason I posted the link is because you seemed to be questioning needing a router and just using a switch instead, which makes no sense if you do understand networking in that article I linked. Not a jab against you, but just trying to confirm what you do know vs. what you're saying in this thread.

Now you had mentioned earlier that if you could just use it like this: Modem > Switch > AP's

And frankly that tells me you don't necessarily understand the importance of having a router in and managing your network, and I want to make sure that it is very clear why you need and should have a good one. This shouldn't be a question, it should be known. And if I can help educate you to know this, I sure as hell well make it happen! 

Understanding how a basically router works, for a firewall and gateway, it gets the 1 IP address from your ISP. That is your WAN, Wide Area Network address...your one address from the ISP. This is your access or gateway to the Internet through the ISP's network. Unless you're a business owner or have a complex home lab setup, odds are you only have and pay for one IP address and not a block of addresses.

Then the router creates and hosts a LAN, or Local Area Network. Uses DHCP, Dynamic Host Control Protocol to send out IP addresses so that devices can access your LAN and thus the Internet. The router performs NAT, or Network Address Translation, because they have a LAN address but not a WAN address.

So there is a mask request where packets are flagged for each LAN address so that you can have sessions for things like streaming, email, Internet, VoIP, etc. for each device in your LAN. This is a critical part when on IPv4 since all the public IPv4 addresses have been used up...there's merely not enough for each of your home devices to have its own WAN IP address and you wouldn't want that unless each device had a good quality firewall filtering system in-place...it'd be akin to leaving all your doors and windows on your house open, Main St. pulling up to your front door, and all your cars and private things open and unlocked. Anyone could walk in, dig in or take whenever they wanted without any effort aside from knowing your address(es). No bueno.

I won't go into how various firewall systems work, port forward, etc... I am sure you can look those up or already have a grasp on them..but I want to ensure after the last page and a half of conversation taking a different leg from where I thought it was going, I was concerned that I'm over-assuming your knowledge of network devices and again just want to make sure that you understand how a router works and why you require one on your network so it's not a question of if you should get one, but which one should you get and why (which has been explained several times in this thread by me already  ).

Ultimately, I just want to make sure you have a handle on that concept so that you know how important having a router is to a network, in your case a home network. Each device I've mentioned can serve a purpose in the overall goal of your home network, it's quality, stability, security and reliability. Helping educate you to make an informed decision so you're not looking at $20 D-Links thinking they're comparable to a $80 Edgerouter Lite3 or $150 Asus, but knowing what to look for and get into so that you're doing a better investment into your home network for something that will last and keep you and your devices going for years to come.


----------



## cdawall (Dec 16, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> Looked at the link and majority of all that I already knew
> 
> I just stated that for his comment of any switch would do



That's because any switch will do. I use a set of cheap dlink 10/100/1000's they provide the batch of added ports needed for my setup. The router however is a higher class product and should be. 

This changes some if you need POE, managed switch etc. The nice thing about the ubiquity stuff is it all syncs together so having the switch isn't bad I would have just gone for the router before even thinking about the switch.


----------



## eidairaman1 (Dec 16, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Well any switch can do a basic switch's job, but depending on speed, reliability, and feature set that you need that's where things change.
> 
> The reason I posted the link is because you seemed to be questioning needing a router and just using a switch instead, which makes no sense if you do understand networking in that article I linked. Not a jab against you, but just trying to confirm what you do know vs. what you're saying in this thread.
> 
> ...




+1

A router acts like a hardware firewall, If you don't have one your network is unsecured, If you have a gateway (Modem with router built in) then you don't need a secondary Router, unless if you intend on upgrading the wifi capabilities then that Gateway could be used as a secondary router or can be used as a pass through with the wifi off etc. Depending on what kind of environment where you will have a switch you might need active cooling for it- definitely true if in an Attic- thus keeping fans dust free.


----------



## Durvelle27 (Dec 16, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Well any switch can do a basic switch's job, but depending on speed, reliability, and feature set that you need that's where things change.
> 
> The reason I posted the link is because you seemed to be questioning needing a router and just using a switch instead, which makes no sense if you do understand networking in that article I linked. Not a jab against you, but just trying to confirm what you do know vs. what you're saying in this thread.
> 
> ...


Man you know I gotta be pesky 

I'm no network expert but I have a good understanding 

Thanks though for all the information. It had really be helpful in my lasting quest. 

So as of now 

I bought the 

ProSafe
Unifi AP (N Version)
AC68

Now i'm just shopping around for some patches cables, bulk cat wire to run through the walls, and Punchdown wall adapters and plates. 

Also got a 24Port wall mount patch panel that can also be rack mounted.


----------



## Kursah (Dec 16, 2016)

That's a solid SoHo solution!

I get cables off of Amazon usually, or a local supplier depending on who's cheapest.

Good that you got a patch panel, that's going to make life nice. Label them, label the wall plates to match, create a map and spreadsheet to document locations. If you ever have issues, your diag time is cut down substantially. 

Make sure you check out the instructions to turn that TMobil AC1900 to an Asus AC68U, and I'll be glad to help! 

Now there's a lot in there, but don't let it get you nervous.

https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=73690012&postcount=3895

I'll detail what I did, and @Cybrnook2002 can help here too. 


Downloaded TMobil 376.1703 firmware, downloaded Asus 376.3626 (allows for larger ROMs after you flash the Asus CFE), and Tomato 124ARM firmware (restore mode flash after applying Asus CFE), downloaded RT-AC68U CFE 1.0.2.0 (recommended version), downloaded the CFE.exe, MTD-WRITE v2.
I ran into a few things with mine that didn't quite match the instructions...mostly the initial instructions as different firmware versions from TMobil have different methods for getting into the recovery mode. I had to hold the WPS button during power on, the power LED flashed fast, keep it held while trying to access 192.168.29.1 (Tmobil default IP, set my PC static to 192.168.29.100), kept refreshing until I was at the recovery page to upload the correct firmware.
Flashed the TMobil 376.1703 firmware, signed in using defaults (admin/password iirc) to enable SSH and Telnet (I prefer to use Putty and SSH to connect) to the device, rebooted and gained access.
Followed directions, except used SSH in Putty to connect to 192.168.29.1, used commands to download current CFE. Copied over MAC ID's to Asus 1.0.2.0 CFE. I used the Automatic CFE instructions with the user-created application...super super simple. Thought the manual method is pretty easy to do too.
Flashed the CFE bootloader using Putty. I did have a spare USB flash drive I used to plug into the router. Worked like a charm...I used simple names to keep the commands easy to remember. Where the instructions for this process say open DOS prompt and use Telnet, I use Putty and SSH.
Reset NVRAM using Putty. Rebooted.
Flashed Tomato firmware, this is because I ran into an issue where I could not flash any other firmware from GUI or recovery but this one, this is a common issue doing this method, but installing this Tomato firmware allows you to flash the Asus firmware successfully and it's a quick step...so I did the flash. Rebooted.
Flashed Asus firmware that sets the flags to allow for larger firmware sizes. Change IP address to DHCP or 192.168.1.100 (or anything not 1.1) Rebooted.
Flashed most recent Merlin firmware.
It's really not bad, but will give you some good experience and for saving $100 is absolutely worth it! 

I spent more time trying to get into restore mode than doing all of those steps combined...but after scouring the half dozen ways to get into restore mode onto these devices, the version I suggested worked for me. Now when I flashed the older TMobil firmware, that changed and holding the reset button and powering up, until a slow blink power LED started and you were in recovery mode.

Keep in mind going to Asus the IP will change to 192.168.1.1 so you'll need to change your LAN settings to reflect that or just set to use DHCP again.


----------



## Cybrnook2002 (Dec 16, 2016)

Kursah said:


> That's a solid SoHo solution!
> 
> I get cables off of Amazon usually, or a local supplier depending on who's cheapest.
> 
> ...



Yep.

Just don't overwhelm yourself with the details, it is a pretty easy process. You should be done in about 30 minutes.

The basics:
-downgrade firmware
-enable ssh
-dump cfe
-extract values and save in new cfe (1020 or 1021 will work. Not sure why 1021 was not recommended, it works fine fyi)
-upload new 1020/1021 cfe to your router os (I used winSCP)
-flash cfe
-reboot into recovery webserver (or use asus restoration utility) to flash new firmware. I recommend Johns fork http://www.snbforums.com/threads/fork-asuswrt-merlin-374-43-lts-releases-v20e9-v22b6.18914/
-power off, then while holding the WPS button power on the router holding wps for about 15 seconds (until led starts flashing), then let go to clean nvram. It will reboot, then your done.


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## Kursah (Dec 16, 2016)

Cybrnook2002 said:


> Yep.
> 
> Just don't overwhelm yourself with the details, it is a pretty easy process. You should be done in about 30 minutes.
> ...




Did you not have to upload the 376.3626 AsusWRT firmware that allows for larger ROMs to be installed? 

That was another trouble spot, uploading any firmware but Tomato after flashing CFEs caused all firmware uploads to fail in GUI and restore mode. Flashing Tomato, then Asus, then Merlin worked like a charm tho! Hopefully your simplified steps gets the OP there.

I'm going to read up on John's fork, I've heard of folks using it more and more...I really hadn't bothered to look into it as much since I've been happy with MerlinWRT as-is. But anything that can improve stability, performance and security is worth a look in my book!


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## n-ster (Dec 17, 2016)

Durvelle27 said:


> Now i'm just shopping around for some patches cables, bulk cat wire to run through the walls, and Punchdown wall adapters and plates.
> 
> Also got a 24Port wall mount patch panel that can also be rack mounted.



monoprice.com is my preferred choice, though I did get a fluke punchdown tool since I'll be doing 80+ in just my house.


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## Kursah (Dec 17, 2016)

Fluke's punchdown tools are solid. I have the D814, and I've used it on 1,000's of punches.


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## Cybrnook2002 (Dec 17, 2016)

Kursah said:


> Did you not have to upload the 376.3626 AsusWRT firmware that allows for larger ROMs to be installed?
> 
> That was another trouble spot, uploading any firmware but Tomato after flashing CFEs caused all firmware uploads to fail in GUI and restore mode. Flashing Tomato, then Asus, then Merlin worked like a charm tho! Hopefully your simplified steps gets the OP there.
> 
> I'm going to read up on John's fork, I've heard of folks using it more and more...I really hadn't bothered to look into it as much since I've been happy with MerlinWRT as-is. But anything that can improve stability, performance and security is worth a look in my book!


Nope, I went straight to Johns latest build. For one, that was my target release, and second, his build will expand the partition just the same 

It's rock solid, he does offer QoS, and he backports a lot of Merlins changes (like the recent graphs), as well as security fixes.


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## Durvelle27 (Dec 17, 2016)

n-ster said:


> monoprice.com is my preferred choice, though I did get a fluke punchdown tool since I'll be doing 80+ in just my house.


Idk why but i keep forgetting about their website


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