My Netgear Nighthawk wifi router just crapped out last weekend and I’m gimping along on the rental wifi router from my ISP, so I’m looking to buy a replacement and am torn: should I go with a single WiFi Router or a wired router plus a wireless access point?
I don’t need crazy throughput, just enough to handle some lite home automation, streaming, and a future NAS. My house isn’t large, so wifi coverage with a single device hasn’t been a problem so far. I’m also interested in flashing OpenWRT or DD-WRT to the router, so compatibility is a consideration. Hardware recommendations would be great!
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I prefer having separate devices these days, as consumer grade devices have come a long way.
Even with combined devices, I disable the wifi and just route, leaving wireless for a dedicated device.
Meh. Unless you really want to get really fancy, save the time, money, and effort and just get one combo. You can always add an AP later on if you really want to enhance coverage.
I like having them separate, mostly because the convenient place for my internet router is where the connection enters the building, while the best place for wifi coverage is in another room.
Side benefit: Updating my wifi access point with security patches doesn’t interrupt internet access for my wired devices. (My main router is wired-only, and doesn’t need security updates as often as the wifi box.)
I like to separate them. But that’s mostly for the ability to scale my wifi network. I can place an AP on the main floor and in the basement on opposite ends of the house. Faster speeds 5ghz and 6ghz work better close by. Then later if I want, I can put one in the garage for a better connection so I can watch diy youtube videos walking me step by step through how to fix my car. That bolt might not be coming out and I’m pissed, but at least the video isn’t buffering and fueling the fire.
But if you go AP, I highly recommend a set that supports one ssid that will auto handoff from one to the other. Some extenders and mesh solutions each have their own ssid and don’t work together. I find them annoying.
Go OpenWRT
I need a separate router and AP, but given a choice I’d ditch the AP. IMO there’s no reason to have two devices if one provides sufficient features and wifi coverage, and it’s one less thing to manage.
Regarding DD-WRT vs OpenWRT, after years of use my DD-WRT routers began intermittently losing their configurations when reset and I was unable to resolve the problem. The switch to OpenWRT was difficult but worth it because the firmware is so flexible and well supported. It has been rock solid.
Take a look at the GL-iNet Flint 2. It runs OpenWRT and should easily support everything you mention and more.
Thanks for the recommendations! I pulled the trigger and ordered the following:
- TP-Link ER605v2 wired router (I’ll flash this with OpenWRT)
- Cudy AC1200 wifi access point
- Netgear GS305P unmanaged switch with POE
