Which router to choose
I can get a used (about 1.5 years old) D-Link-890L AC3200 for $100 or a brand new Tplink Archer c7 for $90+tax. Which would you choose?
- Last Updated:
- Feb 27th, 2018 8:30 pm
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- DIrty-D [OP]
- Deal Addict
- Sep 11, 2006
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- Toronto
15 replies
- Gee
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- Aug 2, 2004
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- East Gwillimbury
Archer C7
- DIrty-D [OP]
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- Sep 11, 2006
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- Gee
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- Aug 2, 2004
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- East Gwillimbury
No, I would still choose the C7
On paper, the D-Link is a better router. But that doesn't mean it is a better router.
- DIrty-D [OP]
- Deal Addict
- Sep 11, 2006
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Ok how about a https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Networking/RTAC68U/
I can get it for the same price, 100 bucks or so used 1 year.
- heyyahblah
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- Dec 1, 2010
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ASUS makes solid routers if you like stock firmware and don't like to tinker around. You can also load 3rd party firmware on it no problem. I own the RTAC87U and couldn't be more happier with my purchase.DIrty-D wrote: ↑ Ok how about a https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Networking/RTAC68U/
I can get it for the same price, 100 bucks or so used 1 year.
https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Networking/RTAC87U/
And ASUS is very frequent about firmware updates to its consumers, which I really like. Both models posted yours and mine already have the KRACK vulnerability patched.
- Warlock
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- Sep 10, 2004
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No contest. The ASUS RT-AC68U.DIrty-D wrote: ↑ Ok how about a https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Networking/RTAC68U/
I can get it for the same price, 100 bucks or so used 1 year.
- heyyahblah
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- Dec 1, 2010
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- b31770
- Deal Addict
- Nov 22, 2012
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- VANCOUVER
I have an archer c7 v2 with lede but it gets overloaded with 2 home cameras on the network and requires constant reboots. Various firmwares don't improve things either.
Just picked up some ubiquiti gear. We'll see how complex the setup is this weekend.
Just picked up some ubiquiti gear. We'll see how complex the setup is this weekend.
- flyboy320
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- Jun 13, 2008
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This is the route I went about a month ago (Mikrotik 750GR3 and Unifi UAP-AC-LITE) and it's been rock solid. Bit of a learning curve since it's not plug-and-play like the consumer routers, but it's a very flexible and stable platform.
Here is a thread at RFD about this router and wifi AP.
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- SickBeast
- Deal Expert
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- Mar 14, 2009
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IMO the Asus and Archer routers are hyped to all oblivion on RFD. I have had a very good experience with my D-link 868L router, and it can be had for around $50 at the Source. Check out the reviews. It blows a lot of newer and more expensive routers out of the water.
https://www.thesource.ca/en-ca/computer ... /108043728
You just need a filler item and the $25 off email signup coupon.
https://www.thesource.ca/en-ca/computer ... /108043728
You just need a filler item and the $25 off email signup coupon.
I am a Zoomer customer.
- MrBanks321
- Sr. Member
- Oct 12, 2014
- 851 posts
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- London, ON
+1 for mikrotik or a prosumer brand. There’s a learning curve but you’ll have lots of customization
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$38 month
5GB Data
Unlimited international texting
Unlimited Canada-wide minutes
- justmehereajax
- Sr. Member
- Oct 26, 2006
- 584 posts
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- East GTA - Durham Re…
If you can get a FactoryDirect C9 for 60 bucks.
- txenglan
- Deal Addict
- Nov 22, 2003
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I disagree. I bought two of these. One has been running since November and the other died in less than two months. The issue I ran into is very common and based on what I know about these now after having wasted hours worth of troubleshooting, I would avoid these and certainly wouldn't recommend them to anyone.SickBeast wrote: ↑ IMO the Asus and Archer routers are hyped to all oblivion on RFD. I have had a very good experience with my D-link 868L router, and it can be had for around $50 at the Source. Check out the reviews. It blows a lot of newer and more expensive routers out of the water.
https://www.thesource.ca/en-ca/computer ... /108043728
You just need a filler item and the $25 off email signup coupon.
- SickBeast
- Deal Expert
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- Mar 14, 2009
- 15168 posts
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What was the issue you had? Mine has been running flawlessly for many months now. It's completely stable and I've never even had to reboot it.txenglan wrote: ↑ I disagree. I bought two of these. One has been running since November and the other died in less than two months. The issue I ran into is very common and based on what I know about these now after having wasted hours worth of troubleshooting, I would avoid these and certainly wouldn't recommend them to anyone.
I am a Zoomer customer.
- txenglan
- Deal Addict
- Nov 22, 2003
- 3666 posts
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Mine had seemingly been running fine as well but I had noticed that it wasn't handling the assignment of my local DNS server IP (pi-hole) to dhcp clients so I manually rebooted it after multiple attempts to correct the issue. It then went into "recovery mode" and refuses to reboot with any firmware I upload to it. It can apparently be fixed with the method mentioned at the following links (the second link is mainly about the 880l but the painful process is still the same) but I can't be bothered to spend more time and money on it:
https://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=301076
https://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic ... &start=105
As I mentioned, this is a common problem with this model and I suspect that many (if not all) of these refurbs are units that dlink brought back to life that were in recovery mode like mine is. I still have the second 868l working as my gateway but I'll decommission it soon as it will no doubt also fail at some point as well. I just don't trust it anymore. I've moved on to proper gear (Ubiquiti) now for wireless and for the gateway, I'll just spin up a pfSense VM.