Replaceing router, stuck between WRT1900ACS and WRT3200ACM

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WRT1900ACS or WRT3200ACM
WRT1900ACS
21%
 21%  [ 4 ]
WRT3200ACM
52%
 52%  [ 10 ]
Other (post a reply)
26%
 26%  [ 5 ]
Total Votes : 19

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1031982
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 18:10    Post subject: Replaceing router, stuck between WRT1900ACS and WRT3200ACM Reply with quote
I'm looking to replace my current Netgear WNDR4300 as it now appears to be on its way out.
I'm stuck between the WRT1900ACS and WRT3200ACM respectfully. I would prefer to get it new.

As far as I can see, the primary differences are that the 3200 has a better processor, more flash (which I don't think will make a difference in any way), and it has a higher power output for the WiFi radios.

The environment is not going to change, and until recently I have been happy with Netgear.

Which would you suggest, any why?
If you have another suggestion, I'm willing to hear it out.
I assume that recent builds of DD-WRT are patched for Kr00k, otherwise I want to avoid the Broadcom and Cypress FullMac chips.
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kernel-panic69
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 18:12    Post subject: Reply with quote
R7800 or EA8500. Marvell devices are subject to wireless drivers that are no longer being actively developed by the manufacturer.
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blkt
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 18:18    Post subject: Reply with quote
R7800, or EA8500 if half price (300MHz slower, no VHT160, LAN/WAN share 1Gbit link to CPU).

WRT3200ACM is a great Ethernet router only (internal radios disabled, 2.4 GHz especially) with an external AP such as Ubiquiti LR.

Check the prices for used condition to save money.
1031982
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 20:09    Post subject: Reply with quote
kernel-panic69 wrote:
R7800 or EA8500. Marvell devices are subject to wireless drivers that are no longer being actively developed by the manufacturer.

Why would driver development from the manufacture matter? It would seem that the Linux community tends to make better drivers then the manufactures. I would also assume that the drivers get to a point where there is no need to update them unless there is some comparability issues with the Linux kernel and the drivers.
kernel-panic69
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 20:28    Post subject: Reply with quote
Marvell abandoned development of the drivers with known issues and "the community" hasn't done much of anything with them. BrainSlayer has done all that he can with them, but I think that in one particular case, lumping the 1900s with the 3200 was a major oops in this firmware. The chips and firmware versions are different. The 1200s and 1900s are more identical, and the 3200s and the 32x are identical. I don't know of any drivers that will ever be 100% without need of further development. But, I guess this is my own narrow opinion.
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ho1Aetoo
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 20:46    Post subject: Reply with quote
1031982 wrote:
Why would driver development from the manufacture matter? It would seem that the Linux community tends to make better drivers then the manufactures.


yes you can see it on the thousands of devices that do not work under linux or run like shit

why should someone sit down and invest thousands of hours in driver development if they are not paid for it?

1031982 wrote:
I would also assume that the drivers get to a point where there is no need to update them unless there is some comparability issues


this is probably the point that the marvel radio driver / firmware is still unstable even after years

and the company doesn't seem to be interested in changing that
1031982
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 4:10    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's looking like a R7800 would be ideal.
I prefer to have LED's for each port and wireless.
pbphoto
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Joined: 29 Oct 2017
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 9:35    Post subject: Reply with quote
I use both of these devices in my current environment running build 42015. They are about the same wifi performance as far as I can tell. I use the 3200ACM as a Wireguard client, and previously OpenVPN client, to take advantage of its extra processor power. I've had some issues over the years but the newer builds have solved most of these for me.
1031982
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 19:29    Post subject: Reply with quote
Just so people know what I ended up getting, I ordered a R7800.
Neil1454
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 14:23    Post subject: Reply with quote
blkt wrote:
R7800, or EA8500 if half price (300MHz slower, no VHT160, LAN/WAN share 1Gbit link to CPU).

WRT3200ACM is a great Ethernet router only (internal radios disabled, 2.4 GHz especially) with an external AP such as Ubiquiti LR.

Check the prices for used condition to save money.


Are the Ubiquiti LR access points easy to set up do you know ?
kernel-panic69
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 15:19    Post subject: Reply with quote
Neil1454 wrote:
blkt wrote:
R7800, or EA8500 if half price (300MHz slower, no VHT160, LAN/WAN share 1Gbit link to CPU).

WRT3200ACM is a great Ethernet router only (internal radios disabled, 2.4 GHz especially) with an external AP such as Ubiquiti LR.

Check the prices for used condition to save money.


Are the Ubiquiti LR access points easy to set up do you know ?


If they are anything like the older pre-AC APs, no, not difficult whatsoever. But, at the same time, I do believe they require PoE.

https://www.ui.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lr/

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Neil1454
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 16:56    Post subject: Reply with quote
kernel-panic69 wrote:
Neil1454 wrote:
blkt wrote:
R7800, or EA8500 if half price (300MHz slower, no VHT160, LAN/WAN share 1Gbit link to CPU).

WRT3200ACM is a great Ethernet router only (internal radios disabled, 2.4 GHz especially) with an external AP such as Ubiquiti LR.

Check the prices for used condition to save money.


Are the Ubiquiti LR access points easy to set up do you know ?


If they are anything like the older pre-AC APs, no, not difficult whatsoever. But, at the same time, I do believe they require PoE.

https://www.ui.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lr/


Hi,

The LR version comes with the small box. Ethernet in and PoE out. So I guess that is all that is needed.

I was looking on amazon and some reviews state that only advisable to get one if you know what you are doing. The way it was written made it seem quite advanced.

Might look into one. Would rather not put one on a ceiling though. But I think that is where it is best placed. Rolling Eyes
blkt
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2020 3:03    Post subject: Reply with quote
Check craigslist, ebay, offerup etc for used R7800 or EA8500 in the 20-60 USD range (or R9000 if the price ever drops to 100).
kernel-panic69
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2020 3:40    Post subject: Reply with quote
Neil1454 wrote:
kernel-panic69 wrote:

If they are anything like the older pre-AC APs, no, not difficult whatsoever. But, at the same time, I do believe they require PoE.

https://www.ui.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lr/


Hi,

The LR version comes with the small box. Ethernet in and PoE out. So I guess that is all that is needed.

I was looking on amazon and some reviews state that only advisable to get one if you know what you are doing. The way it was written made it seem quite advanced.

Might look into one. Would rather not put one on a ceiling though. But I think that is where it is best placed. Rolling Eyes


The only thing that may be "difficult" is if it wants to be tied to a network controller. You can set up the controller on a Raspberry Pi fairly easily, though. Otherwise, it's fairly self-contained, if it's like any of the other APs they offer. We only added a controller because of there being more than one UniFi device in the mix on one particular network I deal with.

https://www.ui.com/download/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lr

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Neil1454
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2020 12:08    Post subject: Reply with quote
kernel-panic69 wrote:
Neil1454 wrote:
kernel-panic69 wrote:

If they are anything like the older pre-AC APs, no, not difficult whatsoever. But, at the same time, I do believe they require PoE.

https://www.ui.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lr/


Hi,

The LR version comes with the small box. Ethernet in and PoE out. So I guess that is all that is needed.

I was looking on amazon and some reviews state that only advisable to get one if you know what you are doing. The way it was written made it seem quite advanced.

Might look into one. Would rather not put one on a ceiling though. But I think that is where it is best placed. Rolling Eyes


The only thing that may be "difficult" is if it wants to be tied to a network controller. You can set up the controller on a Raspberry Pi fairly easily, though. Otherwise, it's fairly self-contained, if it's like any of the other APs they offer. We only added a controller because of there being more than one UniFi device in the mix on one particular network I deal with.

https://www.ui.com/download/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lr


I thought that you used the app to configure (Rpi, windows etc) then it ran self contained.
Dont think you need to have a controller running for it to function once set up.
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