ASUS - RT-BE88U

500mbs is more than enough for couple of people. Even for doing 4k streaming is fine. Don't really see any benefits of 1gig unless you are downloading/uploading tons of data. 2gb is just overkill and definitely not required. Look at review website dongknows to narrow down the choice of routers based on your requirement. Everyone is different so hard recommend, still some are good. Few router recommendations 1. Unifi UDR7. Great all-in-one router with lots of features. 2. Asus with wifi 7 and support for merlin firmware. Check above website for reviews. 3. If you want more control and would like to go DIY route, Any N100 mini pc with dual nic running opnsense/pfsense on it. Maybe directly or virtualized. Add an AP like unifi or omada or something else.

I've had zero problems with M1 for many years. Only went down once, and that was for scheduled maintenance in the middle of the night. Also, it's not just your internet plan that could be the cause of any issues. If your router isn't good enough, or is in a terrible position, or is overheating, or the bomb shelter is between your laptop and the router, you are gonna have issues no matter what plan you have. I have a standard 1Gbps plan but an Asus gaming router with ethernet cables going to the 3 heaviest users in the home – PS5, living TV and bedroom TV. I also set up a second router using Asus AImesh to provide wifi signal to one of the further corners of the house.

Asus BE-88U or 98U, an SPF+ to RJ45 adapter and a couple of TP-Link SX1008 switches.

I like Asus since you don't have to go all-in with mesh on day one. Wireless backhaul is an issue with every mesh system. I started with an AiMesh Extendable Router and I can add anything from the Asus line-up if I need better coverage. And, yeah, that RT-AX86U Pro is pretty nice with its 2.5 Gbps port connecting to my Arris cable modem. This computer is wired to a LAN port and works very well, and the wi-fi around the house is very reliable.

I just moved from a BE88U (Have been Asus+Merlin for the last 10 years) to a UniFi system, UDM Pro, Agg Switch, and a U7 Pro Max running the latest EA FW and Network app, and have been rock solid including 2.4hhz IOT devices.

I would go with Ubiquiti if you're at least a little tech savvy. That's what I'd go with if I had a bigger budget, but I also don't feel confident enough to build myself. But I'm also happy with my Asus, so that one you have there would be a good choice also, IMO. If the firmware it comes with doesn't do what you want or it gets an update in the future that removes features, you can flash custom firmware to most Asus routers. Just google if it's compatible with Merlin or openWRT, most are I think. Edit: just noticed you had 3 Asus routers. Don't get the BE88U, you want triple-band.

If you don’t specifically need the 6ghz band the 88U or 86U are better on the 5ghz band which is where most performance devices will connect

I'm running rt-be88u... It's smooth and fast ..has like 8 ports Asus for the win!

I've been using AiMesh since the beginning, and it was rocky at first, but now I'm currently quite happy with it. One solid main router and two APs outside. What unifi did you get to replace your setup and do you think it was worth the cost?

**Title:** Loving the BE88U (and planning my Ubiquiti upgrade) I recently purchased the **ASUS BE88U** over the **BE92U** and paid the extra $100 for better stability, extra power, and the SFP port so I can run dual WAN ports at 10 GbE. Right now, only my Verizon service is running at 2.5 Gbps — and the crazy part is it actually clocks out on Speedtest at 2.5 Gbps up and down! I’m running **dual WAN in load-balance mode**, and I opted to install **Asuswrt-Merlin** firmware. I’ve also got a mesh setup using my old routers (AC88U and AX88U) — a great way to repurpose older gear. I couldn’t be happier with the BE88U. It’s fast, responsive, and stable. I was already familiar with the ASUS interface from my previous models, and this one never lags. It also handles dual WAN far better than the older units. This weekend, I’m going to turn the BE88U into a **mesh AP** and replace routing duties with a **Ubiquiti UCG-Fiber**, which has 2 × 10 GbE SFP+ WAN ports. If I love the BE88U so much, why switch? Simple — **Ubiquiti’s Uni software is next-level** and gets me deeper into their ecosystem. I also have a **Tuya Wi-Fi camera system and alarm**, but switching to Ubiquiti gear will let me do a lot more. Uni offers **geo-blocking, IPS add-ons, and better logging** if you install an NVMe drive in their UCG routers. I’m not sure if the Dream Router supports all of these, but the UCG line definitely does. I can also upgrade to **Uni cameras and smart door locks**, and since their routers can function as NVRs, I may skip a standalone recorder unless I add a lot of cameras. For Wi-Fi, they’ve got several **PoE access points under $200**, and I’m eyeing their new **Wi-Fi 7 outdoor APs**. Their smart light switches — with port colors that change based on VLAN — are super cool too. I also love that I can **manage everything from one place** using the Uni management suite. It’s a hybrid cloud model, so I can access and manage my network from anywhere. Don’t get me wrong — I **highly recommend the ASUS BE88U**, and I’ll keep using my ASUS mesh until I can afford the $500 or so for three Ubiquiti APs. Honestly, I’m a little annoyed that Ubiquiti is *that good*, because I just finished building an **OPNsense firewall** on a repurposed **Sophos SG210** with 4 × 10 GbE ports, 6 × 2.5 GbE ports, a Xeon E3 CPU, and 24 GB RAM. I might use that as a dedicated IPS to take some load off the UCG-Fiber — not sure yet. If you don’t need everything the Uni ecosystem offers, you’ll be super happy with the **BE88U**. And hey — you can always upgrade later like I plan to. **Dave’O** https://preview.redd.it/pimvddja0szf1.png?width=638&format=png&auto=webp&s=8337e20766f68f454a7261730ae88587a3b37d3b