Airport Extreme Vs. Netgear R7000 Router

[TuckerdogAVL]

I've purchased both, as the Netgear was on sale for $25 less than the AE. I've set up the AE and it was a breeze. According to speedtest.net, i'm near 60mbps in the office with the macmini, which has ac. The older computer about 20 feet from the router seems to be doing fine as well. We have a printer and a 2009 APE for music hooked up and all are working fine.

However ...

I also purchased the Netgear r7000 because my house configuration is a bit squirrelly and I used to have to use an extender... apparently this isn't the case with the new Airport Extreme.

I am trying to save myself the hassle of actually setting up the Netgear r7000 to see if connect speeds or anything is actually any faster. If the Airport Extreme is already at the "max" for Charter's internet service (that is, the 60mbps) is there anything actually to test between the two? Faster loads, drop outs, and such?

One thing that used to happen all the time with the old Netgear and the extender is suddenly for whatever reason the connection would drop. I'd have to go into the other room, start the WPS, start the printer, blah blah blah... reboot the modem, disconnect the router ... and I'm wondering if the Airport Extreme is more stable.

I have about 10 more days before I have to take one or the other back.

Thoughts?

Update: I have opened the Netgear box now and that thing is huge. I may set it up for the computer that is the MacMini, furthest from the router as a test, but the size of the thing... hard to hide.

 

[sgould]

I was advised to buy a DrayTek Vigor 2710n router. We turned it on four years ago and turned it off three months ago when we went to the superfast broadband and upgraded to the next generation of router. Also a DrayTek - a 2760n.

A friend of mine who runs wifi networks with maintenance, installs these as well https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap/ He doesn't like being called out to repair faults. Says that they are good over very long distances I have no experience of these though.

 

[TuckerdogAVL]

I was advised to buy a DrayTek Vigor 2710n router. We turned it on four years ago and turned it off three months ago when we went to the superfast broadband and upgraded to the next generation of router. Also a DrayTek - a 2760n.

A friend of mine who runs wifi networks with maintenance, installs these as well https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap/ He doesn't like being called out to repair faults. Says that they are good over very long distances I have no experience of these though.

Respectfully, I'm not shopping. I'm looking for guidance regarding the routers I've mentioned in the post.

 

[sgould]

I wasn't selling!!

I read your post as you having either a router with insufficient range and/or having a router that dropped out from time to time.

I had similar problems with various routers, including a Netgear one, but no problems since ditching the Netgear and various others over the years. The DrayTek one gives enough strength of signal for me to use the laptop inside my garage at the bottom of the garden 60 ft away.

 

[TuckerdogAVL]

I wasn't selling!!

I read your post as you having either a router with insufficient range and/or having a router that dropped out from time to time.

I had similar problems with various routers, including a Netgear one, but no problems since ditching the Netgear and various others over the years. The DrayTek one gives enough strength of signal for me to use the laptop inside my garage at the bottom of the garden 60 ft away.

No need to get defensive. Simply stating that it doesn't matter, as there are 10,000 routers with 50,000 forums and 100,000 comments. Just looking for any specific advice on these specific routers. Can't go down the road of researching yet another one, especially with how difficult the innernets have gotten on research. Back in the olden days, 1998-2005, you actually could use the internet for research rather than where to buy and for how much. Appreciate your comment though, especially regarding 60 feet. I find it hysterical (actually more frustrating) that often the printer six feet away can't find the computer with the Netgear. If I should find I'm ever in the market again (I'd probably be in my 80s) I'll check out the DrayTek.

 

[TuckerdogAVL]

No need to get defensive. Simply stating that it doesn't matter, as there are 10,000 routers with 50,000 forums and 100,000 comments. Just looking for any specific advice on these specific routers. Can't go down the road of researching yet another one, especially with how difficult the innernets have gotten on research. Back in the olden days, 1998-2005, you actually could use the internet for research rather than where to buy and for how much.

 

[TuckerdogAVL]

Well, the test is over and looks like Netgear r7000 wins, sort of. The 2.4ghz 2009 macbookpro has seen a significant increase in speed situated in the room with the router, about 30 feet away from it. My MacMini, which is on the 5ghz network and is about 60+ feet away, in an l-shaped house near the window on a diagonal, is getting about the same speed (speedtest.net) as the Airport Extreme.

I haven't done all the network tweaks re admin on the netgear yet and I remember that can become a nightmare. But, since the Netgear is $25 less, and seems to be faster for the older computer, looks like it's the winner. The design of the Airport Extreme is elegant and simpler; but I think I may be able to put more stuff on the Netgear. Only time will tell.

 

[Satcomer]

Well, the test is over and looks like Netgear r7000 wins, sort of. The 2.4ghz 2009 macbookpro has seen a significant increase in speed situated in the room with the router, about 30 feet away from it. My MacMini, which is on the 5ghz network and is about 60+ feet away, in an l-shaped house near the window on a diagonal, is getting about the same speed (speedtest.net) as the Airport Extreme.

I haven't done all the network tweaks re admin on the netgear yet and I remember that can become a nightmare. But, since the Netgear is $25 less, and seems to be faster for the older computer, looks like it's the winner. The design of the Airport Extreme is elegant and simpler; but I think I may be able to put more stuff on the Netgear. Only time will tell.

If you are going to use the Netgear router then bookmark the Apple Support document TCP and UDP ports used by Apple Software Products to open ports when Apple online services don't work!

 

[TuckerdogAVL]

If you are going to use the Netgear router then bookmark the Apple Support document TCP and UDP ports used by Apple Software Products to open ports when Apple online services don't work!

Thanks, but since I don't know where my IT administrator is, and all this information is TMI, I guess I'll just have to stumble along as I did for 8 years prior with no problems. I'll bookmark it for whatever it's worth. PS I just checked to be sure and I don't think there's an IT administrator living in my basement.

 

[Satcomer]

Thanks, but since I don't know where my IT administrator is, and all this information is TMI, I guess I'll just have to stumble along as I did for 8 years prior with no problems. I'll bookmark it for whatever it's worth. PS I just checked to be sure and I don't think there's an IT administrator living in my basement.

I say this because with a third party router when an Apple iCloud or App Stores don't work through that third party router . So in the future you can refer to that Support document to work through connection problems to an Apple online service!

 

[TuckerdogAVL]

I say this because with a third party router when an Apple iCloud or App Stores don't work through that third party router . So in the future you can refer to that Support document to work through connection problems to an Apple online service!

Maybe I haven't had any problems because I avoid iCloud. Didn't particularly like the cavalier T&C (yeah, I'm one of these people that read it) ... and how screwed up my "Photos" nee "IPhoto" albums are now (I have about 200 albums with one photo in them) ... along with 2,560 photos duplicated ... but I am starting to warm up to it though I still am not sold (I can't have an Iphone because I refuse to pay Verizon or ATT any money, and I don't need to rent one for $300/yr ... and I haven't purchased an iPad yet, hence.... no real use for iCloud other than clicking on deny/allow/okay/yes/save/don't save/open/close.... Haven't had any app store issues yet.