I am looking to buy a new wireless router for the house. I am not looking for anything fancy at all - just a basic router that does not drop connection all the time.

I currently have a TP-LINK TL-WR841N Wireless N300 but this router is a big piece of crap!! Drops connection every single day!

What brands should i look for and which brands should i avoid?

 

I've had a Netgear N900 for years and been happy with it. It's supposedly for larger homes and we have good coverage throughout our home, with no drops.

 

I appreciate any and all feedback - I know there are tons of routers out there but I'm no computer guru so can't really tell the difference between most.

 

So many options

 

Asus has made some solid ones. Just go on slick deals and find the one that it's your budget. Check Newegg and Amazon reviews.


I have two Asus and love them. I used to be a huge Linksys fanboy until they started dropping the ball on the stupid spaceship looking ones

 

I know but there has to be some brands that I should avoid, For example TP-Link is one of them.

 

It's not always generalities though. TP-Link also makes some solid products. I have a rack mounted switch of theirs that has been doing well and was competitively priced versus the Netgear equivalent.

 

Are you sure it is your router and not the modem from your ISP? How old is that? Comcast/Xfinity has now combined the modem and wireless router into one unit, but it's $10/month. Maybe check with your ISP regarding what you have vs. newer equipment??

 

I am pretty sure it's not my modem because I never had to reset it. I just reset my wireless router and back in business we go.

 

Maybe the dropped connections aren't your wireless router....


Maybe they are the microwave... Or aliens.

 

Does your TP-Link have the latest firmware?

 

Dan is nuts.

 

I really doubt a firmware update will do anything. The inet is filled with complaints of dropped connections from that model of TP-Link as well as other TP-Link models. I'd trash it.

I've been running the ASUS RT-AC66U for about 2 years now and have no issues. I run 8 video cameras off the wireless 24/7 (2.4 Ghz) and 2 Roku on the 5K band. It has a lot of powerful features, some of which may be overkill for you.

 

I also highly recommend the Asus routers. Since I don't have any devices that use the AC speed rating, I purchased the RT-N66U (also known as the Dark Knight) over a year ago. In most cases the Asus routers always have better WiFi range than the ISP supplied Modem/Router.

It is a great router right out of the box, but additional features can be added with 3rd party firmware like Asus-Merlin or Tomato.

 

Netgear R6300v2 here. Pretty happy with it.

 

Seems to be Netgear and Asus is the way to go. I do know Asus makes solid computers.

 

There are a couple of router and modem combinations on the newegg.com promotions page - Newegg.com - Game Winners: $179.99 Samsung 32" 1080p HDTV; $99.99 23" 1080p IPS Monitor

 

Does your ISP provide a list of optimal modems and routers? If so, I'd buy one of those routers.

FWIW, I have Time-Warner cable internet and the same TP-LINK router model that you have because it's one of those approved to work with the cable modems used by TWC. I think I paid $20 for the router through Amazon, but it has been trouble-free.

 

We've been using the Asus routers for work lately and they've been pretty good, no complaints so far.

 

Hey OP if you check slickdeals usually the people who post will say how good the quality is. Keep your eye on routers in your price range. If there's 5 thumbs up and the reviews are favorable, jump in.