[Hidden-tech] help with enterprise grade router recommendation?

[Chris Hart, MyMacTech.com]

Most of my clients are small businesses like the one you're talking about.... and there were a few of them that, in the past, had to step up to an enterprise grade solution for a router, because an off the shelf product couldn't handle the task.  (And the symptoms you posted are classic signs of a router that's overwhelmed.)

But nowadays there are many consumer routers that can handle the load and are robust and will not cost so much.  I have installed a lot of Netgear Nighthawks and Asus RT-AC68 routers and both have been excellent.  Netgear now has 3 models of Nighthawk, and the X4 and X6 are the better ones and they are pretty incredible -- wireless signal is powerful and fast and they handle dozens of clients on the network just fine.

In my own home I have the ASUS 68 and I love the UI (the interface puts apple routers to shame with looking good, working well, and giving you access to deep settings -- controls that apple now locks you out of, which was the straw on the camel's back for me to stop recommending their routers to most people).

Chris Hart
     Computer Support & Technology Consulting
        for Connecticut and Western Massachusetts
            Tel: 860-291-9393
                chris at chrishart.net
                    http://www.MyMacTech.com
			

On Oct 16, 2015, at 9:04 AM, Sara MacKay <smackay at literacyproject.org> wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> Hi Folks,
>  
> Can anyone recommend an enterprise model router for a medium/small business?  I have a site that is connecting to their wireless fine (signal is strong) but randomly,  folks are getting dropped from the wireless.  Or if they are trying to connect more than 10 laptops sometimes not everyone can connect.  They have Comcast business cable so I don’t think bandwidth is the problem. Last spring when we upgraded to cable, all network equipment was upgraded to gigabyte units. Any wiring used is all cat5e.  There are still 2 desktops and 2 network printers in the mix as well.
>  
> This is a learning center and when they do online testing, dropping in the middle of it is really problematic. They have over 30 laptops, not to mention other devices that the staff walk in with (phones, i-pads) and rarely are they all in use, but but it has happened. Or rather been attempted.
>  
> I have the opportunity to put in for approx $1000 for this line item, though if there is no solution in that price range, I can make a case for more. Unfortunately the request has to go in in the next couple of days and I have no history purchasing one of these.
>  
> Anyone have any recommendations on routers that can handle that, or which mftr would be reliable to look at? 
>  
>  
> Sara
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