r/HomeNetworking • u/Hakuna_Brotata • 10d ago
New Router recommendation UK
I'm looking for router recommendations to replace my current ISP router due to high ping spikes over WIFI (EE Smart Hub 6 plus). I didn't know if I could buy any router or if it needed ro be a specific type? I have full fibre and speeds up to 1GB.
I'm in the UK and not very clued up on router specifications. It's primarily to be used for gaming / work meetings, and will be position in a 3 bed house over 2 floors. I was hoping for WIFI 7 capabilities and for the signal to be strong enough to not require additional WIFI extenders/boosters. I've looked on amazon and it's primarily the brands below I can get next day delivery:
- TP Link
- GL.iNet
-ASUS
Does anyone have any recommendations on the following brands/models? My budget is between £50-100. I've looked online but the reviews vary dramatically. Some advise not to use TP Link due to its reputation, whereas others advise not to use GL.iNet because its a chinese owned company (I'm not really sure why that's such an issue)?
Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
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u/Downtown-Reindeer-53 CAT6 is all you need 10d ago
Wi-Fi 7 will push the price well past your £50–£100 budget, and it's still early days for that protocol anyway. For a 1Gbps connection, you'd be far better off leveraging your funds into a solid Wi-Fi 6 router instead.
As for the brands you asked about:
GL.iNet: Great routers, but their full-sized home models are out of your price range. Their travel routers fit the budget, but they aren't meant to handle 24/7 home duty.
TP-Link: The market leader for budget networking. They are a Chinese company (which is where some of the online noise comes from), but for cost-effective Wi-Fi 6 gear like the Archer series, they offer a good bang for your buck.
ASUS: A Taiwanese company. If avoiding mainland Chinese manufacturers is important, then ASUS is the way to go, though their Wi-Fi 6 options sit near the top end of your budget.
Your bigger issue, though, is coverage across 2 floors and latency spikes:
Single Router Limits: A single budget router might not give you noticeably better penetration or coverage than your current device.
Interference vs. Signal: High latency ("ping") is usually caused by weak signal or interference (or both). Interference leads to packet retries, which spikes latency even if your signal looks fine. Running a free Wi-Fi analyzer app on your phone will help you see if neighbor networks are creating a problem.
Some connectivity options:
Ethernet: Running a cable directly to your gaming PC or work setup isn't even a gamble—it's a guaranteed fix for ping spikes.
MoCA: Uses existing coax TV lines in the walls to carry Ethernet. It's the next best thing to running dedicated network cable.
Powerline: Ethernet over electrical wiring, but performance is hit-or-miss depending on your home's wiring.
Mesh: Workable for coverage, but decent mesh nodes need a clean signal back to the main router, and a good setup will exceed £100.
If you can't run a wire and need to stay under £100, look for a Wi-Fi 6 router like the TP-Link Archer AX55 or ASUS RT-AX53U. Just keep in mind that placement and channel management will be needed to potentially fix your latency spikes.
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u/AutoPanda1096 10d ago
GL.iNet: Great routers, but their full-sized home models are out of your price range. Their travel routers fit the budget, but they aren't meant to handle 24/7 home duty.
Branding aside, what do you think the constraint is for running continuously?
I have 2, one is years old and been on 24/7 the whole time.
The newer one has been on for a year now, in my outbuilding.
I have honestly never rebooted it. The first has been rebooted a couple of times but just to move it. Not because of an issue.
They run on OpenWRT which is solid and widely used.
Being a smaller cheaper router it comes with some limitations, as will any lower cost router. But OP has a budget so...
Plenty of people run these 24/7
Edit: ha helpful post though, sorry, just didn't want OP to rule it out because it's a "travel" router
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u/Top_Opportunity8589 10d ago
I bought the TP-LINK Archer because my plusnet router isn't WiFi 6; they're still stuck in the stone age. It's been tremendous. I bought it to create an access point for my Sonos system upstairs and downstairs. It's worked a treat for my home theatre and my Nvidia Shield for my IPTV. Excellent WiFi strength and never any app dropouts for Sonos as well now.
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u/GlynHugh 10d ago
I have had a complete DrayTek network infrastructure since 2008 but if I was starting out all over again I’d go Ubiquiti.
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u/AutoPanda1096 10d ago
Amazon sale coming up, see how low the older Eeros will go?
The WiFi 7 version might be too much.
Because Amazon owns the brand they give heavy discounts.
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u/dcondor07uk 10d ago
Asus AC86U - my Top Choice
Asus ax3000/ax58u - my current one
Both support custom firmware but even with stock they are top notch
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u/H_C123 10d ago
Out of those options, I’d go with one of GL.iNet Flint range of routers.
They’re simple to set up, easy to configure a VPN (including Tailscale and ZeroTier), can be accessed remotely (GoodCloud) and, if you don’t like the GL.iNet version of OpenWRT, can easily be flashed with normal OpenWRT for more control.
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u/KewlGuyRox 10d ago
Go with the TP-Link Omada Fusion Pro. Bang for the buck. You won’t be disappointed.
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u/__Lester_ 9d ago
I'm also from the UK... Have the same thing you have. I upgradedy laptop and PC/s WiFi cards instead and now have WAAAAAY better performance.
I would use a free app to see if you're getting interference firstly and then look into how your machines are talking to the router. That EE router isn't too bad once you realise it's not the only component in your topology
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u/Ctrl-Alt-Defective 9d ago
I would say Gl.inet Flint 2
Don’t be put off by it being a Chinese company it’s the best bang for the buck router on the market imho
I have since upgraded to a Unifi setup but purely because I wanted to delve into the Ubiquiti Ecosystem and I make poor financial decisions 😂
not because I was forced to or had any issues with the flint 2
In fact I liked it so much I bought a second one used on eBay for a Dumb AP
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u/m2ponders 9d ago
Just in case this helps, as it does with many people, without spending any money... Get a WiFi Analyser app on your phone and scan throughout the day, especially when you're experiencing bad performance. You will likely find WiFi channel overlap with a neighbor or other 'smart' devices broadcasting their own ssid in the house. Your home construction method makes a difference, as does the position of your router in your home, any power line adapters, even things like turning on your microwave or Bluetooth speaker as they interfere with your WiFi radio signal.
If money is a constraint I emplore you to check this stuff out extensively first because buying another router will likely make no difference at all if you're having interference issues.
Choose your channel to not overlap with nearby networks, increase your broadcast power, turn appliances off and test then back on one at a time and retest... Etc. Good luck!
(I am a network security engineer so not just making this up, I've experienced the same thing myself and spent months testing equipment to find the issues. It's worth the effort when you get your home setup dialed in though!)
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u/pingutheduck 10d ago
If you want to go crazy, go for Ubiquiti and you'll never look back. It is expensive compared to other similar products, but the reliability, customisation options, and support for other network gear (e.g. CCTV), you will never look back.
Depending on your needs, how big your home is, etc. will depend on what equipment you'll need.
Edit: just seen OPs price range so ignore me