One that can completely replace my Netgear R7000?
Yes, it can be a wireless router.
Mikrotik will do everything the Netgear can and beyond.
Solar what do you lose using the hAP ac as a router compared to using the HEX as ones router. (putting wifi aside for the moment).
I think that may be an important question/answer that would be highlighted by comparing to perhaps a purchase of
hex +cAP ac (or wAP ac) etc…
Hello anav
WiFi aside, both will do the sane things. hEX’s major point is hardware encryption which really offloads the CPU.
Other than that, you can go to routerboard.com to compare performances.
Cheers
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You cannot compare a hAP ac to a hEX. The latter will obliterate the former in Gigabit Ethernet routing and IPSEC. They are designed for different things.
Anyway, to answer OP’s question: the R7000 was the top ranked 3x3 consumer router for a long time and is still massively popular (how often do you see any consumer product with 10k reviews on Amazon!). The hAP ac should compare very well in throughput. My findings in close range is that it easily beats an R7000. However, latency for low latency applications may be a different issue. If you are going to use your WiFi router for highly intensive gaming, for example, which is generally a very bad idea over WiFi anyway, then you’re better off looking elsewhere and do lots of testing for each potential device.
If you need strong OpenVPN client support, USB 3.0 storage on your router, or convenient open source support, again look at non-Mikrotik devices.
Mikrotik’s and hAP ac’s advantages are many: enterprise-level and accessible routing configuration options, very high uptime, high default security, consistent and long term updates, rapid security fixes, and good hardware design & build quality, e.g. no noise like hissing or buzzing. The hAP ac makes a much better standalone WiFi router than most 3x3 consumer wireless routers and below, especially at its price. The main thing most consumers care about once the product is delivered is something that “just works”, i.e. high uptime with stable performance, convenient update process - good luck finding anything easier than Mikrotik at updating - and long term update support. For all that, Mikrotik SOHO products represent amazing value for ordinary consumers.
Whoa. I can get a hex and run my IKEv2/IPSEC connection at 470 Mbps with its hardware acceleration? On my 500 Mbps service? Then throw a cAP ac on the ceiling for wifi? If this is true I’m going to be sporting wood. And ordering.
Careful of splinters.
Exactly szodiak, tis why I was asking the difference between the two units…
In honour of the impending woody!!
hEX will be here tomorrow. Wireless AP coming Monday. We’ll see if an IT novice can replace a R7000 with these items.
Since my needs are so modest (three users, one medium house) I’m thinking I can get there with the readily-available resources.
SO looking forward to running an IKE2/IPsec connection at ~470Mbs. TIMBER!!!
even openvpn over udp? 
well that would be ground breaking
Have you broke it yet? keep backup files so that you can always come back to the last working state, something I’ve had to learn very quickly when started with Mikroitk.
Wireless performance of the R7000 will wipe the floor of the hAP ac or the hAP ac2 — not an apples to apples comparison. In AP mode the R7000 is a very solid wireless performer, place it in a dedicated VLAN and it will be your cats meow for its wireless area of coverage
As a Router the hAP ac and the hAP ac2 will wipe the floor of the R7000 without blinking one eyelid. Because of RouterOS + winbox the hAP ac and the hAP ac2 wireless feature set and Routing capabilities are significantly more powerful than whats included in the R7000 – as long as one is capable of exploiting those amazing RouterOS capabilities.
On the other hand, compared to the cAP AC, the R7000 would look butt fugging ukly hanging on the wall or from the ceiling. 
If you were looking down dedicated wireless AP only though, a Unifi UAP-AC-Pro would be the “go to” for most.
Well budget wise, and using one OS is the reason I am sticking with cAP AC.
Plus it has a four core CPU for running multiple SSIDs…
Got a UAP-AC-LR coming on Monday. Further research before ordering an AP led me in that general direction. Didn’t think the PRO was warranted in my particular case. Just opened my hEX and it scores a 10 on cuteness factor. Now to see how lost I can get trying to configure this dude. Hope Quick Set works well.
Yup, I was torn between the LR performance but wanted to stick with one software set of rules…
Good choice!!
hEX is up and running. Sheesh, what a tough slog for a non-IT guy like me. Even now, I don’t see how to get the router to engage warp drive and use hardware acceleration on my IKEv2/IPsec connection with 500 Mbps service. Also, I don’t see how to add the new firewall rules recommended in the documentation. The documentation isn’t going to win any awards for clarity. Haven’t tried to add the UAP-AC-LR wireless AP to the mix yet. If anyone has suggestions on the IKEv2/IPsec issue I’d be grateful. Soon I will contact the authorized reseller from whom I purchased and see if they can help.
Are You sure? Take a look at the output of
/ip ipsec installed-sa print
An “H” at the left will indicate hardware acceleration.
There are some constraints, in order to use it. This page show them:
https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:IP/IPsec#Hardware_acceleration