I’m looking for a recommendation for WiFi router for a 700 ft2 apartment for my daughter. I want to keep the setup simple for ease of maintenance and uptime.
Devices: iPhone, iPad, laptop
Use cases: streaming video; working from home, video conferencing.
Want to run ROS’s adblocker and wireguard. Wireguard would be for remote maintenance only.
One LAN Ethernet port is sufficient. Only one users.
Budget: preferred max of $100
Considering:
hAP ax s
wAP ax
hAP ax2
IMHO ax2 is a way to go.
wAP ax is AP and while it can work as a router it’s internal antennas are more directional than on ax2.
Also ax2 is more powerful than new hAP ax S and I think that wireless on new hAP ax S have some problems for now, so if you need wireless router right now ax2 is a way to go. Or if you can stretch your budget, go for ax3
Thanks. I am split between the hAP ax2 and the wAP. hAP ax2 for performance and wAP for form factor. If the hAP ax S is having problems, then it’s not an option. Reliability is important because I will not have physical access and support will be via VPN or coaching my daughter.
I have a hAP ax3. Why do you recommend that over the ax2? The external antennae?
Well, ax3 have external antennas, USB port if you decide to run containers, it’s a bit more powerful so more future proof.
Directionality can be also beneficial if placement of AP is not central in the flat but rather in one of corners (or near to one of corners).
Yep, but of course it depends on the layout of the apartment, only as an example:
https://snapadu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Floor-Plan-2BR-1BA-672-SF-32x21-LONG-Snap-ADU.jpg
in this example a wAP Ax in the lower right corner would probably do, but the best would still probably be a ceiling AP (caP Ax ?, does, besides WAF also DAF exist?) in the center.
I agree, and I use wAP ax at home as my AP but here and it can be used as router but ax2 is more powerful and more esthetically pleasing. Also who knows, maybe will OP need more than one port in the future.
If you can wait, I suggest: https://youtu.be/05SAcDT8xLw
Unfortunately, hAP be3 is not in OP budget and who knows when it will be available…
But if OP can wait and stretch the budget by 40-50 USD then it’s a great option.
But for 100 bucks, ax2 is a no brainer, available now, no problems with wifi. (Who knows wifi on be3 will be stable…)
Based on the feedback, either the hAP ax2 or ax3 is the way to go. If my daughter moves, a non-unidirectional antenna would be helpful.
Won’t be running containers. Maybe will set up a USB drive as for backing up.
I have both ax2 and ax3. If I were in an apartment my choice would definitely be the ax2, compact, unobtrusive, spare ports in case of need, good performance.
If you don't need USB, have a strict budget and small form factor is important then hAP ax2.
If you can stretch a little bit, bigger device is not an issue and want a little bit more powerful device with USB for eg storage then hAP ax3.
Had both of them, great devices, ax2 is my personal favourite.
After looking at some apartments, multi-directional reception is a must.
So still ax2 or ax3. I’ll provide an update when I get it. I’m hoping to find a retailer in Los Angels where I can pick it up.
Avoid Amazon if possible, people had bad experience with Mikrotik devices bought on Amazon.