topic Re: Router recommendations in Wireless Questions and Best Practices

Router recommendations

vincent_bova — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 06:36:28 GMT

Hello, we are new to the product and look forward to using the product for all of our installations. Just wanted to get some router recommendations and find out what routers are commonly being used to interface and work with Ruckus AP.

Also, we will be installing Ruckus in a model home and prefer to use the Ruckus for wireless signal only. Not sure if you guys are using wireless routers and turning off broadcast or if you are using wired routers (which is our preference).

Thank you, appreciate your input.

Re: Router recommendations

primoz_marinsek — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 10:09:11 GMT

RW APs will work with any router. In fact, 802.11 makes sure of that. What kind depends on what you want to accomplish. You wouldn't want to hit a small nail with a sledge hammer, or viceversa, would you?

If you will install a router, install one without wireless or turn it off.

Re: Router recommendations

vincent_bova — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:57:37 GMT

Thanks for the reply. I understand that any router will work but realize there are certain products that work better with others. I am basically trying to accomplish the same in all clients homes - a stable system with extremely good throughput. A lot of guys are recommending Mikrotik but I have to learn RouterOS before I tackle that.

Re: Router recommendations

primoz_marinsek — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:59:11 GMT

Try DrayTek routers

Re: Router recommendations

vincent_bova — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 12:30:56 GMT

Any specific model?

Re: Router recommendations

primoz_marinsek — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 12:38:32 GMT

What kind of a nail do you have?

Re: Router recommendations

primoz_marinsek — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 12:42:15 GMT

If it's a home user you can start with 2130, a SOHO go for 2920 or higher

Re: Router recommendations

vincent_bova — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 12:44:24 GMT

House is just shy of 5K SQ FT, but using a good amount of high band devices such as media players, multi user wireless, monitoring devices, etc. Using 2 7372 APs and looking for a router.

Thanks

Re: Router recommendations

primoz_marinsek — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 12:50:40 GMT

Go for the new 2960. It should be fine.

Re: Router recommendations

keith_redfield — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 21:10:52 GMT

I'll just add...while not for the security paranoid, our AP's themselves block non-established inbound traffic and perform NAT - which is about 90% of what a SOHO router/firewall does.

So the selection should mainly be based on other features that might be important such as web content filtering, application security, deep packet inspection, VPN etc that more sophisticated firewalls provide (virtually all soho "routers" are actually firewalls by definition - they block by default)

The double-NAT usually introduced by using another product can also make things a bit more complex when you do want to introduce traffic (such as to a home NAS)

FWIW I plug straight into my cable modem - no router/firewall (but I also am all Mac...) And no I won't tell you my IP address 🙂

Re: Router recommendations

vincent_bova — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 21:32:06 GMT

That is an interesting setup Keith. Not sure I would be able to get away with that since I need to port forward for security cameras and assign static addressing. Are you saying a less feature rich router will be a better choice?

Re: Router recommendations

keith_redfield — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 21:45:19 GMT

No, just that a low-end device often doesn't offer much benefit over a bare AP.

In your case for example however, since you have 2 AP's and no controller there is a clear benefit - you can use the router as the single control point for DHCP, DIP/MIP, etc instead of having to configure each AP independently. Plus there might be additional benefits like being able to VPN for troubleshooting, etc.

Re: Router recommendations

primoz_marinsek — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 05:49:57 GMT

Yeah, there is NAT support on the APs, however everything else is really limited, so a router is much more preferable solution. We haven't sold 1 AP more bacause of the NAT feature. Users usually require a little more than just that. But a ql feature anyway

Re: Router recommendations

feldbaum_609184 — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 01:29:12 GMT

I prefer to stick with Fortinet Routers.

Re: Router recommendations

vincent_bova — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 04:05:46 GMT

I recently went with MikroTik and am extremely happy. Thanks for all the help.

Re: Router recommendations

kosek_dan — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 19:08:10 GMT

Take a used small form factor PC that has at least a 2.4Ghz Core Duo processor, 2GB of ram and two Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and install PFSense. You won't be sorry! Simply, quick, inexpensive and manageable.

Plenty of performance and the ability to turn on VPN (OpenVPN) access to you can remotely manage your customer's needs. Try using the Viscosity VPN client ... Mac or PC, you will love it!

(Don't forget to contribute to the project!)