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Forum Discussion
Netgear Nighthawk R7000 vs R8000 in 2021
I recently bought an R7000 and installed FreshTomato firmware on it and I'm very happy with the setup (but could I be happier? I've got nothing to compare to). I bought it to fix an issue with the crap router provided by the ISP and, to make a long story short, the landlord has said he will reimburse me for another router for £30-50 (I paid ~£30 for my R7000) and install that as a 2nd AP this year, as long as I set it up as a "normal" router before I leave (1 year tennancy - student house). That way we get "double" wifi coverage this year and future tenants don't have to deal with the crap provided by the ISP (but "only" one router).
Now, my question is whether to get an R8000 or another R7000. The routers will be used in opposite corners of the house and one will be used as a "dumb" AP only (with Cat5e wired connection to the first router).
I'm asking because a) I cannot find much relevant advice that isn't out-of-date by now and b) there's a lot of conflicting advice out there regarding these two routers. I can get either router for about the same price used (and I'm not paying anyway) so that's not a factor really.
So, do I get another R7000, or do I get the R8000?
Thanks in advance
2 Replies
retnaosan wrote:
So, do I get another R7000, or do I get the R8000?
Your call. Look at the manuals for the wifi technologies they support. Then try the usual places to see what differences you can expect.
You are talking about wifi speeds here?
It might be worth a bit of background reading.
Understand Wi-Fi 4/5/6 (802.11 n/ac/ad/ax)
@duckware knows their stuff and can bust a few myths and cut through marketing hype.
My guess is that users wont notice much difference given that the wifi clients are as important as the wifi sources.
You seem fixed on the idea of using another router. There are, of course, other options including wifi extenders, which are designed for the purpose.
michaelkenward has good points.
You could also look for a mesh system like an older AC orbi that allows you to use wired backhaul and use the same ssid so its got seamless roaming. Tends to be a little more user friendly for when you do move out if the landlord doesn't know how to manage much technology.
