What Network Hardware Do You Recommend?

I’m curious what network hardware people are currently recommending for home or small-business setups where reliability matters more than having the cheapest option.

For a basic setup, would you normally go with an all-in-one ISP router or use a separate router, switch and wireless access point?

I’m particularly interested in what people have found reliable over time, especially when the network has several wired devices, multiple Wi-Fi clients, and possibly some PoE devices.

For those running a more advanced setup, what matters most to you when choosing networking equipment—stability, management features, VLAN support, PoE, Wi-Fi performance, or ease of troubleshooting?

It would be useful to hear what hardware people are actually using and how it has performed in real-world use.

Hello Rosie Charles. With no disrespect, your first post reads very much like a market research fact find, from a manufacturer or market research body rather than a genuine question from an actual user.

If this is not the case then I sincerely apologise at the suggestion, but perhaps you can lend a bit more context as to your specific requirements and circumstances?

Or if indeed you are a market researcher or the like, please let us know. Thanks. 🙏

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Hello Rosie Charles. With no disrespect, your first post reads very much like a market research fact find, from a manufacturer or market research body rather than a genuine question from an actual user.

If this is not the case then I sincerely apologise at the suggestion, but perhaps you can lend a bit more context as to your specific requirements and circumstances?

Or if indeed you are a market researcher or the like, please let us know. Thanks. 🙏

Lol

In reply to a post by rosiecharles:

For a basic setup, would you normally go with an all-in-one ISP router or use a separate router, switch and wireless access point?

normally you chuck the routing together with a switch which nowerdays would have a wan port. You can do a router with one port, but you are then bound to the port speed.

For the important stuff, always have a fall-back connection,
4/5g are good, (and inexpensive) contenders

edit, and get a UPS

Edited by ggremlin (Thu 20-Aug-26 17:02:28)

Personally I never use ISP provided hardware, often doesn't fit my needs in any shape or form because the custom firmwares they often use.

I use GL-iNet devices for routing as they fit all the bases, security, reliability and speed and have 2 x 2.5gb 8 port switches for my wired devices..

I try not to recommend network equipment, don't want to get embroiled in supporting someone else's setup.
I stick with my ISP supplied Router as I then know where to go to (and who to blame) when things don't work properly...

In reply to a post by Bam16:

I try not to recommend network equipment, don't want to get embroiled in supporting someone else's setup.
I stick with my ISP supplied Router as I then know where to go to (and who to blame) when things don't work properly...

BIB, is good, I don;t do that these days either. I helped my partner to set up a fibre network in her house, but that is it.
The only equipment I am using from my ISP.network provider is their ONT, I do use my own router, I like to have more control over it than i would over theirs and it is better than what they provided anyway.

My network is pretty simple anyway, a TP-link router, with Ethernet going to different places and a few TP-link switches. I tend to avoid wi-fi if i can


As for the OP, they seemed to have vanished.