off the FRITZ!Box wireless, and likely purchase a WiFi 6 AX unit for wireless - possibly a Ubiquiti as someone suggested...

Why not get the Fritzbox 7530 AX?
I have one and it works perfectly.

In reply to a post by dect:

In reply to a post by S2KIP:

I'd be avoiding Asus due to their non-existent regard for security.

In reply to a post by Fido:

I am not aware of a security issue that is specific to Asus Routers and would welcome more info if possible.

I would second the point about more information required.

I would 3rd that.

My RT-AC68U was bought about 8 years ago and still receives regular security updates and new features.

I'm now on to an RT-AX86U which ticks along perfectly.

I am with Aquiss on a 330/50 FTTP connection. I have previously owned a Fritz!Box 7390; 7490; 7590 and I am now using a 4060 which has wifi 6. It is an excellent router for a FTTP connection.

Just Google Asus and FTC, you should be able to find your own info. They ignored a massive security hole until forced to fix it..

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/...

https://www.theregister.com/2016/02/23/asus_router_f...

I know it's a few years old but there's no way on earth I'd be trusting that company any time soon.

This is good a good read as to why most consumer routers are plain and simple a bad idea:

https://www.routersecurity.org/consumerrouters.php

Edited by S2KIP (Thu 01-Sep-22 22:02:02)

That's what we'll be doing when we get FTTP shortly, getting VoIP from a 3rd party. I've already signed up for a starter account with Sipgate and that's free if you only use it for incoming calls. Outgoing calls we'll stick with mobiles even though we're out in the sticks as well with barely a mobile signal to be found but wifi calling gets around that problem.
Once the fibre service is up and running we'll port the existing landline number to sipgate and we've then got the benefit of using a VoIP client on the mobiles to receive calls to the landline number wherever we are.

In reply to a post by S2KIP:

Just Google Asus and FTC, you should be able to find your own info. They ignored a massive security hole until forced to fix it..

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/...

https://www.theregister.com/2016/02/23/asus_router_f...

I know it's a few years old but there's no way on earth I'd be trusting that company any time soon.

This is good a good read as to why most consumer routers are plain and simple a bad idea:

https://www.routersecurity.org/consumerrouters.php

Hello S2KIP,

Thank you for the update which I have just noticed.

These article do make interesting reading.

As far as I can tell I was not affected but it is good to be aware of such issues. - (For the most I do not use any cloud based options and only allow local login).

One of the articles seem to pick up issues with other different manufacturers routers/models so it is not easy to differentiate.

I was never comfortable that the Fritzbox 7530 did not have a WAN Port and as I recall cirtain ports on the Fritzbox 7530 and the Frizbox 7590 were open by default.

I have always been quite careful with security, which is why I have never used third party firware, eg Merlin, or used the Broadband Monitor that needs ping to be allowed.

What is your prefered Router/Manufacturer.

Thank you for letting us know about these articles.

Regards,
Fido

In reply to a post by Fido:

What is your prefered Router/Manufacturer.

I use Untangle NGF installed on a fanless N5105 TopTon appliance with 4x 2.5 Gbps NICs. It took around 8 days to arrive via AliExpress.

https://www.servethehome.com/two-fanless-intel-celer...

I sometimes also use Sophos XG (home edition) or OPNsense, but I always end up back with Untangle. It doesn't quite reach the 900 Mbps, probably due to PPPoE overhead and single core performance, but I do get around 880 Mbps which is more than enough for my uses.

For WiFi I use a UniFi nanoHD mounted upstairs on the ceiling and I also have a FlexHD mounted to the roof soffit providing WiFi outside. I get 500 Mbps via WiFi in most parts of the house and garden, I don't have much interest in WiFi 6 just yet as anything which needs more bandwidth is wired anyway.

If I had to use a 'consumer' based router then I'd probably go with Draytek, even though they have their own quirks.

Edited by S2KIP (Tue 06-Sep-22 09:04:04)

Since I already own the Asus RT-AX88U and I am very happy with its performance I will keep with it for now and probably keep it for many years since it is likely to stay good as the years pass.

The RT-AX88U hardware is around a 64 bit quad core processor and its wifi performance it good which means that it does not need the remote wifi boosters that others need.

https://www.asus.com/Networking-IoT-Servers/WiFi-Rou...

Regarding router performance and potential flaws; In some ways it seems that the more software features that a router has the greater the potential for security flaws in the software and routers with better hardware tend to have better overall speed and operational performance.

I have used very few of the optional features such as QOS as I have not needed them with a 900 mbps line, the inbuild Ookla Speed Test inside the router is a really good feature and it is very handy but I have never used and I would not use the cloud based optional features that the older potentional security flaw highlights but thank you again for advising us of this.

Regards,
Fido

Having termnated my Zen ADSL service last year when we sold up and moved in with relatives whilst waiting for our new house, I will shortly be signing up for a new FTTP service. I asked ZEN if they had plans to supply the Frtitz!Box 7530AX. I learned that they were testing this at the moment and were supplying it for new City Fibre connections but not Openreach.
As several of the devices I will be using support Wifi6 I am keen to get this facility. I currently intend to not use the wifi supplied with the router and plan to install a couple of Unifi ceiling mounted LR access points. Now I just have to work out how to get the Cat6 cable to them using POE!

Made more tricky since we have next to no mobile signal out here in the sticks, and many friends/contacts refuse to use WhatsApp calling etc.

Major mobile networks now support wifi-calling. It’s practically invisible and works great, perfect for any location where you have wifi but no reliable mobile signal.

If enabled and you’re on a recent Android or Apple phone, it will use any available wifi network for calls and texts. Vodafone has details here, but it’s a standard so many providers offer the same:

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/calling-features/...

Might be an option if you don’t want the hassle of digital voice, since it will work over broadband irrespective of the router.