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How long to you keep your router?

Time to replace the Time Capsule?

  • Yes

    Votes: 5 55.6%

  • No

    Votes: 4 44.4%
  • Total voters
    9
MjWoNeR

MjWoNeR

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 16, 2010
325
215
Sweden
I have a 4th gen Time Capsule. It’s still stable and works, only small issue, slow WiFi transfers to the iPhone because of its 802.11n standard.

I found a good Black Friday deal for a new Asus router and I’m thinking maybe it’s time to upgrade my Time Capsule which debuted in 2011(feels like a long time!). Maybe keep the TC for TM backups or just scrap it altogether and get an external HDD for TM and have faster TM performance.


What do you guys think? How many years do you keep a router?
 
I plan on keeping my Airport Extreme until there is some kind of issue with it. So far, it is working fine. When the time comes to replace it, I'll be looking for a different supplier since Apple is exiting this business.

As far as time capsules are concerned, I never understood the attraction of putting a disk drive into a router. Seems like two functions that should be physically separate from a reliability management point-of-view. I wouldn't want one failure to take out both my network and my computer backup.

I'd encourage you to consider moving your TM backup to an external disk. You can get a USB or USB-C enclosure and 3.5 inch drive inexpensively. Once you have that up and running you can then explore your router options in a leisurely way.
 
OP:

Before you buy a new "standalone" router -- have you thoroughly investigated the new "mesh" systems? These are particularly useful if your home has multiple floors or higher square footage.

Numerous systems "out there", such as:
- Linksys Velop
- Netgear Orbi
- google wifi
- eero
- Ubiquiti "Amplifi"
... and others.

This looks to be "the future" for home users.

I still have an old, "flat" Airport Extreme that's worked fine going on 8 years now (and it was a "hand-me-down" from someone else!).
But I also have a Velop system, as well. Works fine.
 
If you think you might get a new one now is the time to make a list of what you want your router to be able to do. I have a first-generation Linksys WRT1900AC and only recently was able to get an OpenVPN server running properly via DD-WRT firmware. I was just about to give up and buy something else.
 
I have the latest gen TC... and don't see myself replacing it any time soon. It works perfectly fine for my entire 2200sq ft house as well as the garage and yards. If it craps out, then I will probably look into a MESH system... as this house is a temp. rental house and we are looking at decently larger houses and 2 stories to buy, so Id upgrade to something more "future proof" for my living situation. But as it is, my TC is perfectly fine.
 
colodane said:
As far as time capsules are concerned, I never understood the attraction of putting a disk drive into a router. Seems like two functions that should be physically separate from a reliability management point-of-view. I wouldn't want one failure to take out both my network and my computer backup.

I'd encourage you to consider moving your TM backup to an external disk. You can get a USB or USB-C enclosure and 3.5 inch drive inexpensively. Once you have that up and running you can then explore your router options in a leisurely way.
Click to expand...
I understand this reasoning, and I agree. The TC has worked surprisingly well though. It might have a mind of its own with the backups but that might just be the TM but it’s been the most solid router I have had.
I will get an external HDD for TM when I upgrade.

Fishrrman said:
OP:

Before you buy a new "standalone" router -- have you thoroughly investigated the new "mesh" systems? These are particularly useful if your home has multiple floors or higher square footage.

Numerous systems "out there", such as:
- Linksys Velop
- Netgear Orbi
- google wifi
- eero
- Ubiquiti "Amplifi"
... and others.

This looks to be "the future" for home users.

I still have an old, "flat" Airport Extreme that's worked fine going on 8 years now (and it was a "hand-me-down" from someone else!).
But I also have a Velop system, as well. Works fine.
Click to expand...

I don’t think I need a mesh system to be honest. I could have use for a mesh in my last apartment that was a bit weird planned but this one is quite square and the walls might be thinner too since it was built 1897.

BrianBaughn said:
If you think you might get a new one now is the time to make a list of what you want your router to be able to do. I have a first-generation Linksys WRT1900AC and only recently was able to get an OpenVPN server running properly via DD-WRT firmware. I was just about to give up and buy something else.
Click to expand...
I thought of getting an ASUS RT-AC68U AC1900. It will be faster from what I understand and have more range and I hope it will be stable too. I’d hate to have to restart it often.
 
MjWoNeR said:
I thought of getting an ASUS RT-AC68U AC1900. It will be faster from what I understand and have more range and I hope it will be stable too. I’d hate to have to restart it often.
Click to expand...
I have that Asus model (I have the P variant) and it has been rock solid. Other than for firmware updates, I never need to restart it. I run the custom Merlin firmware.

http://asuswrt.lostrealm.ca
 
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Weaselboy said:
I have that Asus model (I have the P variant) and it has been rock solid. Other than for firmware updates, I never need to restart it. I run the custom Merlin firmware.

http://asuswrt.lostrealm.ca
Click to expand...

Hmm, i wasn’t aware of the P variant which seems to be the AC68U V2. The P has a faster CPU. I should take a look at the specs on the box before I make any purchase.
 
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My Airport Extreme started freezing a couple times a day, and showed high temperatures on one of it's cores. I junked it and got the latest Fios router Amazon for a good price and am back in business. It even supports my range-extending Expresses that are still kicking.
 
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