So can you tell me what actual gaming features the R7800 has, despite being sold as a 'gaming router'? Unless I'm going blind, i cannot see see any such features listed on Netgear's website despite being marketed as a 'gaming' router (and please don't say QoS).
AC2600 | Nighthawk X4S Gaming Router | R7800 | NETGEAR UK
On the other hand, the XR500 is a gaming router:
Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500 | Power to Win. | NETGEAR
If you must..
Features:
Get outstanding Wi-Fi speedsImproved technology delivers Wi-Fi to multiple devices simultaneously for faster speedsHigh-performance external antennas deliver maximum rangeDynamic QoS prioritizes network traffic by application and devicePowerful processor boosts performance for gaming and streaming
Dynamic Quality of Service (QoS)
If you like gaming and streaming videos, then you can benefit from Dynamic Quality of Service (QoS). Dynamic QoS automatically prioritizes bandwidth to latency sensitive applications like online gaming and video streaming by recognizing application and device information as well as bandwidth needs. Dynamic QoS will also ensure that lower priority applications like file downloads will never get completely stopped.
This is according to the manufacturer and retailers blurb. Any other questions, please refer to the manufacturer, I dont write it. If you have issue with their advertising, take it up with the ASA.
Ignoring Netgear's description for a sec, do you really thinka router with QoS and a high powered CPU make a gaming router?If so, pretty much every high end standalone router can then be classed as a 'gaming' router as most, if not all, will have QoS and a fast CPU as standard. Yes, Netgear might sell the R7800 as a 'gaming' router but its clearly marketing blurb designed to prey on the gullible. Not much different to ISPs selling hybrid copper-fibre based broadband (vdsl2) as 'fibre broadband'.
I have no opinion TBH, all i am doing is relaying the specification provided by the manufacturer. All that I can really say is that it is a domestic wireless router that seems to get good reviews. i dont own one, have never installed one and have never been asked for one.
Any wireless solution, regardless of whom manufacturers the box, regardless of any claim, is not and never will be impervious to any other wireless traffic on the same channel (or even adjacent channels when you consider overlap).
Simple physics; radio wave transmitted at frequency f will interfere with another station also transmitting (or receiving) on frequency f.
Most of the time we dont notice; wifi boxes slow down the tx rate, change channel, or retransmit packets. We might notice a drop in transfer speeds when sending files. For voip though it can cause distortion, for video it can cause audio/video errors, freezes, and so on.
Neither will you ever see the claimed "throughput"; its the maximum theoretical combined upstream and downstream (ie full duplex) capacity of the standard, plus any manufacturers "added secret sauce" (read non-standard tweaking). Wifi is not full duplex - you cannot transmit and receive on all antennas simultaneously.
At OP, just how much is a pure wifi solution worth?
I didn’t want to go mad and spend loads of money but you lot have given me so many different ideas. The 20m flat cat 6 Ethernet cable cost me £10 so I am happy for now but the cable looks messy as it’s not hidden.
I don't think any router manufacturer has ever claimed their link rates = actual throughput. However, if you use high spec consumer wifi equipment at both ends, then you can definitely get the advertised link rates in the right environment. For example, my desktop PC equipped with a 4x4 stream Asus PCE-AC88U wifi card (PCI) connects at the full 2.1 Gb/s to my Linksys EA9500v2 router - router and PC are on different floors. Of course real life throughput is nowhere near that, but its close to 1 Gbps which is basically wired 1GbE performance. Living in a detached not-so-old house with wafer thin walls definitely helps data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
It has been an interesting discussion if nothing else. I would spend some time and see if you can work out a better cable route for your network cable.
@psychopomp1 I meant no offense at your choice of hardware. I generally do not deal in wireless routers. Most installs have been whole house where Ubiquiti AP’s are the tool of choice due to reliability and configuration options. I honestly have no experience on Nighthawks.
Is there a reason it cannot be hidden? I run mine between the skirting and carpet along the sides of walls, under the carpet runner across doorways, and under the carpet if it has to. The other half was sceptical, but even she admits it's "invisible" now.
Have you looked at something like D-Line trunking. I have it in a couple of rooms and it blends in really well with the skirting.