Our network is compatible with all standard wireless and non-wireless routers. For optimal performance, we recommend using at least WiFi 6, with newer WiFi 6E and WiFi 7 standards offering better performance and longevity for your devices.
*DISCLAIMER*:
These recommendations are purely for informational purposes based on our own use and customer feedback. No information in this article should be construed as an endorsement or lack thereof for specific brands or products. Maverix does not offer support for any customer-owned devices and we always recommend reaching out to your device manufacturer if you are experiencing issues unrelated to our service hand-off.
Important Considerations:
Routers vs Modems: Do NOT purchase a device labeled as a "modem." These are designed for copper-based coaxial connections used by traditional cable companies and will not work with fiber optic or other types of internet services.
Coverage and Speed: The most crucial aspects of a wireless system are that it provides internet access throughout your home (and potentially outside) and that its speed throughput meets your needs. Most consumer-grade systems typically offer wireless speeds between 200-500 Mbps to a single device, though some can reach multi-gigabit speeds.
Marketing Speeds: Wireless companies often market products based on maximum theoretical throughput for all devices combined talking internally within the home. For example, a router marketed as "6.6 Gbps" is referencing the absolute maximum that dozens of computers inside your home combined could talk to each other internally at, but does not reference what wireless speeds a single device can achieve (often around 200 - 500 Mbps depending on the router). The WAN (or uplink) port is the maximum limiting factor on internet throughput and most consumer routers have a 1 Gbps port and physically can not transfer more data than that.
Mesh Networks: A mesh WiFi system is a network of interconnected devices (nodes) designed to provide strong, reliable Wi-Fi coverage throughout your entire home or office, eliminating dead zones. Mesh networks use multiple Access Points, unlike traditional routers that broadcast from a single point, mesh systems utilize multiple nodes acting as access points for a single, unified network. They offer seamless roaming where devices automatically connect to the nearest node with the strongest signal as you move around, providing uninterrupted connectivity.
Outbuildings: If you want your wireless to reach another building on your property, it is usually not possible to bounce your primary wireless router's signal sufficiently. Metal buildings are especially prone to bouncing radio waves off of them and tend to prohibit the signal from reaching the interior. For this, we recommend either using a hardwire-capable satellite or setting up an entirely separate wireless router in the secondary location. To have your wired signal reach the other location, you will need 1 of the following: CAT6 (if under 328ft), fiber (no distance limitation; requires media converters to hand-off CAT6 inside), or a Point-to-Point wireless solution to act as a dedicated link between the 2 buildings. Contact us if you are interested in having us install any of these solutions for you.
Optimizing Your Wireless System:
Even the best wireless system can suffer from low performance if improperly configured!!
Interference & Channel Selection:
Avoid having multiple, separate wireless systems plugged in simultaneously, as this will cause problems.
Wireless spectrums are divided into "channels." If your neighbors are using the same channels, it can degrade your wireless performance.
Wireless routers have settings to change your wireless "channel" (per Access Point, or AP) and "channel width" (related to maximum throughput and amount of spectrum used). Each AP should ideally be on a different channel to prevent interference.
Signal Strength: Most routers default to "low" power to prevent interference in urban environments. While setting the power to "high" isn't always the best solution (but may be), this setting significantly impacts signal reach and strength.
Hardwiring APs: If your APs support hardwiring their uplink to the main device (not all do), this will provide the best possible performance, as each AP will broadcast its own strong, unique wireless signal.
Wirelessly Connecting APs (Satellites): Secondary APs (satellites) have wireless signal strength similar to your phone or laptop. Do not place an AP in the same area where you want the signal to reach; always place satellites closer to the source wireless signal than where you need the signal to extend. A phone or laptop may show a strong signal, but this refers to the nearest AP, not the source, so a poorly relayed signal to the satellite will result in a “strong connection” to your device but actually result in poor performance. We recommend fine-tuning your main wireless signal first, then adding one satellite at a time to ensure proper throughput and performance.
Suggested Router and Access Point Brands/Models:
BEST: Ubiquiti Dream Machine & APs
Ubiquiti is a favorite among tech enthusiasts, gamers, and businesses. Ubiquiti devices are highly reliable, high-performing, and have a long lifespan due to their modular design, allowing individual component upgrades. While they have a higher price tag than standard home-user devices, their value is comparable to higher-end systems from other brands.
You can purchase Ubiquiti products directly from store.ui.com or locally at Microcenter.
Gateways (Routers):
UniFi Dream Router 7 ($279): An all-in-one option with built-in WiFi 7 and 2.5 Gbps ports for high-speed connectivity. Ubiquiti, Microcenter
Rack-mounted UniFi Dream Machine (UDM): These devices feature SFP+ (10 Gigabit) fiber ports and high-end cloud controllers, but do NOT emit wireless signals, thus requiring separate Access Points to provide wireless services.
UDM Pro ($379): The baseline version. Ubiquiti, Microcenter.
UDM Special Edition ($499) & UDM Pro Max ($599): Offer Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) support for APs and higher throughput (beyond 2.5 Gbps).
Access Points (APs): APs provide the wireless signal and can be easily upgraded or expanded. If you choose the UniFi Dream Router 7, you may still add APs to extend coverage. UDM devices require at least one AP if you want to use wireless in your home. Any Ubiquiti Wireless Access Point (WAP) will work and can even be used with other router brands. WAPs are powered using PoE+, so you'll need a router or switch with PoE+ output or a separate PoE+ injector ($15; Ubiquiti). The main difference in AP models is the number of "spatial streams" they provide and internal radio count, allowing for higher per-device throughput and more connected devices simultaneously.
WiFi 7 (latest, most future-proof):
U7 Long-Range ($159): Ubiquiti, Microcenter.
U7 Pro ($189): Ubiquiti, Microcenter.
U7 Pro Max ($279); Ubiquiti, Microcenter.
WiFi 6E - uses the newer, 6ghz frequency range beyond normal WiFi 6 (which is only 5ghz)
U6 Enterprise ($279); Ubiquiti, Microcenter.
WiFi 6 - current standard, uses only 2.4ghz and 5ghz (no 6ghz support)
U6+ ($129); Ubiquiti, Microcenter.
U6 Pro ($159); Ubiquiti, Microcenter.
WiFi 5 - slightly outdated but still very common and what most wifi-connected devices use
AC Pro ($149; Ubiquiti, Microcenter.
U7 Pro Max ($279; Ubiquiti, Microcenter.
If you need more ports than the router provides, or need 2.5 Gbps uplinks to your APs, you will additionally need a switch.
We suggest the UniFi Pro Max 16 PoE ($399; Ubiquiti, Microcenter, which provides 4x ports of 2.5 Gbps and 8x ports of 1 Gbps, with PoE+ power output.
There are lots of other UniFi or 3rd party switch models, all of which are acceptable answers and will work together, but pay attention to the PoE/PoE+ standards, total power output, and max port speed to make sure your end devices receive the speeds you intend.
If you need more than 1 Gbps bandwidth between your gateway (router) and switch, you will want to use a DAC (Direct Attach Cable; $13; Ubiquiti.
Lastly, if you are receiving a 2.5 Gbps or 10 Gbps service from Maverix, you will likely need an SFP+ to RJ45 Adapter ($65; Ubiquiti) to receive a higher than 1 Gbps CAT6 hand-off into the SFP+ 10 Gbps uplink port on the UDM rack-mount devices.
BETTER: ASUS / Netgear Orbi
ASUS makes a variety of consumer electronics, including laptop computers, and is usually considered on the higher-end of consumer brands. Their devices offer a higher level of control but require a little more configuration than some other brands. For this reason, they are often very popular with gamers.
Their single-device wireless routers offer very strong performance, while their ZenWiFi mesh systems provide a more comparable experience to Eero and other offerings.
Orbi is Netgear's higher-grade wireless routers. Many users find them to be the perfect balance of easy to control and configure with outstanding performance.
The Orbi 370 Series (link:) starts at $249.99 for a 2 pack
Orbi 970 Series (higher end) runs up to $1,799.99 on sale for a 3 pack.
GOOD: Amazon Eero / Netgear Nighthawk
Eero, a brand owned by Amazon, offers a variety of simple-to-use mesh systems that many users say are easy to setup and provide quality wireless in their homes. Eero devices do support hardwired uplinks from the satellites, which will drastically improve your wireless performance if you have CAT5e or CAT6 cabling in your home or have the ability to run it between locations.
Nighthawk is Netgear's base level model and does not support wired uplink, so they are dependent on bouncing your wireless signal throughout your home to each other.
Single-device systems such as the RAX70 start about $189.99 on sale
Three-device system MK73S (best buy:) starts at $199.99 with higher-end models reserved for their Orbi product line (see above).