No, it's not necessarily overkill for a 50 square meter apartment. It depends on your needs and usage.
No, it's not necessarily overkill for a 50 square meter apartment. It depends on your needs and usage.
Hi there, I’m settling into a compact studio apartment measuring about 50 square meters (500 sqft). The building offers a fiber connection, so I had to purchase my own router instead of relying on my ISP’s setup. My goal is to share the internet from the Ethernet port on the wall to my PC via a CAT6 cable, and also provide Wi-Fi for my mobile devices. I’m still getting the hang of things, so I did some research online and bought the Asus RT-AX58U. I was hoping it would be sufficient for my needs, but I’m wondering if it’s a bit too much for such a small space with only a few devices connected. I’m concerned about potential slowdowns from the Ethernet connection if I use a less expensive router or add bottlenecks. I don’t have much experience with networking and feel a bit overwhelmed. Would anyone suggest a more affordable option or an alternative setup for this kind of situation? Thanks to everyone who’s been helping me understand these topics!
I’m thinking about relocating to a compact space and wondering if a router can still manage it. For me, the general guideline is to get at least one WiFi 5 device, the model you mentioned uses WiFi 6, though not every device supports that yet. The main concern for many users is slow internet speeds because the router struggles with high bandwidth. Having a Gigabit WAN connection doesn’t guarantee the router can process it. Many consumer routers fall short in gigabit environments. It’s important to check their NAT and throughput capabilities, especially between WAN and LAN. If you’re experiencing sluggishness at gigabit speeds, you’ll likely notice issues soon after. When selecting a router, focus on features like bandwidth limits per device or guaranteed minimum bandwidth. Look for capabilities such as dual WAN, load balancing, and failover. Your Synology RT2600AC offers these options, along with dual WAN and 4G LTE support via USB. Other routers may vary—some have outdated software, while budget brands like TP Link are decent but not exceptional. The best choice depends on your specific needs and the performance metrics of each model.
It seems like you're considering a WiFi 6 router. It's a solid choice and offers future-proof capabilities.
I don’t think any router or access point should feel too much for most setups. What matters is consistent performance no matter the size of your area. The only case where it might be excessive would be with many mesh nodes in a tight space—though that can still work if you use strong walls and tweak power levels.