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this post was submitted on 08 Sep 2024
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I think you'll be plenty happy with a router/wifi combo. I'm a HUGE fan of having a separate router and WiFi AP's, but that's only because 1) I can afford it, and 2) I'm a nerd and like a bit of a challenge sometimes, and 3) I live in a house and it's beneficial to have multiple access points.
If you want something that will "just work", there are tons of "consumer grade" stuff out there. They aren't necessarily consumer grade because they are bad quality, but it's more the software that is designed to be relatively easy to set up, offering limited options for customized stuff. You'll still be able to do everything you probably want to do, like port forwarding, changing DNS, etc. This includes stuff like Eero, TP Link, etc.
Then you have stuff like MikroTik, which is very affordable but also complex and capable. The hAP series from them are router/wifi combos. They offer a default configuration that will "just work", but from there you can make all sorts of complex configuration changes to your hearts content. Check out The Network Berg on YouTube. One thing to note, people are generally happy with the WiFi from 'Tik devices, but they are not known for having the best WiFi. It'll be stable and work well, but you might not see speeds on par with other brands.
Then you have what you mentioned - OpnSense with other hardware for WiFi. For me, the downsides to this are:
Now back to the pros and cons of having separate router and WiFi AP.
Pros:
Cons:
Hope that helps.
Note that even if you start with an integrated wifi/router you can always by a stand-alone replacement for one function and continue to use the original unit for the other. For instance, I use my ISP supplied wifi router as a router and turn off its wifi, then use mesh wifi for whole house coverage.