Apathy

..in two to three years. It's the nature of the beast. Nobody is selling us a consumer-friendly wireless router that can handle the needs of the next gen of data usage.

Check some good, unbiased sources for whatever you buy, of course. Places like NewEgg, CNet, and (as always) look at the ** and *** reviews on Amazon. The ***** and **** reviews are BS. The * reviews are competitors. The ** and *** reviews are people with legit issues.

Replace network equipment two to three years? Really? Why would I need to replace my router capable of gigabit speeds and my AC access point in two or three years? As for consumer friendly routers that can handle "next gen data usage" (what is that?), have you looked at Google wifi, Eero, or Ubiquiti Amplifi. I use Ubiquiti's network equipment in my home (not the Amplifi line).

Technically speaking, a lot of the hardware you buy is outdated or obsolete the second you buy it. New models are released constantly. It is the nature of the beast, but it all depends on your individual needs. If you can get 3-5 years run out of something, power to you. That said, it's typically considered good practice to replace items like routers every few years in order to handle data exchange updates and new security hazards.