I'm back and I need some suggestions from those who are nerdier than I.
I did end up getting a new Zyxel USG210 shipped to me for free from the company because it did indeed crap out. I had a professional come over and re-do the whole network. Unfortunately, one access point died that was outside. And now some of the access points aren't working well. Zyxel doesn't want to help me with the access points - they said that these were actually loaners that the previous home owner never returned to them?!
I think I want to switch the entire network out for newer, better and more user-friendly options that I can learn to manage on my own. There's absolutely nothing out there on YouTube or Google that gives good how-to help for Zyxel products. I'm thinking something like Ubiquiti will offer similar functionality and reliability but with a UI that I can learn to troubleshoot without paying $$$ to a professional to help with. I realize that I'm going to have to invest a nice chunk of cash to do this, so I want to choose wisely.
I need 4 WAPs and a router that work well together. 1 extra WAP that can live outdoors.
Do I need wifi 6? I realize that there are also different types of wifi 6.
Will the Cat 5 cables that exist be good enough for newer WAPs? I'm not planning on rewiring to Cat 6.
Does any brand provide really good internet monitoring/restrictions etc to keep my kids away from porn and other bad stuff? (wife keeps hounding me to install a Disney Circle but I have heard those things can really fuck up a network)
I think Ubiquiti is the answer but they have lots of different models out there. I saw that they make some outdoor access points as well - wondering if I need one of these, or just buy 5 of the same kind and hope the outdoor one survives outdoors (it would sit in a mostly water-proof box but would be exposed to the frigid winters of New England, unless I unplugged it every fall and brought it in until spring, which I could do because it services the pool area primarily.
So basically give me a good router/wireless access point set up, with one access point being for outdoors.