[ale] Network hardware/software recommendations

[kwc at TheWorld.com (Ken Cochran)]

Hi ALE,

Turns out my question may be not so off-topic, since so much
networking stuff these days has Linux-based software innards.

So, what's "good" these days?

"Good" meaning, solid, reliable, flexible, etc., dare-I-say
"carrier grade" (probably a bs-term).

Examples, the likes of Cisco, Juniper, umm, Ubiquiti, others?

Stuff like routers, switches & WAPs, configurable by GUI
and/or CLI, worth learning & developing proficiency for
job/opportunity advancement.

I keep hearing nice things about Ubiquiti for example.

Or, the likes of (for example) Smoothwall & Something To Run It On...

Ideas/opinions?

Thanks, -Ken