Wireless Router

[ryanh]

I don't want to invest in an Airport simply because I can't afford one, so any suggestions on what 802.11G router I should go with? I want a built in switch to run my parents iMac off of a hardline and then the wireless for my powerbook.

Thanks for the help.

[AlephNull]

I recommend the Linksys WRT54G wireless broadband router. It is much cheaper than the Airport Extreme, and will work just as well with any mac/pc network.

I use it myself and have never had any problems.

Link

[kg9ov]

I also have a Linksys WRT54G and have yet to have any problems with it...

-Tony

[rtdgoldfish]

Another vote for the LinkSys. I don't actually own one but have set up three networks with them and they work well. I think they look pretty cool as well.

I have a Belkin 54g at my apartment and it is a pain in the a$$. Signal drops a lot and I have to change the channel on it about once a week.

How many computers do you need to connect?? You can always go with an AirPort Express. Cool little box, love mine after I got it to work with my current network.

*Edit, saw you need to hardwire an iMac. Forget the Express then. Only works with wireless, no built-in hub.*

[stevep]

Another vote for Linksys - I've got a WAG54G adsl router - good wireless signal and 4 ethernet ports. I've updated the firmware once since I've had it, and its on most of the time. It does seem to get quite warm (it doesn't have a fan in it), but that shouldn't be a problem as long as you don't put anything on top of it.
At the moment it has my iBook connected wirelessly, a pc connected via ethernet and a 'no-name' print server box plugged in.
My kids are coming back from college tomorrow, so it'll have a Shuttle pc and a Sony laptop connected as well - all with internet access. The only problems are changing their network settings on XP - what a drag that is!

[Celeron]

Get the WRT54G.

[rkphoto]

I have the Linksys WRT54G and it's a great router. I had a Netgear wireless G router(got it first because I liked the way it looked better) and it was a piece of garbage. Took it back and got the Linksys and have had no problems. It's cheap too!

[minesgeek]

I have always been a netgear fan and have the wgr614. got a great deal on it and it has been flawless for almost 1 year. it is hardwired to one pc and one mac while a PB and an iMac are connected to it by wireless.

i have read that people have less problems with linksys but it has not been my experience. i have also helped to set up 3 networks in my family (mix of pc's and macs) and two of them have given me problems - 1 software and 1 hardware.

[ryanh]

Thanks for all the help everyone.
Truth be told, the Netgear WGR614 and the Linksys WRT54G were the two I was looking at.
The question I have now is whether or not the Linksys can be set up without a PC. I can't find anything about Mac compatibility on the Lynksys site. I know the iMac will work fine since it will just run off the switch, but setting up the wireless router is what I'm apprehensive about. I have no PC and I would prefer to keep it that way.

Thanks again guys. This community is great.

[AlephNull]

Originally Posted by ryanh

Thanks for all the help everyone.
Truth be told, the Netgear WGR614 and the Linksys WRT54G were the two I was looking at.
The question I have now is whether or not the Linksys can be set up without a PC. I can't find anything about Mac compatibility on the Lynksys site. I know the iMac will work fine since it will just run off the switch, but setting up the wireless router is what I'm apprehensive about. I have no PC and I would prefer to keep it that way.

Thanks again guys. This community is great.

Yup, it shouldnt be a problem. If the iMac is hardwired, you can figure out the IP address of the router, then use any web browser to fiddle with the wireless/security settings and get your powerbook set up.

The only thing that won't work is the actual software disk that comes with the router, being windows only, but it is fairly simple to get it set up if you have a computer hardwired to the router. Be it mac or PC.

Good Luck

[Apple Hobo]

Linksys is complete garbage when it comes to Mac support. I think you can find better support for Linux instead of Mac at Linksys' site.

I'm actually heading to my local Apple Store tonight to get a non-Linksys wireless router to replace the one I have now. The thing "mysteriously" reset itself to factory defaults. Makes for a wonderful security issue if some war-driving wanker came around and found an open network with no protection and a default setup password.

BTW, I recommend this utility if you ever want to upgrade your router's firmware. (As you can see by the feedback, other people have gripes with Linksys' support.)

[BillHarrison]

Originally Posted by Apple Hobo

Linksys is complete garbage when it comes to Mac support. I think you can find better support for Linux instead of Mac at Linksys' site.

I'm actually heading to my local Apple Store tonight to get a non-Linksys wireless router to replace the one I have now. The thing "mysteriously" reset itself to factory defaults. Makes for a wonderful security issue if some war-driving wanker came around and found an open network with no protection and a default setup password.

BTW, I recommend this utility if you ever want to upgrade your router's firmware. (As you can see by the feedback, other people have gripes with Linksys' support.)

I agree with the above poster. The linksys router IS a good peice of hardware, but NO real apple support. I would recommend going with a D-Link or Belkin, both are capable routers, and both have GOOD mac support. I personally use a D-link, and it is over 3 years old, NOT 1 issue, ever. It is 802.11b. I will be upgrading again as soon as the 802.11n standard is completely hammered out. The pre-n stuff looks interesting, but still too early for me.

[wilmor42]

another vote for the linksys wireless G, i got it as part of a local dsl deal for £30 ($15) and didnt really know what i was getting till it came..
bargain!

[jknight8907]

The Linksys ones are okay, but I've had some bad experiences with them. My brand of choice is Motorola, they seem to work quite well, or at least the three I'm running do.

[hkala]

i've had lag and connestion issues on a friend's linksey's.
go with netgear! my PB flys!
i promise!

[Westside guy]

Back before I got my Airport Extreme and Express, I had a D-Link router. Seemed to work well, and they are very good about Mac support.

[DEM12663]

I have a Linksys WRT54G on order. I want to set up a network with my dsl hardwired through the WRT54G to my older Imac G3. I have an apple Extreme card also coming for my newer Imac G5 which I want to connect and network wirelessly. I've searched for hours as to how to configure this setup. I am a newbie to Networking and to wireless. I'm very confused. Can anyone give me a step by step process? I'm running Panther 10.3.9 on both computers.

Please Help!!
Thanks in advance

[OldCorpse]

And yet another vote for a Linksys WRT54G. I had a netgear router, but it wasn't wireless, so that's not really relevant... but I did have occasional problems with it. Then I moved and decided to go wireless at my new place. I got the Linksys WRT54G after doing a bunch of research. It's been flawless so far (6 months). However, a small caveat. When I got it, I only had my Dull 1100 Inspiron laptop... setting it up wasn't very easy, I had to call support, as following the instructions got me into an endless loop of "can't do step 3 because step 2 not completed and step 2 requires step 3 to complete", the support people acknowledged that that's the way it is on some systems. But, still got it all sorted out without too much trouble. I can imagine however that setting it up initially with a mac could be trouble. For me, adding my iBook was a cinch, no trouble at all, and it works perfectly.

[itsbetteronamac]

Yeah I would go with the linksys one. I have had experience with both netgear and Linksys routers, and I enjoy the linksys alot more. Currently at home I have the Wirless G router with a 4 port switch and Vonage adapter built in... I think it's the WRTP54G.

[munckee]

Don't get the Netgear, its a P.O.S. I bought one about two months ago to replace a linksys that died. I didn't do much research and simply grabbed what was cheap. It drops signals ALL the time. Its a real pain in the butt.

[zathras]

Hmmm I would have instantly said Linksys 54G off the bat myself as I have one and love it - BUT apparently the newest revision of it is severely lacking. My parents just got DSL for Christmas - they started with the cheap white Netgear g router and coverage was very spotty upstairs (probably due to its tiny antenna) but ichat A/V worked fairly reliably once we had everything configured. Today they bought the Linksys to hopefully cover the house better - and it does, but there are some severe problems in the firmware. We couldn't get ichat A/V portions to work off the bat at all. After upgrading the firmware they only work once after rebooting the router....

They are going to return it and try another brand tomorrow...