Wireless 54g routers?

[ghostee]

I ordered myself an iBook last night with an Airport Extreme card in her. My home network right now consists of 2 user PC's running Windows, and a router/firewall box running IpCop 1.3.0 (linux), wired through a cheap 5 year old 10mbps hub. And comcast cable modem.

I plan on eliminating the oldest PC and the security box, and having just a PC and the iBook. The PC will be wired, iBook will be wireless.

Anyways, I'm looking to spend $100 or less on a wireless 54g router. I don't want one that will have to be rebooted constantly or drop connections. I don't need it to be easy to setup, I just need it to do its job perfectly.

Any suggestions?

[Counterfit]

I've had good luck so far with the LinkSys WRT54G. I just wish I knew how to arrange the antennae to maximize my reception.

[evil]

Originally Posted by Counterfit

I've had good luck so far with the LinkSys WRT54G. I just wish I knew how to arrange the antennae to maximize my reception.

i have the same router and it works quite well. i have my emac plugged into it and then i use my laptop with it wirelessly.
good stuff.

[michaelrjohnson]

despite the harsh words from a previous thread, the netgear wg614 (something like that) works VERY well. Check for rebates, i got it at amazon for $40 after rebate. Good deal.

[adamjay]

i love the Netgear router.. a friend of mine who is a technician in the service department at CompUSA recommended to me that i get the netgear. he said he generally recommends the products that he rarely or never has had in to service. he mentioned linksys routers were commonly serviced but didnt specify which model.

anyways, i got the netgear, set it up on a pc in 2 minutes, and there are 2 powerbooks and an ibook in this house logging on to it wirelessly (my girlfriend's pc is connected to it via ethernet). never had a problem once in the last 5 months.

[aricher]

I bought the Netgear WGT624 108 "Super G" router. Set it up on my wife's desktop PC in about 4 minutes. Running her Thinkpad and my PB 17" wireless without a hitch - well, the signal has dropped twice in 2.5 months - no biggie, I just turned airport off/on and it reconnected. They have this router for $109.14 at MacMall with a rebate that knocks it down to $84.14. Highly suggested. Supposedly if you have Netgear's wireless card you can get 108 MBps - doubt it's true but haven't tried it - Airport Extreme's speed is just fine with me.

[nargot]

Originally Posted by aricher

I bought the Netgear WGT624 108 "Super G" router. Set it up on my wife's desktop PC in about 4 minutes. Running her Thinkpad and my PB 17" wireless without a hitch - well, the signal has dropped twice in 2.5 months - no biggie, I just turned airport off/on and it reconnected. They have this router for $109.14 at MacMall with a rebate that knocks it down to $84.14. Highly suggested. Supposedly if you have Netgear's wireless card you can get 108 MBps - doubt it's true but haven't tried it - Airport Extreme's speed is just fine with me.

The netgear WG614v2 (what i'm using now) is great, its super cheap, never screws up, easy to setup, never drops out (well within 60 days, when it gets reset for some admin reason or another)
you get the firewall, 4 port switch and wireless g for ease of use b/w platforms

[phrac]

Originally Posted by ghostee

I ordered myself an iBook last night with an Airport Extreme card in her. My home network right now consists of 2 user PC's running Windows, and a router/firewall box running IpCop 1.3.0 (linux), wired through a cheap 5 year old 10mbps hub. And comcast cable modem.

I plan on eliminating the oldest PC and the security box, and having just a PC and the iBook. The PC will be wired, iBook will be wireless.

Anyways, I'm looking to spend $100 or less on a wireless 54g router. I don't want one that will have to be rebooted constantly or drop connections. I don't need it to be easy to setup, I just need it to do its job perfectly.

Any suggestions?

I have a dlink di-524 and a di-624 and both work very well. The di-524 runs about 69.99 at Bestbuy but has a $20 rebate currently, dropping the price to about $50. I get good range throughout my house with both of them.

[SpaceMagic]

I've had nothing but trouble with all my Netgear stuff. In the end sent it all back. Also I use two belkin cards, a PCI for a PC and a PC Card for a laptop. Their software on windows is good but their reception for me, was less than desired!

I currently use a Linksys "bridge" and although it isn't what you're after, I think its a good indication that Linksys make good products. My 802.11G Access point (what you're after) is, of course, the Apple Airport Extreme. It's set up so my G5 is wired to it, another wire is to the linksys bridge in the attic/loft (where its connecting to neighbour's BB connection ). Then I have an iBook and 2 windows laptops which wirelessly connect.

There are others, and i would actually recommend against the Airport Station. It is pretty, , its very easy to use with the iBook but then with web based configuration utilities these days you'll have no problems with another make and your iBook. I would say though, that sometimes my internet won't connect through and the airport base has to be rebooted, like you said, not desirable!

However, when I was on dialup, i wouldn't give the Airport station up for the world.

Look around, there are tonnes of reviews. I know D-Link, Linksys and Buffalo are supposed to make quality products.

[G4scott]

Originally Posted by michaelrjohnson

despite the harsh words from a previous thread, the netgear wg614 (something like that) works VERY well. Check for rebates, i got it at amazon for $40 after rebate. Good deal.

I just got that router, and it works very well... It was cheap too, only $50 from Best Buy...

[TheT]

Alright, sorry for hijacking your thread, but I don't want to start thread #1,000 about wireless routers.
Right next to me, there's a pretty (expensive) AEBS, and guess what, it doesn't work with my DSL provider! Stupid Tiscali, I tell you, they are the cheapest, but unfortunately in every way... well, that's another story.
Tomorrow, I will return my AEBS, which means I need another way to connect my DSL to my iMac # 1(wired), #2 (old Airport) + iBook (AE). After reading a bit on MR, the Netgear one sounds best to me... but I have one more question: Is there any solution that allows me to share my printer like the AEBS does? I mean, I know there are solutions, but do they work with the mac?

[nargot]

Originally Posted by TheT

Is there any solution that allows me to share my printer like the AEBS does? I mean, I know there are solutions, but do they work with the mac?

You can share your printer on the computer you connect it. Ie goto sharing preferences in the system preferences. Click printer sharing on and there might be a bit more fiddling but it should be as easy as that. I share my local talk laserprinter via an ethernet bridge so its dead easy for me. USB printer sharing appears just as easy.

[mrgreen4242]

Have you considered keeping the linux security box (always a good idea) and installing a pci wireless card and using it for an ad-hoc wireless network since you only have one machine that you want to have wireless access?

Would probably be cheaper, and you will keep your current firewall which is probably a good idea... anyways, just a thought.

[TheT]

Originally Posted by nargot

You can share your printer on the computer you connect it. Ie goto sharing preferences in the system preferences. Click printer sharing on and there might be a bit more fiddling but it should be as easy as that. I share my local talk laserprinter via an ethernet bridge so its dead easy for me. USB printer sharing appears just as easy.

Yeah, thank you, I knew I could do that. But I want to be able without my iMac being turned on...

[nargot]

i am typing as we speak on my ibook, this post carried via my netgear WGR 614v2 wireless g router. This router is the cheapest in australia, and in the US it is about 1/3 the price (ie it is dirt cheap after rebates). The longest my cable modem has been connected (by my knowledge) is 67 days before it reconnected (automatically). If you purchase this router you will not be sorry!

nb: i have briefly tested the range, it is not the best! However i live in an apartment and it does the job easily.

[TheT]

Originally Posted by nargot

i am typing as we speak on my ibook, this post carried via my netgear WGR 614v2 wireless g router. This router is the cheapest in australia, and in the US it is about 1/3 the price (ie it is dirt cheap after rebates). The longest my cable modem has been connected (by my knowledge) is 67 days before it reconnected (automatically). If you purchase this router you will not be sorry!

nb: i have briefly tested the range, it is not the best! However i live in an apartment and it does the job easily.

v2? What's the difference to v1?

I have been looking a bit at netgear's website, and I've come up with one question: What are the differences between the WGR614 and the WGT624? Okay, I did compare the tech specs, and I've seen only two differences: 108Mbit (which wouldn't work anyways) and the size. Did I miss anything? Could anyone who owns the WGT624 post pics?

[nargot]

Originally Posted by TheT

v2? What's the difference to v1?

I have been looking a bit at netgear's website, and I've come up with one question: What are the differences between the WGR614 and the WGT624? Okay, I did compare the tech specs, and I've seen only two differences: 108Mbit (which wouldn't work anyways) and the size. Did I miss anything? Could anyone who owns the WGT624 post pics?

108mbit is useless foir APX cards at the moment as you said.

The difference is that alot of people with v1 of netgear router have had problems. The point is buy a new router and not a 2nd hand one.

[superfunkomatic]

i've got a linksys router. the WR54G it has been super. good range good price - like 130 canadian. plus it's got really good admin software for setting things up and maintaining firewall rules.

i've used the d-link products with clients, there admin tools are a bit too simplistic more for home users or xbox gamers - didn't seem particularily intuitive unless you just used the wizard or default settings.

[ftaok]

Originally Posted by TheT

Is there any solution that allows me to share my printer like the AEBS does? I mean, I know there are solutions, but do they work with the mac?

Keyspan has a new product which should be able to handle this, and more. They announce it back in January and I've been waiting for it ever since. Well, wait no more.

Keyspan USB Server

[TheT]

Originally Posted by ftaok

Keyspan has a new product which should be able to handle this, and more. They announce it back in January and I've been waiting for it ever since. Well, wait no more.

Keyspan USB Server

That's expensive! Maybe it's cheaper to keep the iMac running...

[TheT]

Originally Posted by nargot

108mbit is useless foir APX cards at the moment as you said.

The difference is that alot of people with v1 of netgear router have had problems. The point is buy a new router and not a 2nd hand one.

Okay, maybe I'm stupid, but I still don't quite get it
So are you saying that I shouldn't buy a router 2nd hand (which I wouldn't anyways)?
Or are you saying that there is a second revision that is better that the first?
I wanne be sure before I go out and buy it

[ftaok]

Originally Posted by TheT

That's expensive! Maybe it's cheaper to keep the iMac running...

Certainly it's cheaper to share the printer thru the iMac, but it's not nearly as convienent. Plus, can a shared printer be accessed if the Mac it's connected to is asleep?

This thing, if it works as advertised, is a thing of beauty. Connecting scanners, hard drives, CD burners, etc. That's worth the $130 in my book. Besides, people will probably be selling them for $99 soon enough.

[TheT]

Originally Posted by TheT

Okay, maybe I'm stupid, but I still don't quite get it
So are you saying that I shouldn't buy a router 2nd hand (which I wouldn't anyways)?
Or are you saying that there is a second revision that is better that the first?
I wanne be sure before I go out and buy it

I'll quote myself here, because I found some more additional info on the net.
Apparently, there are already 4 (!) revisions, using 3 different chipsets. My question now to the ones that own one: how can I distinguish them? I just ordered one on amazon.com... there was nothing about the version. Will it be stated on the package?

[lowdown]

I have a newer PC laptop and an older Mac PowerBook. I am pretty well sold on buying a Netgear WDT624/108 Wireless Router to split my internet connection between them. I know that I'll need a compatible wireless card for my PC.

Would I need any hardware (other than an ethernet cable) to hardwire my PowerBook to this router?

If I decided to go wireless with the PowerBook also, does anyone have any suggestions on compatible hardware to get my PowerBook to play along?

Thanks for the assistance.

[wPod]

Originally Posted by Counterfit

I've had good luck so far with the LinkSys WRT54G. I just wish I knew how to arrange the antennae to maximize my reception.

id go witht the linksys WRT54G as well. . .there are a lot of cool mods out there for it (it runs off of lunix. . er unix. .. er linksys version, but whatever) the point is a lot of people have written various new firmware packages for it. most of which you can increase the power output of the router by at least like 10x and the coolest thing (which i use the most on mine) is you can enable WDS with the third-party firmware. then with WDS you can use airport express as a range extender (even though apples main site says it only does that with an airport extreme base station) so if you enjoy playing around and customizing routers go for the linksys!