Linksys WRT54G and macs!

[Consultant]

WRT54G v2 at office
Works fine WEP and WPA on Mac and PC

Airport Extreme N + Gigabit ethernet
at home. WPA2 works with MBP, PowerBook, iBook, and PC

Don't really have problems with any Linksys (I avoid netgear),
but if you want to flash Linksys firmware with third party check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRT54G

 

[GSMiller]

When I got my iMac my WRT54G needed to be restarted 3+ times a day on average. I got an AEBS yesterday for use with my iMac and MacBook and it has worked great, although it was a little difficult to set up.

 

[dborja]

I have a Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router, Model No. WRT54G ver.6.0.

My PC is already using the router and everything runs fine. I was thinking about purchasing an ibook and using the same router to connect to the internet. Can I do this?

That should be no problem.

Wow! Old thread but it is still applicable... My setup: WRT54G V6 doing WDS with AEBS (first gen) on 2.4GHz WEP-128 802.11G. WRT54G connected to DSL modem and servicing VOIP TA and WDS, AEBS wired to iMac and USB hub with 2 external drives and photo printer and servicing WDS, iBook/iPhones/TV/WinPC WDS clients.

 

[wvuwhat]

I have a Ver. 8 that I was using a Dell for before I got my Mac. Brought the Mac home and it connected right away, guess I'm lucky.

 

[margoesmattress]

Linksys and Mac-self assigned problem solved, finally!!!

I am writing because I just got my wireless connection to the internet re-established..Yeh!!! It had been working for months, then stopped working (I am sure it was a result of trying to get on a closed network at my parents house, not knowing what I was doing....). Anyway, we have a PC laptop and a MacBook(dual platform). Everytime I tried to get on the internet, my computer said that it had a self-assigned IP address... I could connect when using the Windows side of my computer, but not when using the Mac side. I had talked to Apple, and Linksys before today. Each company, after a few feeble attempts, saying that it could not help me because they did not support the other's product. Today, I tried again. First to Apple, they went through a few steps with me(the same ones often sited here..) and it didn't work. Because, I was able to connect to a neighbors open (Linksys router) network, Apple said it was something with my router that was not sending the correct info. Talk to Linksys, I was told. So I called Linksys, this time I had someone that really did help. Simply, I had to put a '$' sign before my network password!!!! This time it worked! Linksys said that Apple should have known that the '$' sign was needed. Out of three tech, not one apple tech even mentioned it. In case you try it and it doesn't work, Apple had suggested that I reconfigure my router as an open network and once it was working, set it up as a closed network. I hope this helps. I was completely frustrated with this problem and found no help from any product websites. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes talking to more than one tech representative to get the right information.

 

[John.B]

...Apple had suggested that I reconfigure my router as an open network and once it was working, set it up as a closed network...

Great advice, this should be part of any "Wireless 101" troubleshooting and is worth repeating. So much so, that I just did.

 

[brop52]

The G has been a headache since they moved on from V4. Get the GL and be happy. They don't sell the GL in brick and mortar stores anymore AFAIK so get on Newegg. Also look at the evidence of more recent reviews of the G and look at all the one ratings. (Same on Amazon and Newegg). There have been far more poor reviews as production quality and the product itself has become poor. (It's like it is a different product just advertised under the same name).

In fact, I bought the WRT54G from Office Max because they didn't have the GL and the first one I got was bricked a week after getting it. (I didn't use any third party firmware only the linksys firmware.) The second isn't as bad but has dropped signal a couple of times.

Newegg WRT54GL

Enjoy!

 

[John.B]

I dunno, I got the WRT54GL because I had intended to update the router OS to DD-WRT or Thibor but it has been so rock solid and the signal so strong that I have only it touched once (to reboot, though the problem turned out to be caused by the Cox cabledorks screwing up cable service to the neighborhood) in over a year.

Based on that experience I bought my brother a new WRT54G a few months ago. The only problem he had with that wasn't Mac related, it was a Vista problem. (Vista doesn't always play nice with the SSID broadcast turned off. Microsoft's advice: Don't do that. Uh, thanks for that...) :shrug:

I know all of the router companies (Linksys, Netgear, Belkin, etc.) have their share of problem units but my experience with the recent crop of Linksys G routers has been pretty good.

 

[gldi8r]

I have an older WRT54G VERSION 2.02 I believe.
got the DD-WRT update.. had some issues, all I needed to do was "reset" all settings to default with the DD-WRT updates. Turns out the update took into account my older settings before the update.
with the default settings. It appears to perform much much better. not dropped connections so far.

 

[Tastannin]

WRT54GL with DD-WRT all the way! I picked up an omni antenna a couple of years ago, so with DD-WRT's signal boost and that antenna, my house gets good coverage both up and downstairs. Just make sure the cable/DSL box turns on first and gets connected, then turn on the WRT54GL.