Please recommend a router

[daneoni]

Hey everyone,

So i recently bought a Dlink 634M 108G MIMO Wireless Router but it is utter crap. I have to reset it at least thrice a week if i switch off my TV (a set-top box that streams Digital TV and Broadband to the entire house) and switch it back on. The router freezes and it'll take me an hour just to get it working again. I have just dumped it and gone back to my older router

However, the older router i bought way back in 2003, a Dlink 614+ Airplus has been nothing more than steller, its a B/11MB Router and it is rock solid. its been dropped,stepped on and kicked and it still works. If i switch my set-topbox on/off it acts accordingly and receives signals within 6 seconds and its distributing flawlessly to 6 computers in the house and probably only reset it 4 times thus far.

However, 11MB and a B router is not ideal as the G adapters in our laptops have to downgrade to B which isn't good as the transfer speeds within our network is significantly hampered.

I'm looking to get a 54MB Wireless G router. Any recommendations?.

PS i live in the UK and would prefer something with a web/software based configuration utility...i dont want a CLI based config.

 

[4np]

Perhaps an Airport Express? Works perfect for me...

 

[almonde]

Depends on your line to what router might be best. I've found the DG834G v3 very good on long/noisy adslmax lines. Using that router we get 1mbit more sync speed than a zyxel would give us. Its very cheap at ebuyer.

 

[deputy_doofy]

I don't hear too many reviews, good or bad, but I have an SMC wireless router (802.11b/g) and it has never done me wrong.

 

[daneoni]

Depends on your line to what router might be best. I've found the DG834G v3 very good on long/noisy adslmax lines. Using that router we get 1mbit more sync speed than a zyxel would give us. Its very cheap at ebuyer.

Dont know what you mean but i have a 8MB official connection but get on average 5MB. Not really far from the exchange. Something with very good range would as well.

 

[daneoni]

Perhaps an Airport Express? Works perfect for me...

Dunno, they say those things fail after 13 months and there is no configuration utility nor firewall.

 

[miniConvert]

I personally recommend Linksys. My home and business networks are constructed entirely from Linksys kit for flawless compatibility and operation. I've had to update the firmware on some pieces of kit in the past that have shipped with very old versions, but never had faulty kit.

Try a Linksys WRT54G-UK Wireless-G 54MBPS Broadband Router.

Yummy.

 

[Eraserhead]

I found netgear makes ones that are easy to set-up but to recommend an actual model I'd need to know whether you are on cable or ADSL.

 

[Markleshark]

Belkin. Anything by Belkin. Pay a little extra, but its super -high quality stuff, and you get a lifetime warranty.

 

[mchendricks]

Netgear

I've been using a Netgear MR814 router for 3 years and it still works. It has 1 wired Mac, 1 wired PC, and 2 wireless PC laptops on it. I'm going to move up to a new router soon, but it will definitely be a Netgear model as this one is only supports the "b" wireless standard.

 

[daneoni]

I found netgear makes ones that are easy to set-up but to recommend an actual model I'd need to know whether you are on cable or ADSL.

ADSL, speaking of which, i'd like one with ADSL2 support as my provider intends to move to 24MB soon.

 

[richyfp]

I recently got a Thomson Speedtouch 585 and it's been brilliant. It's got 802.11b/g and four 100 Mbps wired ethernet ports. Configuration was a breeze - you can just type in speedtouch.lan or dsldevice.lan in a browser and it takes you to the config and stats pages.

It's running flawlessly set up with an AirPort Express in a WDS (Wireless Distribution System) since the walls in my house are very thick and, as we all know, PowerBook reception is suboptimal at best.

Highly recommended.

 

[Reaver]

It's running flawlessly set up with an AirPort Express in a WDS (Wireless Distribution System) since the walls in my house are very thick and, as we all know, PowerBook reception is suboptimal at best.

Highly recommended.

how do you have your express setup I would liek to do this too in my house I have my home office on one side of the house and my living room and bedrooms on the other and I will be getting a wireless router and installing a wireless network in my home.

so I am guessing if you get a express and plugs into the wall as a repeater for the router? Do you need to plug in a ethernet cable into the express for it to be able to bounce a signal from the wireless router cause I really dont want to run 100ft of ethernet cable to the other side of the house just for internet.

 

[richyfp]

how do you have your express setup I would liek to do this too in my house I have my home office on one side of the house and my living room and bedrooms on the other and I will be getting a wireless router and installing a wireless network in my home. <snip...>

[start of boring network configuration details]
My current setup has the Speedtouch router connected to my ADSL connection (and my PowerMac via standard Ethernet). The wireless part (there's no cable going to the AirPort Express) has both the Speedtouch and my AirPort Express using 802.11 Channel 1 with fixed IP addresses (192.168.1.x). On the Speedtouch, WDS can be enabled via the web interface at which point it finds the APX and remembers its MAC and SSID (its visible name).

On the Airport side of things, the Express is configured as a "remote base station" in the WDS tab of AirPort Admin Utility and "allow wireless clients on this base station" is selected. The MAC address of the Speedtouch is then entered in the "Main AirPort ID box". On the Internet tab of AirPort Admin Utility, AirPort (WDS) is selected in the "Connect Using:" drop down menu, the MAC address of the Speedtouch is entered in the appropriate box and "Also allow wireless client computers" is selected underneath.
[end of boring network configuration details]

Everything works like a charm - iTunes and iPhoto Bonjour sharing, printer sharing, file sharing and the AirPort Express speakers even show up in iTunes on both the PowerMac and my PowerBook, even though the PowerMac is only connected to it via the Speedtouch. The only niggle is that my PowerBook doesn't automatically switch between the Speedtouch and the AirPort when I go out of range of one of them - I have to switch networks manually using the AirPort menu... Any ideas on that?

 

[Eraserhead]

ADSL, speaking of which, i'd like one with ADSL2 support as my provider intends to move to 24MB soon.

This one has ADSL2+ support but is quite expensive at £56 on amazon.co.uk (it's an excellent price for that model, it's just the model is quite expensive.)

 

[Reaver]

[start of boring network configuration details]
My current setup has the Speedtouch router connected to my ADSL connection (and my PowerMac via standard Ethernet). The wireless part (there's no cable going to the AirPort Express) has both the Speedtouch and my AirPort Express using 802.11 Channel 1 with fixed IP addresses (192.168.1.x). On the Speedtouch, WDS can be enabled via the web interface at which point it finds the APX and remembers its MAC and SSID (its visible name).

On the Airport side of things, the Express is configured as a "remote base station" in the WDS tab of AirPort Admin Utility and "allow wireless clients on this base station" is selected. The MAC address of the Speedtouch is then entered in the "Main AirPort ID box". On the Internet tab of AirPort Admin Utility, AirPort (WDS) is selected in the "Connect Using:" drop down menu, the MAC address of the Speedtouch is entered in the appropriate box and "Also allow wireless client computers" is selected underneath.
[end of boring network configuration details]

Everything works like a charm - iTunes and iPhoto Bonjour sharing, printer sharing, file sharing and the AirPort Express speakers even show up in iTunes on both the PowerMac and my PowerBook, even though the PowerMac is only connected to it via the Speedtouch. The only niggle is that my PowerBook doesn't automatically switch between the Speedtouch and the AirPort when I go out of range of one of them - I have to switch networks manually using the AirPort menu... Any ideas on that?

thanks as soon as I get my MBP merom I will be doing this.