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What AC Dual Band Router?

Cubytus said:
It is a Broadcom running at 200MHz I think. Back then the Airport was horribly expensive, and I would have no way of managing it since there was no Apple-branded device in the house. Really the WRT54GL provided the best bang for the buck as a requirement for proper high-speed connection was MLPPP, which Airport doesn't support.
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I am not sure when the Windows version of AirPort Utility came out. Then again, I really don't have a reason to know 😀 . You bought the router because it met your needs then and it has served you over the years. Now I tell people go with ASUS or AirPort Extreme for AC or an Express if they only need N. Half of the stuff on ASUS models most wouldn't even fathom using. Apple is more laid back but is still a powerful device. Any one on a G speed router is going to see a huge boost simply because the Extremes at least are 3x3:3 in each band!
 
Altemose said:
I am not sure when the Windows version of AirPort Utility came out. Then again, I really don't have a reason to know 😀 . You bought the router because it met your needs then and it has served you over the years. Now I tell people go with ASUS or AirPort Extreme for AC or an Express if they only need N. Half of the stuff on ASUS models most wouldn't even fathom using. Apple is more laid back but is still a powerful device. Any one on a G speed router is going to see a huge boost simply because the Extremes at least are 3x3:3 in each band!
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Even if there was a Windows utility back then, all the house ran Linux.

Actually LAN-side transfer are quite OK, especially when cabled (only 1080p movies can't be streamed wirelessly between computers), but I see very high CPU load when torrenting, a usage that requires many connections to stay active at any given time, and that slows everything else down, even as torrents come in about 95% of the rated connection. Still, I find it hard to swallow a $250 bill for a new router with AC capability that would last for some additional years.
 
Cubytus said:
Even if there was a Windows utility back then, all the house ran Linux.

Actually LAN-side transfer are quite OK, especially when cabled (only 1080p movies can't be streamed wirelessly between computers), but I see very high CPU load when torrenting, a usage that requires many connections to stay active at any given time, and that slows everything else down, even as torrents come in about 95% of the rated connection. Still, I find it hard to swallow a $250 bill for a new router with AC capability that would last for some additional years.
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Can you swallow an $85.00 bill 😀. Because if that is within your budget, Apple is selling refurbed 5th gens for that and they are decently powerful and put out 20.5 dB. All Gigabit ports, and mine handles 80 clients as the DHCP server for my roaming network and it does wonderfully!
 
Altemose said:
Can you swallow an $85.00 bill 😀. Because if that is within your budget, Apple is selling refurbed 5th gens for that and they are decently powerful and put out 20.5 dB. All Gigabit ports, and mine handles 80 clients as the DHCP server for my roaming network and it does wonderfully!
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Well there are AirPort Express, and need an external gigabit switch, and an AirPort Express Base Station. Both do 5GHz, but only the former has dual-band capability (?). That would be important for the portable devices, unless I keep the WRT54GL active.

Still, I find it somewhat weird to spend money for what is essentially another piece of outdated technology, namely a router that may not very flexible overall. Without external antennas, what would the signal look like at a distance?
 
Cubytus said:
Well there are AirPort Express, and need an external gigabit switch, and an AirPort Express Base Station. Both do 5GHz, but only the former has dual-band capability (?). That would be important for the portable devices, unless I keep the WRT54GL active.

Still, I find it somewhat weird to spend money for what is essentially another piece of outdated technology, namely a router that may not very flexible overall. Without external antennas, what would the signal look like at a distance?
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http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD031LL/A/refurbished-airport-extreme-base-station

I was referencing the Extreme. It only $10.00 more than the refurb Express, has a Gigabit WAN and three Gigabit LAN ports. The Express can theoretically put out an extra .5 dB but that is under ideal conditions.

I can guarantee the Extreme will cream your WRT54GL. I use one as the "controller" for my roaming network at school and it handles 80 clients over eight Expresses and the Extreme.
 
Altemose said:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD031LL/A/refurbished-airport-extreme-base-station

I was referencing the Extreme. It only $10.00 more than the refurb Express, has a Gigabit WAN and three Gigabit LAN ports. The Express can theoretically put out an extra .5 dB but that is under ideal conditions.

I can guarantee the Extreme will cream your WRT54GL. I use one as the "controller" for my roaming network at school and it handles 80 clients over eight Expresses and the Extreme.
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It would still need an additional gigabit switch. I have 2 Macs, one PC, one multifunction printer, one network hard drive, possibly more to come. I have the switch (garbage-found).

Right now my only concern is the time before a page starts to load. Max speed to the Internet is about 90% of my subscription, so no hurry here. Just wondering if it's worth it to invest in an outdated piece of tech (ac is the new n) just to gain a split-second when a page loads, hoping MLPPP won't be necessary anymore since Apple's routers aren't really flexible.

What's the main difference between the Extreme and the Express, anyway?
 
Cubytus said:
It would still need an additional gigabit switch. I have 2 Macs, one PC, one multifunction printer, one network hard drive, possibly more to come. I have the switch (garbage-found).

Right now my only concern is the time before a page starts to load. Max speed to the Internet is about 90% of my subscription, so no hurry here. Just wondering if it's worth it to invest in an outdated piece of tech (ac is the new n) just to gain a split-second when a page loads.

What's the main difference between the Extreme and the Express, anyway?
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The Express is a weaker wireless router. The new AC Extremes put out 32.5 dB of signal where as the Express does 20.5. The old Extreme (5th gen) is comparable in terms of signal output.

The Express has a 100 Mb/s WAN and LAN port so your Gigabit switch won't be full speed. The only advantage to the Express is AirPlay and the size. Like I said, it is a fine AP but the Extreme handles Extreme loads much better.

You said you didn't want to buy a $200.00 piece of kit. I offered a solution as most any AC router is going to be very junky at the sub $100.00 range. Granted I am sure there are some exceptions.

$85.00 for the Extreme is a good deal and will put you forth for the next couple of years.

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Altemose said:
I did like the Tomato firmware on the old blue Linksys routers, but now they are all unsupported. I am all for getting the most out of your hardware that you paid good money for, but sometimes I like to sit back and let the defaults do the work in simplicity (AirPort). That being said, ASUS routers really are blending it all together pretty well.
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Tomato works fine on modern routers. Almost anything broadcom-based should work. linksysinfo has the modern stuff, like shibby and toastman's mods.

I'm looking into either the new airport extreme or the RT-AC68U here. The far side of the apartment is at the edge of what my current 4th gen can reach. I'm just not sure if it would help with a wireless N household with a wall containing accordion-shaped sheet metal.

The ASUS supposedly has better performance and range, but the apple router has proven itself to me. It's old, it's still not dead, and until this apartment it was perfect.
 
mentaluproar said:
Tomato works fine on modern routers. Almost anything broadcom-based should work. linksysinfo has the modern stuff, like shibby and toastman's mods.

I'm looking into either the new airport extreme or the RT-AC68U here. The far side of the apartment is at the edge of what my current 4th gen can reach. I'm just not sure if it would help with a wireless N household with a wall containing accordion-shaped sheet metal.

The ASUS supposedly has better performance and range, but the apple router has proven itself to me. It's old, it's still not dead, and until this apartment it was perfect.
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ASUS is going to be faster and have slightly better range. The Extreme is more stable in my tests and experience.
 
The apple router has the benefit of being cheaper too. I get an education discount, making it $40 cheaper than the Asus by Newegg pricing.

All I need is a slight boost and I don't know if the Apple router will have the oomph.

Considering I have had this router for a few years and only had to reset it twice, I'm pretty happy with that.
 
mentaluproar said:
The apple router has the benefit of being cheaper too. I get an education discount, making it $40 cheaper than the Asus by Newegg pricing.

All I need is a slight boost and I don't know if the Apple router will have the oomph.

Considering I have had this router for a few years and only had to reset it twice, I'm pretty happy with that.
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Definitely go Extreme. Fantastic piece of equipment.
 
I don't buy Cisco. I'm still pissed about what they did to linksys and the open firmware community.

Yes, I hold grudges.
 
mentaluproar said:
I don't buy Cisco. I'm still pissed about what they did to linksys and the open firmware community.

Yes, I hold grudges.
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Guess you are going to hate that I am trying to get my CCNA. Eh...maybe I should go for a different certification 😀. Linksys really got butchered by Cisco...
 
CCNA...is that the certification you get for taking a class that discussed how to log into a router without the webui, then spends the rest of the semester playing half life?

I asked someone the other day about their Cisco class and apparently things haven't changed much.
 
mentaluproar said:
CCNA...is that the certification you get for taking a class that discussed how to log into a router without the webui, then spends the rest of the semester playing half life?

I asked someone the other day about their Cisco class and apparently things haven't changed much.
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I never liked Cisco but since I am 16 and trying to start with my certs. so I have some before I graduate high school it would be good to have...
 
The high school cert is worthless. Sorry, but you will have to take some college classes. That Cisco class is just a way to put that brand in the front of future IT professionals minds. It's marketing.
 
mentaluproar said:
The high school cert is worthless. Sorry, but you will have to take some college classes. That Cisco class is just a way to put that brand in the front of future IT professionals minds. It's marketing.
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Obviously I am going to go take college courses but I am trying to be ahead. PM me with some recommendations on what I should take.
 
Altemose said:
Obviously I am going to go take college courses but I am trying to be ahead. PM me with some recommendations on what I should take.
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I gave up comp sci already, so I dont know the details. I was thinking you were going to use that high school cert right out of high school. When I was in high school, and what some of the kids still think now, you didnt go into that program to get ahead, but to get work right out of high school, which was and still is bulls--- enhancing the truth.
 
mentaluproar said:
I gave up comp sci already, so I dont know the details. I was thinking you were going to use that high school cert right out of high school. When I was in high school, and what some of the kids still think now, you didnt go into that program to get ahead, but to get work right out of high school, which was and still is bulls--- enhancing the truth.
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I am definitely going to college. My problem is that my hobby in computers has everyone trying to turn me from what I really want to do. I really want to be a mechanic, but everyone says I should be a network engineer or some other I.T. position.
 
I suggest you learn the tech, become a mechanic, and be ready for electric cars. There will be a void in that profession of people who truly understand the engineering.

As I see it, comp sci isn't the best degree anymore. The market is full of qualified people, and will have tons more soon. Job security is non-existent because it's so easy to find a replacement, and they will hire whoever takes the lowest pay anyway, because the market allows them to.

Hybrid, electric, and alternatively powered cars will still need engineers and mechanics, so why not look into that field?

Also, I'm thinking more about the apple router for stability over all else.
 
mentaluproar said:
I suggest you learn the tech, become a mechanic, and be ready for electric cars. There will be a void in that profession of people who truly understand the engineering.

As I see it, comp sci isn't the best degree anymore. The market is full of qualified people, and will have tons more soon. Job security is non-existent because it's so easy to find a replacement, and they will hire whoever takes the lowest pay anyway, because the market allows them to.

Hybrid, electric, and alternatively powered cars will still need engineers and mechanics, so why not look into that field?

Also, I'm thinking more about the apple router for stability over all else.
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Very true! I have yet to have my home AirPort crash on me.
 
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