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Which Wireless Router Do You Use: Airport, D-Link, Netgear, Linksys?

I have a D-Link model DI-514 router, but I don't use the wireless capabilities, the other 2 PCs in my house do. I'm connected with a hardline to the router.
 
I was happy with my Linksys until I tried to upgrade the firmware. It's not possible on a Mac. I'll have to wait until I get to a Windows computer to perform this basic function.

My advice: Wait until after the WWDC.

Why? Because I'd be darn surprised if Apple didn't drop the price of their regular Base Stations to $150/$200 (with Express at $130).

It's still more expensive than the alternatives, but you get wireless printer sharing, WPA, WDS, and a slick admin utility. I think it's worth the extra dough if they drop the price a little.
 
I've been using a Linksys WRT54G since I got it for Christmas. Works well, but it seems to reboot itself once every two weeks or so. That's much better than my (former) roommate's 802.11b linksys router. It seemed to die multiple times per day.

mrbrown: try to keep politically sensitive posts in the appropriate forum. ;)
 
tfaz1 said:
I was happy with my Linksys until I tried to upgrade the firmware. It's not possible on a Mac. I'll have to wait until I get to a Windows computer to perform this basic function.
Click to expand...

you can update your Linksys' firmware with your Mac. I've done it with my Macs. just go to www.linksys.com then click the "support" tab. on the next page, click "technical support." then, click "product pages." select "driver firmware" from the pulldown menu. click "search." select your Linksys product from the list, and under operating system, select "other." on the next page, select the firmware and download it.

then, get into your web-based administration utility. http://192.168.1.1 and click the "administration" tab. you'll see a tab under it that says "firmware upgrade." here, select the file you just downloaded (the firmware updater), after you click "browse." then click "upgrade."

I hope you're happy with your Linksys again! :)
 
I dont like the Airport's for Routers as they dont allow you to do NAT without the DHCP server being on, which is very restrictive and you couldn't until recently administer them with a Windows/Linux PC, but the backup modem feature is excellent, I put my BTOpenworld details in and when the internet went down it dialled up.

I have also used a Linksys BFSR11 which is a VERY bad router, had about 6 of them and they are the most unreliable router i have come across, config pages wont load up, controllers wont detect network speed, router hangs randomly you name it, plus they load it with some AOL rubbish that i wouldn't touch with a barge pole.

I have also used a Netgear with 108mbps Wireless / 4 Port Switch which has been solid as a rock, up for about 3 months with no downtime at all allows incoming VPN Services, very happy but I wanted something with more flexibility so have built a FreeBSD box using IPFW rules to do routing.
 
Currently using the D-Link DWL-2000AP access point with 54g, and having no problems whatsoever.

What I have had problems with is the DWL-G650 54g PCMCIA cards, the D-Link drivers are rubbish. Luckily Atheros, the chipset maker releases its own drivers which work superbly, probably better than my Apple Airport Extreme!

Presumably you'll be using Apple Extreme built-in to your laptops, so you won't have this problem :)
 
Rod Rod said:
then, get into your web-based administration utility. http://192.168.1.1 and click the "administration" tab. you'll see a tab under it that says "firmware upgrade." here, select the file you just downloaded (the firmware updater), after you click "browse." then click "upgrade."

I hope you're happy with your Linksys again! :)
Click to expand...

I did this, but I always get the message: "incorrect image file." If you Google the issue, you'll see that most OS X users have this problem.

Thanks for trying to help though!
 
tfaz1 said:
I did this, but I always get the message: "incorrect image file." If you Google the issue, you'll see that most OS X users have this problem.

Thanks for trying to help though!
Click to expand...

you're welcome. maybe out of the three files that come up, you need to select another one.

it works for me, and I'm using OS X.

when you upgrade the firmware you should have a wired connection to the router.
 
Every experience I've had with D-Link is that they're absolute crap. There's a reason they cost a third less than other company's products. The access points I used two years ago had poor signals and did not hand off roaming signals from one to another properly as described in the manual, and had a horrible Windows-only configuration program. The wireless router we used at home had all sorts of problems, including bugs with Linksys (i.e. AirPort) cards that required downgrading the firmware for over a year until it was fixed and a DHCP server that would periodically go berserk and take down the wired section of the network as well. It worked marginally better after I installed a third-party's firmware eventually. Linksys, on the other hand, is good stuff.
 
I use an Airport Extreme Base Station, mostly because of it's integration with the Macintosh Operating System. However, all I need is the Airport Express because I don't have 10+ users, just 2. Oh well... :rolleyes:
 
I've had a D-Link DI-614+ for over a year, and I like it just fine. No problems. Works great with my G5 and my Win2K Dell laptop. Easy to administer. I always get a good signal (medium-sized apartment).
 
I have both Netgear and Linksys at two different locations and they are working pretty good. I have instant detection of Netgear router everytime and I can use my powerbook in my bedroom three floors down from where it is located. As for the Linksys router, I do have to shut it off and turn it back on for my powerbook to detect it on the first time and it works fine so far.
 
I use the Linksys-G as well, its great, depending on what PCI card or notebook card you have, i have tried a variety of cards and have gotten different results with all of them
 
i have an AEBS w/ modem and it was defective. i got it replaced with anoter new unit and that was defective. im now getting any BUT apple!

it seems like the other brands have no problem linking up with macs, right?
 
D-Link 614+

I've been using a D-Link 614+ for a couple of years now and it's great! I can get half way down the street before I loose the signal and I certainly have no probs over the four storeys of my solid stone house. The router is in the attic and I can surf at full speed in the cellar... Firewall is a pain to set up though but I suspect they all are .
 
Rod Rod said:
you're welcome. maybe out of the three files that come up, you need to select another one.

it works for me, and I'm using OS X.

when you upgrade the firmware you should have a wired connection to the router.
Click to expand...

I went back to their website and found that since I last tried to upgrade, they've released a different version of the firmware. I downloaded it and had no problem loading it on my router.

Very happy with the improvements they've made and am happy to say that all is well in the land of Linksys!
 
tfaz1 said:
I went back to their website and found that since I last tried to upgrade, they've released a different version of the firmware. I downloaded it and had no problem loading it on my router.

Very happy with the improvements they've made and am happy to say that all is well in the land of Linksys!
Click to expand...

great, I'm glad to hear it works now and thanks for the update!
 
Asanté. Not a name brand but it works and it was cheep. Its not all that great though, the security is not that good. and the builtin webpage statistic thing does not update. Other than that it gets the job done for a ibook, some pc, and my pb.
 
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