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Airport Extreme or Linksys WRT600n?

Which router should I keep?

  • Apple Airport Extreme

  • Linksys WRT-600n

  • Sell both and get ...

Results are only viewable after voting.
C

coolVariable

Diamond Member
I got both and am considering selling one of the two routers - they seem to go for about the same price.
Spec wise, they are very close.

Some Pros/Cons for both:
- I don't like that you need to install an app in order to configure the Airport (con apple)
- The Airport does support IPv6 (pro apple)
- The Airport does not support DynDNS?? (con apple)
- The Linksys supports DD-WRT (pro Linksys)
- With DD-WRT, the Linksys does not support USB or it is a pain in the butt (con Linksys)
- the Linksys has external antennas (pro Linksys)
- the Linksys needs to be reset every 2+ weeks, otherwise wireless internet access on 802.11n crawls to a halt (con Linksys)
- the Linksys does not support WPA2 on 802.11n, which is a known bug for over 1 year (con Linksys)

So it's:
Apple: +1 / -3
Linksys: +2 / -3

With DD-WRT, the Linksys would be the much more powerful device (including VPN server) but, as far as my research tells me, the Apple should "just work". The stock firmware for the Linksys isn't bad but there are a couple of annoying bugs (have to reset every 2+ weeks and can't use WPA2 on 802.11n). I am also not a fan of having to fuz around with Linux in order to get the USB to work with DD-WRT (though I have yet to use it, I like having the ability to hook up a USB stick, HDD or printer).

Which one is the better device? Which one should I keep?
Why?
 
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I like the apple as far as a very SIMPLE wireless device. The linksys is much more configurable and has more features. Depends on what is more important to you
 
coolVariable said:
Wow - the networking forum on AT certainly is ... slow.
Click to expand...

Well, I'll give you my $.02. Personally, I don't think I would sell either of them. SOHO wireless routers crap out relatively frequently. Use one of them, and keep the other as a backup. You won't get much cash for a used router anyway.
 
I'd go with the wrt600n with DDWRT. I won't use linksys products without ddwrt. You could easily kill those weekly resets goodbye with that firmware and it's very easy to install as well.
 
seepy83 said:
Well, I'll give you my $.02. Personally, I don't think I would sell either of them. SOHO wireless routers crap out relatively frequently. Use one of them, and keep the other as a backup. You won't get much cash for a used router anyway.
Click to expand...

$120 for a used router is not bad.
I had my previous router for ~7(?) years.
 
kevnich2 said:
I'd go with the wrt600n with DDWRT. I won't use linksys products without ddwrt. You could easily kill those weekly resets goodbye with that firmware and it's very easy to install as well.
Click to expand...

DD-WRT seems to kill the USB functionality on this router ... as I could find only posts about how it doesn't work or how it could theoretically be made to work.
And the DD-WRt instructions for this router are all over the map (the DD-WRT forums seem pretty shitty and their wiki seems to be abandoned/incorrect).

@ChAoTiCpInOy:
Thank you for pointing that out. I guess that would be another strike against the Airport Extreme.
 
ChAoTiCpInOy said:
You can't Port Forward with the Apple Extreme.
Click to expand...

That's actually incorrect, I've been port forwarding on my AirPorts since 2003, Extreme, Express and Time Capsule.

OP: I don't know which version of the AirPort Extreme you have, but if it's one of the most recent (or one generation back), it has a lot of features that I really like. Some of the biggest are support for both 2.4 and 5.8GHz at the same time (so 802.11g/b devices don't slow down your N network), and a Guest Network (to leave without a password or an easy one for friends only, people can use your internet but can't access your computers).

The other thing about the newest AirPort Extreme is that it uses the newer 3x3 antenna configuration, increasing wireless bandwidth.

Don't know much about the WRT600n, unfortunately, you can obviously see where my vote lies 🙂
 
Sell and get a WNDR3700, fantastic router that does pretty much anything, i call it the wonder3700. Its got a pack of features that were initially useless to me but over time theyve become useful. Also it got an excellent smallnetbuilder review.
 
Well I tried to port forward to my Xbox 360 but it would never work, so if you could tell me how to do that...that would be helpful.
 
Maximilian said:
Sell and get a WNDR3700, fantastic router that does pretty much anything, i call it the wonder3700. Its got a pack of features that were initially useless to me but over time theyve become useful. Also it got an excellent smallnetbuilder review.
Click to expand...

That router doesn't do anything that my two routers already do.
Both of these routers support simultaneous dual band n/g wifi.
Both can connect printers or USB storage devices.
Both have GigE.
...

The WRT600n could also act as a VPN server with DD-WRT.
The WRT600n has the better stock firmware (options wise).
The Apple support ipv6.
The Apple might be a little more stable.
The Apple does not support DynDNS (big problem IMO!!)
 
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The WDR3700 delivers WAY better performance and better 2.4GHz range than the Apple. Furthermore, the Apple has extremely limited features (no web-based configuration, no application triggered port-forwarding, no QoS). As for the Linksys, no WPA2 support totally sucks (kills N performance AFAIK). Therefore, selling both is not the worst idea I've ever heard.
 
i love the wrt600N -last kick ass linksys in a long time.

picked up for for $99 each (refurb) and keep one as a spare.
 
I have been using an airport express (not extreme) as my router for the past 6 years. The thing is solid. The app was slightly annoying, but I never had issues with it. I cant count the times I have forgotten what the IP address is, so it was nice just opening the program. There are some annoyances, but I wouldnt say they are show stoppers.

Parents and sister have been using the Linksys routers. Either brand is great, but I would choose to keep the apple.
 
Decided to get rid of the Apple.
I hadn't really tried it out, so I gave it a whirl yesterday.
That app is just crappy. While the hardware might be nice on the Airport Extreme, it acts and feels like a router from 10 years ago. No thanks.
(Don't buy Apple!!)
 
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