Another Wi-Fi Router Recommendation needed

err

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 1999
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Hi all,

Sorry if I am asking the question that 30% of this board also asks. However I spent quite sometime reading the posts, going to linksys / netgear websites and still don't quite found my answer yet.

Basically, I currently have Netgear WGT624 and it is dropping packets like nuts now eversince the big power outage here in the northwest. I am shopping for another wi-fi router but have not been in the wifi router market for 2 years now and (ahem) a little outdated.

Based from the chatter from various posts, I've read that the new wi-fi routers have new capabilities now. I am looking for one that will do:

1. 802.11g with very good coverage for 3500 sq feet home.
2. Can do multiple Vlans on the ports (if available)
3. Broadcast multiple SSID with different encryption (WEP & WPA). I still have a stupid tivo that will only do WEP :(
4. Better firewall port filtering with ip access list (if available)
5. Of course other basic functionality such as VPN LLTP, PPTP & IPsec, mac filtering etc.

Right now the closest one I've seen is Linksys WRV200. Is this any good?

Thanks !
 

kevnich2

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2004
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Your requirements are much higher than typical SOHO type devices. Your looking for an enterprise class device and you won't find anything like that that has a router/firewall/AP all in one. By the way, what is your budget for this?
 

nweaver

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2001
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yes, you arn't going to find much like this in SOHO gear. It's very easy to do with a Cisco 1200 series AP and 2900 Cat switch (both can be had on Ebay pretty cheap nowdays, watch to get the "G" version of the AP, many will be "B" only, and are not upgradable)

Of course, you would still need a router to route the traffic.
 

n0cmonkey

Elite Member
Jun 10, 2001
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To support my legacy B/WEP only devices I setup a second router behind a tightly configured firewall.
 

InlineFive

Diamond Member
Sep 20, 2003
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Originally posted by: radioouman
Can't he get most of this with DD-WRT?

It has some VLAN functionality but multiple SSIDs with different encryptions with that kind of coverage is way out of it's league.
 

kevnich2

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2004
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DDWRT has some of the features but yes, multiple SSID's, multiple encryptions is not supported, neither is that kind of coverage. Your probably looking for multiple AP's for that kind of coverage and definately some high end gear. I'd say your looking for a cisco switch, separate firewall and multiple cisco/proxim AP's.

As far as pricing, expect a few grand for a setup like this.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
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A cisco or proxim access point can easily provide that coverage and offers all the features you could think of. Around 800 bucks new, or go the used route. Plus you get A and G radios to boot.

That linksys model looks very nice. If the radios are decent you'd only need a single one. My home is around 3500 sq feet and I never drop from 54 Mbs until I actually go over the neighbors house. Then it drops to 24 Mbs. That's with a single cisco 1242.
 

KuJoe

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Sep 23, 2006
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www.jweb2.com
Wouldn't it be pointless to have 1 router offer both WEP and WPA? If somebody wanted to hack onto the network wouldn't they just go after the lesser security anyways which would still give them the same access had they hacked the WPA security?
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
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Originally posted by: KuJoe
Wouldn't it be pointless to have 1 router offer both WEP and WPA? If somebody wanted to hack onto the network wouldn't they just go after the lesser security anyways which would still give them the same access had they hacked the WPA security?

not true. you just use ACLs to restrict what the WEP devices can talk to. You could even say it can't talk to any of the WPA devices.
 

jlazzaro

Golden Member
May 6, 2004
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you wouldnt match the ACL itself based on security, like a permit eq wpa. ACLs dont care what type of encryption you are running...

you design the ACL to permit and deny based upon the security you are trying accomplish.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
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as a side note most of the large enterprise wireless I setup have 4 separate SSIDs or more.

1) WPA2
2) WEP...lots of times large companies have devices that don't support anything else
3) Voice
4) wide open guest access
 

jlazzaro

Golden Member
May 6, 2004
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Originally posted by: spidey07
2) WEP...lots of times large companies have devices that don't support anything else

then too bad for that device! i guess thats one of the perks of private industry...
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
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Originally posted by: jlazzaro
Originally posted by: spidey07
2) WEP...lots of times large companies have devices that don't support anything else

then too bad for that device! i guess thats one of the perks of private industry...

You tell a manufacturing company it will have to replace 1000s of devices at a price of 5K a piece. Also these companies absolutely rely on wireless (it's huge in manufacturing) and they've been running it well before WPA was around.
 

err

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 1999
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Well Thanks for all the replies

I guess there aren't just a soho product that can do all the stuffs I want yet :)

I guess I am not willing to spend the big dough just for my house's wifi connection.. and I am now just thinking of doing wifi routers with another AP in order to do what I'd like to do.

On the Firewall side ... Since I am really only running a single windows TS box out of my house, I'd rely on the windows firewall for now..

Thanks again.
 

InlineFive

Diamond Member
Sep 20, 2003
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Originally posted by: err
Well Thanks for all the replies

I guess there aren't just a soho product that can do all the stuffs I want yet :)

I guess I am not willing to spend the big dough just for my house's wifi connection.. and I am now just thinking of doing wifi routers with another AP in order to do what I'd like to do.

On the Firewall side ... Since I am really only running a single windows TS box out of my house, I'd rely on the windows firewall for now..

Thanks again.

For a perimeter firewall you should really have two-way traffic monitoring so that you can block ports you don't need.