budget router/firewall

[sathyan]

I use a cable modem for internet service (time warner isp; motorola cable modem). Currently using zone alarm as a software firewall, but I'd like to add another level of security including NAT. ZoneAlarm blocks about 60 hack attempts a day but with miscreants like the RIAA getting into the game I'd like another level of security .

Must work with both XP and Linux. I don't need wireless capability .

I see D-link, Linksys, Gigabyte & Netgear all have router products around $50. Will these do the job? Which of these would you choose?

thanks,
Sathyan

 

[murphy55d]

Currently using a D-Link Di-704P...I haven't had any problems with it. That's the only one I have any experience with.

 

[nick1985]

i like lynksys

 

[chin311]

i have a linksys as well, 4 port router...works fine....run that and zonealarm, havent had any problems yet

they are really cheap these days, with wireless getting even cheaper you can prolly find them for under 50$

 

[thorin]

First, NAT != Firewall
Second, router != Firewall

Third, this Linksys Router ACTUALLY has a builtin Firewall that does Stateful Packet Inspection and has received alot of good reviews.

Thorin

 

[Dulanic]

Here is my horrid router buying experience.

Linksys was awsome, except any of the recent firmwares caused me major lag spikes in a MMORPG, Dark Age of Camelot. Sooo it went back.
D-Link... impossible to get working with IRC DCC stuff... tried everything possible, it just wouldn't work.
Netgear... worked with most DCC, but would not work with Port 59 DCC Server... even after fowarding the port and other things etc...
Then FINALLY... SMC Barricade.... the godsend of routers for me, it works PERFECT. The only thing I do not like is you can not set port ranges for port fowarding so you have to type in all of the ports in a range if you need to put in a range.

 

[Macro2]

As far as home routers I've had good luck with Seimens Speedstream.
I've had a 2 port and a 4 (2604) port. Seems like the 2 (2602) port was a bit more configurable.

Cisco recently bought Linksys...maybe some will rub off...but that will be later.

 

[t4t3r]

Seems like the new Netgear one is pretty good. I've only heard good things about it, except for the comment above. The SMC Barricade also seems like a great router, so I would go with either of those.

I've had the D-Link mentioned in the first reply for almost 2 years I think, and it has always worked like a charm.

 

[WobbleWobble]

I had an SMC Barricade ABR7004 and it was great when I first got it, I loved the built in print server function. But it started acting up 1.5 years later and it would sometimes just fail to the point where you can't even ping the router itself (well, a few of the pings do go through). It works now, but I find things like DMZ don't work properly anymore.

I since replaced it with a D-Link 704P. So far so good, I haven't had any problems with it. DMZ does seem to be working properly.

I'm not sure if this was an issue with my specific Barricade or not, but I could not send/recieve files through IM programs to another person also using a Barricade. My D-link works though.

 

[DurocShark]

Whatever happened to the cheap linux router project I saw once? Small and quick enough to run off an old 486

 

[WobbleWobble]

Originally posted by: DurocShark
Whatever happened to the cheap linux router project I saw once? Small and quick enough to run off an old 486

I prefer these "home" routers because they are really easy to use. It's usually just plugging it in and it works. But the main reason I like "home" routers is because they're really small and don't have any noise from components like fans.

And the routers are dirt cheap now. I'm going to assume sathyan is talking about $50 in US dollars, but I bought my D-Link 704P for $50 Canadian dollars (after rebate). I've seen SMC and Netgear routers for going as cheap as $30 Canadian.

Personally, I'd rather spend that $30 Canadian and not have to fuss around with a Linux box

 

[vash]

My preferance for routers is Netgear. Most of them come with a serial port interface and I like toying with settings frequenty, so the serial interface, for backup is my main reasoning behind it. I have used a D-Link system before and hated it (had many problems), but many others swear by it, so your YMMV.

There is a Netgear router, with an 8 port 10/100Mbs switch for $119 (at local Best Buy). It has a stateful packet inspection, secured VPN per switch port, etc. For most home use, its quite good for the money. Honestly though, for most home users, unless your upstream is great, people hacking your machine are only port scanners. If you had good upstream and a static IP, then you would certainly be targetted for more attacks.

Having a near dynamic IP and 128k/384kup doesn't make you such a huge target.

vash

 

[Acanthus]

linksys routers have problems with online games. Youll get intermittent lag spikes in MMORPGS, and online shooters. For no reason whatsoever you just lose your connection for 2-5 seconds. Then its back to normal for about 15 minutes. This problem is on ALL linksys routers, including wireless. Its a problem with the newer firmwares (by newer i mean like the last 15 they released)

 

[bigpow]

I use RP614 (Free AR) with SBC DSL PPPOE. Works fine with games/apps.

 

[Macro2]

Aren't the Seimens routers made by the same company as SMC?

 

[thorin]

Originally posted by: Acanthus
linksys routers have problems with online games. Youll get intermittent lag spikes in MMORPGS, and online shooters. For no reason whatsoever you just lose your connection for 2-5 seconds. Then its back to normal for about 15 minutes. This problem is on ALL linksys routers, including wireless. Its a problem with the newer firmwares (by newer i mean like the last 15 they released)

That's interesting I know of at least a dozen people with different models of Linksys routers (incl. BEFSR41, BEFSR11, BEFSX41, etc....) that have never experienced any problems gaming online. Care to provide any linkage to backup your person experiences?

Thorin

 

[Dulanic]

Originally posted by: thorin

Originally posted by: Acanthus
linksys routers have problems with online games. Youll get intermittent lag spikes in MMORPGS, and online shooters. For no reason whatsoever you just lose your connection for 2-5 seconds. Then its back to normal for about 15 minutes. This problem is on ALL linksys routers, including wireless. Its a problem with the newer firmwares (by newer i mean like the last 15 they released)

That's interesting I know of at least a dozen people with different models of Linksys routers (incl. BEFSR41, BEFSR11, BEFSX41, etc....) that have never experienced any problems gaming online. Care to provide any linkage to backup your person experiences?

Thorin

He's correct. I had the same problem with mine. I would get big lag spikes all the time. I had the BEFSR41... any of the newer firmwares had this problem... I had to go back 5 firmware revisions. This was a common problem with people with Linksys routers and MMORPGs.

Here is just one report of problems...
http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=36504315&replies=79

Some of thoose people are dumb, like I lag when I'm downloading! hehe but there are ALOT of people with lag spikes, and going back to a old firmware fixed it... so its obviously a real issue.

 

[thorin]

I didn't mean to sound like I was doubting that it was an issue, I just hadn't heard of it and knew/know alot of ppl using linksys.

Thorin

 

[Tavoc]

I'm using a Linksys BEFSR41 with a DSL modem, and it works well with no problems for all online games including several MMORPGs. I do have a problem with losing my connection every 2 or so hours, then having it come back only minutes later. I've already made all the possible tweaks in the firmware, and I am also using the latest firmware. I'm not sure if this is the same problem that Dulanic is referring to, but I think it may have to do with my DSL provider (bellsouth).

 

[Kwad Guy]

I recommend you try to find a clearence priced 2wire router. Some Staples still have them for $50/100 (non-wireless/wireless), models 100 and 100W, respectively. Higher quality and more reliable than the low end homegrade stuff (Linksys, etc.) The only drawback of the wireless one (100W) is that it only does 64bit encryption, not 128bit. If that matters, get the non-wireless model and get a wireless access point to go with it.

Yeah, sure, you can get cheaper. But these are really well designed and built routers. I have a friend in internet security, part of whose job is to test all the widely available routers. He told me that the 2wire is far and away the best consumer grade router in terms of stability and ability to withstand hacker attacks. Take that for what it's worth...

Kwad

 

[sathyan]

Thank you for all the responses.

I'm leaning towards the SMC Barricade (SMC7004VBR, $60) which has NAT and SPI. Does anyone know if it has MAC cloning (seems like a good feature - I'd rather not have to inform my ISP)? Or maybe Linksys (BEFSX41, $75). I really can't go higher than that price.

By using web-based configuration, that makes all of these platform-independent? Are the configurators compatible with Mozilla (no IE requirements)?

Does SPI noticeably slow down a connection? I should mention that I don't do internet gaming, just email/web/nntp, big Linux ISO d/l, and internet radio.

When they say "supports 253 connections" and the device has only 4 ethernet jacks, does that means you can just daisy-chain hubs to it?

Sathyan

 

[OverVolt]

Originally posted by: nick1985
i like lynksys

 

[Dulanic]

Originally posted by: sathyan
Thank you for all the responses.

I'm leaning towards the SMC Barricade (SMC7004VBR, $60) which has NAT and SPI. Does anyone know if it has MAC cloning (seems like a good feature - I'd rather not have to inform my ISP)? Or maybe Linksys (BEFSX41, $75). I really can't go higher than that price.

By using web-based configuration, that makes all of these platform-independent? Are the configurators compatible with Mozilla (no IE requirements)?

Does SPI noticeably slow down a connection? I should mention that I don't do internet gaming, just email/web/nntp, big Linux ISO d/l, and internet radio.

When they say "supports 253 connections" and the device has only 4 ethernet jacks, does that means you can just daisy-chain hubs to it?

Sathyan

Ok... I'm running that model right now (Watch for rebates! CompUSA had $20 $30 and $40 rebates for this router over the last month). First off... it does have MAC Cloning for Dynamic IP... PPPoE and Static IP etc. dont need it. I am unsure if it supports Mozilla it supports IE4 and Netscape so it probably will work fine with Mozilla. SPI hasn't slowed down my connection as far as I can tell. And yes by chaning hubs/switches it would support more connections.