Had enough of disconnects. Desire RELIABILITY

[sam999]

Hello, I'm looking for help selecting a new broadband router.

I honestly do not care about speed, fancy features, hackability, or any of that.

All I care about is reliability.

I am currently using a BEFW11S4 version 4 with the most recent firmware, 1.50.14.

It works ok in all respects except for one area: With my two wireless computers, each of which uses a different brand of wireless card, I lose the wireless connection intermittantly.

This is so unbelivably annoying!

PLEASE I have read hundreds of web sites and reviews looking for a simple piece of advice, but most reviews seem to be concerned with slight speed advatages and features.

All I want is a router that will not disconnect my wireless connection!

My problem is that there are not very many companies making wireless routers, and right now the WRT54G by linksys is generally the highest rated. However, I am extremely reluctant to buy another linksys because my BEFW11 has been a huge headache.

I don't want to read any more reviews, I don't want to know about features or speed advantages or any of that. I just want to be able to stay connected wirelessly without unexplainable disconnects which are giving me incredible stress.

Please help! Fill in the blank: The most reliable wireless router is the ______.

PLEASE!

Thank you in advance,
sam

 

[sam999]

As an addendum, I don't mind buying linksys WRT54G, but can someone reassure me that there is some fundamental hardware difference in quality and explain why I can expect a different experiance? I would like to note that yes I am sure my BEFW11S4 is the weak link in my connection, because both of my wireless computers are able to maintain connection for hours connected to other wireless APs. But just like clockwork, at home on the BEFW11 I get disconnected without warning once every 10 min to 1 hour. I will go to load a page or download, and it will just hang, eventually giving me an error message. On messenger programs like AIM, I will suddenly be unable to send a message and after a min it will tell me that the connection to the AIM service has been lost. Some times I can regain connection by switching off/on the wireless connection on the laptop, other times I have to unplug the router manually and plug it back in to get it to work again.

I have sat in bumper to bumper traffic in rush hour for hours. Compared to unexplainable wireless disconnects, sitting in traffic is like a serene tropical vacation! Please save my life because my blood pressure is being affected by the linksys corporation!

 

[sam999]

Second note: I looked at the EZLAN.net site which reccomends a D-Link router on Buy.com as the top choice. However, scrolling down on the Buy.com site, there are a number of consumer reviews that sound disappointingly similar to my problems. Disconnects everywhere it seems.

The second choice for someone who doesn't mind spending more money is a Buffalo brand router. I have heard good things about them, but going to their site there are four or five different routers that all sound pretty similar. Which one should I get? Again I don't care about features, just an 802.11g connection that is reliable.

Thanks again,
sam

 

[c3p0]

Well, I'm not sure that what I have to say will be of any use to you, but here's my story. I have been using a Linksys WRT54G for over 2 years with zero problems. Prior to that I had several 802.11b routers from various manufacturers, all of which had some connection issues. When I moved from the 802.11b to 802.11g my wireless reliability improved 100%. I don't have a clue why, but it did. I don't thing anyone here can guarantee your wireless connection will improve, but mine sure did. With the cost of wireless routers being so cheap, I can't imagine why you wouldn't go purchase one of the newer model routers and see if it doesn't make a difference. Good luck solving your problem.

c3p0
:beer:

 

[randalee]

What else is in your area? (Wireless devices, that is...) I'm talking about Microwave oven, Wireless Access Points, 2.4GHz cordless phones.

If you have other access points nearby (put "Netstumbler" on a PC in your house with a wireless card to find out what's out there). See what channels they are broadcasting on. Channels 1, 6, and 11 have no overlap on each other (far enough apart on the radio spectrum). Those are the best channels to pick from.

Do you have problems when you fire up the microwave? Sometimes nothing can be done there, except try moving things around. Cordless phone usage make things drop? Yup, that can certainly happen. 2.4GHz phones don't adhere to 802.11 standards, so they can broadcast wherever the hell they want in the range, killing everything else in its path (as long as they don't use more power than the FCC allows).

Only recommendation there is to switch to 900MHz or 5.8GHz phone.

 

[Polishwonder74]

I am having a similar problem. I'm running a WRT54G, and my roommates keep losing their connections, too. One was a Mac, so I just figured that it was because Macs are really unsavory, but then it started to happen to my other roomie who is using a PC running XP Home. They are losing their connection, and they have to reset the router by unpluging & plugging it back in. This is starting to piss everyone off including me 'cause every once in a while they do it while I'm playing BF2, and it's always right when I get my hands on a tank and I'm about to light up some poor hapless dude in a humvee. (I'm using a wired port, by the way).

There is 1 refrigerator and microwave in the house, and no cordless phones. We do have cell phones, though. It never happens when the microwave is actually on. Why do you suppose we have to keep resetting this router?

 

[JackMDS]

The 802.11b had much more problems than the current 802.11g

Main reason is the Novelty of the technology and initial high manufacturing cost.

At the time, the best of the bunch were the SMC Wired line, and the SpeedStream Wireless (SpeedStream did not make it into the 802.11g).

Actual Brand name does Not mean too much, while the Wired Barricades are still the best Entry Level Cable/DSL Routers the Wireless line of SMC does not ?Shine.?

Linksys line of 802.11b was a lame duck as well (expect for the WAP11 and the WET11).

There only few OEM that makes Radios and chipset for Wireless.

As an example, Belkin, Linksys, and Buffalo, 802.11g have the same Core inside.

However, since some manufacturer tend to change the core in the mid life of the product, and though the Model name and the plastic box are the same the actual device might not be the same.

On the consumers part the dominant aspect is ignorance. Enthusiasts understand well OverClocking, and Video frames squeezing, they do not know anything about Wireless Electronic. Example, few days ago, a guy asked if it is important that the Wireless Antenna would be vertical or horizontal. Why? Because the back of his router is full of cables and he cannot put the antennae in a vertical position. So the Antennae are fully obstructed by Cables. In such a case does Vertical or horizontal even matters?

Contrary to the marketing claims (300 feet indoor more then 1000feet outdoor), these devices meant to work within very close proximity and use the ?Cell? approach. I.e. if you have a Big house/Office, you need to survey, and buy a few units and lay connection cables or WDS it in order to cover the ?territory.?

Unfortunately consumers relates to it like little children

I want only one unit it has to cost no more then a six-pack and cover efficiently my ?Mansion.? (At the same time, they would $200 for a miserable PSU cause it has few Leeds blinking through the Fan).

Look at the posts and you would find the typical: My Wireless Router is in the basement and I do not get a signal on the 3rd floor. :|:Q:brokenheart::thumbsdown: Well technology has No emotions it does not work this way.

In any case, the page on EZLAN states that the D-Link is inexpensive and it is in most cases works well so it provides the best bang for the buck.

However, the ??Best?? is the Buffalo (which typically would cost 2 x 3 times more then a D-Link bundle).

The Linksys WRT line is a guarded recommendation, as is it is not better than the Buffalo. The Buffalo is more stable and provides more comprehensive control, and most of all it is WDS out of the box.

However there is a cottage industry of 3rd party firmware around the WRT

One of the free Firmware is the HyperWRT. It works well and maintains the original interface, but it provides limited enhancement.

I get the WRT54 in cases that I need one of the HyperWRT enhancement.

There is other 3rd party Firmware that might provide more. I personally do not recommend it because I do not like ?Cult? like approach to computing. You have to spend more time ?Futzing? around the thing rather then enjoying the Wireless (of course if ones like ?Futzing? around it is a good choice).

:sun: