Question Linksys vs Netgear

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,230
9,990
126
Just buy one at Walmart. They're ALL horrible. (And I do mean, ALL consumer-oriented router brands. The market economics of the router market basically demand it. The only way that you'll even approach decent stability and security, is with third-party firmware, if your router will take it.)
 
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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,734
18,005
146
Just buy one at Walmart. They're ALL horrible. (And I do mean, ALL consumer-oriented router brands. The market economics of the router market basically demand it. The only way that you'll even approach decent stability and security, is with third-party firmware, if your router will take it.)

I dunno if I'd go 100% all or nothing on SOHO devices. I agree that they're sub-par for people looking for performance or a currently refreshed security build, but they're still the most used device out there.

My personal preference tended to be d-link (no idea how they're faring these days) or Linksys. Linksys got my money for a long time due to DDWRT and Tomato support.

Now there's other players in the game that bring flexibility and reliability into the game at a level that players link Linksys or Netgear didn't have to compete with in the past.
 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,095
513
126
Another option is build your own with Sophos XG or UTM 9. You may find XG\UTM 9 is easier to understand. I recently moved from UTM 9 to XG. XG is actually a decent product now. And v18 of the firmware is coming 1st qtr that is supposed to be quite a leap.
 

JackMDS

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 25, 1999
29,466
384
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With all due respect this type of question is sort of Nonsensical.

It is like asking I want to go somewhere in the World, where should I go ? Well there can be hundreds of answers for such general question, and all can be Right or Wrong.

This is 2019 not 1988, there is No Good or bad according to brand, most of them has Bad stuff and few Good Gizmos. The choice of what to choose depends on the specifc needs of the individual users.

During the passing years I have bad expeiences with all the brands of Wireless Routers, the Auto answer of use 3rd party firmware is little help because many of them sucks with it too.

So... if one want a usefull answer one should start with a description of his Technical needs plus a good description of the environment in case of Wireless use too.

BTW, When a friend ask for help, in most cases of "humble" needs, I.e., just general surfing, small compact LAN, and few Wireless devices in short proximity I choose an adequate TP-Link device.

Why? It does the Job, and can be done in almost half of the price.


:cool:
 

Burner27

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
4,444
48
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Last edited:

killster1

Banned
Mar 15, 2007
6,208
475
126
Which company for router brands is better?
the company that is best is the one that updates firmwares the most often. Some routers never have a update even after exploits are found some update pretty quickly. I have no facts about which company updates the fastest or at all, but i choose asus usually for a all in one ez solution. i open the router up and put a better heatsink and or a small fan and never have issues. ( i usually have the routers in hot environments)

did a little tiny bit research and yes it seems asus has more updates to the firmware section. Maybe that is because their routers suck and need the updates? or maybe TP link takes longer to save money, Dunno. funny when i check netgears routers its difficult to see when the firmware is released but they have good updates usually. (not to thrilled with my mr1100 nighthawk hotspot but it is the fastest LTE mimo hotspot i could find for anywhere near the price)
 
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mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
8,031
1,440
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I have found Linksys to have a "little" better hardware build than Netgear, but it's not a lot of difference.

The best bet I've found for consumer grade gear is as follows, warranty be damned:

1) Start out with something that can run 3rd part firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato.

2) Replace the VRM subcircuit electrolytic capacitors with top shelf parts, including the one on the output side in the AC/DC adapter, which takes some finesse to open as they are typically sealed units. A vice or big C-clamp on the corners on one side till a seam pops, and a thin prying tool slid along the seam helps a lot. Use your favorite adhesive to close it back up later.

3) Add ventilation holes to both the router and AC/DC adapter. If the network processor still runs hot, throw a heatsink on it. If you live in the 3rd world without A/C and blistering temperatures, point a fan at it or mount one on it. Do not stack it above something else that products heat, nor shove it in a corner where air is most stagnant.

4) Use surge protectors, including on any modem, switches or clients linked to it.
 

mikeymikec

Lifer
May 19, 2011
17,581
9,272
136
Netgear deserves a slap for their virtually non-existent customer service. I've been rowing with them for several months because they still haven't satisfactory fulfilled a warranty obligation, and they do wonderful things like say that you're only entitled to tech support for something like 60 days, even if for example I once wanted to report a firmware issue with their product. They also like to close support tickets without the issue being resolved.