Linksys WRT-610n vs D-Link DGL-4500

[Atty]

Which would be the better buy? Really, they have the same feature set, D-Link has slightly better performance but had a random reset during extremely heavy load during the test (doubtfull I'd re-create those circumstances at my home) but the Linksys has been reported to dislike Mac's and have some 2.4GHz N issues.

So Anand newtwork guru's, choose for me!

 

[kevnich2]

The only issues I've seen with the WRT610n weren't on the 2.4ghz but with the 5ghz radio. 2.4ghz seemed to work fine but 5ghz radio tended to literally drop the wireless connection under any heavy file transfers. This was from a friend of mine's and ended up replacing it with just a 2.4ghz N router. Not sure about the issue with mac's though. I'd personally avoid any simultaneous dual band router's in the SOHO market, stick with either 2.4ghz or 5ghz but not simultaneous.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: iAtticus
Really, they have the same feature set

No they don't -- the DGL-4500 cannot do simultaneous dual band. The DIR-825 can though.

The WRT610N has had issues with unstable wireless, but this has reportedly been improved with subsequent firmware releases. It also has greater longer-term potential with DD-WRT support (still a work in progress and not recommended at present). DD-WRT support is cool for its very rich feature set, including things like wireless bridging, and also improved stability compared to the Linksys firmware.

 

[boomhower]

Originally posted by: kevnich2
The only issues I've seen with the WRT610n weren't on the 2.4ghz but with the 5ghz radio. 2.4ghz seemed to work fine but 5ghz radio tended to literally drop the wireless connection under any heavy file transfers. This was from a friend of mine's and ended up replacing it with just a 2.4ghz N router. Not sure about the issue with mac's though. I'd personally avoid any simultaneous dual band router's in the SOHO market, stick with either 2.4ghz or 5ghz but not simultaneous.

Mine does the exact same thing. 2.4 is stable as come be. 5Ghz is as flaky as can be, to the point of pretty much being useless. Linksys has a new dual band router out but I have no clue as to how it does, its priced a good bit lower than the 610 so I have my doubts.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: kevnich2
The only issues I've seen with the WRT610n weren't on the 2.4ghz but with the 5ghz radio. 2.4ghz seemed to work fine but 5ghz radio tended to literally drop the wireless connection under any heavy file transfers.

I've been using a WRT610N mostly on 5 GHz for a few months. I've done some very large file transfers, and gotten good sustained throughput (> 100 Mb/s) without any drops. 5 GHz is known to have greater distance / obstruction sensitivity, which I guess might be the problem in other cases.

 

[Atty]

So which would you all suggest? Or is there another router that would work?

 

[kevnich2]

Originally posted by: Madwand1

Originally posted by: kevnich2
The only issues I've seen with the WRT610n weren't on the 2.4ghz but with the 5ghz radio. 2.4ghz seemed to work fine but 5ghz radio tended to literally drop the wireless connection under any heavy file transfers.

I've been using a WRT610N mostly on 5 GHz for a few months. I've done some very large file transfers, and gotten good sustained throughput (> 100 Mb/s) without any drops. 5 GHz is known to have greater distance / obstruction sensitivity, which I guess might be the problem in other cases.

Well this definitely wasn't a distance issue as when I was testing it my laptop was about 5 foot from the router. It would work fine until a large file transfer was initiated on the LAN and it would literally drop the connection and take about 10-15 seconds to re-connect. 2.4ghz N wireless worked just fine though.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: boomhower
Mine does the exact same thing. 2.4 is stable as come be. 5Ghz is as flaky as can be, to the point of pretty much being useless. Linksys has a new dual band router out but I have no clue as to how it does, its priced a good bit lower than the 610 so I have my doubts.

Are you running the latest router firmware? Which client are you running? Have you updated the client drivers to the latest and tried toning down any fancy features? Also, are your problems distance or obstruction related?

 

[boomhower]

I have the latest firmware of when I got it about 2-3 months ago but haven't checked since, I need to do that when I get home. It is certanly not distannce or obstruction as the distance most of the time is around ten feet with no walls in between. My notebook has the latest drivers(Intel 5100 chip). What I have changed is static IP's for all clients and QoS(which doesn't work worth a damn either), and port forwarding. Nothing I would really consider fancy nor optional.

 

[boomhower]

I checked the dates and the last firmware was released in January so I have the newest one. If they ever get DD-WRT going it will be a God send. I am starting to regret getting rid of my WRT54GL that I had Tomatoe on.

 

[JackMDS]

If One have Extra money and time to burn then nothing is wrong with Draft_N however I would suggest to everyone to keep their 802.11g as a backup because the Draft is Not really ready to prime time.

It probably will never be prime time player, and would be succeeded by something else. The whole idea of the upgrade is based on trying to "Con technology" and thus would not really work well.

 

[kevnich2]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
If One have Extra money and time to burn then nothing is wrong with Draft_N however I would suggest to everyone to keep their 802.11g as a backup because the Draft is Not really ready to prime time.

It probably will never be prime time player, and would be succeeded by something else. The whole idea of the upgrade is based on trying to "Con technology" and thus would not really work well.

Some draft N products do work well...others don't. Sometimes it does take money to find the one that actually works well though. One that I know does work well is the Netgear WNHDE111 (5ghz only) I would, however avoid the simultanious dual band ones in the SOHO market.

 

[JackMDS]

Wireless started 10 years ago with 802.11b it was great to have something new available for every one, but it was infant technology.

Along came 802.11g which is much better but in principle but it is patched and features corrected 802.11b.

Now staggering around is the Draft_N which is a Repatching of the Patched 802.11g with two more Antennae (and sticking two Radios of different frequency into one plastic box is Not new technology either).

When a statement like this is made about technology (and it is a good observation).

Originally posted by: kevnich2

Some draft N products do work well.. others don't. Sometimes it does take money to find the one that actually works well though. One that I know does work well is the Netgear WNHDE111 (5ghz only) I would, however avoid the simultanious dual band ones in the SOHO market.

Then it is Not technology that can be recommended for a consumer market but rather an Ad-Hoc solution for specific situation.

In other words, the functional solution is to keep a good 802.11g for Wireless network for general use, and if you need higher band Wireless (for tasks like HD streaming) for relatively short distance install enhanced 5GHz system in parallel to the 802.11g.