Looking to buy a wireless router. Need opinion on couple options.

[Azfar]

As the title says, I'm looking to buy a wireless router for a 2 bedroom apartment. I'm a graduate student and will be sharing the apartment with another student. While university has given us internet access with modems in each apartment, we need to buy our own routers for wifi. I have shortlisted these choices.

1. Linksys E1200 refurbished

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Linksys-...ireless+router

Pros: Cisco/Linksys router at a good price, Guest network option
Cons: Refurbished (Needs some tweaks before it starts working on full speed, but reviews are good on amazon), NO Indicator lights (This is my biggest gripe for this one)

2. Edimax BR-6428NS

Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-135-_-Product

Pros: Good options for the price (3-in-1), guest network option (Probably the only one in this price range)
Cons: Haven't heard of Edimax before

As you can see, my budget is $25. $30 will be a stretch. I'm just looking to get your opinion primarily on the Linksys 1200 on whether it would be worthy buy or not or should I go for a new router from a rather smaller/unknown company.

Thanks.

 

[JackMDS]

Both would properly work OK in a Two bedroom apt.

In most cases Being a Cisco/Linksys is Not a Pro. Out of their huge amount of Models very few are Good Routers.

On paper the Edimax you linked to looks better.

While Edimax is smaller and less known than Cisco most of their Wireless devices are average and above.

P.S. Linksys in no more Cisco, it is Belkin now.

 

[Azfar]

Awesome. Thanks for the info. I didn't know linksys are now Belkin. I haven't had a good experience with a Belkin router my last semester and had made a mental note to avoid them at all cost. I guess I will pass on the E1200 then.

 

[sonitravel09]

Agree. Both of them are great. I am using Edimax BR-6428NS. Works well.

 

[John Connor]

Read here before you use that router! http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2445034

 

[Ichinisan]

I know this is an old thread, but...

1. Linksys E1200 refurbished

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Linksys-...ireless+router

Pros: Cisco/Linksys router at a good price, Guest network option
Cons: Refurbished (Needs some tweaks before it starts working on full speed, but reviews are good on amazon), NO Indicator lights (This is my biggest gripe for this one)

The indicator lights are on the network sockets, where they belong. Thank goodness some manufacturers finally realize we don't need hundreds of blinking lights in our faces all day long for something we only look at occasionally.

The biggest gripe for me would be lack of 5.0 GHz / dual-band...but that may be expecting too much for $20-$30 budget.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

If you have T-Mobile you can get an Asus AC router essentially for free its optimized for calls but works for everything else too. Cnet gave it 4.5 stars.

 

[smitbret]

If you have T-Mobile you can get an Asus AC router essentially for free its optimized for calls but works for everything else too. Cnet gave it 4.5 stars.

I second this, if possible. I actually flashed/hacked my CellSpot into an Asus RT-AC68U and am running AsusWRT Merlin on it. Free $150 router. Even without the hack it's pretty decent.

I recently put a couple of these out for family members and I have been very, very impressed with both installs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...667&cm_re=netgear_2020-_-33-122-667-_-Product

 

[Ichinisan]

I second this, if possible. I actually flashed/hacked my CellSpot into an Asus RT-AC68U and am running AsusWRT Merlin on it. Free $150 router. Even without the hack it's pretty decent.

I recently put a couple of these out for family members and I have been very, very impressed with both installs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...667&cm_re=netgear_2020-_-33-122-667-_-Product

Just make sure they all know it's T-Mobile property and needs to be returned to T-Mobile when they're done with it.

[edit]
Didn't click the link. My mistake...

 

[smitbret]

Just make sure they all know it's T-Mobile property and needs to be returned to T-Mobile when they're done with it.

Maybe I should have been more clear. It's not the Cell Spot that I have been installing, rather the $25 NetGear that I linked.