Which Router To Get?

[us3rnotfound]

I currently have the Linksys BEFSR41 router, and it's been dropping my connection a lot, so I threw it away basically.

I want a very nice router that will not ever drop my connection and is very reliable, and is $150 or under.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[us3rnotfound]

BUMP

Would the Netgear FVS318 be a great choice for a very reliable and stable router?

 

[cmetz]

shminu, consider the Linksys WRT54G with hacked firmware. They started out rough but matured.

 

[us3rnotfound]

eff that, Linksys blows my ass.

Netgear all the way.

 

[htmlmasterdave]

I think DLink makes some of the best stuff around. Today I got a customer to buy a DLink 704+ router and it worked like a dream while the Microsoft POS he had was terrible. Also I agree Linksys is the world's worst networking company to buy anything from, I hate them

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: shminu
I want a very nice router that will not ever drop my connection and is very reliable, and is $150 or under.

Thanks for your suggestions.

They dont make one.

 

[vladik007]

I have netgear and it drops connection every 2-3 days plus clogs my network with strange packets up and down every 30 seconds... piece of shut i tell ya ... never again

Now i'm hearing LinkSys , Buffalo are cr@p ... where to turn ? D link ? Ummm no thanks .... i guess Cisco and $500 is only way to get something reliable... fck.

 

[classy]

I've been using a Netgear 614 version 1 for almost 2 years and I've never had a problem. Dlink is also good. If you want a high class router check out Sonicwall. But any router costing over $150 should be more than sufficient for home use. I am partial to Netgear. You never did state where or how you use the router.

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

Linksys fanboy here. Have a same router you threw away, then a wireless B one at another location, and I just bought a WRT54G (already mentioned) to go at another location.

 

[us3rnotfound]

Sorry fellas. I just ordered the Netgear FVS318. If I lose my connection once, im sending it back to da Egg.

 

[vladik007]

" You never did state where or how you use the router. "

I didnt realize it was neccessary since i wasnt told prior to purchase that Netgear routers are only for folks that do XXX and XXX but not YYY and YYY.

On side note , i use it for lots of things , hosting DC++ hub with 500 users , web server (gallery , family forum) , and usuall downloading and uploading. Server PC is behind Netgear 814 using WIRELESS NETGEAR PCI CARD looses connection on daily basis (PC is 5 feet away from router). Same computer with WIRELESS NETGEAR PCI CARD pulled out but with 3Com Ethernet card wired into Mr814 looses connection every 2-3 days. Hows that for stability ?!? Nothing in the world will solve it except reset (cycle power). I've had this piece of xxxx for almost a year and i've given up. I've tried SO many firmwares , so many countless hours on the phone with tech support , they just cant solve anything. And it's not just my Server PC , my laptop with wireless card looses connection every 2-3days and i have to reset router. Laptop lasts for 2-3days compared to Server PC's 1 , I suspect its becasue traffic isnt that great when i'm using laptop.

I'd too return it on 1st day it lost connection , thing is , i ordered it and went on vacation back home to Prague , Czech rep. and when i came back and had time to install it was wayyyy pass 30 days.

 

[vladik007]

... I forgot to say , please check dslreports.com , forums , there's Netgear dedicated forum and lots of helpful people over there. That's where i shared my frustration and that's where i came across some "unreleased" firmware updates that solved few other issues for me.

I'm sure it'll be helpfull with your recent purchase.

 

[Abzstrak]

Buffalo Technologies WBR-G54, just picked one up from CompUSA for $99+30MIR... run linux and you can download the GPL'd code if you want from their website. Has alot of cool features I haven't seen in most soho routers. I've only had it a week, but has been stable so far, I researched it alot too before purchase and couldn't find any complaints other than the interface is not newbie friendly (which doesn't bother me in the least).

It allows for intrusion detection, emailing warnings out, VPN passthrough, WEP, WPA, Radius support, you can backup the config to a file and save it for archival, basic packet filtering, mac addy filtering, UPNP, and you can even disable NAT if you want and it will comminucate with an external syslog server for logging. I was really suprised by all the options it has, and I've only touched the surface here.

Anyway, just my $.02

 

[JackMDS]

At the moment the best performance for the price is: D-Link Extreme G Bundle Kit ($92 after rebate).

Why?

Link to: 802.11a/b/g SOHO Routers & Access Points: Performance.

Notice how the D-Link and Netgear Super G stick out above the Crowd.

Bundle=Wireless SuperG Router + matching PCMCIA Cardbus.

:sun:

 

[vladik007]

Abzstrak , do you run server ? What is your "load" ? Try FTPing gig of data back and forth over your LAN while you have Bittorrent transfer open (or DC++). I've tried 2 Netgear routers that totally choke under scenario i descibed earlier. Linksys lasted 2 days but then choke so back it went.

If you know of better method how to stress routers , let me know....

PS I m too interested in Buffalo tech. products. and researched them but i've found few dissatified customers @ dslreports.

 

[cmetz]

JackMDS, see the D-Link forum at dslreports about the DI-624 (their G router) - very very bad reviews there.

In general, when shopping for a SOHO router, dslreports' hardware forums are a good place to stop and do some research.

 

[Rilescat]

Originally posted by: vladik007
" You never did state where or how you use the router. "

I didnt realize it was neccessary since i wasnt told prior to purchase that Netgear routers are only for folks that do XXX and XXX but not YYY and YYY.

On side note , i use it for lots of things , hosting DC++ hub with 500 users , web server (gallery , family forum) , and usuall downloading and uploading. Server PC is behind Netgear 814 using WIRELESS NETGEAR PCI CARD looses connection on daily basis (PC is 5 feet away from router). Same computer with WIRELESS NETGEAR PCI CARD pulled out but with 3Com Ethernet card wired into Mr814 looses connection every 2-3 days. Hows that for stability ?!? Nothing in the world will solve it except reset (cycle power). I've had this piece of xxxx for almost a year and i've given up. I've tried SO many firmwares , so many countless hours on the phone with tech support , they just cant solve anything. And it's not just my Server PC , my laptop with wireless card looses connection every 2-3days and i have to reset router. Laptop lasts for 2-3days compared to Server PC's 1 , I suspect its becasue traffic isnt that great when i'm using laptop.

I'd too return it on 1st day it lost connection , thing is , i ordered it and went on vacation back home to Prague , Czech rep. and when i came back and had time to install it was wayyyy pass 30 days.

Take the 3Com out. Everything will be better. Seen it many times.

 

[Abzstrak]

Originally posted by: vladik007
Abzstrak , do you run server ? What is your "load" ? Try FTPing gig of data back and forth over your LAN while you have Bittorrent transfer open (or DC++). I've tried 2 Netgear routers that totally choke under scenario i descibed earlier. Linksys lasted 2 days but then choke so back it went.

If you know of better method how to stress routers , let me know....

PS I m too interested in Buffalo tech. products. and researched them but i've found few dissatified customers @ dslreports.

ok, well, I'm typing this while tranferring 3GB of data across two machines while another one has 4 simultaneous bittorrent downloads hammering the router over the wireless across a 128bit WEP encrypted connection (adding to the router cpu load)

I don't see much if any performance difference while this is going on. any other tests?

 

[mboy]

Go buy a snapgear lite2 for a teeeny bit more then $150. Snapgear is THE BEST for the $$$ in firewall/router/networking. not best overall, but certainly best $$ for $$.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: cmetz
JackMDS, see the D-Link forum at dslreports about the DI-624 (their G router) - very very bad reviews there

Entry Level Wireless and Good Reviews??? - Nah!!!

A while ago I did a real analysis of one other Wireless Router using the posts in DSLreports as Yardstick.

After you drop the posts the ones that it is obvious that the person does not know what he is doing.

Then you drop the general comments that do not provide info but states Brand X Rulz
and Brand Y Stinkz.

Smile about the guys that change the firmware through the Wireless Connection and Hose the device. Most of the time they do not know why, and if it necessary to change the Firmware. But hey you change every week for years nVidea Drivers to squeeze ½ a Frame out of the poor Video Card so ?Let Do it with Firmware too.

Get rid of the Wishful thinking Guys. I.e. those who do not know that the 300? is not "Real", and 11Mb/sec. Bandwidth is the Chipset?Speed?.

By this time No too much left to be able to judge.

Good Reviews Routers: The Best Routers.

BTW. I installed few DI-624, worked well for me.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: shminu
Sorry fellas. I just ordered the Netgear FVS318. If I lose my connection once, im sending it back to da Egg.

Awesome router. I still have one but my ISP doesn't support it.

 

[us3rnotfound]

Originally posted by: PorBleemo

Originally posted by: shminu
Sorry fellas. I just ordered the Netgear FVS318. If I lose my connection once, im sending it back to da Egg.

Awesome router. I still have one but my ISP doesn't support it.

Great to hear! Sorry about your ISP

Can't you just spoof your MAC address?

 

[coolred]

I to am in the market for a good router. I mainly want one just so I get a network started that I can play and learn on. I am considering the Dlink 624 from buy.com. But am still looking.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: cmetz
JackMDS, see the D-Link forum at dslreports about the DI-624 (their G router) - very very bad reviews there.

In general, when shopping for a SOHO router, dslreports' hardware forums are a good place to stop and do some research.

There are other people in there such as myself that is not experiencing any of those problems.

 

[MGMorden]

I just ditched my D-Link 614+. My average download speed with the router was half of what I'd get directly connected to the DSL modem, and it wouldn't keep a constant connection for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time. Totally ruined my ability to just start a download and walk away. I just got a Netgear MR814 as a replacement for the D-Link. I haven't had it for very long yet, but from my initial impression the Netgear seems to be a much better router. They've got a $20 rebate going on their routers right now as well. The price for the MR814 from Newegg is $28 after the rebate.