jmed999 Posted August 29, 2012 Posted August 29, 2012 Hey guys, I keep having router issues. What router do you use...what do you recommend? Thanks!
stillen_i30 Posted August 30, 2012 Posted August 30, 2012 what are your "router issues." Maybe you don't require a new router if there is a solution
jmed999 Posted August 30, 2012 Author Posted August 30, 2012 I get the blinking error and memory lights somewhat often. I have contacted UD and one possible solution is my router. I guess the next step is to replace it. I currently have one of these. http://www.amazon.com/Medialink-Wireless-Router-802-11n-Internal/dp/B0044YU60M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346334068&sr=8-1&keywords=medialink It works well as far as I know but the blinking lights are annoying. This HA project has been a serious money pit so far.
Xathros Posted August 30, 2012 Posted August 30, 2012 I've never hear of that brand/model before. I use Linksys or Cisco products for most gateway applications. I have a number of customers that use D-Link or Netgear. I have had issues with the D-Link stuff too many times but the newer crop of Netgear stuff seems workable. If I had to choose a consumer grade gateway today it would be either a Linksys N Class or Netgear N Class Router/AP. My absolute favorite, though not for wireless, is a Linksys WRT54GL with DD-WRT firmware. Very configurable, predictable and reliable but limited to G class wireless. I am in the process of building a headless MicroATX system that will run the i386 version of DD-WRT on a low end P4 based system. Overkill for the average homeowner but will give me a lot more horsepower to work with and I have some plans for the extra capabilities. (Content filtering at the gateway among other things) In my opinion, the gateway is not the point in the network to try and save a few bucks with cheapo hardware. -Xathros
jmed999 Posted August 30, 2012 Author Posted August 30, 2012 I'm thinking about purchasing this router... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007IL7AKM After reading your recomendations I think this would be a good one. Thoughts? Thanks!
Xathros Posted August 30, 2012 Posted August 30, 2012 If you have a use for all the extras then its just fine. I use an Apple Airport extreme to hose NAS like this will do but that isn't my gateway, just another access point. If you don't plan to host NAS or a printer from the gateway then this: http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-E1200-Links ... ds=linksys is the same router without the extras. Either of these should eliminate the router as the problem in your HA project. -Xathros
jmed999 Posted August 30, 2012 Author Posted August 30, 2012 I can honestly say I probably won’t use most of the extras. I am interested in the longer range and speedboost of the 4500. What would “dual band†do for me? Not sure if I would use that of not. I do use google TV a good bit. Other than that, two laptops, mobile devices, ISY, and house alarm I don’t use it for much more. I do like to sit outside on my dock and have coverage there. Thanks!
GregE Posted August 30, 2012 Posted August 30, 2012 I'm using these at my house http://www.amazon.com/ZyXEL-Internet-Security-Firewall-Ethernet/dp/B000HPWZH4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1346346921&sr=1-1&keywords=zyxel+zywall+2+plus http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Wireless-Router-Gigabit-WNDR4500/dp/B005KG44V0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346346757&sr=8-1&keywords=wndr4500 and this at my lake house http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-WNDR3400-N600-Wireless-Router/dp/B0041LYY6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346346461&sr=8-1&keywords=wndr3400. Went with the firewall at my regular house so I could put the WNDR4500 in bridge mode and move it upstairs for better reception. If I had 2 CAT5 jacks where I wanted to put the router I wouldn't have had to do it.
Xathros Posted August 30, 2012 Posted August 30, 2012 Dual Band means different things to different manufacturers marketing departments it seems. I have seen it mean: Supports 2.4 Ghz (g) and 5Ghz (n) and Supports Separate Upstream and Downstream N channels, 600Mbps vs 300Mbps for a "Singleband" N class router and A private and a guest network both using different security settings. One thing to keep in mind, unless you have something faster than 100Mbit internet coming to your home, the link speed on almost all of these routers will be faster than your internet speed meaning the only real benefit to a faster wireless link would be when transferring data between systems on your local network. Anything that is just accessing the internet will be limited by your cable/dsl modem regardless of how fast your are linked to the router from your PC/Device. If you are streaming HD video content from a home media server to a wireless client then a high speed link is a good idea. Longer range is always good and 802.11n does seem to do a bit better than 802.11g in that arena. As for speed boot, it may or may not offer any benefit. Features like that usually depend on both ends of the link supporting the same feature set (ie. Linksys router and a Linksys wireless card in the PC) but as I said above, the basic link likely is faster than your uplink anyway. Hope this helps. -Xathros
Xathros Posted August 30, 2012 Posted August 30, 2012 I'm using these at my house http://www.amazon.com/ZyXEL-Internet-Security-Firewall-Ethernet/dp/B000HPWZH4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1346346921&sr=1-1&keywords=zyxel+zywall+2+plus http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Wireless-Router-Gigabit-WNDR4500/dp/B005KG44V0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346346757&sr=8-1&keywords=wndr4500 and this at my lake house http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-WNDR3400-N600-Wireless-Router/dp/B0041LYY6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346346461&sr=8-1&keywords=wndr3400. Went with the firewall at my regular house so I could put the WNDR4500 in bridge mode and move it upstairs for better reception. If I had 2 CAT5 jacks where I wanted to put the router I wouldn't have had to do it. I like those Zyxel boxes with the IPSEC. I deployed a few of those for a remote IP Phone system. Just set up a WNDR3400 for a customer last night. Netgear has come a long way in the last few years. -Xathros
jmed999 Posted September 2, 2012 Author Posted September 2, 2012 Anyone know which residential router has the best range?
Xathros Posted September 4, 2012 Posted September 4, 2012 jmed999- I'm not sure anyone other than you can answer that question as that will depend on your installation. Wireless range is affected by the placement of the antennas in the router and receiving devices, the construction of the building its installed in and interference from other wireless devices making it very difficult to predict how will a specific device will work in your situation. Generally speaking, N class routers should work better than older G class routers. I did find the following with a quick Google search: http://www.bestcovery.com/best-wireless-router-for-range That may be of some assistance. -Xathros
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