Help me pick a router

[Scumgrief]

Infos here: http://forums.beyondunreal.com/showthread.php?p=1402798

TIA :smoking:

[Peregrine]

Kind of my specialty.
Is your laptop G?
These are pretty much the same except the AG one supports A, B, and G wireless.
The G one ONLY supports G.
BOTH support VPN passthru which is how you should connect remotely.

WRV54G
http://www.linksys.com/products/pro...rid=537&scid=35

WRT55AG
http://www.linksys.com/products/pro...rid=565&scid=35

[Scumgrief]

The laptop is 802.11b, so I'll need at least b support. I'd like to get something with additional types to cover unforseen bases. However I don't know if that would even be necessary.

[Young[Bitch]]

/me got a Di-704P for 2 years now and I'm pretty satisfied with that...I can do a print server, share internet conn and after a bit of tweaking and unlocking precise port I can access my computer with remote desktop from the job kinda hazardous and seems to lock MSN + IRC DCC in the begining and I found some How to to help me unlock the right ports...the only problem is: I don't know if it's networking safe

[DraZtiK]

Go with a linksys...they are owned by one of the largest networking companies in the world.

I have a Siemens and an older Netgear...the Netgear was a good box but didn't have wireless capabilities when I bought it. the Siemens had some hiccups here and there but my linksys has ran flawless with the wireless. I also have a jetdirect print server for all my computers to print too and it rocks! blows away the "other" print servers out there( and I've got a couple of those also).

[krimd00t]

i'm using a linksys BEFSR41 for my xbox, its not wireless, i didnt want a wireless, i love it, good for getting onto xbox live, no problems

[slag]

I have a Netgear WGT624 - it totally rocks:
108MB Wireless + 4 100MB RJ45's
supports 802.11b
firewall
router
DHCP
DNS
Web based maintenance and software upgrades

After rebate it was like $80 US. :tup:

[Bishop]

Go with the Linksys AG model.

I use that and a signal booster and am now wire free. 6 months, no issues. Only use LAN cable for my gaming box (can't afford to have a possible signal hiccup with a game - plus it's only 3 feet from the router)

[Scumgrief]

Signal booster? O_o Are these common, or better yet, necessary? The current environment is a 1-story 2-bedroom apartment with thin walls... not very big. Eventually we could get larger (read: house). Would the stock router be sufficient for a wide range of travel, or should I get a booster? The wife would like to take her laptop just about anywhere, possibly outside. I'm not sure on the distance capabilities of these things so...

It looks like I'm going with the Linksys WRT54G (http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=35&prid=601) due to the price & capabilities.


Links to signal boosters would be cool too :)

[PapaBear]

Heh, this is one of the things I do for a a living (commercial/residential) internet connections/sharing.

Personally, I use a LinkSys BEFSR41 (wired) which supports everything I need, including port-forwarding when I want to host my own private UT2004 server.

For wireless installations, I use LinkSys WRT54G (HERE (http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=35&prid=601)) which is compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g.

I have found that WEP (encryption) can be problematic, especially when using diverse equipment, but it will even crop up when using all LinkSys gear. Sometimes, both 64-bi and 128-bit encryption, when turned on, will not allow for any connectivity. Usually, a firmware upgrade to the wireless router will fix this. So I leave WEP off, but only when I'm certain that there's no threat of the network being hacked into.

As an aside, a recent article in a trade magazine (I seem to recall it was InfoWorld) I get did a survey as to the interoperability of wireless equipment between different manufacturers. They found that, although 802.11b and 802.11g are ratified standards by the IEEE working group, there is as much as a 25% failure rate amongst diverse wireless equipment due to the "interpretation" of these standards by the various wireless networking equipment manufacturers. That is, equipment from different manufacturers (e.g. a D-link router and a LinkSys wireless network card) may not not talk to each other as much as 25 times out of 100. This "failure" rate is significantly decreased when all the equipment in use is from the same manufacturer (but it is not totally zero -- as evidenced by the WEP issues, in particular, that I see).

(BTW, someone else mentioned this and they didn't clarify -- LinkSys is owned by 3com now.)

As for boosters, I ready an article in MaximumPC (which is at home, and I'm at work, that highly recommenced on from D-Link. I think it is this model (HERE (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=267)) bt since I'm not home, I can't check. Regardless, you'll not need one of these in an apartment. I wouldn't get one until you do move (they're more likely to be cheaper then, too).

Hope this helps.

[Scumgrief]

Originally posted by PapaBear@Mar 29 2004, 11:23 AM
I have found that WEP (encryption) can be problematic, especially when using diverse equipment, but it will even crop up when using all LinkSys gear. Sometimes, both 64-bi and 128-bit encryption, when turned on, will not allow for any connectivity. Usually, a firmware upgrade to the wireless router will fix this. So I leave WEP off, but only when I'm certain that there's no threat of the network being hacked into.

As for boosters, I ready an article in MaximumPC (which is at home, and I'm at work, that highly recommenced on from D-Link. I think it is this model (HERE (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=267)) bt since I'm not home, I can't check. Regardless, you'll not need one of these in an apartment. I wouldn't get one until you do move (they're more likely to be cheaper then, too).
Well, the 'ol State Tax return was hefty enough after donating mucho dollars to the state's wildlife funds (approx 1/2 my state return :tup: ) that I could afford a router. I ended up with the LinkSys WRT54G. ~$95 after tax at the local retailer.

It was easy enough to hook up & see the wireless net on the laptop. I had to update the laptop's drivers thru Windows update, and it recognizes the wireless card as an HP something-or-other A/G card :eek: I'm talking to the router with 802.11b though, I think. Getting 11Mbps connection.

I turned the SSID broadcast off, and figured out the MAC filter after an hour or so. The signal is Excellent throughout the apartment, and I took it around the property for a test & received Low to Good connection. So, at least the wife can take it out in the yard. I'll be driving around the block with it this week for further analysis :D

The only problem I had was when I turned on WEP or any other encryptions. As soon as WEP was enabled on the router, my connection went unavailable. It let me enter the keys on the laptop, but as soon as I clicked Connect, the wireless network alert popped up again... was like it wouldn't stay recognized. Works fine without WEP, with it it goes :tdown:

I'd Really like to get the encryption enabled. So would the wife, regardless of performance drops. Any ideas?