Decent wireless setup???$$$$?

[Santilli]

Hi
I just spent 4 hours trying to setup a defective Linksys router, 110 IIRC. It's supposed to retail for 80 bucks, but, it has all the quality of components that cost 10 bucks. I think the reset button was stuck in, or it had a poor power supply, or connection. I couldn't get into
settings through a wired connection.

Anyway, it wouldn't reset, and, went into a constant loop. The Linksys support said take it back to Fry's.

I was really wondering what components others have used, and had good luck with?
From looking at Newegg, wireless routers are right in there with hard drives for poor reliability...

How do they run wireless in those big hotels?

 

[Santilli]

This router
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124285

 

[Fushigi]

How do they run wireless in those big hotels?

While not a hotel and probably not the solution you're looking for, our corporate offices use Cisco Aironets tied into the backbone network. I'm not sure which model we use, but coverage is good, they support multiple WLANs (secured corporate and unsecured guest), and get their power from the Ethernet line.

Personally, I've given consideration to, but never purchased, the SnapGear SG565. Now owned by McAfee, the SG565 does the basic wireless router stuff but also includes a VPN concentrator, web & email filters, intrustion detection/protection systems, and VLAN support. Check the solution briefs to the right and other links for details. The SG565 will cost a few hundred bucks (about $550-600), but is actual commercial gear v. consumer.

 

[Mercutio]

Anyway, it wouldn't reset, and, went into a constant loop. The Linksys support said take it back to Fry's.

How do they run wireless in those big hotels?

The problem there is more than likely that you got someone else's product return from Fry's.

In my opinion there's no such thing as a robust consumer-level router. You can get closer on something that uses dd-WRT or Tomato firmware (VPN endpoint, multiple WLANs etc), but anything you can just go to a store and buy is going to be built on shoddy hardware. Home Access Points/routers break ALL THE DAMNED TIME. If you've had one live more than a couple years, yours is in a distinct minority.

 

[Santilli]

So, at what point does it stop being consumer hardware? Seems even some of the Cisco stuff, for 300-500 doesn't work.

Also, is it worth investing in an Aero or something like it, when the standards may change as they have to N?

Or should I tell the guy to buy two cheap DLinks with his store credit?

The ONLY router I've found that seems to have any kind of reliable reports is this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124190

And it's only 85% reliable.

I'm sure you are right about the guy getting a reject from Frys.

 

[Santilli]

Would something like this be the way to go?
http://www.expressitoptions.com/node/75809

 

[CougTek]

From what I read, the newer WRT54G-TM is more or less the same as the WRT54GL. They are supposed to be a lot more reliable than the regular WRT54G and WRT54G2.

 

[sechs]

If you've had one live more than a couple years, yours is in a distinct minority.

How distinctive is this?

I've been using the same WRT54G for some years. And the only reason that I stopped using the Belkin that I had before that is that Belkin offered to give me a refund for sending it back.

 

[Handruin]

I have the D-Link DIR-655 and would recommend it. I've been very happy with it's performance, reliability, and usability. There is a nice review here if you want another source.

 

[Mercutio]

It seems endemic to home routers, to me. I replace them all the damned time. APs seem a little better, but they don't have to actually DO as much, which might be the difference.

At home I built my own. My office's internet access is run by the top-end Linksys model. I noticed that the high end Linksys with dd-WRT on it almost double my upstream bandwidth compared to the older WRT54G v2 (old enough to be a GL-equivalent), which I take to mean that its processor is fast enough to not impose a performance penalty on my internet connection, which most home routers do.

I hear that it helps a lot to have your home router on regulated power and in a cool, possibly even actively cooled, area.

 

[Stereodude]

How distinctive is this?

I've been using the same WRT54G for some years. And the only reason that I stopped using the Belkin that I had before that is that Belkin offered to give me a refund for sending it back.

Got me... I have a WRT54G v2 that I bought like 5 years ago that still works great.

 

[MaxBurn]

I have been using a 3Com office connect for about seven years now. Check into 3Com's stuff?

 

[Mercutio]

I've tried everything. I've tried multiples of everything. 3Com, Belkin, DLink, SMC, Buffalo, Microsoft (which was really SMC), Apple, Linksys, Netgear, TrendNet, Hawking and Zonet.

They all break. They all break all the damned time.

 

[ddrueding]

I have had good experiences with Ubiquiti stuff (Bullet and PowerStation), but they don't do routers. Their hardware is compatible with DD-WRT, so you could combine it with a switch and get the same thing.

 

[Santilli]

Would it be possible to build a PC that functions as the source for broadcasting to multiple
computers, using wireless?

Would the components you use for a wireless broadcast from a PCI slot be better then the components currently used in routers?

 

[Stereodude]

Broadcasting what?

 

[LunarMist]

I tried that briefly rather than the wireless router, but the signal range was not very good and of course it only operated when the computer was on.

 

[ddrueding]

You can use "Internet Connection Sharing" to take an internet connection into the wired LAN port and broadcast it out the wireless PCI card, but it isn't worth it, IMHO.

 

[Santilli]

Set the guy up with a cheap Netgear, that worked. 12 mb/sec on the laptop, 7 on the desktop both are Gateways.

I've been taking a long shower to get the smell off from working on them...