Members Recomendations For Routers

Stuartbe · 17-06-2005, 13:00

Hi Guys and Girls...

The all powerfull mod/admin blokes have given me a chalenge

They want a stick thread / guide for routers.

Can you all please post your recomendations for both ADSL and cable routers. I will then put up a vote and we can have two " recomended models " on the thread.

The remaning units will be listed to. If you can post a link to the specs for the router you are recomending that would be great...

Many Ta's

bdav · 17-06-2005, 13:13

Netgear WGR614 (v4) - 4 port Lan, Wireless G, 1 port WAN router. Between ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£50-100

Setup - Might as well be plug and play. Plug PC in, go to router.config (something like that in IE), click auto setup, and its done.

Wireless Setup - Easy, if you use a HEX key as opposed to passphrase. Range about 50m indoors. Wireless users can be admitted automaticly, or only if their MAC address appears in your "green" list.

Performance - No qualms at all.

Raistlin · 17-06-2005, 13:16

Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router

Bifta · 17-06-2005, 13:23

Belkin F5D7632uk4 54Mbps ADSL Wireless Router

Setup - very easy, web based admin tool.
Wireless setup - again, very easy
Performance - below par, only 20 foot away from my machines yet loses connection constantly, loses ADSL connection (has done on every ISP I've used) at least 3-4 times a week.
__________________

DSL-W 906E Single-Port ADSL Router (not wireless)

Setup - easy if you're using the windows tool, fantastic if you use the console, you can configure just about everything from the command line.
Performance - Very reliable, suffered being dropped down 2 flights of stairs, still worked with the guts hanging out, never dropped the ADSL connection once in the year or so I used one, should have kept it instead of going with the Belkin above

SMHarman · 17-06-2005, 13:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router

Most definately
http://www.linksys.com/products/prod...id=35&prid=601

Product Specs ftp://ftp.linksys.com/datasheet/wrt54gv2_ds.pdf

punky · 17-06-2005, 13:28

Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router

Seems to perform pretty well, although sometimes the signal seems to be a bit inconsistant (could just be interference local to me). Quite a nice bit of kit though. Full functioned, although the control panel isn't as powerful as I would like. The MAC address filter is a bit primative. The encryption choices aren't too bad though. Overall, i'd give it an 8/10.

nffc · 17-06-2005, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

Belkin F5D7632uk4 54Mbps ADSL Wireless Router

Setup - very easy, web based admin tool.
Wireless setup - again, very easy
Performance - below par, only 20 foot away from my machines yet loses connection constantly, loses ADSL connection (has done on every ISP I've used) at least 3-4 times a week.

Yet I've rarely had to reset the cable version- only when I've been faffing around or I've periodically just wanted to reset the IPs and blah.

As for the losing connection... it really depends on where your PCs are in relation to walls, metal objects etc etc, you probably know that too. I found the signal was better if I got an antenna on a cable for my PC and moved it away from all the "spaghetti" at the back.

Agree with the setup stuff though, there's a very good easy install thing which picks up the settings from your PC and copies them over to the router, it's good as an initial setup but as with all models the security isn't by default turned on. That's easy to set up too though.

zoombini · 17-06-2005, 13:40

Linksys BSFR42 wired 4 port router for Cable.

Why not reccomend a wired version & a wireless one too.
That way you cover both sides of the fence.

Ramrod · 17-06-2005, 13:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdav

Netgear WGR614 (v4) - 4 port Lan, Wireless G, 1 port WAN router. Between ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£50-100

Setup - Might as well be plug and play. Plug PC in, go to router.config (something like that in IE), click auto setup, and its done.

Wireless Setup - Easy, if you use a HEX key as opposed to passphrase. Range about 50m indoors. Wireless users can be admitted automaticly, or only if their MAC address appears in your "green" list.

Performance - No qualms at all.

I'll second that!

Bifta · 17-06-2005, 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by nffc

Yet I've rarely had to reset the cable version- only when I've been faffing around or I've periodically just wanted to reset the IPs and blah.

As for the losing connection... it really depends on where your PCs are in relation to walls, metal objects etc etc, you probably know that too. I found the signal was better if I got an antenna on a cable for my PC and moved it away from all the "spaghetti" at the back.

Agree with the setup stuff though, there's a very good easy install thing which picks up the settings from your PC and copies them over to the router, it's good as an initial setup but as with all models the security isn't by default turned on. That's easy to set up too though.

I have an external Belkin Antenna (on a cable), it sits at the top of the stairs, the router sits at the bottom, no walls in the way. I might try the new Pre-n router, see if that's any better

TheBlueRaja · 17-06-2005, 13:45

Linksys WAG54G Wireless Router

I have that router and its poor - really poor. You have to muck around for ages to find a firmware version that works and disable a lot of features or it gets too hot and stroppy dropping you out. (uPnP for example)

Single or Multiple Port Forwarding is screwed on most F/W versions, the wireless keeps dropping out, it reboots the ADSL connection or the box upon changing settings and the distance you can move around it poor (i cant even goto my front room without signal issues and i live in a 1 bed flat.)

NOT recommended.

I *believe* the V2 boxes are a bit better - but - i wouldnt recommend it after the issues i have had with my v1.2.

Goto www.linksysinfo.com for more information on the WAG54G.

zovat · 17-06-2005, 13:51

as per punky (and others)

Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router

I have one, it's plug and play - works great with both a centrino laptop and netgear/belkin pcmcia cards..

other than that Belkin are pretty reliable these days.

nffc · 17-06-2005, 13:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

Quote:

Originally Posted by nffc

Yet I've rarely had to reset the cable version- only when I've been faffing around or I've periodically just wanted to reset the IPs and blah.

As for the losing connection... it really depends on where your PCs are in relation to walls, metal objects etc etc, you probably know that too. I found the signal was better if I got an antenna on a cable for my PC and moved it away from all the "spaghetti" at the back.

Agree with the setup stuff though, there's a very good easy install thing which picks up the settings from your PC and copies them over to the router, it's good as an initial setup but as with all models the security isn't by default turned on. That's easy to set up too though.

I have an external Belkin Antenna (on a cable), it sits at the top of the stairs, the router sits at the bottom, no walls in the way. I might try the new Pre-n router, see if that's any better

Bizarre. Try siting the router as high as you can, does that help?

Bifta · 17-06-2005, 14:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by nffc

Bizarre. Try siting the router as high as you can, does that help?

It's as high as it'll go without me nailing it to the wall, which would defeat the object of having a wireless router as you'd see the power and phone cables. My laptop does the same in the living room (drops connections) and that's at the same level.

Aragorn · 17-06-2005, 14:03

If you're on a budget (ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£38 on Novatech) and don't need 54G wireless, I use the BEFW11S4 (http://www.linksys.com/international...oid=6&ipid=480)

Plug and play, like the rest, does everything I need and hasn't let me down in 18 months.