N Routers...

[KEEZY]

Hey kids, I was at BB yesterday looking for a wireless PCI card for my new desktop. Right now, I'm rocking the Linksys WRT54G. They didn't have the matching PCI card, so I got ADD and started looking at Draft-N routers and cards. Oops, I bought a Linksys WRT300N router and a PCI N-card too. I've been reading reviews all day, and have gotten mixed results... though it seems that the stuff I picked up has generally been in the low-middle range in performance. Also, many people claim this sucks when using it in mixed G/N mode.

I have found that there is a D-Link router, here, that seems to be getting better reviews. Granted, most of these reviews are customer reviews. However, a big plus for this router vs the one I picked up is that it has Gigabit ethernet. The only transferring of files would probably be from my PC to my 360, but down the line I plan on having a larger home network.

What is your experience with router companies? I've only ever dealt with Linksys, and was curious about Netgear and D-Link.

Also, do you think it is even worth going to N? It seems there is a good possibility that a firmware update will bring these N-draft routers up to speed once the final N standard is release, but they won't promise that. N probably won't be finalized until the later half of the year. I wonder what the pricing will be.

Help me! Maybe I'll just try it out, and return it if it sucks. I think BB will be alright with that...

EDIT: Maybe I should just return everything, get another 50 ft ethernet cord and cross the wireless-N bridge when it is finalized. (ha, I made a networking joke on accident.

[Peench]

Keezy, if this new router will help your craptacular connection and make it so you are not standby glitching "on accident" because of your connection making it impossible to kill you yet allowing you to kill us with a single shot, I'm all for it. Hell, I'll even kick you down $20 towards the purchase!

On the real though, I haven't done any looking into the new wireless techs. I've had a Linksys WRT54G for a while now and its done just fine for me. I haven't had any reason to change. I am using it in mixed mode as most of my gear is connecting with 802.11b.

[dmiller68]

I have a Linksys "N" router it has been ok. I have no "N" cards so I can't say that I have really pushed it. It seems a little more stable then the early Linksys "G" router I had.

[lovekeiiy]

I don't have any of the companies you talked about here. I do have the Belkin Pre N router. I've had it for almost a year. This router is MIMO is you have compatible hardware. I get a connection at 108mb/s wireless with their cards (I have two laptops wireless).

The good stuff on it is the range is really good. CNET raved about the range or the wireless. It pretty easy to setup. It does N, G, and some other slower mode. It does have built in firewall and security--WEP, WPK, TES, AES.

THe bad stuff, the PCI card utility doesn't support WPA; don't ask me why, so you have to use windows network mananger. It was tricky setting up the 360 wireless adaptor to work with the router. I can't get the PS3 to get a type2 NAT; I'm still working on it, but with two firewalls, it can be a little goofy figure out the solution. No A band radio frequency. Hard to find, since Belkin is pushing their N router.

Overall, I like it. I would jump to N, but since the higher speed is about computers on the LAN talking to each other, and I don't really move files that much between them, it doesn't make it a pressing issue. It woudl be different if the broadband speeds were higher then 4 or 8mb/s, so the 360 or gaming conencting at a max 54mb/s, it's not like I'm going to get anywhere near pushing connection limits. Heck, when I'm dowloading something, I don't ever get close to 1mb. I think the highest I've seen on my network is 800kbs, and I was downloading on both the 360 and PS3 at the same time.

I would worry about range ans signal strenght, and ease of connecting equipment and reliablity about the router. So if you current stuff works, stick with it. Why fix something that is not broke.

As for your PCI card, you can buy any card, as long as it can read the radio signal your router puts out. I was using some generic card I got with my Alienware laptop, and it worked just fine. It's only some of the features can be limited, sometimes, if you don't use the same manufacture. You talking about an expensive solution for something that should cost like $20 to $30 for a PCI latop wireless card to connect to your router.

[Crippler]

I have been using DLink gear for yrs with no problems. No thrid party firmwares like you can find with Linksys. The last FW I had rebooted itself like every 4-5 days with my DI624. I'm using the latest beta firmware and it has been up for 87 days now. Nice. No problems with P2Ps or wireless connections. Although, I wasn't able to achieve full 20Mbps wireless throughput with my DLink. More of a problem with overhead I think than brand. I think it's a mixed bag for what ever hardware manufacturer and there products. As for N, I'm not touching that until it has final approvals from the wireless net gods with specs set in stone. Which isn't suppose to be until late 07, early 08. Right now I don't need the wireless functionality in my house. Once I have a laptop, I'll be singing a different tune I'm sure.

[KEEZY]

Yeah... I have no idea what the hell is up with my current router. I really just think it didn't get along with COD3. The hardware is v3.1 (I just read some article about how v5 SUCKS). I also read some pretty positive reviews on the Belkin you mention, lovekeiiy... but they were from 2004 so I wasn't sure how they lived up to today's routers. Also, I think those use the Airgo Networks chips, which will not be upgradeable to N when it comes out - then again, who knows if ANY will.

My issues with COD3 also had some play in this... though it seems it still sucked when I plugged directly to the modem. Also, I don't really have many issues with other games. I didn't seem to lag on Friday when we played R6. When Time Warner checked out my connection they said there was a "major problem" but that it would be fixed within a week. We never heard anything since, so I'm not sure if it was fixed or not.

I am just going to return it all and wait it out. I already have another CAT6 cable in place that I could steal from my OG Xbox. I'll worry about my own network when I move out again.

[Rhino Chaser]

I have gone down the same path. My WRT54G is starting to crap out on me. And I am either going with the WRT350N or the D-Link DIR-655.

They both supprot NAS which is a huge plus because my laptops hd is about full, so it would be great to place all of my media on a 300gb standalone hardrive and stream from there, or do backups on the fly.

Pricewise the D-link is crusing the Linksys...without shaving too many features.

[Rhino Chaser]

On a second read it looks like only the WRT350n will do what I want. The storage link will allow me to plug my external HD in using a usb connection...just what I have been looking for.

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...=4351213196B04

Edit: Looks like the CNET review of the D-Link is better. @ 129 w/ a $80 NAS box it would be more expensive but it sounds like a more effectve solution.

[MadBryan]

Keezy! small world cause I just bought that Draft N router you link to in your op. I love it, my range and signal strength have greatly improved. I got it cheaper instore and I used a 10% coupon. No regrets

[Rhino Chaser]

3rd contestent: Apple Airport Extreme.

Looks like this might be the winner. Also llooks like the Cnet review needs revision. It has been upgraded.

[lovekeiiy]

Belkin Pre N, if you can find one. Great range. Sure it's not on any kind of N standard, but it is MIMO G. It's not perfect by any means, but I've been happy with it.

Only issues I've had, took some time to get the 360 to connect wirelessly, and get an OPEN NAT. Haven't been able to get VOIP adapters to work well behind the routers firewall; I've tried the Grandstream Handytone 286 and Linksys SPA2102R.

The good stuff, pretty easy to use. Great range. I literally can go into the backyard and have very good signal. The router is setup below the desk next near the front of the house.

[Rhino Chaser]

I think that I finally settled on the Buffalo Nfiniti Dual Band a/b/g/n router and a 500gb Linkstation as my solution. The router is vista certified and I figure that it has all the bands covered. Now I just need to pony up some duckets...$349 for the station and $249 for the router.

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/...kstation-live/

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/...-access-point/

[grife]

i have a wrt54g v4 and a one other, one of the mimo ones, after upgrading thier firmwares to dd-wrt so i could configure them as firewalls i have had very few problems. prior to that i found the wireless routers to be very poor quality. and these were not early devices. I think i shall wait a while on the N routers, perhaps sooner if one of the wrt os groups makes somethign i might expidite my upgrades

[lovekeiiy]

I"m in no hurry to upgrade to the n standard. 1) it has not been finalized by any means. 2) I want at least as long as range as I have my belkin pre n. Although the Belkin Vision N router is sexy as can be. It's the same styling as the iphone. I did a thread on it early, I believe back in August.

[Rhino Chaser]

Sure I hear you.

But I would love to be able to get all of my media off of one computer and be able to share it with all of my devices regardless of wheter I was home or not:
http://www.buffalonas.com/WebAccess_Intro.html

Admittedly they have some work to do in the read/write speed dept. But if they ever perfect their terabyte live servers I am all over it.

[Peench]

I think if you remove Norton you should be fine.