Routers - Which one to buy?
 

We had a lightning storm a couple weeks ago that f'ed up my internet. We had charter out here and they replaced the modem and splitter, and while my internet works splendidly connected directly to the modem, it runs like ass when I put in the router. This has led me to believe the router is shot.

Can anyone make any suggestions? Most of my wireless use is for my 360 and main desktop, the router is in the basement and the computer and 360 are on the 2nd floor, so it needs some range.

The router I currently have is a wrt54g

buy whatever you can find on Craigslist for $10 or less

solid idea

Wrong.

I recently picked this one up. Well worth it IMO. It's also DD-WRT and Tomato compatible. You'll want to use one of the two because the software that comes with it is pretty terrible.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833122326

I use a D link xtreme n for my home

I had a netgear for a short period of time maybe 5 years ago, and it was pretty awful. it would consistently drop the connection. Not sure if they've improved by now.

I've been poking around online, I noticed the e2000 from linksys. seems decent?

This one doesn't drop connections ever. Plus it's got the 5ghz wireless connection! Winning!

We're moving next week and I was just on the phone for 50 mins setting up the internet/digital tv. The girl was trying to talk me into the POS units they give for free (well $79.95 + $14.95 shipping thats rebated back to you on a Visa card) but I knew better.

I just ordered a Motorola SB6120 Surfboard DOCSIS 3.0 modem with a D-Link DIR-655 extreme wireless N router. Both came to $144.98 and both had great reviews. I hope so cause this AT&T DSL bullshit we have now is a fucking joke. :vash:

Tigerdirect has cisco e1000 on sale for 20 bucks. They are ddwrt compatible, dual band wireless N. I just updated from two bridged wrt54g to two of these e1000's difference is night and day.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...4&Sku=L48-2771

I have several but my main one is a WRT54G. The main drawback is that I cannot setup as many ports (port directing) as I want. I think the limit is around 10. There has to be a hack to change the software but I haven't messed around with my network for a while.

I just bought the Linksys E2500. It's pretty damn fast and completely covers the house with full signal (2 story 1800sqft). Also allows you to have a dedicated connection for the home computers and a guest network for guests.

I used to use that WRT54G.

Whatever you buy, I was sold on the fact that dual band is ideal.

ended up buying an E2500.. thanks again for the help guys. I'll set it up when I get out of work tomorrow

Get an "N" router becuase my "G" is too slow to stream video to the xbox.

http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato
this will make your router submit to your commands. dont pay money for that sveasoft rapeoff. you could also try DD-WRT

I put the router by the tee vee and ps3 and run hardlines to those and wifi to other stuff.

but I've never had problems streaming netflix to any device on my G network.

or are you talking windows "play to device" style streaming from one computer to an xbox?


NOTE TO OP: do yourself a favor and look at the list of routers compatible with the hackable firmware at the two links above. those are solid routers usually.

I run a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 router with Tomato firmware and it has been great for 3+ years. I got that particular router over other 3rd-party-firmware-compatible offerings because it has a built-in amplifier. Run a respectable firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato and you have most of the important functionality of $baller$ Cisco shit and my router was only $60.

It's only a G router, but I have no problems streaming Netflix to my PS3, or 720p track vids through the router from my Windows 7 laptop to my Samsung TV (it has a USB wi-fi dongle) using DLNA.

If I ever decide that G wireless is too slow, I'd rather move the router and hardwire it to the speed-needy devices than buy a new N router and be relegated to shitty firmware.

I haven't kept up with things because I've been totally happy with my setup, but have any of the better firmwares been made to work reliably on an N router?

I am.

I have a WRT54g that I picked up back in 04. It has been running DD-WRT for 5 or 6 years now without a hiccup. The only reason I have ever even thought about getting a newer router would be for gigabyte Ethernet.

Pretty much the same story here. I have WRT54g's running DD-WRT firmware as routers and wireless bridges. Works fine, even for streaming content from the pc to xbox or ps3.

You can find them for dirt cheap on ebay or craigslist.

Only reason I can think of to upgrade would be for wired gigabit, but I don't have the kind of network traffic where it would matter.

I read all the reviews of that router on Amazon... the 1-star reviews turned me off.

I just did all the homework on routers I could stand, and settled on this one about a month ago:
So far, everything has been great. Setup took about 5 minutes. I kept the same network name and password, and a few of my devices actually found it and logged in without me having to do anything. I haven't had a single drop-off. All my other devices connect instantly (none of the "assigning IP address" shit for 10 minutes). The row of LED lights are fucking bright though... no need for a nightlight in my living room.