Author Topic: Router Recommendation for Home (Read 1148 times)

Soda · « **on:** July 11, 2005, 11:50:58 PM »

Any suggestions for a router brand for home. I have two PC's to hook up through a cable modem connection, would like to have a wireless option (802.11g) for when I bring a laptop home. Something reliable and secure that won't cost me a bundle. I've seen DLinks, LinkSYS, SMC... lots of options out there I'm sure, any warnings/recommendations?

Wife is getting antsy and nudging me to hook up the other PC so she can MSN Messenger her sister.... you get the idea, it's not IF this will happen, it's WHEN.

Thanks,

-Soda

Pongo · « **Reply #1 on:** July 12, 2005, 12:46:22 AM »

Got the linksys, it works great.

Schutt · « **Reply #2 on:** July 12, 2005, 02:52:44 AM »

See if you can try the admin interface before you buy it, i have seen diffrences in the firewall admin functions from totally incomprehensive to verry logical.

See if you can find an test in a networking magazine or online.

I have one from the internet provider (made by zyxel) where the firewall is hard to set up, dont know the original type marking and the software is modified by arcor so might be better on the original.

The signal strength and quality is diffrent so if want your notebook to work at the end of the garden or on another floor look for a strong signal.

Other than that all i saw so far worked and i havent seen any diffrence in operating, given the choice i would take the most common most popular, the more produced the longer the service holds.

Stone · « **Reply #3 on:** July 12, 2005, 03:05:19 AM »

At work I have tried LinkSys, DLink and Buffalo.

None has a "firewall" but all do NAT, that is kinda firewall in this case.

With DLink I had problems setting it up. Finding correct drivers was a mess also. I guess the support is better over there tho.
In the end, the bios had to be DOWN GRADED to get all funktions to work. The main problem was that my DLink WLAN card was not compatible with my DLink WLAN router. Both was "802.11g" standard, but of different "custom" type.

With LinkSys I did not personally play, but my collegue did. He had to down grade the BIOS also

He was unable to hide the SID (Wlan) before that. The support in USA had no help for him, so I guess it was an issue only here in Finland?

I peronally am using Buffalo. It just works. Only problem is signal strenght, that is not the best. Well it has a connection for an extra antenna, that I never tried.

I guess my collegue would still use LinkSys, because it's signal strengt was better than Buffalo.

There are also models of WLAN routers that has DSL or other embended funktions. But I would keep the DSL seppareate. One reason for this is that if the ISP changes, and one needs a different kind of modem, one would probobly still be able to use the same WLAN router.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #4 on:** July 12, 2005, 06:50:38 AM »

One of th eplayers, who has multiple systems online (wife and husband play together) went through several different routers and finally got a Motorola model.

None of the Linksys or DLink models would properly support voice in the game while both of them were online. Linksys and DLink, apparently, do not support UDP over NAT translations, while the Motorola one does. I do not know the model number, but if you contact Motorola and ask them which model supports UDP over NAT, they will be able to tell you.
Linksys nor DLink support do not understand what 'UDP over NAT' is.

AKDogg · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2005, 08:12:34 AM »

That strange because I have a linksys router and my son and I play online at sametime and we both use vox. No problems. Actually there is but I think I narrowed it to my onboard nic. I get booted from game like every 1-2 hrs. My son's computer never does,lol. But as far as vox, We have no problems. In fact I haven't lost vox since my son started playing 2 weeks ago online. Seems strange,lol.

Vipermann · « **Reply #6 on:** July 12, 2005, 08:53:03 AM »

The Linksys WRT54GS allows UDP/NAT traversal and has an easy to use Admin interface.

Delirium · « **Reply #7 on:** July 12, 2005, 10:39:27 AM »

Thanks for the info, Skuzzy, I've had to switch back to my nephew country when he is online. Otherwise, we hear each other's country vox transmissions... if we play on the same country, we rarely ever have a problem though.

AKDogg · « **Reply #8 on:** July 12, 2005, 11:14:11 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Vipermann
The Linksys WRT54GS allows UDP/NAT traversal and has an easy to use Admin interface.

That is the one I have.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 12, 2005, 12:09:52 PM »

I have a Linksys 4 port router running a home network, vox has NEVER gone out on me. Sometimes I wish it would.

llama · « **Reply #10 on:** July 12, 2005, 01:14:19 PM »

Just another data point on the Linksys. I've literally installed a dozen lynksys routers in clients' homes. Not one of them have been unable to play games of any kind.

*I* have a Linksys router, and haven't ever had a problem playing any games, though for certain games I have had to open ports in the firewall. No big deal.

And finally, when running the WB Con in Pensacola, we had a T-1 running into the Con rool, and guess what we used to split the connection around? A linksys 8-port router. No special configuration was necessary. Yeah, it was WB and not AH, but you get the idea. That's the unit I have at my house now, BTW.

So, I guess I am saying that there is a pretty good body of evidence that a Linksys will work fine for gaming. ;-)

-Llama

Soda · « **Reply #11 on:** July 12, 2005, 01:39:03 PM »

Great feedback, thanks guys. Sounds like the Linksys WRT54GS is the way to go. Might pick one up and see how it works.

-Soda

Vipermann · « **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2005, 01:49:55 PM »

If you require enhanced wireless range get the WRT54GX which is basically the same as the WRT54GS but has a more powerful wireless signal and support for 802.3 and 802.3u.

Kazaa · « **Reply #13 on:** July 17, 2005, 03:19:06 PM »

I got the NETGEAR DG834 wired router, it overheats once a day & makes me loss my connection (pissed me right off when I had 8 victorys lol) but im not sure if mines faulty. But you can get right back on after a few secs.

MOSQ · « **Reply #14 on:** July 18, 2005, 04:52:15 PM »

I had the original LinkSys home grade router. It worked ok for a few years then Istarted getting bad connections.

Switched to NetGear a couple of years ago. At the time it had the lowest latency available in a home grade router. It works fine. I don't know the latency specs for current routers, but that's something you should check before you buy.