OT: Wireless ADSL Routers!

david_orton_2000

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[ukvac] OT: Wireless ADSL Routers!

Please could you give your opinions please as I'm about to get one
of these for a friend.
List the make and model and any problems you've had, etc.

I know Martin(Guddler) has one at least....

Many Thanks,
DaveO.
 
Re: [ukvac] OT: Wireless ADSL Routers!

I just got the Belkin latest router. It took a lot longer than the 3
minutes set up time recomended on the box. But now works a treat. Wireless
networking is very convinient but I have not yet added my x-box will add in
the next few days.

Rob
 

G-man

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Re: [ukvac] OT: Wireless ADSL Routers!

> Please could you give your opinions please as I'm about to get one
> of these for a friend.
> List the make and model and any problems you've had, etc.
>

Netgear DG834G. Running on latest firmware, haven't had any problems. Good
security options etc. Recommended.

I believe there is a newer one out now which has a faster wireless option
but have no experience of it.

HTH
 

d-type

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RE: [ukvac] OT: Wireless ADSL Routers!

2nded. I've bought 4 of these so far for friends & family and they work a
treat.

Dead easy to set up and the Netgear website is well designed so you can see
what you're actually buying and how it all fits together.

Cheap too, from DABS.com, if you get the deal with the wireless card
included.

D-Type
 

guddler

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RE: [ukvac] OT: Wireless ADSL Routers!

I do indeed. Sadly I really can't recommend it.

It's a D-Link DI624. Wireless router with built in four port wired hub. It's
fine for light use but I've never yet been able to completely do away with
the cable running down the stairs from the spare room.

Problem seems to be under extremely heavy continued use (like downloading a
new ISO of Linux at 4GB+). I did this just Thurs / Fri and had to resort to
the big long cable!

Apparently it's fairly widely acknowledged that it has a problem, but by
everyone except for D-Link who refuse to admit it and just shove their heads
up thier arse.

Mine's been back for repair once and all they did was reflash it. I know
this as the seal was still on the screws when it came back. Lo and behold
still disconnects the wireless clients when under heavy usage and now it's
out of warranty. Just I can't afford to spend yet another 80+ notes until
this one actually dies.

And talking of which, don't touch Linksys. Nice bits of kit with good
functionality but after having one quite literally go "bang!" on me just
outside of warranty, never again.

Westell are definitely worth a look. I have a 2100 ADSL router which has to
be one of the most versatile things I've known. Pretty much business network
functionality in the home as long as you know what you're doing to set it
up!

How do I know all of this? 'Cos I've had so much damn kit go wrong on me and
I need 100% connectivity all day at least during week days or my job
suffers.

Oh, I've always shy'd away from Belkin too. Firstly because they're the main
thing that PC World stock and that's enough to put me off straight away and
secondly because before I had the infamous Linksys I bought a Belkin cable
router and due to poor firmware I could only get a max of 600k throughput on
a 1mbit line. Went to the linksys and the 400k miraculously reappeared.
That's one hell of an overhead just for poorly written firmware, so it put
me off them for life.

Damn I wish I didn't know all of this :)

Martin.
 

guddler

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RE: [ukvac] OT: Wireless ADSL Routers!

Oh, and just to add to that, when adding wireless clients into the equation
try getting one that can operate in "promiscous mode". Not a phrase I coined
incidentally!

I also can't profess to know what it means in all it's nitty gritty detail
but I have a vague idea and I do know that if you want to use a modded xbox
on the Xlink KAI network (XBoxLive equivalent but free) then it will not
work on a wireless client unless you can set it to run in promiscuous mode
(really dumb name that!).

And, no a D-Link DWL-G520 pci card is not one that can support promiscous
mode. At least not with official drivers anyhoo. Cue long cable again!

Just thought I'd throw that into the mix.

Martin.
 

pobtastic

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RE: [ukvac] OT: Wireless ADSL Routers!

There is actually a hacked firmware for the Linksys WRT54G series (although
not the newer super 'G' ones I think) which runs KAI actually on the router
itself! It's pretty cool and yes, actually works! But I'd never recommend
a Linksys product after having to deal with their support... They're worse
than awful... This particular router isn't bad though, gives quite good
signal/ reception all over the house. It's fucking abysmal outside though
(harsh but fair!) I had my laptop in the garden in the summer (as you do!)
and it's not 20 meters from the base unit and had NO signal whatsoever...
Utterly useless... On a plus note, the router *is* fine inside the house
and I've got all four of the ports doing stuff lately. Heavy loads too, and
it's not crashed on me in months! Come to think of it, I think it only ever
used to crash at all when using bittorrent and those types of programs
(kazaa was always fine though).

Okay enough waffling... But before I go, I had a Netgear all-in-one
modem/wireless router and it was also fucking rubbish. I don't usually
swear so much I know, but I feel it absolutely necessary when you spend over
£80 for things and they're rubbish. It riles me...

Pobster
PS. The pobtastic domain expires at the end of March and I'm not going to
bother renewing it. I was on holiday for 6 days last week and came home to
find 2500+ spam emails in my inbox. Please change any contact info for me
to paul at pobtastic dot Nildram dot co dottydotdot uk. Thanks :eek:)
 
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