Computer help forum: Which router to buy?

Some things to consider:

1: Your connection to the Internet is going to be the limiting factor in how fast things are/aren't. It doesn't matter if you have an 802.11b router with a max speed of 11Mbps if you have a 256Kbps DSL connection for example. The router will have bandwidth to spare if you're trying to pull stuff off the Internet.

2: I would personally avoid D-Link. They tend to load on way more features than the hardware can support, not to mention they tend to be a bit skimpy on the RAM.

3: You might look into the Linksys WRT54GL router. You won't find it in stores, so you'll have to buy it online. It's only an 802.11g router, BUT, it's more or less designed to let you run custom firmwares on it, like the very lightweight Tomato firmware. I use it on my V1.1 WRT54GS (kind of the big brother to the WRT54GL) and it goes for months without me having to think about it beyond checking for firmware updates. It's an amazing little workhorse. Unfortunately Linksys/Cisco pretty well neutered later models removing most of the RAM, but the GL model I believe has 8MB, which is 2-4X what most routers have these days. It's also under $100 at full retail, so it won't break the bank. There's also the Linksys WRT150N which has 16MB of RAM, but you have to run the somewhat heavier DD-WRT firmware on it, and getting it installed is a bit of a hassle.

1- Am I to understand that the speed of you internet has more to do with the service coming into your house than the router?

2- Does the rating of routers ("g" or "n") only pertain to range of wireless usage and not speedier internet?

3- If the router itself has something to do with speedier (wired) internet service than what specs. do I look for in getting a faster router?

I eventually bought the Netgear WPS-2000. Quick and easy to set-up but didn't really do anything to improve internet speed. I use it wired to computer and Blu-Ray DVD player. I have 30 days to return it if you think there are faster routers for movie downloads and online gaming.

One more point. I called cablevision (my internet provider) and got "Optimum Boost", a faster internet service. This did increase my download speed from 5-10,000 kb/sec to 25-30,000 kb/sec. Obviously I noticed faster internet, however, I have to pay extra per month for the "Boost." I was hoping a faster router would do the trick.

Thanks for any help and suggestions you can give. I am not that knowledgable with high tech specs so please use more commoners language.

Don

your internet performance is *solely* based on your service, not the router (assuming the router is properly configured). "g" routers are rated at 54Mbps, "n" routers at 300Mbps, but most broadband services is less than 15Mbps. you'll only tap the router's full speed when communicating with another computer within your home network.

get the router type that matches your existing equipment or planned upgrades. if you only have a "g" laptop, the extra cost of an "n" router will be wasted (unless you plan on getting a new laptop with 802.11n) since it will fall back to "g" mode.

I have owned Linksys, D-Link and Belkin. I got a year out of my first Linksys and 6 months out of the second Linksys. I got about a year out of my D-Link. My Belkin came with unlimited warranty and I have had it 4-1/2 years and going strong. The tech support has been fabulous. I will stay with Belkin in the future. The response by mkoehne seems spot on.

Netgear DG834N - excellent

I have decided to exchange my Netgear WNR-2000 for the WNR-3500. It offers extended wireless range, multiple antennas, great specs. that will last well into the future and has pretty blue lights on top (for the antennas). I upped my internet service by cable to provide 30MB/sec. Yes, this was the biggest difference.

Thank you again for all your help and advice. You guys are great!

Don

I find Linksys easier to use than D-Links haha

Actually there are several speed. One is the speed beteewn multiple wireed computers, if you have then, in your home. Second is the speed between your computers and the internet. And third is the speed between between any wireless computers and the rest of your network. I my case the maximum speed between my two wired computers is 1000 megabits/sec. each computer has a 1000 megabit/sec NIC and the switch portion of my router is rated 10/100/1000 megabits/sec. My laptop tops out at 270 megabits/sec, the maxium of a "N" NIC. However when I connect to the Internet my speed is 3 megabits/sec, which is what my ISP provides. I use a Linksys router. My experience that been that "N" routers have a greater range then "G" routers.

My ISP tech support recommended "Linksys" with no further specification.

Internet research came up with mixed reviews for the Linksys WRT54G - apparently the early versions were excellent, then (in v.6) they modified it making it less acceptable and came out with other products (at higher prices) that were as good as the early WRT54G's.
I ended up buying a Linksys WRT54G2 for $45 from Amazon, and am now very happy.

I had doubts about whether it could be connected (primarily, via ethernet) to my WIN98 system (the included CD specified WIN2000 or higher). My calls to Linksys tech support were mixed - partly due to linguistic communications problems on the first call and a technical snag on the second. But the third support agent stepped me through the whole process. After connecting to the Win98, connecting wireless to my XP and VISTA computers was a breeze, and everything has worked very nicely since.

Phil Sidel

Why would I want to buy two pieces of equipment when one will do?

My first two wireless routers were Linksys. They worked well when they worked. The first one went kaput one week after the one-year warranty expired. I complained and they did send me a reconditioned one but told me it had no warranty. It died after about 6 months so I bought a Netgear, then a D-Link. setups were more complicated and tech support was iffy. I then bought a Belkin which has a lifetime warranty. It has been working for 4-1/2 years and still going stong. Tech Support is great. Why settle for a 1-year warranty when a lifetime warranty is available? Who wants to buy a new one every 12 months? I am sold on Belkin.

Yeah, but when it craps out, you'll be paying for the next one.