Linksys WRT54GL vs WRT54GS

Legend

Legend

Legend

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What is the main difference between these two? I know the 'L' version has the ability to upgrade to the firmware which apparently makes it that much better. Does that make my decision over which one to get a no brainer? The 'L' version is cheaper, which I wondered why if it's supposed to be superior.

I've just had had a new Virgin Media cable broadband put in and need to get a cable router to connect to the modem. Computers in another room so need wireless. Looks like one of these Linksys models is the way to go...

Thoughts? Advice?

:confused:
 
I have the GS v1.1 and it works a treat on VM/NTL. I've not used the GL but it's my understanding it's 54Mbps whereas the GS is the speedbooster 108Mbps. You can upgrade the firmware on all of them AFAIK.
 
The hardware and software specs have changed quite a bit through production. The latest GS models (v7) have 64 MiB RAM. Before that they had 16 MiB, just like the GL. Before v4 they all had 32 MiB RAM and ran Linux just like the GL.

Have a look at the specs as they changed through history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRT54G#WRT54GS

EDIT: SpeedBooster is accomplished in software. A GL with 3rd party firmware can be turned into a GS. Thus if you get a version that runs Linux you can have it do whatever you want. The bonus of the GS is the extra RAM.
 
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BillytheImpaler said:
The hardware and software specs have changed quite a bit through production. The latest GS models (v7) have 64 MiB RAM. Before that they had 16 MiB, just like the GL. Before v4 they all had 32 MiB RAM and ran Linux just like the GL.

EDIT: SpeedBooster is accomplished in software. A GL with 3rd party firmware can be turned into a GS. Thus if you get a version that runs Linux you can have it do whatever you want. The bonus of the GS is the extra RAM.
Click to expand...
The fact that I'm not going anywhere near Linux is not a factor is it? What difference does that extra RAM make then. Why would the GL be considered superior if it's basically a GL out of the box, plus has more RAM?
 
I have a WRT54GL with a HyperWRT w/thibor 15c firmware. Current uptime is closing on 4 months since its last reboot.

Im very happy with my router and its well worth the extra few quid over other models. As I dont have any 108Mb wireless hardware I cannot comment on this side - however 54Mb is fine for me.
 
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Each of the GL firmwares (stock or otherwise) is linux based. The upgrade is so simple my girlfriend can do it with no technical knowledge in under 5 minutes, if you are being put off by the word linux it's just the standard firmware with afterburner enabled (ala GS) and a lot of bug fix's/extra features you may or may not need. Personally I'd take the GL and put the mini version of DDWRT on if it were me (stability alone makes it worth the 5 mins).

If you can work out how to turn on your pc, launch ie/ff etc and navigate to ocuk/post on here you are over qualified to upgrade your router.
 
Yeah, it's not that which bothers me.

I have heard a few bad things about Linksys (plenty of good comments though), and coming from a less than reliable Netgear set-up, I'm far from eager to suffer with a constantly dropping and slow connection again!

The Buffalo Airstation WHR-HP-G54 has now really caught my attention. I'm finding it difficult to find any negative reports about it.
 
With the WRT54GS, try and avoid version 5-6. According to the Wiki page versions 1-4 have more memory which means you can flash it to third party firmware which gives you a few extra features.

I personally own a WRT54GS v5.1, and found the original firmware was terrible. It would need rebooting at least once a day, and more often whenever some friends tried to connect their laptops up to the wireless network. I found a guide on the net which allowed to flash it with a third-party version of the firmware, with a few of the added features taken out so it would fit in the v5.1's smaller memory. It's still better featured than the original firmware, and has since been rock steady, it's been on there the best part of a week now and it's not needed to be rebooted, and hasn't given me any problems.
 
As already said, try to change the firmware asap, no matter what model you end up with, stock firmware is shocking to say the least.

Have a wrt54g v1.1, the stock firmware was semi stable, working for some time then falling over, i put ddwrt on the thing and i haven't looked back at all, everything about it is better.
 
Legend said:
The fact that I'm not going anywhere near Linux is not a factor is it?
Click to expand...
Recall that the router is not for machines running Linux (it doesn't care what OS its clients are running). The router ITSELF runs
Linux to do its routing duties. That is what made it so extensible.
 
I've had my WRT54G v2 for 2 years now and it's been great serving various WIFI and wired computers & devices no problems,

I flashed it to the USA firmware for the WRT54G v2 and the router was shown as a WRT54GL instead of a WRT54G in te top right corner of the admin area - weird also 2 wireless channels (12 and 13) were missing.
I did this because the USA firmware was newer but it turned out that devices like PDAs and PSP consoles could not connect via Wifi no matter what I tried so I flashed back to the UK latest (2005 version ....) and the portable devices can connect nicely once again :)

I was thinking of getting a speedbooster version as I am happy with the official firmware but wanted to know if people would rather recommend using DDWRT or something!
 
OK a few more .. in answer to your question i'd try ddwrt if I were you, it supports afterburn/spedboost and costs nothing to try :)
 
My WMP54G has a speedboost option in device manager, reckon it secretly supports speedboost ?

wmp.png
 
Google seems to think they did a version with and without speedbooster enabled. Basically if the other devices on your LAN don't support it then it's not going to do any good enabling it, infact it may even reduce speeds. If you went with DDWRT and enabled it thoug ....
 
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