[QUICK] Cable router + wireless N

Clown · 23 Oct 2007 at 10:24

I need to order a router today, so if anyone could help me decide which router it would be well appreciated.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?&groupid=46&catid=116&subid=730&sortby=priceDesc

Any of those near the top of that list will do. I don't really need gigabit LAN, but I don't mind paying for the best. I already have a DG834N and I'm very happy using Netgear routers, and my network cards are all Netgear too. However I don't know too much about the other manufacturers and their features. I know I should probably get a Netgear router for maximum compatibility, but the D-Link DIR655 has QoS. Is that really any good?

Thanks for any help.

wij · 23 Oct 2007 at 11:18

If you're not too bothered about having the pre-N wireless either you might want to consider the Linksys WRT54GL, they are a very good little router and you can install custom firmware into them that enables a whole host of extra features.

Have a look atthe Tomato and DD-WRT firmwares.

Clown · 23 Oct 2007 at 12:02

I want N Wireless

tolien · 23 Oct 2007 at 14:03

As you may be aware, the DG834N isn't a lot of use on cable - there's the Linksys WRT350N that'll run much of the same firmware as the WRT54s though.

Clown · 23 Oct 2007 at 14:23

I have an ADSL line here too

I went for the D-Link as that Linksys was out of stock, otherwise I would have bought it - the top of it looks like a satellite dish! Not sure what the big deal about the firmware is though.

Clown · 24 Oct 2007 at 16:48

Well the D-Link is going back

tolien · 24 Oct 2007 at 17:18

Clown said:
Not sure what the big deal about the firmware is though.

It will do all the QoS stuff that the D-Link does, and more. It's essentially a linux distro, so the possibilities are endless.

Clown · 24 Oct 2007 at 19:02

Well I might not send the router back. It seems my old router and connecting straight to the modem is having problems too. It won't give me an IP address.

tolien · 24 Oct 2007 at 21:27

Did you go through the whole switching it off and back on, waiting for the lights to settle, then reconnecting your machine/routers to it?
IIRC there's a limit on how many times you can do that in a day as well.

Clown · 24 Oct 2007 at 23:04

Meh, I've done it about 100 times today. I'll try again tomorrow. Thanks for letting me know that tolien, the bloody Indian 25p/m call centre didn't mention anything about that.

Clown · 25 Oct 2007 at 14:20

Argh. Still can't get an IP address from them. An engineer is coming over on Monday, but I'm not sure how he will be able to help.

Fr0dders · 25 Oct 2007 at 14:27

what cable modem is it ?

if its one of the older ones they can take hours to release the MAC address to accept another one

and as tolien said, theres a limt to how many times a day the mac adress attached to the cable modem can be changed.

Clown · 25 Oct 2007 at 14:35

I think its the NTL 250. I'll leave my router connected for a while. This RMA code doesn't expire for 2 weeks anyway so I'll wait until after the engineer comes.

Clown · 25 Oct 2007 at 19:45

Sorry, this thread has sort of turned into the Clown show. The router has an IP now. I don't plan on changing routers too often if this is the trouble it gives me. Let's just hope we don't have a power cut now.