what adsl router for AOL ADSL Max

D3fine · 23 Apr 2006 at 00:04

hi im wanting to order a adsl router tonight, it needs to work with AOL, not to bothered about it working with the AOL software just need it to be able to connect to AOL. i was thinking of getting (Netgear DG834 ADSL Modem/Router/Switch/Firewall (NW-016-NG)) my budget is £60-£70, any other suggestions are welcome!

Peve · 23 Apr 2006 at 00:20

D3fine said:
hi im wanting to order a adsl router tonight, it needs to work with AOL, not to bothered about it working with the AOL software just need it to be able to connect to AOL. i was thinking of getting (Netgear DG834 ADSL Modem/Router/Switch/Firewall (NW-016-NG)) my budget is £60-£70, any other suggestions are welcome!

That’s the router I have and cant fault it. Seems to be stable for me

smids · 23 Apr 2006 at 00:45

I have owned the DG834G for 2.5 years - recently upgraded (3 days ago) to a Belkin F5D7633UK4A with the BCM6348 chipset (apparently one of the best) and I have to say it's connection is FAR superior to that of the netgear - don't get me wrong, the Netgear served me very well for its lifespan but this product is just better. SNR no longer takes 10dB wanders and my SNR is a rock solid 27-28dB having fluctuated wildly from 14dB all the way to 28dB (condition dependent) with the netgear which would average about 18-20dB. SNR would also drop whilst downloading which it does not with this new router.

CurlyWhirly · 23 Apr 2006 at 09:36

I've bought a Thomson SpeedTouch 546 Ethernet Router and it works fine for me.

I am currently with AOL but am planning to migrate to Zen when my 12 month contract is up in around a months time.

Strangely enough, this router is recommended by both Zen and AOL.

smids · 23 Apr 2006 at 10:54

CurlyWhirly said:
I've bought a Thomson SpeedTouch 546 Ethernet Router and it works fine for me.

I am currently with AOL but am planning to migrate to Zen when my 12 month contract is up in around a months time.

Strangely enough, this router is recommended by both Zen and AOL.

Another good router and based on the BCM6348 chipset also I believe (it being a 4 port Speedtouch 536).

Trickeh · 23 Apr 2006 at 13:48

Just ordered the Belkin F5D7633UK4A ready for when my maxdsl from evolution goes up on tuesday took your advice smids, cheers

smids · 23 Apr 2006 at 13:51

Trickeh said:
Just ordered the Belkin F5D7633UK4A ready for when my maxdsl from evolution goes up on tuesday took your advice smids, cheers

Uh-oh

!!!

Hope it goes well for you - I was recommended it on Wednesday from the people at adslguide - I trusted them and it worked out well for me

- I hope the same for you too. I suggest immediately putting the latest firmware on there 1.00.11 IIRC dated 26th Jan 2006. I'm getting a very stable SNR too so I'm very happy. It also has the SNR tweak whereby you can set your own minimum SNR Margin and the router will not go below that allowing for a more stable connection.

My current stats for my long line:

Hopefully tomorrow is my Max activation....

Gibber · 23 Apr 2006 at 14:23

Hi Smids,
Have you had a chance to try out the WAP on the Belkin? I would like to get this router but I'm concerned about reports that it has poor wireless range. I would have gotten the DG834GT which also uses the same BCM chipset as the belkin but for some reason it doesn't seem to have as stable an implementation than that of the other BCM based routers.

My current DG834G admittedly has a very good wireless system but like the problem you had am suffering from a wandering SNR, I like to keep an eye on my line occasionally but giving me totally false SNR readings stops me from doing that.

It seems like the TI AR7 chipset has a bad flaw in it which can't be fixed even with new driver releases, looks to me like Broadcom have found themselves a new winner.

smids · 23 Apr 2006 at 14:34

Gibber said:
Hi Smids,
Have you had a chance to try out the WAP on the Belkin? I would like to get this router but I'm concerned about reports that it has poor wireless range. I would have gotten the DG834GT which also uses the same BCM chipset as the belkin but for some reason it doesn't seem to have as stable an implementation than that of the other BCM based routers.

My current DG834G admittedly has a very good wireless system but like the problem you had am suffering from a wandering SNR, I like to keep an eye on my line occasionally but giving me totally false SNR readings stops me from doing that.

It seems like the TI AR7 chipset has a bad flaw in it which can't be fixed even with new driver releases, looks to me like Broadcom have found themselves a new winner.

Yep - I am running completely wirelessly as I did on my old Netgear (3 days now).

To be brutally honest, the range is not quite as good as the netgear. There is however a very big exaggeration on how bad it really is. My router is located in my parents room which is separate from mine by 2 walls and about 8M. I get excellent reception in here running a steady 54Mbp/s and no drops to 48Mbp/s.

When I placed my router downstairs at the master socket, I would get about 24Mbps - though this was much worse in terms of interference - It would go through 4 walls, a toilet with lots of pipes in the wall (apparently water systems seems to kill the range I read) and is about 10M diagonal straight line from my room. I'd say my Netgear was better as it offered about 36/48Mbps signal when in the same position but range is still not bad. I mean I can pick up one of my neighbours, albeit with 1 bar reception in windows wireless meter, and they are a few houses away with a house in between (they have the same router). I'm not sure if that's just my very good wireless card range (netgear WG311) or whether the router is just not as bad as people make out.

Cooper · 23 Apr 2006 at 14:42

CurlyWhirly said:
I've bought a Thomson SpeedTouch 546 Ethernet Router and it works fine for me.

I am currently with AOL but am planning to migrate to Zen when my 12 month contract is up in around a months time.

Strangely enough, this router is recommended by both Zen and AOL.

Is this an all one...ADSL Modem and Router?

Gibber · 23 Apr 2006 at 14:43

Sounds promising then! The way people were talking it was if you couldn't get a signal standing right next to it!

I'm not really too bothered if I suffer a bit of speed loss on the wireless side, if it's only a minor performance decrease then it doesn't concern me too much, it's just the drama that some people create on other forums that put me off it a little.

smids · 23 Apr 2006 at 14:44

Gibber said:
Sounds promising then! The way people were talking it was if you couldn't get a signal standing right next to it!

I'm not really too bothered if I suffer a bit of speed loss on the wireless side, if it's only a minor performance decrease then it doesn't concern me too much, it's just the drama that some people create on other forums that put me off it a little.

Oh don't worry me too! I was all prepared to LAN the two together/bridge them using the Netgear as a Wireless router and the Belkin as a modem but now I can just sell my old one

. I hope, if you do buy one, it goes well. I don't live in a Victorian house so my walls are pretty modern i.e. thin breezeblocky or whatever they use.

Eddie · 23 Apr 2006 at 14:50

D3fine said:
hi im wanting to order a adsl router tonight, it needs to work with AOL, not to bothered about it working with the AOL software just need it to be able to connect to AOL. i was thinking of getting (Netgear DG834 ADSL Modem/Router/Switch/Firewall (NW-016-NG)) my budget is £60-£70, any other suggestions are welcome!

I've used that router with AOL for the last cople of years and haven't had a single problem - I would definitely recommend it.

Bin Boy · 23 Apr 2006 at 15:26

D3fine said:
hi im wanting to order a adsl router tonight, it needs to work with AOL, not to bothered about it working with the AOL software just need it to be able to connect to AOL. i was thinking of getting (Netgear DG834 ADSL Modem/Router/Switch/Firewall (NW-016-NG)) my budget is £60-£70, any other suggestions are welcome!

A Filter for adsl to separate voice and data, XTE-2005

Stocky · 23 Apr 2006 at 16:10

Excuse me for hijacking this thread, but with you talking about AOL & belkin routers I was wondering how easy it is to setup the two together, having only used AOL & a ISDN modem , thank's for any replies.

smids · 23 Apr 2006 at 16:21

Stocky said:
Excuse me for hijacking this thread, but with you talking about AOL & belkin routers I was wondering how easy it is to setup the two together, having only used AOL & a ISDN modem , thank's for any replies.

Very easy - I know for sure the Belkin does work as one of my neighbours is on AOL and has the same router. Usually it onlr requires you to input info for 4 or 5 fields e.g. AOL username @aol.com, AOL password, MTU (usually lower for AOL, e.g. 1400) and choose the connection type, PPPoA or PPPoE.

VeggieUK · 23 Apr 2006 at 16:35

smids said:
I have owned the DG834G for 2.5 years - recently upgraded (3 days ago) to a Belkin F5D7633UK4A with the BCM6348 chipset (apparently one of the best) and I have to say it's connection is FAR superior to that of the netgear - don't get me wrong, the Netgear served me very well for its lifespan but this product is just better. SNR no longer takes 10dB wanders and my SNR is a rock solid 27-28dB having fluctuated wildly from 14dB all the way to 28dB (condition dependent) with the netgear which would average about 18-20dB. SNR would also drop whilst downloading which it does not with this new router.

In your opinion do you think this router could connect faster to dslmax?I have a DG834v2, I had the wandering SNR (starts of at 24 then falls to 14 ect)I'm sync at 4448Kbps so like 130Kbps from 4Mb lol

Just wondering if it offers enough of a improvment for me to get 4MB instead of 3.5

Attenuation 55
SNR 6dB
4448/448

smids · 23 Apr 2006 at 16:44

VeggieUK said:
In your opinion do you think this router could connect faster to dslmax?I have a DG834v2, I had the wandering SNR (starts of at 24 then falls to 14 ect)I'm sync at 4448Kbps so like 130Kbps from 4Mb lol Just wondering if it offers enough of a improvment for me to get 4MB instead of 3.5
Attenuation 55
SNR 6dB
4448/448

Lol - I'm not sure but it might. It might be more stable. Don't forget, doesn't v2 and v1 have the same firmware? I know this Belkin is much better than my DG834G, but that is about the best I can answer that question.

CurlyWhirly · 23 Apr 2006 at 18:51

smids said:
Another good router and based on the BCM6348 chipset also I believe (it being a 4 port Speedtouch 536).

I'm glad to hear that it is a good router mainly because I need a good router to get the most out of Max DSL due to my distance from the exchange.

Cooper said:
Is this an all one...ADSL Modem and Router?

Yes it's a modem and router.

tolien · 23 Apr 2006 at 20:21

VeggieUK said:
In your opinion do you think this router could connect faster to dslmax?I have a DG834v2, I had the wandering SNR (starts of at 24 then falls to 14 ect)I'm sync at 4448Kbps so like 130Kbps from 4Mb lol Just wondering if it offers enough of a improvment for me to get 4MB instead of 3.5
Attenuation 55
SNR 6dB
4448/448

Doubt it. The sync rate's based on your SNR margin when you sync up.