What Router?

Westyfield2

Westyfield2

Westyfield2

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Joined
14 Dec 2005
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Location
Bath
'sup.

I'm after a new router for home. The current router is a Linksys WRT600N which we've had for 3-years in December!

Our home has always had very poor WiFi. Solid breeze-block internal walls (with metal in them too!) and there's MOD nearby, all the neighbours have the same issues too. Some radio spectrum nerdy bloke said that it's definitely the MOD swamping the airwaves. Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz has low range here.
Consequently as-well as the WRT600N router, there's also a Netgear DG834GT (with a massive antenna) and a Netgear WNDR3700 running as access-points, both connected via ethernet back to switches and the main WRT600N router.

The reason I want to replace the WRT600N is that I've been having WiFi problems with it. Last week my iPad and MacBook Pro kept dropping out on it, so at the weekend I fiddled around with all the settings. This week my MacBook Air just will not connect to it at all (neither the 2.4GHz or 5GHz). Also I've had the router lock-up whilst I was changing settings, and for some unknown reason the DHCP reservation list just won't accept some of the MAC addresses.
The problem WiFi devices work fine on the DG834GT and both channels of the WNDR3700 (shame that those two can't cover the whole house :p), hence why I'm blaming the WRT600N.

Soo, new router.
  • Want Gigabit (quite often shift large amounts of data and stream HD through the main router, not just the switches)
  • Want simultaneous dual band 2.4GHz & 5GHz (though I guess I could get separate access points as-well as a new router)
  • Don't need StorageLink/Readyshare
  • Don't need VLANs or 'Guest Network'
  • It's WiFi range isn't really important, it will be naff here nomatter what the router is!

Whilst working as a Systems Administrator I did learn just how **** the homegrade stuff is compared with proper Cisco/Juniper kit. Though surely that's overkill for home? Plus the fact that I know diddly squat IOS so I wouldn't have a clue what I'm doing!

The routers I'm considering are the Netgear WNDR3700, Linksys E3000 and Apple Airport Extreme.

Anyone got any opinions of those three, or want to recommend anything else? Cost is irrelevant TBH, well with reason :p.

Cheers,


EDIT: Forgot to say, like the WRT600N I don't need a Modem built in. Just a WAN port to connect my modem to.
 
Last edited:
I've got an Airport Extreme, it's not bad.
It was rather pricey for what it is, but it looks pretty, which is a good thing :p

I can't say I've had any issues with mine, but it's mainly acting as a wireless bridge and switch.
 
DJMK4 said:
Have you looked at some of the new Drayteks? 2820w? Highly rated piece of kit
Click to expand...

Hadn't even considered Draytek!

They any good?


n1blo said:
I've got an Airport Extreme, it's not bad.
It was rather pricey for what it is, but it looks pretty, which is a good thing :p
Click to expand...
Typical Mac user :p.

Can you do normal router things on it? I.E. Adjust the settings from a web browser, IP address reservations, forward the ports you need, etc. Or is it very Apple esque and 'just works', but you can't change any settings.
 
Says the guy with a MBP, MBA and an iPad!! :p

Now I've only ever used this on mac, it has it's own Airport Wizard which you can configure settings, it will no doubt have a windows equivalent.

I don't think there is any web based UI though, which is abit of a pain, but once you've configured it you don't really need to tinker with settings (well for me anyway!)
 
Hmm.

Draytek 2820n and Draytek 2920n look like good stuff, with the difference being the latter having multiple Gigabit ports. Both are only 2.4GHz Wireless, but that doesn't bother me.

Anyone got either of those two?
 
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