The Router Recommendations Thread (Consumer)

Can someone give me a suggestion for a good Wireless N router with some range. The router will be used for streaming to the tv and online video games for my computer.
 
Ok, sorry to ask, but looking for something that I'm having a difficult time finding.

Specifically I am looking for a Wireless-N, More-than-4 Port Gigabit router.

Dual band isn't required and would rather not pay for if possible, but it wouldn't hurt, and if required, I'd be okay with getting it.

Basically, I have a 4 port Wireless-G router that I am going to retire, but I've been wanting at least 1-2 more ethernet ports to wire in another few devices if I can.

I can see 2 options.

1) Buy a single 6+Gigabit Port Wireless N router (which is my preferred choice, but I'll be damned if I can find one!)
2) Get a 4-Gigabit Port Wireless N router, and setup the current wireless-g-router as a 'slave' and turn the wireless off (but use the extra ethernet ports).

Option 1 would be preferred for simplicities sake, but will cost more (how much more might define if this is the route taken).
Option 2 would work because a few devices don't need/have gigabit, and would be fine on 10/100, but would be more annoying to setup and keep stable, especially given my history with networking (and things that should be working, not).

Any suggestions?
 
Why..?

  • Choose a Router.....Apple Airport Extreme, Zyxel USG, ASUS RT-66, etc
  • Buy a 1' or 0.5' Cat6 cable from Monoprice.
  • Add a Netgear GS108E...from the vender of your choice.
  • Plug any LAN port from the router into the GS108E.... Now you have 7 free gigabit ports on the GS108E.


The GS108 has a low MTBF, The GS108E's MTBF is 20 times higher. If you want to save a whopping 8 bucks and replace the switch in a year or two...buy the GS108. If you prefer to not have to spend the money twice....buy the GS108E.
 
My personal Favorite router is the Asus RT-N66U. Just don't use the firmware ending in .260. I've never had a problem with it until that firmware and then I just switched over to Merlin's firmwares as he gets the source from Asus and makes his own fixes etc.

In fact his latest firmware for the xx-n66u series has multiple VPN servers built into it so you can use which ever one you feel most comfortable with.
 
Looking for suggestions as to what switch to get, looking for something no more then $400 with the following features (sorry if I'm not using the correct terms):

- 18 ports (preferred, but more is always a plus)
- Link Aggregation ("port pairing")
- Jumbo Frames support
- Web Management (assuming this is a given with Link Aggregation support)

BONUS: Option to rackmount the unit either right out of the box, or a added purchase later. (not a deal breaker)

Thanks in advance for the suggestions and help.
Narfski
 
Narfski said:
Looking for suggestions as to what switch to get, looking for something no more then $400 with the following features (sorry if I'm not using the correct terms):

- 18 ports (preferred, but more is always a plus)
- Link Aggregation ("port pairing")
- Jumbo Frames support
- Web Management (assuming this is a given with Link Aggregation support)

BONUS: Option to rackmount the unit either right out of the box, or a added purchase later. (not a deal breaker)

Thanks in advance for the suggestions and help.
Narfski
Click to expand...
This switch should do all of that including your bonus
http://www.amazon.com/HP-J9450A-ABA-Procurve-1810G-24/dp/B002NAYFSI
 
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I just got an Ipad 4, and have not been able to connect to my wifi at home. I have a Netgear WNDR 3700 (v1) that I have had for some time now.
I followed instructions at the netgear forums, and have been unsuccessful in updating the firmware, and have also followed instructions from the Apple support pages, and other suggestions, and have not been able to connect. I even removed all password protection to see if that would fix things, and it would not.
I swapped out the Netgear with an inexpensive Cisco router, single band, just to see if the Ipad would connect to that in case there was something wrong with the Ipad, and sure enough, it connected immediately, even with a password.

So I am thinking it is time to get a new dual band router. I have the Ipad, a laptop, a PS3 and smartphone to use with the wifi.
I am not sure I want to try a new revision of the 3700 just because of the experience above.
I know there have been quite a few issues with Ipads and wifi....but there must be some fast routers out there that work well with them.
What routers would you suggest? I have my own cable modem....so only need a dual band router. Thanks
 
Looking at purchasing a new router, just moved into a new house and the signal coverage isn't where I want it to be with my current router (ASUS WL-500G Premium).

My thoughts are to either buy a unifi AP (std or LR) and disable the wireless on the router, or purchase a new router like the RT-n66u.

Any thoughts?
 
Is the WL500GP limiting you in any way today? (It can handle about 30-35 mbits).
It's range is a bit worse than average in my experience but you can pretty much use any Atheros based router as AP (such as TP-Link TL-WR842ND) if you want a cheaper and just as good solution as Unifi AP.
//Danne
 
diizzy said:
Is the WL500GP limiting you in any way today? (It can handle about 30-35 mbits).
It's range is a bit worse than average in my experience but you can pretty much use any Atheros based router as AP (such as TP-Link TL-WR842ND) if you want a cheaper and just as good solution as Unifi AP.
//Danne
Click to expand...

Nope, the router ticks along quite well, even on the stock firmware. I haven't had many issues out of it, just the range is a bit weak on the outskirts of the house.

Thanks, I appreciate the recommendation!
 
diizzy said:
@ Stevarian
I'd just try a new firmware since its most likely a firmware issue, give the newest version of Gargoyle a spin or OpenWRT if you're familiar with it.
http://www.gargoyle-router.com/download.php

//Danne
Click to expand...

I suspect a firmware issue as well, as I know of one person with a FAR-older Netgear WNR1000v2 and an iPad (one generation older) which gets regular use - the WNR1000v2 has factory (though updated) firmware and is single-band 2.4 GHz N and lower.

Speaking of Netgear consumer routers, the WNDR3700 has changed chipsets yet again - the Broadcom chipset of the v3 has given way to an updated version of the Atheros chipset of the older v2 - the result is the WNDR3700v4. The updated chipset breaks firmware compatibility - the v4 requires different firmware from other versions of the WNDR37xx series, including the v2. I bought one to replace my apparently-about-to-croak WNR3500v1 - not only was I having timeouts (and on the WIRED ports - which is absolutely unforgivable), but the router committed the additional sin of being IPv6-hostile. The WNDR took all of seven minutes to set up (from a cold start) - with over half of that making sure that the two networks (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) were properly separated - AND that the *guest network* was, in fact, completely turned off. The router actually supports IPv6 in factory firmware - it's simply disabled by default. (The why of THAT is that most broadband, and especially xDSL, ISPs haven't gotten around to supporting IPv6 yet - however, for those that do, such as Comcast, turning it on and letting the router take it from there solves the problem for any OS that supports IPv6 - which is any OS except that of consoles.)

What's nicer is that once the connection went up, it's STAYED up - I have not had to take the connection down - to anything. My admin box has THREE connections to the router (wired gigabit, wired 100 mbps, and wireless-G). Mom's wired 100mbps desktop (main floor library), her legacy XP laptop (second floor master bedroom - 2.4 GHz wireless-G) and her "smart" 40" HDTV (master bedroom - 5 GHz N), and there is nary a quibble.
 
No point in getting a WNDR3700 nowdays since both TP-Links routers are cheaper and newer/better hardware or the WNDR4300.
//Danne
 
Hey guys , some advice/suggestions needed. I have been using Netgear Wndr3400 for sometime now and it seems to have done its job pretty good over the years. I hook my pc straight up via ethernet and have dual 2.4 and 5 running for iphone 5 , xbox, ps3, macbook air at times... they're not all running at the same time but when they do run I have no complaints. I do notice that my pc speed hooked up via ethernet seems slow at times, maybe its just me . Just ran speedtest app on iphone5 and got 17ms 24.31 mbps download and 4.04 upload. I really like netgear, a family member is in need of a router so I I have offered to give them mine giving me the opportunity to upgrade. What router would you all recommend I buy , ? Looking for an upgrade from last for sure.
 
So over the past several weeks, my router has really gone to shit. It randomly drops connections and slows down. The SSID will just disappear and I look at the router and all of the lights have turned off except for the orange power led (I have a Netgear WNR-2000). My routers kind of old so I figured I want to throw in the towel and buy a new one. I’m looking for something rather reasonable like under $75. I don’t care about 5ghz but I do want something that’s reliable with good range. I would appreciate DD-WRT, but that’s not a requirement. So far I came across the Buffalo WZR-300HP and the D-Link DIR-655. Are there any other recommendations out there, and between the two, which are better?
 
Get a TP-LINK TL-WDR3600 instead, no idea regarding DD but OpenWRT works fine (and seems a lot better overall than DD) if you for some reason need a 3rd party firmware.
//Danne
 
Aaron11 said:
So over the past several weeks, my router has really gone to shit. It randomly drops connections and slows down. The SSID will just disappear and I look at the router and all of the lights have turned off except for the orange power led (I have a Netgear WNR-2000). My routers kind of old so I figured I want to throw in the towel and buy a new one. I’m looking for something rather reasonable like under $75. I don’t care about 5ghz but I do want something that’s reliable with good range. I would appreciate DD-WRT, but that’s not a requirement. So far I came across the Buffalo WZR-300HP and the D-Link DIR-655. Are there any other recommendations out there, and between the two, which are better?
Click to expand...

Look up one post...
the TP-LINK TL-WDR3600 seems to be compatable after a few seconds of googleing...
also looks like the TP-LINK TL-WDR4300 is compatable as well... Though that one may be a tad over your budget. The 3600 seems to be a good bet for a really decent router.
 
K thanks guys. After a bit more research I think I will get the wdr3500 since I don't feel the need for gigabit ethernet.
 
A family friend's 12-year-old router is dying (needs resetting all the time). They don't need wireless or Gigabit Ethernet. What's the cheapest TP-Link router I should get? I see a number of options below the $50 WDR3500 on newegg.
 
I wouldn't go below WDR3600 unless you're on a really tight budget, in that case I'd go for TL-WR842ND (and that's in general, not just looking at the TP-Link brand).
//Danne
 
Any routers with excellent range but doesn't have a billion other features that I likely won't use? I've been looking at the Asus RT-AC66U, but I feel like that nearly all of the features on it would be wasted on me. I already have a repeater for the house, but I still need something to cover the first half of the house.
 
I ended up going with another solution (found a wired router I forgot I had and gave it to them) but while I was shopping, I noticed that the TP-Link TL-WR842ND and the TP-Link TL-WDR3500 are virtually the same price ($48 vs $49). I couldn't make sense of how they were different. Is one better than the other?
 
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Go for the WDR3500 in that case, faster CPU (but limited due to the builtin switch), more memory and dual band.
//Danne
 
Hopefully this is the right place to put this.

I'm looking to replace my old router (Apply Airport Extreme) with something that can handle more connections. I am a heavy user with torrents and would like a powerful router that can use some good firmware like Tomato, DD-WRT, or something similar.

I'm in Europe so my options may be limited so a few suggestions would be appreciated.
Price range is wide open - I'm looking for something to last 5+ years. Ethernet and Wireless.

Thank you for any help.
 
Kryx said:
Hopefully this is the right place to put this.

I'm looking to replace my old router (Apply Airport Extreme) with something that can handle more connections. I am a heavy user with torrents and would like a powerful router that can use some good firmware like Tomato, DD-WRT, or something similar.

I'm in Europe so my options may be limited so a few suggestions would be appreciated.
Price range is wide open - I'm looking for something to last 5+ years. Ethernet and Wireless.

Thank you for any help.
Click to expand...
You may want to consider a intel atom board with 2 built in intel nics and putting etheir untangle or PFSence. Though untangle is a bit more processor intensive it should still do the trick if you stick to intel nics.
If you have a older computer, something like a C2D, you could use that easily as the router and pick up a couple of intel NICs.



Har22tman said:
The links below are intended to give you more information or point you in the right direction.
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Click to expand...
no links to be found, just a bunch of small pics :confused:
 
Last edited:
im thinking of changing my network up.

Current>

Juniper Netscreen 5GT Firewall/Router
Cisco SLM 2008 Gig-E managed switch
Linksys WRT54GL acting as AP

Thinking of building a pfsense or untangle box(maybe buying something like a watchguard firebox and installing it onto that), or going with a mikrotik router

and a Unifi AP
 
Greetings,

I'm in the processes of redesigning the network at my parents' house. The current setup is this:
TWC -> Linksys E3000 -> Wired: PS3, Samsung TV, Verizon 4G Hotspot, Airport Express (for streaming iTunes to stereo system -> Wireless: 3 Phones, 2 Tablets, 4 Laptops, 2 Airport Express (music streaming), Wireless Printer, and an Asus RT-N12 acting as a wireless bridge to a 2nd wired segment containing my desktop and NAS.

Currently the E3000 has been running super hot and we've been numerous problems such as devices thinking the gateway is 10.0.1.1 instead of 192.168.1.1 and being given IPs in the 10.0.1.x range and being unable to access the internet. This was fixed with using static IPs, but the router slows down after a while and requires constant resets.

I'm looking to replace the E3000 with something newer and hopefully better able to handle so many devices and also even open to looking at small business class hardware and am open to any suggestions regarding hardware or network design.

Thanks!
 
TWC is now charging me for my modem and my router is from 2004 so I'm wondering if I should get this newegg combo deal:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1194216

I'd actually prefer to have this modem and then find a wifi router:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AJHDZSI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I have 15Mbps cable service, use gigabit Ethernet for gaming but use wireless streaming for my TV/Media server/smartphones/tablets

Any advice guys? I just don't really know when the extra speed of the newer modem would really be an advantage... 5 years from now? 10?
 
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@ DirtyB

Do you have TWC voip?

I think the Motorola SB6141 is able to bond more channels than Motorola SB6121 . So I say go with Motorola SB6141, being more future proof if you needs changes over time.
 
Motorola SB6121 ($78): able to channel bond four downstream channels
Motorola SB6141 ($90): able to channel bond eight downstream channels
Zoom 5341J ($73): able to channel eight downstream channels

All three of these DOCSIS 3.0 modems are very good. The Zoom wins on price.

Is there a clear answer somewhere on when bonding more than 4 channels comes into play for the typcial home user? It seems to me like 4 channels allows 160 Mbps and 8 channels allow 300 Mbps, but if you're doing a wireless connection are you ever going to even hit 160 Mbps anyway?
 
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LostStorm said:
@ DirtyB

Do you have TWC voip?

I think the Motorola SB6141 is able to bond more channels than Motorola SB6121 . So I say go with Motorola SB6141, being more future proof if you needs changes over time.
Click to expand...

No I don't use VoIP, that deal seems to have expired so I'll probably just get the SB6141 now, then pick out a new router.
 
Sepen said:
I just got this yesterday. Wow, unreal coverage. I have noticed a huge difference in using my laptops and Ipad. I updated to the latest firmware and haven't even entertained the thought of using Tomato or DD-WRT, yet. I upgraded from the Asus RT-N16 which had Tomato on it.
Click to expand...

It's working fine for me as well. Can't beat the price. Hope it lasts.
 
nice job bro, but i didnt see any product of huawei on the list of router manufacturers and i am wondering why?

In addition to this, i actually bought a huawei B970 router and tried using to port forward a on a Qvis IZEUSL BB8 DVR to enable me view streaming of my CCTV cameras but its not just working and am really worried:confused: . So i really do need your help guys.
 
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