I am done with Consumer Routers - Advice

[Intelman]

I have gone through so many routers, the last two being the DGL-4300 and the DIR-655. My DGL-4300 actually went up in smoke...

Anyways it seems as if my DIR-655 can no longer handle peak loads. Occasionally pages will just not load, and I have to manually reboot the router.

I am now thinking of replacements. I have run a Smoothwall box before. It was pretty easy straight forward. Honestly, the hardest part was remembering all the linux commands, being amatureish I really did not know how to find my DNS servers through the console (cat /var/smoothwall/red/dns1 /var/smoothwall/red/dns2).

In anycase, I was wondering the ethics of keeping a dedicated machine on 24/7 365 just for internet access. Granted it would be really fast, but I really wouldn't need all that power. So then I was wondering if there are any low end business grade routers that would do me well. How are "HotBrick" routers? Are there any relatively cheap cisco routers that are realtively easy to use? Are there other 3rd party business class router brands I should look at?

I am a heavy gamer when I have time to game, I also torrent quite a bit of TV shows , video podcasts, and game updates (from gameupdates.com).

Either way I go, using an old PC for Smoothwall or getting a business grade router, I'd probably end up spending about the same amount of money.

Both require that I get an access point, which I will probably get a cisco one off ebay or maybe a dlink one. I would need a gigabit switch if I went the smoothwall route, and probably two new NICs. Alternatively I would only need to buy the business class router with a built in switch.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Asgorath]

http://www.hacom.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=144_152&products_id=227

http://www.pcengines.ch/alix2d1.htm

Basically, build your own router, then run pfSense on it.

 

[Vito_Corleone]

I heart my 1811.

 

[nitrobass24]

http://www.logicsupply.com/products/perimeter_b

Or the Fanless model

http://www.logicsupply.com/products/perimeter_f

Or the Rackmount model

http://www.logicsupply.com/products/perimeter_r

They are low power and you can do just about anything with them.
You could if you wanted install IPcop, smoothwall, pfsense, freesco, clarkconnect, untangle, etc.

Do you already have a PC that runs 24/7?
If so look at untangle they have a version that runs inside of windows, pretty cool.

 

[Intelman]

Wow, those build your own kits are sweet.

I am aiming to spend too much, with the fanned model at 281, a 130 dollar access point and a 50 dollar switch or so... not too crazy I guess. It sure looks fun to play with.

I know this route is much more expensive than just getting a consumer grade router, so I am not completely turned off because of the price I do have existing hardware with no NICs, but they certainly are not as economical as those kits or nice looking

How easy is this m0n0wall to use? I am not clueless, but I do not want to have to use vi to edit some random file to forward a port or whatnot.

Running it on top of windows sounds neat too..