Worth it to get a new router? Advice on router?

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arachn1d

Gawd
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Jan 7, 2005
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Moving into a new place. Thinking of getting a new router. I currently have a dgl 4500. It's nice but not sure if there's anything new in this space that would be beneficial? My one overall complaint seems to be that it can only broadcast at one frequency and due to backwards compatibility I have to do it at 2ghz instead of 2+5.

Thoughts? Recommendations?
 
2.4GHz silly :D

If you don't live in a congested area dual band isn't really going to be a big help. The router you have is pretty sweet in my honest opinion. The upgrades would be 802.11n Simultaneous Dual-Band and 802.11ac, but I think either would be a waste at this point. The ac stuff is too expensive right now.
 
I'm in the same boat. I'm running a DGL-4500 as well, but am looking for a way to automatically route everything except for game traffic over a VPN. Let me know what you decide. From the sounds of it I either go all in and build a pfsense box, or go with something OpenWRT/TomatoVPN based.
 
Get a router that's compatible with DD-WRT or Tomato, both are excellent
 
-Sn1PeR- said:
I'm in the same boat. I'm running a DGL-4500 as well, but am looking for a way to automatically route everything except for game traffic over a VPN. Let me know what you decide. From the sounds of it I either go all in and build a pfsense box, or go with something OpenWRT/TomatoVPN based.
Click to expand...

Any consumer tier wifi router you get will not have the legs to do VPN faster than 4-6megabit/second throughput in VPN. You'll need to start looking at $150+ Zyxel USG units for VPNing duties...or simply build a VPN server box.
 
Buffalo AirStation WZR-D1800H AC1300 Wireless router is DD-WRT compatible and can be have for $79 hot deal. I think i saw it earlier at Gadgetar
 
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Wow that thing looks beastly. Going to pick that up. Thanks.

I've never used DD-WRT - is it really that much better?
 
arachn1d said:
Wow that thing looks beastly. Going to pick that up. Thanks.

I've never used DD-WRT - is it really that much better?
Click to expand...



The interface leaves something to be desired, especially now that in the past couple of years since DD-WRT, Tomato, and OpenWRT's success companies have taken the initiative to give people better options and fix the GUI layout. Still pales in most cases compared to what third-party firmwares offer.


DD-WRT gave me my breakthrough in networking that I needed to make it a passion. A great little tool in your very own home to practice really neat things to learn the concepts without having to pay a fortune. I mean if you can't see the fun in splitting your Wi-Fi into two networks, one locked down and another open for others in the household, or throwing down a separate VLAN for each of your 4 ports just for fun and security, all with a $100 router not meant to do so. Then networking is not your hobby :). There was a time when this (see below) was unheard of on consumer routers, much less a Linksys WRT56G.

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As far as your main question goes. I wouldn't bother buying any new device until 802.11ac becomes the firm standard and everything ironed out (2 years). That way a clean transition can be made to 5Ghz.
 
Out of the three, DD-WRT, Tomato, and OpenWRT which is the highest in compatibility/functionality?

Thank you, sounds like fun to me!
 
Tomato has a cleaner interface and isn't as intense as DD-WRT.

I've used both and while it's nice having ALL those options and the ability to create VLANs and such, I found everything I needed with Tomato.

My pain priority was getting Wake on Lan working and as it works with both, there was no reason for me to use DD-WRT. But honestly, it's so easy to flash between them both just try out both.
 
OpenWRT is by far the best one but it also the most advanced too, LuCI is good for basic usage.
If you want most features look for a Atheros based router.
//Danne
 
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