[RndTbl] wireless N router recommendations?

[Gilles Detillieux]

Thanks, Kevin and Steve.  I would consider trying alternate firmware, or 
even looking for a Linksys firmware upgrade, if I suspected the firmware 
was the problem.  But I have a 54G v8, not a 54GL or 54G v1-4, so the 
Linux-based firmware isn't likely to work with this.  I had a 54G v5 
before this v8 model, and there was a reliability issue with it that was 
solved by a firmware upgrade.  But that model packed it in a couple 
years ago, and the v8 that I got to replace it hasn't been as solid as 
the v5 was (at least before it packed it in).  I did upgrade the Linksys 
firware on it once last year, and that didn't seem to make a difference, 
though it might be worth another look.

I was just hoping for something a little faster, with better range, and 
hopefully a little more reliable, for a reasonable cost.  The D-Link 655 
still sounds like it'll be worth a shot, though from what I heard on 
this forum I realize I shouldn't get my hopes up too high as far as the 
speed improvement is concerned.

Thanks again,
Gilles

On 09/02/2010 09:05 PM, Kevin McGregor wrote:
> FWIW, I use OpenWRT (www.openwrt.org <http://www.openwrt.org>) on a 
> WRT54GL, and it works very well. No pretty bandwidth graphs like tomato, 
> but pretty flexible.
> 
> Kevin
> 
> On Thu, Sep 2, 2010 at 3:33 PM, Steve Moffat <Steve.Moffat at ca.ibm.com 
> <mailto:Steve.Moffat at ca.ibm.com>> wrote:
> 
>     Hey Gilles;
>     Not sure if you have changed the firmware on your WRT54G, but I've been
>     using tomato for a couple of years now.  It is rock solid and, in my
>     opinion, performs better than the original firmware.
>     You might give that a try.
>     http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato
> 
>     Steve Moffat
...
>     Message: 1
>     Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:55:27 -0500
>     From: Gilles Detillieux <grdetil at scrc.umanitoba.ca
>     <mailto:grdetil at scrc.umanitoba.ca>>
>     Subject: Re: [RndTbl] wireless N router recommendations?
>     To: Continuation of Round Table discussion <roundtable at muug.mb.ca
>     <mailto:roundtable at muug.mb.ca>>
>     Message-ID: <4C7ECBCF.6010501 at scrc.umanitoba.ca
>     <mailto:4C7ECBCF.6010501 at scrc.umanitoba.ca>>
>     Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> 
>     Thanks, Mike and Sean, for your replies last Thursday.  I had been
>     reasonably happy with my Linksys WRT54G until recently, but I find that
>     lately it needs to be reset more than I'd like (once or twice a week).
>     That and the wish for faster wireless data transfers (though no need yet
>     for streaming, so bursty traffic is OK) and hopefully a bit more range
>     prompted me to look into wireless N router options.  I had been
>     considering the D-Link 655, even though it's not dual-band (and after
>     what Sean said, perhaps dual-band isn't worth the extra expense), so I
>     appreciate the positive feedback on this model.  I'm inclined to give it
>     a shot.
> 
>     Thanks,
>     Gilles
> 
>     On 08/26/2010 04:32 PM, Mike Pfaiffer wrote:
>      > On 10-08-26 02:22 PM, Gilles Detillieux wrote:
>      >> I was talking to Gilbert about recommendations for wireless N
>     routers,
>      >> as I'm in the market for one.  I'm not particularly interested in
>      >> running custom firmware (just need good, solid, secure and reliable
>      >> wireless LAN and basic Internet support), so this post is perhaps
>      >> slightly off-topic in this forum.  But Gilbert did mention that
>     there
>      >> had been discussion at a recent meeting about Wireless N antenna
>      >> strength, and some recommendations (mostly negative) about specific
>      >> routers, though he couldn't recall specific brands mentioned.
>      >>
>      >> Any good dual-band models in the $70 to $130 price range?
>      >>
>      >> Thanks,
>      >> Gilles
>      >>
>      >
>      >            I'm running a D-Link 655. It's OK. Reviews last year
>     put it
>     third from
>      > the top from what the reviewers were looking for. I have to agree
>     with
>      > Sean. I can connect a USB NIC to my Mint box and it works well but if
>      > there is a choice between G and N the NIC will choose G. To be fair I
>      > haven't tried to force an N connection. This particular router has
>      > gigabit (wired) capabilities. As to reliability... It was running
>     for a
>      > couple of months steady last winter.
>      >
>      >            As coincidence would have it, I am running it now with
>     a test
>     machine.
>      > If you'd like to try it out as is and you happen to be in Windsor
>     Park
>      > just East of WPC it is there and open. No internet connection though.
>      > I've tried to make the SSID as obvious as possible. If you want
>     to make
>      > arrangements to see what it is like if we force an N connection,
>     let me
>      > know before Friday of next week when the machine goes back.
>      >
>      >                                                Later
>      >                                                Mike

-- 
Gilles R. Detillieux              E-mail: <grdetil at scrc.umanitoba.ca>
Spinal Cord Research Centre       WWW:    http://www.scrc.umanitoba.ca/
Dept. Physiology, U. of Manitoba  Winnipeg, MB  R3E 0J9  (Canada)