Please help me buy a wireless router!

[Super Nade]

Folks,

I'm looking for a wireless router for home use. I am sick of my current Linksys WRT54GC disconnecting often, especially in the midst of a fierce online battle. I am looking for a unit in the $60 range. Ethernet output ports and Linux compatability would be a plus, but my first priority would be relaibility and speed.

Thanks,

S-N

[splat]

have you tried puttin dd-wrt on it? or updating the firmware at all?

[AMD Phreak]

Post up the model and the revision of the unit on here and we can tell you what firmware to try.


The majority of the problems with the routers tends to be poor quality firmware. Flash on a 3rd party firmware like dd-wrt and you most likely would find that your problems are solved.

[splat]

http://www.wrtrouters.com/firmware/wrt54gc/

i guess thats all you can use is the standard linksys right now.

[Super Nade]

Well, the isssue is not one of Firmware. My roommate who is vacating said he's taking the router. :)

[splat]

well in that case, i'd try to grab a wrt54g v4 and throw hyperwrt or dd-wrt on it. the v5 changed that internals and sliced the memory in half, so you can't run any modded firmware on it.

or try a netgear i guess. I have also heard good things about the d-link gaming router that has wireless-g and gigbit ethernet, but I think its over $100.

[hyperasus]

hyperwrt or dd-wrt? is that like sveasoft firmware?

[bchur83]

I just ordered a WRT54GL from Newegg the other day. It is made to be able to put modded firmware on it. I chose the open box one which was $20 cheaper than the regular one. Also, with the "paypallfree" coupon, you get free shipping. Otherwise like mentioned above if you can get a WRT54G V4 or older, that would work great too.

[splat]

hyperwrt or dd-wrt? is that like sveasoft firmware?

not sure what "sveasoft firmware" is, but they are "hacked" firmware that are more stable and offer more options than the standard linksys firmware.

[dfonda]

sveasoft firmware:http://www.sveasoft.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/

[hyperasus]

I've been using sveasoft for a few years now and I couldn't do without it. Was just wondering if hyperwrt or dd-wrt can do the same things as sveasoft.

[splat]

i'm not sure exactly what sveasoft's details are, but it sounds similar to dd-wrt. from dd-wrt.com (http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/ddwrt.php):

DD-WRT is simply a project which was originally based on the official GPL Sources of Sveasoft Alchemy. but turned later to a OpenWRT Kernel vase firmware variant. Due the nature of GPL based projects, this firmware will be also release under this license. Initially i wrote this modification to make it possible, to use the Linksys WRT54G/GS inside our Wireless Lan network as cheap replacement for our professional Lancom and Orinocco access points. so what was missing? first, we are using radius authentication with a central account management inside our network for user authentication. There is already a radius application available for OpenWRT, but openwrt was no choice since it is not user friendly for a non computer professional without any linux knowledge. so i just integrated it with some small enhancements in the alchemy software. my wrt-radauth modifications:

radius server timeouts will not be a problem anymore. a client is authenticated just up to the point, the server says really 'no'. a connection timeout will not have any influence to this workflow.

additionally i found it really helpfull to use a external filesystem device inside the WRT. my choice was a samba client since it is useable on any computer platform. you can easilly mount a windows network share into the wrt and additionally its also possible to start a script after mounting from this device. but the work was not over. also if currently the server/client watch function is still under development, i already implemented the RFlow traffic monitoring and management tool into the web interface. this tool is already inside DD-WRT, but you have to start it manually and so far it looks unfinished. (daemon mode does not work). so i finished it and yes now its working inside my DD-WRT and you can configure it out from the administration window.

[Bender]

I bought a 108mb Netgear WGT634U because it was cheap, it runs linux and has a USB port. I also like the fact that it uses an Atheros mini PCI card. I cant really say how reliable it is because I have not used it for its intended purpose.

[deniro0311]

If you want to go the simple route (no pun intended) I would suggest a Belkin. I am sure someone will tell us about a horror story they had, but I have always found them to be really good.

If you want to have a little fun and have a little bit of time, you can't beat a modded wrt54g/gs. It's great walking to the coffee shop a couple streets over and still being able to get on my own network.

You can still find the v4 and under on ebay for cheap, and there are instructions on how to hack the v5 and up. I am not sure how the drop in memory will effect that, but I will know when I hack a v6 I have laying around.

A wrt54g/gs with dd-wrt firmware is a great piece of gear. You can extend wireless range, overclock, add memory via sd card, enable good wireless encryption, etc. etc. You will not need to spend any extra money. Now, you could always buy high gain antennas, and a fan/ramsinks, serial ports for jtag cable, potentiometer to control fan speed, on/off switch, sd card/reader, and I think a beer tap, but thats only a rumor.

To be honest, I just add all this **** for the fun of it. If you want something simple get Belkin, but then why would you be on ocforums if you want something simple.:beer:

[deniro0311]

Let me also add that with all three of my wrt45gs/dd-wrt's I never need to do the whole uplug/reset button routin. That's not a hugh deal, but it can be a pain. Finally, there are a lot of tutorials for modding the router, just google. Hopefully during this month I will have time to put the tutorial I made on the net.

[nd4spdbh2]

WRT54GL... DONE best router i have ever owned, i have had it for 2 months never had it unpluged never restarted it, its never overheated and restarted, never dropped wireless connections i couldnt be happier... i have yet to even put DD-WRT on it... but based of the fact it runs linux it makes it SO nice. btw its in CONSTANT use, i have 2 servers in the house.

[deniro0311]

In response to the WRT54GL....
1. Can you put thirdparty firmware on it (ie. dd-wrt)?
2. Does it still use linux firmware. If it does, have you heard if linksys plans on changing it like the wrt54g?/gs
3. What made you go for this over the wrt54g/gs?

[deniro0311]

I just found some of the answers to my questions. I hope this helps the origianl poster in some way....
1. wrt54gl supports thirdparty firmware
2. wrt54gl is a little more expensive, you can always find a good deal (newegg,ebay)
3. I have found no evidence that the linux fw will be changed, but I would like some solid proof
4. wrt54gl has more memory (sd card reader mod fixes this on later versions of the wrt54g/gs)
5. I read that the wrt54gl is like the older versions of the wrt54g/gs before linksys screwed them up
6. I am not sure if the board is similar to the board on the wrt65g/gs, I would like to know this to make sure I don't have to learn all new modding techniques

It looks like I may have a new project in the future :)

[nd4spdbh2]

In response to the WRT54GL....
1. Can you put thirdparty firmware on it (ie. dd-wrt)?
2. Does it still use linux firmware. If it does, have you heard if linksys plans on changing it like the wrt54g?/gs
3. What made you go for this over the wrt54g/gs?

the L stands for linux answers all the questions :p

1. yes cus it runs linux
2 yes it runs linux, and if they made their "Linux" router not be able to run linux something would be wrong
3. Well Linux made me buy it and the abillity to do numer 1

pluss i got a pretty good deal on it... frys was having a sale online for 49.99!

[deniro0311]

Did not know the L stood for Linux, good to know. I now know what router I will be using for future mods. Thanks for the info.

[nd4spdbh2]

Did not know the L stood for Linux, good to know. I now know what router I will be using for future mods. Thanks for the info.


not a prob... the WRT54GL is pretty much a WRT54G V4.0 but when you buy a WRT54GL your guarenteed a linux router.