INSANE dilemma: Best linksys router out there?

[heymalte]

Been looking for hours now, trying to find out which is the best linksys router for my needs. Tried a search on here as well, but I'm not really finding what I'm looking for, so without further ado:

I need a wireless router, and it has to be rock-solid in terms of connectivity. I need it for home (my office is at home as well) and need it for torrents/gaming too. I first looked at both D-Link and linksys, but have later decided on linksys.

So, I need recommendations on their current best model, per above requirements.

Price is not an object.

'preciate it

[DBZ]

Linksys WRT610

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124296&Tpk=linksys%20wrt610

DD-WRT compatible if you are into that.

[heymalte]

Linksys WRT610

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124296&Tpk=linksys%20wrt610

DD-WRT compatible if you are into that.

Yeah, looked at that too, but I read horrible reviews on Cnet. Alot of them say that it loses connection constantly, and that linksys themselves say they've had tonnes of issues with that model.

Thoughts?

[heymalte]

Also, the WRT610N is from 2008. Can it really be, that "the best" is that old?

[psionic98]

why does it have to be linksys.. if you're looking for the best and money isnt an object go for a CISCO router.. they are priced like 190+..190 one being a small business router but they are rock solid..

if you have to go with linksys go with anything that is dualband daft N

everyone has their own prefs for this stuff.. i like dlink for some stuff and linksys for others.. if i could afford it i would go with cisco though without a doubt

[heymalte]

why does it have to be linksys.. if you're looking for the best and money isnt an object go for a CISCO router.. they are priced like 190+..190 one being a small business router but they are rock solid..

if you have to go with linksys go with anything that is dualband daft N

everyone has their own prefs for this stuff.. i like dlink for some stuff and linksys for others.. if i could afford it i would go with cisco though without a doubt
Thanks psionic.
I've noticed linksys has partnerships with cisco in the sense that some of their models appears to be named "Cisco linksys" or similar, is that right?

Would a standalone Cisco be the absolute best for my needs? Is there a particular model I should be looking at?

Linksys models past the WRT54G/GL (heard the 54GS sucks) have issues with connections, I had a WRT160N for around 4 months, I had 2 months where the wireless didn't drop. It did it with the Linksys & DDWRT firmware. Maybe 2 weeks back the wireless dropped & didn't come back. The routers look good, but if they don't work right, that doesn't matter.Version 2 of the G is the best.
Thank you Edward -- that is exactly what i'm trying to avoid (stuff that sucks :)) I really need something that won't drop on me. Right now I have a Zyxel, which is absolute ****e.

[heymalte]

EDIT: checked cisco prices, and while my 'price isn't an object' is still somewhat intact, i don't feel like paying $10,000 for a router either.

[CompuTamer]

Cisco and Linksys are the same company. Linksys is just the consumer version...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linksys_routers The E3000 replaced the WRT610, so you might want to look into that one. I don't have much trouble with my WRT160N, except the antennas are integrated, and signal to my Zune HD in the back of the house (5 walls and 50 feet away) is kinda weak. Works great for my laptop anywhere though.

[nd4spdbh2]

Linksys models past the WRT54G/GL (heard the 54GS sucks) have issues with connections, I had a WRT160N for around 4 months, I had 2 months where the wireless didn't drop. It did it with the Linksys & DDWRT firmware. Maybe 2 weeks back the wireless dropped & didn't come back. The routers look good, but if they don't work right, that doesn't matter.Version 2 of the G is the best.

I have had my WRT54GL up for 3 years straight with ZERO problems... and its not like im light on my internet... when you got a 26/20mbit connection you find uses for it hehhe.

[ou_phidelt]

I have a 610N and it is part crappy and part solid. The 2.4Ghz band is rock solid, it has never dropped. The 5Ghz band is very very flaky. I have recently swapped to dd-wrt and it is better but still not rock solid. Maybe I have a bad 5Ghz chip but I don't use like I thought I was going to and really just use the 2.4Ghz band so it doesn't matter that much to me.

[petteyg359]

I've got a 350N with an SVN version of DD-WRT from several months ago (I'm at school right now, and the router (which is at home) is set to NOT allow external access, so I can't get the specific version :)) and it has been completely reliable.

[darkknight187]

Rock solid, has wifi, maybe a IPCOP or Smoothwall setup with a solid cheaper router handling the wifi and acting as a 3port switch. or a switch and a WAP would also work. It would take more setup time, consume more power but probably be one of the most powerful setups you could get in the 150~200 range. if you have an old pc lying around you could just use that for the ipcop/smootwall box (need 2 nic's though) which would reduce you're price. then as others mentioned if you don't see any future need for 802.11N for your setup a WRT54G** would suite you're needs as a 3 port switch and WAP.

I ran that setup for quite awhile but recently had my old wrt54g flake out and ended up with a wrt54gl running tomato and dropping the smoothwall box. Save's power and didnt really add alot of features i used anyways.

That said i guess you could also count me as a vote for a wrt54gl with a good 3rd party firmware. Just don't turn the mW extremely high as i think that's what finally got my wrt54gv1

Oh and don't let release years change you're mind on a product, the wrt54gl is a favorite with many still and it's something like 5+ years after it's original release.

[heymalte]

CompuTamer, nd4spdbh2, ou_phidelt, petteyg359 and darkknight187 -- thanks for your thoughts, comments and suggestions. I decided to go with the WRT610N after all (couldn't find any info on the E3000 and it's not on their site either), so I guess I'm just going to go the DD-WRT route and hope that works out.

[CompuTamer]

Hey, if you're still looking, i found the E3000:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124388&cm_sp=ProductSpotlight-_-33-124-388-_-04052010

[Sir Barton]

WRT54GL gets my vote as well. Mine has been up for 163 days without a shutdown/reboot. Im running the Tomato firmware on mine, and its as solid as can be. Ive owned it for 3 years. The only time its ever been powered off was due to a power outage.

[whooping_a_panda]

+1 for the wrt54gl with tomato. (been my router for 2 years and never needed to restart it, it has been reset but its never been necessary to date)

The third party firmwares fix an issue the standard linksys firmware had with lots of connections (torrents) in the wrt series, something to do with not closing them properly and clogging the tubes. I'm not sure how linksys has progressed in this with there new router lines as I've honestly never dealt with anything but a wrt54xx.

If you do get a wrt54 to upgrade with custom firmware be sure its a supported model, the later ones got gimped in terms of on board memory size and cant fit some of the 3rd party stuff, but its very easy to do with lots of guides around the internet if you're up for it.

Cisco routers, while stable as a rock, are not a simple task to set up. And its not something done with a quick interweb tutorial for most to accomplish. I'm in the boat of people that feel Cisco makes things intentionally cryptic and difficult to protect the people trained in Cisco administration.

[rainless]

I don't get what was so "insane" about the dilemma in the first place.

He was just buying a router... How WILD AND CRAZY is that? :p

Anyway he probably should've just gotten the Netgear 3700... which is what I might do eventually unless it won't do what I want it to do with printers.

I really want 2 USB ports so I can connect a printer and hard drive.

[DBZ]

If there isn't a lot of 2.4 GHz interference in the area then an Asus RT-N16 with Tomato is another good choice.

[MadInsane]

If there isn't a lot of 2.4 GHz interference in the area then an Asus RT-N16 with Tomato is another good choice.

+1 for the ASUS. Newer CPU, more ram, linux firmware. Just ordered mine from directron $89 shipped with 3% coupon code "preferred3" Cheers! :clap:

[MadInsane]

btw, Linksys consumer grade routers are horrible IMO. I always had problems with them going down, switched to NetGear and DLink and haven't ever had problems since! Stay away from Stinksys!