Posted: 10/1/2010 1:30:02 PM EDT
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Hey guys. So in the last few years I keep going through my home wireless routers like they are disposable. I usually get the home Netgear routers. I am convinced they have a time bomb that goes off every 6 months. I constantly have to reset it to get my computers to connect. Anyways, I kinda already know home routers are usually junk. I want something little more robust, not too expensive but something maybe a small business would use. Dual band g and n would be preferable as some of my devices are g, and some are n. From what I understand my g devices will connect to an N router, but anything with an N wireless card will only connect at g speeds if there is a g device connected as well. Am I correct that dual band allows you to independently connect at the speed of the device? So say I have my wife's computer connected at g speeds because her wlan is g, but my computer will still connect at N speeds?
With that being said, I was looking at some of the Cisco/linksys small business dual band routers going for 129. I can't remember the exact model, but there was a "3000" in the product name  Also I just ran some cat 6 under my house to my home entertainment setup (ps3 and my dvr) and want to get a simple 4 port switch as well. Configuring this is not the problem, I can do that part, I'm just want to know about the good stuff vs junk. Thanks!
I know your hiding around here somewhere Subnet 
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| I've always had great luck with the linksys product line. If you wanted to be geeky you could always do something like http://www.pcengines.ch/alix.htm but that seems like overkill for most home users. |
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Do yourself a favor and skip the 'commercial' Liknsys (Cisco) models. The hardware isn't any better than the cheaper home stuff. They justify the additional costs by adding more RAM and a Linux based IOS with added features. You can have all those added services plus more with open-source images. Tomato, DD-WRT and Talisman; all three of these projects will run on most 'home' centered devices. Some of these devices have better hardware and external antennas but ou need to do a little research on the model to see if it's compatible.
I recommend DD-WRT over Tomato and Talisman and stay away from the newer Linksys'. Check out the Asus N16. |