[&d00]

Hi forumers, since every now and then (and quite often) people ask what router to get, here's a list of wireless routers I recommend AND a poll for you guys to give your opinion.

Note: Almost all wireless routers mentioned are 802.11g (�Wireless G�). I will update with 802.11n (�Wireless N�)

Excellent Wireless Routers (VERY Recommended)

Buffalo WHR-HP-G54

Wireless: Has, indisputably, the best wireless range among the wireless routers listed here. Wireless is stable and issue-free. It supports Broadcom Afterburner/Linksys Speedbooster/High Speed 125 mode.

Stock Firmware: Requires a minute or so to set up, as rebooting is required for every change. Once finished, the router is fast and stable.

Warranty: 2 year warranty by local distributor, Blumm � RMA centre at The Riverwalk at Clark Quay. Friendly young company.

Customization: Tried and tested with custom firmware. Excellent wireless performance and range. Important: When using custom firmware, do NOT set transmit power above 10mW. The built-in amplifier has a maximum input of 10mW!
If you are lucky, it overclocks to 250MHz stable.

Buffalo WHR-G54s


Wireless: Range is decent. Wireless is stable. It supports Broadcom Afterburner/Linksys Speedbooster/High Speed 125 mode.

Stock Firmware: Requires a minute or so to set up, as rebooting is required for every change. Once finished, the router is fast and stable.

Warranty: 3 year warranty by local distributor, Blumm � RMA centre at The Riverwalk at Clark Quay. Friendly young company.

Customization: The small brother of the WHR-HP-G54, it boasts the same performance and overclockability. Range can be boosted by increasing signal (optimally 84mW) with custom firmware.

Very good alternative to buying a WRT54G. Only a few $ difference, but quality and looks are priceless. Also isn't buggy and cost-cutting.

Update/Note:

Just bought a WRT54GL to take a poke around it. It's very, very stable, and the 1.1 version I got overclocks to 250MHz out of the box. Worth the $85 for a wireless G router.

Asus WL-500g Premium/Deluxe

Wireless: Range is decent. Wireless is stable. It supports Broadcom Afterburner/Linksys Speedbooster/High Speed 125 mode. The WL-500g Premium has hardware wireless (WEP/WPA) encryption, so your wireless throughput for encrypted networks should be much higher.

Stock Firmware: Stock firmware has all the standard features: Built in UPnP media server supports the Xbox360 (it shows up on the Xbox360 dashboard). Printer support may be limited � check the ASUS website for details. Built in FTP server and Windows file sharing works fine.

Warranty: Um I�m not sure, somebody advise me please.

Customization: The WL-500g Premium is downclocked at 264MHz, overclocks to 280MHz fine. The 32MB RAM also means that the number of connections it can handle is huge � great for hardcore internet users (BT especially). Performance with custom firmware is amazing too.

Asus WL-500W

Wireless: Antennae are not changeable. I recommend getting this as Asus has a "wireless-N" guarantee: If your router is not compatible with the official 802.11n (�Wireless N�) specification, they will release a firmware update or replace it free of charge.

That's the only reason why a wireless-N router is here - Asus troubled themselves to guarantee wireless-N support.

Planex

Wireless: Products I have played with have decent wireless coverage.

Stock Firmware: Generally rock-solid firmware, and snappy performance.

Customization: Nobody has ported any Linux firmwares to it yet.

D-Link

Newest DGL-* or DIR-* series routers offer very good performance, with user friendly firmware that is very solid. It also supports down and upstream QoS, meaning you can prioritize and throttle bandwidth so that things like BT don't hog bandwidth.

A lot of praise by VR forums members, take a look around.

Get the DGL-4300 if you can afford it. Probably the MOST PRAISED router on this forum. Read here to find out more.
QoS options for gamers and BTers are a huge plus-point. Lifetime warranty!

Their older products require some research � they aren't very great performance-wise.

Routers to AVOID

Linksys

Practically ALL Linksys routers� firmware have a bug which leaves connections tracked for a week � the routers are quickly overloaded by BitTorrent-ing. A lot of routers also suffer from heat problems, poor performance and flaky wireless performance.

The tech support is also well known for being in Bangladesh, and mostly don�t know what is going on. Their products are also ridiculously cost-cutting, with things like PCBs being half the size of the casing, reduced memory and reduced flash memory.

Their offerings are overpriced anyway, for the performance offered (or lack of it).

Note on WRT54G: Version 4 is the best bet (overclockable, stable and hard to brick); Version 1 through 3 are also decent. Get them if you can/must.

NETGEAR

While they have some decent offerings, MOST netgear products are overheat-prone and not worth the money spent.
Antennae are usually not replaceable, and wireless performance is sub-par.

SMC

A lot of their products are overheat-prone. Build is very plasticky. Firmware looks ugly.
Not worth your money IMHO.

Corega

Being new in the industry, their products are all very OEM-ish and have limited functionality.

They're cheap though, really cheap. Get one of you are on a budget, else stay away.

Compex

The hardware specifications are becoming outdated, but the pricing hasn't changed.

Plus point is that they sell an OpenWRT development board and kit if you're interested and are willing to pay for it.


Aztech/Shiro


Quite new in the industry too, their products lack features and perfection that you expect from bigger companies. Avoid unless on a budget.

[&d00]

Please state your reasons for voting as far as possible

[Destructos]

Once again.

Originally Posted by Quoted from my post in other thread

If I could, I'd vote the Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 again.
I prefer it.
I am using it.
I like it.
I recommend it.

With the processor overclocked, the average throughput is somewhat stabilised as &d00 said. Back in the void deck (through 4 storeys of concrete floors LOL), my signal never dropped below fair too.
I even went to the opposite block (about 9 cars arranged back to front in distance), a position which has better line of sight.... signal maintains around "very good"!

And for SGD$99, this is a ridiculously good buy.
Comes bundled with a 2m flat ethernet cable and wallmount bracket with relevent screws.
Shit don't get better than this IMHO.

Haha, 'nuff said. 'innit?

[Destructos]

Hey guys, I took the little bugger apart and found a PCB etched antenna... as I've noticed in the dd-wrt firmware, I can dedicate an antenna to either Tx or Rx.

Would it help it's receptive capability if I were to mod it a bit here and there so as to be able to mount an omni-directional antenna like the one included with the WHR-HP-G54 and dedicate an antenna to Rx and the other to Tx?

[&d00]

you can add another antenna connector - the second track on the PCB is to the PCB antenna.

just scratch the track to cut it off, then sand the enamel off and solder the inside connector of the second antenna's SMA port to that.

the outer part of the antenna port goes to ground.

[&d00]

basically just mimic the other antenna's connection.

[welcomb]

ASUS WL-500G series comes with USB connections, allowing me to turn my router into a print server, a media server with an ext. hdd. The possibilities are endless. The deluxe version has 2 extra USB headers on the PCB which you can connect use.

[&d00]

the media server supports the xbox 360. huge plus point there.

[Destructos]

Originally Posted by &d00

you can add another antenna connector - the second track on the PCB is to the PCB antenna.

just scratch the track to cut it off, then sand the enamel off and solder the inside connector of the second antenna's SMA port to that.

the outer part of the antenna port goes to ground.

I'm planning to do just that and dedicate one antenna to Rx and the other to Tx since the DD-WRT firmware gives me the option to choose.

[roadspeeder1]

i am using netgear asdl 2+ integrated modem router for almost 2 years not a single problem nor heat problem... linksys & 2Wires is my worst experience compared to netgear & acartel til now.

[Destructos]

Yeah, I've done a fair bit of wireless network setup and trouble shooting.... and I always find that the problematic ones are the cheaper linksys variety of products.

There's one which can't even give me a signal from the room right next to the one with the PC.

[tensor]

Originally Posted by roadspeeder1

.....

hi,
would it be possible to reduce the size of ur siggy?
its a little huge.
thank for your co-operation.

[&d00]

Originally Posted by roadspeeder1

i am using netgear asdl 2+ integrated modem router for almost 2 years not a single problem nor heat problem... linksys & 2Wires is my worst experience compared to netgear & acartel til now.

yeah i have experienced dead wireless radios, dead LAN switch chips, buzzing noises.

[&d00]

Originally Posted by roadspeeder1

i am using netgear asdl 2+ integrated modem router for almost 2 years not a single problem nor heat problem... linksys & 2Wires is my worst experience compared to netgear & acartel til now.

using a thomson/alcatel speedtouch 516v6. very warm, but excellent performance and compatibility.

non-singtel firmware straight from thomson works best. get teh latest firmware (6.2H5) from here, flashing wizard included. note that settings get reset.

sorry for OTing on wireless

[Dihudaxia]

I love your title!

Buffalo!
All the way!

From exp, its the best!
Used D-link, linksys and SMC b4 but none comes close.

SMC is gay!