Which router to buy?

[Malacite]

I'm so confused by all this, I really can't tell which router is better.

D-Link 4300-DGL Gaming Router

or

Linksys Gaming Router WRT330N



Someone on here recommended the D-Link to me, and their site says it's Xbox Live certified (very important as I Halo 3), but the Linksys seems like a better deal, especially since it has a huge speed and range booster (range is a major issue in my house at the moment, as my current router blows. PS3 is sitting in the next room over and only gets 75% signal strength)


Any advice or experience with either product? I'm leaning on the Linksys, but that D-Link has that "Gamer Fuel" technology... and I don't want to buy yet another Linksys product that gives me a god damned Moderate or Strict NAT setting.

[Feba]

Re: Which router to buy?

I'd go with something fairly cheap that can run http://www.dd-wrt.com/ , since a lot of the stuff you want to do is probably going to be software based, not hardware.

[Malacite]

Re: Which router to buy?

Money isn't really an object here, I'm more concerned with the quality of the router.

[Jarre]

Re: Which router to buy?

I'm so glad you didn't have netgear listed, the amount of problems I have ha with net gear routers. Currently I have a Linksys router and that has been really good.

[Feba]

Re: Which router to buy?

malacite: I'd still go with that, since you could do some neat stuff with it.

[Mhurron]

Re: Which router to buy?

Money isn't really an object here, I'm more concerned with the quality of the router.

Cisco 800 ~$600. Significantly higher quality then either of the two mentioned. You can go well over $100,000 if you need more then the little 800 provides.

Now really, what is the budget. Oh and don't put much stock in that "XBox Live Certified" crap, it's just marketing drivel for people who don't know better.

[Feba]

Re: Which router to buy?

it's just marketing drivel for people who don't know better.

Like "Vista Compatible" monitors?

[Mhurron]

Re: Which router to buy?

Like "Vista Compatible" monitors?

Not quite, that phrase can mean something. Specifically that monitor can be a secure endpoint for DRM.

[Feba]

Re: Which router to buy?

right, right, I haven't thought of DRM in a long time, actually.

[Malacite]

Re: Which router to buy?

Okay between 150 and 200. That D-Link has all kinds of awards and stuff and was recommended to me by anohter user on here. It's just that the Linksys looks pretty good as well, and the D-Link doesn't say much about increasing signal range

[Mhurron]

Re: Which router to buy?

I'd spend $50 or less and put OpenBSD on a old machine.

As for the D-Link and Linksys will perform as well as the other. If you come across people that have problems with one but not the other, they just unfortunately had a bad one of whatever brand they no longer like. They really aren't any different.

[Lunaryn]

Re: Which router to buy?

It's been a while since I tried looking for a wireless card that was well-supported in a free operating system, but I'm a fan of the software-router-in-old-box method too; my server, Kuri, is the Internet gateway for both wired and wireless LANs (though I do have a hardware wireless router since it was cheap, and it does allow turning off NAT and firewall). This allows a lot of flexibility in terms of configuring network topology and firewall rules. In my case I use Linux 2.6 netfilter/iptables, but I've heard good things about OpenBSD for lightweight servers as well.

As far as signal strength, I'd mostly just say stay away from 802.11b. I've had good luck with Airlink MIMO/XR equipment, for the most part, but I got that mostly because it's consistently on sale at Fry's. I would recommend against Netgear from personal experience, though.

Edit: If money really is no object, though, honestly, you can't go wrong with wired. Running ethernet cables through walls may be a hassle, but it's likely the only hassle you'll ever have; wired networks are far simpler and more straightforward than wireless, considerably less subject to interference from other devices, etc.