[Wiltshire] Routers

[Robert Longbottom]

On 16/09/2011 09:23, dick wrote:
> Hello LUG, Can anybody recommend a reliable wireless router. I am 
> currently having difficulty using an Edimax AR-7284WnA.
>
> thanks.
>
> dick green.

Since everyone has chipped in with a completely different opinion I 
thought I might as well add mine :-)

I've had 2 netgear routers, which I've found in general to be fairly 
decent for home use.  My current DGN2000 is ok and does most things I 
need - ADSL, 4 port 100Mbs switch and wireless-N.  It hardly ever gets 
rebooted, is left on 24/7 and generally works fine.  It's fairly 
configurable for the basic stuff - wireless, simple port forwarding, 
static IP addresses for the hosts  on my LAN.

I should say however that I'm on my third!  Replaced twice under 
warranty because the LAN ports stopped working and it started dropping 
packets to the point where it became usuable.  Both times it was 
replaced without too much fuss.  I'm just waiting for it to go again 
really!  My previous netgear router is still in the cupboard ready to be 
put back into service when that goes.  (it is only 10Mbs wireless, which 
is why it was replaced.

I'd probably buy another Netgear if I needed to, just not necessairly 
the DGN2000!  What I definitely wouldn't buy is a Belkin router because 
I've had a bad experience with an unreliable Belkin wireless PCI card 
and from what I've seen of their routers they aren't particularly 
configurable or reliable.

What I've never managed to find (which I wanted when I bought the 
DGN2000) is something with ADSL + Wireless N + 4 port Gigabit switch.  I 
thought I'd found it in the BT home hub, but only one of the 4 ports is 
gigabit, the other 3 are 100Mb/s.  Why?  why? why? why?  what use is 
that Mr BT?  What is the point in a having just one device on a gigabit 
network and the others on 100Mb/s?  Anyway.

Just my opinion,
Robert.