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Thread: Wireless network routers

  1. #16
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    Jacob,
    I am a tinkerer so I really want something I can tinker around with, so getting a router that can be flashed with DD-WRT is pretty much a requirement for me. The access point I have in the shop is actually an old Linksys WRT160N that I was able to flash with DD-WRT. Not only did I have fun doing that, I really learned a lot about it. I think I learned just enough to also learn that I have a lot more to learn about routers and networking.

    Like I said before, my current router (Linksys E2000) is working fine. But SWMBO will not tolerate the internet being down for more than a day or so. Therefore if the current router dies, I will not have the time to research to find the optimum router and then tinker with it like I would want to do.

    BTW: I also have a linux media/file server that I use to stream local content to my TV and tablets. The Main TV has a Boxee Box which is hard wired to the network (100mb) The linux server and my main windows computer are hard wired (1000mb), and of course the access point in the shop is also hard wired (100mb). Everything else is wireless, SWMBO's laptop(N), 2 phones(probably N), a 1st gen Kindle Fire(G I think) and a Nexus 7 tablet(N).
    Future plans include media players for 2 more TV's which will probably be wireless N.
    Last edited by Larry Browning; 10-03-2013 at 11:26 AM.
    Larry J Browning
    There are 10 kinds of people in this world; Those who understand binary and those who don't.

  2. #17
    Excellent. This is how I shop for one lol. I hit newegg or amazon and see what is on sale then head to the router database on ddwrt. I try to straddle the line on price/performance. That said I try to find what is on sale with the best specs. Like I mentioned cpu/ram/flash.

    Most routers are really just repackaged versions of the same basic hardware. Once and a while a new platform will come along but really still basic. I used to use a lot of buffalos for their price and performance, then they had an injuction and stopped selling for awhile. In that time asus hit the scene and I switched to those. Right now I actually am using a netgear as I too was told by SWMBO that she needed internet asap when my last buffalo died. So I scoured Best Buy while having the router database open on my phone to find the best deal in a pinch lol. The Netgear was on sale local for $50. It was my first experience personally with setting a Netgear up with ddwrt. I have configed and installed plenty of them for people over the years but all bone stock. Must say I am pretty impressed with it.

    I actually am in IT and so I get a lot of people that come to me for this sort of thing in my personal life. That said I am bit of electronics nut also so I tinker a lot with this sort of thing. I actually used to add ram to routers back when they didn't ship with as much as they do these days. That was a delicate matter of soldering. The other nice feature in the newer routers is most come with usb which makes nas a lot easier for most people. Like you I run a dedicated media server so I don't have much use for it. I have my main rig, and media server running on gigabit. Then I have my smart samsung tv, roku 3 (on the bedroom tv,) Ouya running on 10/100. Two laptops running on wireless N. And an android tab and two android phones on G. I wired the garage when I wired the rest of my condo, but have yet to actually put anything permanent out there. Which I should...I am out there enough lol.

    What version of Linux do you run on your media server? Also do you run any clients like plex or all samba shares?

  3. #18
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    It was a while back that I setup my Linux server, but I think it has Ubuntu 10.04. I only have the one media player Boxee Box, which really doesn't require a media server like Plex. I did set up Samba on it and a couple of other things. I built it under the tutelage of this web site: http://www.havetheknowhow.com/ This guy lives in the UK and really seems to know his stuff. I really enjoyed setting it up and I know that I have just scratched the surface with what all can be done with it.
    I discovered Plex a few months back and installed it on my Windows computer just out of curiosity since my Boxee Box doesn't have a Plex client available. I really liked though. I turned on a co-worker who has a Roku to it and he liked it so much he is considering dropping cable because of all the extra content he now has access to.

    I really can't decide which way to go on the new router. The Tim Taylor in me says to get the ASUS new AC router. It's got all the bells and whistles and is the latest and greatest. But it is also $190. The Jack Benny in me tells me to get the TP-Link N900 because it has just about every feature I want for $100 less. What I really would like is for somebody to give me some great reason to get the ASUS over the TP-LINK so I would feel better about spending the extra money. I have the money to spend, I just don't want to part with it unless there is a "good" reason. It's just like spending extra on a Festool sander over a DeWalt. Both work, but one is just better. BTW: I don't have any Festool products.

    Is there any advantage to the AC routers over the N routers for someone who doesn't have any AC devices?
    Larry J Browning
    There are 10 kinds of people in this world; Those who understand binary and those who don't.

  4. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Matthews View Post
    +1 on AC, you get MUCH faster throughput.

    I bought the Netgear R6300 which was expensive, but a breeze to set up.

    Note that your streaming devices will only take full advantage of the new protocol if
    they can detect more than one 802.1 band.
    I have the R6200 which also works well.. There is a separate 'guest access' and at one time I have had my Sony internet player, two computers, and three daughters w/smartphones, and four grandchildren with smatphones all connected to my network at the same time, and all working it would seem. I had a linksys, but when everyone went home, I had to reboot the router just to get it working again.. No problems with the netgear router at all
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  5. #20
    If you like to tinker with routers - then you should definitely give the RT-N66U a hard look. I have had mine for several months now, stepping up from a Linksys E3200 and have been very happy with it.

    You mentioned DD-WRT which I have tried on both routers, but I really prefer Tomato. Another nice feature of the ASUS is that it is practically impossible to 'brick' the router while flashing. The RT-N66U has a recovery mode. You boot the router into recovery mode, and then using their utility, you can flash the new firmware or even go back to the stock firmware

    I am using the Shibby variant of tomato, but there are a couple of others available. Here is a link where you can see some actual screen shots
    http://tomato.groov.pl/?page_id=31

    Here are some pretty decent tutorials about it

    http://moonlightknighthk.wordpress.c...n-asus-router/

    http://www.shadowandy.net/2012/03/as...hing-guide.htm

    Regarding the new AC standard - Keep in mind that technically they have not even finalized yet and *hopefully* anything you would buy today would work when they do which is going to be sometime in the spring

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Browning View Post
    Is there any advantage to the AC routers over the N routers for someone who doesn't have any AC devices?
    The advantage would be longer lifespan for the router. If you don't intend to have the router long term then I wouldn't worry about it. The 802.11AC standard won't even be finalized until early 2014 so you need to be sure any AC router you buy can be upgraded to the final specification. 802.11AC devices aren't expected to become widespread until 2015.

  7. #22
    Larry,

    I sounds like you want to buy one soon, and would need one if your system died, but don't need one now.

    Electronics are great black Friday items, and many stores will be doing black Friday sooner than normal with the slow economy.

    If I was in your shoes, I would keep an eye out for an Asus on/around Black Friday.

    Take care,
    Mike

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Schneider View Post
    Larry,

    I sounds like you want to buy one soon, and would need one if your system died, but don't need one now.

    Electronics are great black Friday items, and many stores will be doing black Friday sooner than normal with the slow economy.

    If I was in your shoes, I would keep an eye out for an Asus on/around Black Friday.

    Take care,
    Mike
    Good Point. Actually my situation is changing in that money is becoming an issue due to some unforeseen developments. A new router is pretty much at the top of the cut back list. Maybe by black Friday time things will have improved.
    Larry J Browning
    There are 10 kinds of people in this world; Those who understand binary and those who don't.

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