Wireless network routers

[Larry Browning]

I am doing some research to find a good economical wireless router for my home. I want to be able to stream high quality video (wired and wireless) as well as have multiple SSID's for various reasons. Having a good strong wireless range is also something I am looking for. I like the idea of the external antennas.
I have 2 on my short list, but one is quite a bit more expensive that the other.
ASUS RT-N66U ~$150
TP-LINK TL-WDR4300 ~$80

I think if it were not for the price difference I would want the ASUS. But I feel that my needs are pretty basic and I am not sure the ASUS would bring me $70 more in value. The TP-LINK gets very good reviews and I think it would probably serve me well. But on the other hand, I think the ASUS might produce a faster more reliable connection for both wired and wireless.
Does anyone have any experience with either of these 2 routers? I'm not married to either of these, so I would welcome any alternative suggestions within the $80 to $150 price range.

[Ralph Boumenot]

You could also go with the least expensive router and if needed, add access points. I don't play games but my girls tell me that their wireless routers are a bit slow at times when playing online.

[Larry Browning]

You could also go with the least expensive router and if needed, add access points. I don't play games but my girls tell me that their wireless routers are a bit slow at times when playing online.

I already have an access point in the only place needed (my shop). My current router reaches most of the house pretty well. It does drop off a little at the outside patio which is where we sometimes like to sit in the evenings.
I currently have a linksys E2000 but was hoping to upgrade a bit from that, plus it is over 3 years old and I think it is just a matter of time before it dies, even though it is not currently giving any trouble.
To be honest, I mainly just want to tinker around with a new toy and learn something new before it becomes a requirement. I am thinking I might want to convert it to DD-WRT at sometime in the future.

[Gordon Eyre]

I have a Lnksys 2500 and have been generally pleased with it. My house is on a single level and the distance from my computer to the master bedroom is quite a good distance but I am still able to bit stream Netflix with no problems. I have an Ethernet cable from my computer to my entertainment center and that is rock solid. The signal level does fall off some to the back bedroom but it still works well. Also, I have no problem to the iPad and iPod anywhere in the house nor does anyone else that visits. I have used an extender at one time but it caused problems with the audio for Netflix so I have disconnected it.

[Brian Elfert]

I have an Apple Airport Extreme. Expensive, but it just works. This is the only Apple product I own.

[Larry Browning]

Brian, I just can't bring myself to give apple any of my money. Its not that I have some philosophical problem with them, I just don't like them.

[Chris Parks]

I have always looked at this problem from the other end. If I have a very strong signal then unless I lived in a remote area doesn't that give more people the chance of using it? The encryption on the average router is simply not that good.

[Larry Browning]

I have always looked at this problem from the other end. If I have a very strong signal then unless I lived in a remote area doesn't that give more people the chance of using it? The encryption on the average router is simply not that good.

Well, I do live in a remote area with my closest neighbor about 100 yards away and also about 100 yards from the road.

[paul cottingham]

I hardwired my house for this very reason. I finally had to concede and put in a wireless router for my daughters iPad. All the computers connected to it run Linux, so I don't worry about my data being compromised.

[Ole Anderson]

Cisco Linksys E2500

[Michael Schneider]

Couple of questions.

What wireless adapters do you use today?

Would you buy a new one for more speed?

I am mostly hardwired, but have the asus 56U and like it quite a bit. My next jump will be to the ac router. I have been very happy with Asus, and use their motherboards in the computers that I put together. Their sound cards are very nice also.

You will likely want N or the new AC protocol. (if you are buying new, I would buy the best router, it will work with you current systems, and you can add a new adapter if you want more speed on a computer. I do programming for a living, so I do spend some money to keep current).

I go to this site for networking reviews http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/

Good luck, there are many good choices out there,
Michael

[Jim Matthews]

+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.

[Larry Browning]

None of my devices are ac nor do I see me getting an ac device anytime soon. Is there a reason to get an ac router even though I don't have any ac devices?
Also, I am mostly wired. Do some routers do better than others for wired access (assuming gigabit connection)

[Curt Harms]

None of my devices are ac nor do I see me getting an ac device anytime soon. Is there a reason to get an ac router even though I don't have any ac devices?
Also, I am mostly wired. Do some routers do better than others for wired access (assuming gigabit connection)

I have a 25/5 Mb. broadband connection. As long as my network connection has 2x or 3x my WAN capacity, why do I need more? How demanding is a home media server? I don't have one so don't know. That's the only use I could think of that could choke a typical home network. One feature I haven't seen mentioned is the USB connected server function integrated into many routers today. I have a USB flash drive plugged into the USB port and can access it using file managers in Windows & Linux. It's a useful way to move files between machines and partitions without enabling file sharing, a potential security issue. It's also a convenient way to backup files locally to guard against disk failure.

[Jacob Muldowney]

I recommend getting something you can flash with an aftermarket firmware. DD-WRT, OpenWRT, or Tomato. IP stacks on routers have gotten better over the years, but still not great. In most cases you just need to log in and upload the open-source firmware just like it is a factory update. This will turn a $60 into a $600 router in the options you will gain. Not to mention your router will run better in general and be faster. I use DD-WRT and have for something close to 7 years or so. I don't buy routers that dont support something other than stock. Many companies like Asus and Buffalo ship with dd-wrt now too.

There might be a bit more than you need or want in the options after you flash but will work better even if you just leverage the basic options. If you want to utilize the more advanced features there are plenty of resources to show you how also.

Don't let the price tags on some routers fool you. You dont need to spend $150 on a good router. I look for cpu speed, the amount of ram, flash they have. A good starting point. Then do my homework and make sure the antenna is good. As far as 10/100 routers this one is a great buy
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833320088

If you are looking for 10/100/1000 or gigabit wired network speeds

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833320038

Keep in mind unless you are doing a lot of file transfers across networks you most likely will not need gigabit. If you are just streaming media and using the internet the first one will be a great choice. Hope this helps.