What 802.11n router do I want?

Lord Jezo

It's time for me to buy a new router as I getting rid of my DSL and that means sending Verizon back their modem/router.

On my PCs I have 802.11n cards so I want to get an 802.11n router to go along with them. I live in a condo so I have many other networks all within range of my place. According to a wifi scanner my pc can see 14 networks, 8g, 6n so I'll need something that can handle a busy area.

I don't know much about open source modem firmware but I might as well get one that is compatible in case I want to use one one day.

What are my best options?

jackal

I'm also looking for an answer to this question. My belkin is starting to poop out after years of dependable service.

The main problem is no matter you look out roughly 10% of reviews will be of the "this router is so bad it fucked my wife and killed my dog" type.

Esh

This just recently came up over in H/A.

http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/146090/help-my-girlfriends-brother-find-a-good-wireless-router

There should be a few good recommendations in there.

Lord Jezo

jackal wrote:

I'm also looking for an answer to this question. My belkin is starting to poop out after years of dependable service.

The main problem is no matter you look out roughly 10% of reviews will be of the "this router is so bad it fucked my wife and killed my dog" type.

Yeah, that's why I am just looking for a good standard one that tech people enjoy.

I will read the linked thread, thanks.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Esh

Lord Jezo wrote:

jackal wrote:

I'm also looking for an answer to this question. My belkin is starting to poop out after years of dependable service.

The main problem is no matter you look out roughly 10% of reviews will be of the "this router is so bad it fucked my wife and killed my dog" type.

Yeah, that's why I am just looking for a good standard one that tech people enjoy.

I will read the linked thread, thanks.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

I'd recommend exactly what they did. Those are some seriously solid routers.

Lord Jezo

So either this one..

Cisco-Linksys-WRT160N-RM-Refurbished-Wireless-N-Router

Or this one..

NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band Router WNDR3400

Esh

Lord Jezo wrote:

So either this one..

Cisco-Linksys-WRT160N-RM-Refurbished-Wireless-N-Router

Or this one..

NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band Router WNDR3400

I have an earlier (G) series of the Cisco and it's great. I love the form factor. The Netgear is going to be a but more powerful, but almost three times as much.

EDIT: I should say "had" one of those. I use an Apple Airport Express now. I plug my stereo into the 1/8th jack provided and I can stream my iTunes to my stereo.

Apothe0sis

Lord Jezo wrote:

So either this one..

Cisco-Linksys-WRT160N-RM-Refurbished-Wireless-N-Router

Or this one..

NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band Router WNDR3400

The latter x100.

I had one of the former (actually, I lie, it was the WRT320N I think) and it was such a dog and overheated so much. Then I got the latter and it's been rock solid.

Six

The N600 is the right choice.

KalTorak

Esh wrote:

Lord Jezo wrote:

So either this one..

Cisco-Linksys-WRT160N-RM-Refurbished-Wireless-N-Router

Or this one..

NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band Router WNDR3400

I have an earlier (G) series of the Cisco and it's great. I love the form factor. The Netgear is going to be a but more powerful, but almost three times as much.

EDIT: I should say "had" one of those. I use an Apple Airport Express now. I plug my stereo into the 1/8th jack provided and I can stream my iTunes to my stereo.

How is the Airport Express? I'm going to need a router for my new apartment, was thinking about splurging for one rather than getting another cheap D-link.

Esh

KalTorak wrote:

Esh wrote:

Lord Jezo wrote:

So either this one..

Cisco-Linksys-WRT160N-RM-Refurbished-Wireless-N-Router

Or this one..

NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band Router WNDR3400

I have an earlier (G) series of the Cisco and it's great. I love the form factor. The Netgear is going to be a but more powerful, but almost three times as much.

EDIT: I should say "had" one of those. I use an Apple Airport Express now. I plug my stereo into the 1/8th jack provided and I can stream my iTunes to my stereo.

How is the Airport Express? I'm going to need a router for my new apartment, was thinking about splurging for one rather than getting another cheap D-link.

Really, really solid. Great coverage. Nice UI built into OSX if you're on an Apple. The iTunes streaming works great as well.

Pirusu

Another vote for the N600. It's been great after my venerable WRT54G died.

Lord Jezo

N600 it is then. Enough recommendations across multiple places. Will be here in a couple of days, if it blows up my house then I am blaming all of you.

Apothe0sis

Lord Jezo wrote:

N600 it is then. Enough recommendations across multiple places. Will be here in a couple of days, if it blows up my house then I am blaming all of you.

You didn't specify "non-explosive" in your requirements.

Don't be blaming us for your inaccurate specifications.

Lord Jezo

I think I am going to have to return the router. It keeps losing connection to the internet. It's not the modem as if I plug the pc directly in everything works find but the router keeps losing it. I have to unplug the modem ethernet to the router then plug it back in. All of the connected PCs can see the router fine.

Googling around I see a bunch of other people with the same issue and no one has been able to fix it.

I'd put on dd-wrt but it's not listed as being a supported router in their firmware database.