In the market for a new Consumer Grade router.

[Korporativ]

My old NETGEAR router finally had a TKO the other day when it started dropping massive amounts of packets. It had been a good router, and lasted far longer than I expected... so I tried picking up a new netgear router. I picked up the WNR854T Wireless-N router Gigabit edition, and had nothing but headaches with it. Every time I would try to update the router's settings, it would freeze up and leave all of my wired and unwired computers unable to connect to it. The solution was to remove it from the power source for 1-2 mins and then plug it back in and try again. I tried using the "reset to factory defaults" button on the back thinking it needed a change. Apparently that button does absolutely NOTHING on the model I got. I'd start it back up and it would still have all the settings I had put in it. I couldn't update firmware, and... well you get the point.

Frustrated, I went back and browsed the selection they had. I picked up the Belkin N1 wireless router. It is decent, but even with a Belkin N1 card, it will not establish an N connection. I have to let it connect to G technology. Not to mention it does not have the Gigabit ethernet I had wanted for my wired devices in the first place. So I think this one is going back in the morning as well.

Can anyone suggest a decent wireless router with gigabit ethernet? I'd like N, but I know N really isn't finalized or what it was supposed to be. G is perfectly fine by me.(especially since this supposed N router only connects at G speeds anyway.)

 

[JeffCos]

What internet service do you have at your house that exceeds 54mbps?

 

[Korporativ]

Current internet service itself, none. However, I do have an extremely high traffic LAN. In the next year or so I expect to run fiber optics to the house for WAN as well. At that point, I'll invest in some more expensive switches, etc. But until it is required, I'd just like to get away with a decent consumer grade router(preferably with gigabit ethernet... the wireless is not so much required to be super fast, but it would be nice).

 

[InlineFive]

Fiber optics for home is such expensive overkill it's not worth it. If you ever upgrade to a fiber service - like FIOS - they will run fiber up to the house for you.

Instead I would suggest running Cat6 which will give you plenty of bandwidth for quite a while. Unless you have a huge array you'll hit disk bottlenecks before you start to congest the pipe.

And take a look at the Dlink DGL-4300.

 

[Madwand1]

If you want to take a step back from the bleeding edge, you might like the DGL-4300.

 

[JackMDS]

preN class is a waste of money , http://www.ezlan.net/faq#MIMO

A nice jumbo frame switch goes for $50 or less so, there is no reason to incorporate it with a Router that has to be on MTU-1500 due to Internet connection.

A Linksys wrt54L or the following is a better choice for the time being, until the 802.11n would become a standard.

This Router for regular use,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833162173

This is similar Router with High Power Output for Extra Wireless range,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833162134

 

[marulee]

DGL-4300

 

[cmetz]

Korporativ, get a WRT54GL and a 4/5/8 port 10/100/1000 switch.

 

[NaOH]

How is that Buffalo with Mimo. Seems like a really good deal.

 

[JackMDS]

http://www.ezlan.net/faq#MIMO