Replacement for Linksys WRT54G??

[Longspeak]

A WRT54G wireless router has served flawlessly as firewall, 1 cat 5 connection and 1 wireless G connection in a home environment. The router is leaving the house with it's owner soon.

I would like to replace it with another Linksys. I don't need wireless N today, but would be nice for future.

Looks like WRT54G is at end of lifecycle, so not sure I want to purchase another??? I'm quickly confused with differences and reliability of WRT54G, WRT54G2, WRT54GL, WRT160N, ....

Is there an obvious choice with wireless N and without wireless N for my needs?

Thanks

 

[JackMDS]

Flash your Router with DD-WRT and enjoy it for another year until the Dark Clouds of the Draft-N

Drift away.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/What_is_DD-WRT%3F

 

[shredman]

I think the last poster missed the part about your old router "leaving the house". So you need a router now no matter what. Since you don't have any devices that use wireless N, my advice would be to just get a G router. If you were happy with the wrt54g, get a new one of those...they are very standard, can be updated with improved firmware (dd-wrt) and are being replaced by the wrt54g2 so the original can be had cheaply (circuit city has them for $39.99). If you need GB lan, then you will have to pay more...or if you are buying a new laptop soon that has wirelessN you might consider getting an N router. You are actually in a good situation since the standard hasn't been fully established for N yet, you can get an inexpensive G router for now and ride it out.

Incidentally, I just bought a DIR655 and am very happy with it. I have a laptop with WirelessN in it, so that is why I went that route.

 

[jaqie]

Agreed. wait until there is an official ratified N standard. Go gnab a WRT54GL for ~$60 and enjoy it until N is an actual standard, at which time you may actually wish to stay with the WRT54GL or upgrade, in which case you will have a great backup router.

One thing the others didn't seem to mention:
the non L version is/can be much more difficult to flash to a worthwhile firmware such as DDWRT, so be wary of buying the non L version (besides the fact the non L version has much les EEPROM and RAM which means your flashing options are much more limited).

 

[Longspeak]

Thanks for the great comments! I'll take the advice and wait out the N standard.

I'm about as basic user as you'll find-want hardware firewall and to share internet connection with 1 hardwired desktop and 1 wireless G laptop in home environment. What would I gain by flashing to DDWRT??


Newegg currently has the following with free shipping:

WRT54G $40
WRT54G2 $40
WRT54GL $49 after $10 rebate


Jaqie indicates that the GL is obvious choice if I flash to DDWRT.

Is there an obvious choice if I don't flash to DDWRT?

Thanks for the great help!

 

[ch33zw1z]

IMO, spending more than $40 is not necessary...whether or not you're flashing the firmware. You're only supporting two devices total...even the stock firmware can handle it.

Check out this site for supported DDWRT devices, and how they differ in hardware specs:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices

Added info, I have a WRT54GS...got a good price on it. I flashed it to the micro-ddwrt (it's what was supported based on my router version) and it's working flawlessly (knock on wood) in Client-Bridge mode, basically a big wireless network card for up to 4 wired devices. Just use google for any questions...there is loads of information and directions on this stuff.

 

[jaqie]

Originally posted by: Longspeak
What would I gain by flashing to DDWRT??
Is there an obvious choice if I don't flash to DDWRT?

Much better p2p support, a more reliable router, a router with solid QoS abilities, and just plain more options.

Well, Ive tried most other third party firmwares, and I don't really like most of them, most are either less intuitive, slow, or lack something or other I want. Check wikipedia's article on the WRT54G series (enter WRT54G at wikipedia) and you will see a quite good run-down of the differences in the models, both ones that are no longer sold and ones that are still sold, though it may be information overload if you just want the skinny of it - they also link to most (all?) of the third party firmwares at the bottom with a tiny cliff's note on what one person or other thinks about each one's differences.

 

[jaqie]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
I have a WRT54GS

Nice. I actually have a WRT54GSv3, the one with 8MB EEPROM flash and 32MB ram, and right now because of the free wifi internet I get with my apartment mine is functioning in "stupid wifi client mode" myself, though before I moved I was running a heavily optimized QoS for a high bandwidth cable connection under 10 heavy internet users.

 

[JackMDS]

The GL and the regulat WRT54G up to version 4 are basically the same thing.

It is version 5 that the WRT54G is actually a different Router in the same plastic case.

So any v2 to v4, or GL would do.

Regular user can benefit form the Qos and the extra Wireless Power that the RF out Amp can be configured to.

However if you use the Wireless in the same room and does Not need any of the extra features of DD-WRT.

You can save by getting this Router, http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16833156038

Is it Gerat Router? Nah, but it is inexpensive and works well for modest use.

 

[fuxxociety]

I found a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54, and while it has no draft-N support, it DOES support the dd-wrt firmware flawlessly - more features that I can imagine.

Built-in amplifier, flash card support, NFS file mounting support, Intel WiFi or whatever compliant, all the good stuff.


I last saw it on Newegg, for about $55, you may find one somewhere cheaper?

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: fuxxociety


I last saw it on Newegg, for about $55, you may find one somewhere cheaper?

That was Long time ago.

Currently Buffalo's 802.11g Routers are Not allowed to be sold in the USA.

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/wireless/