Wireless Router Advice- Please

[pdxrealtor]

I'm tired of dealing with my D Link DIR 855 resets and other issues. (one antenna is falling off)

That said, I need the wireless range to at least match it, prefer best it. (Router is on the upper floor up high)

I need both G and N, can't go only N as my printer is not N capable.

I don't think I need dual 2.4 and 5 Ghz. I never use the 5 Ghz of my 855.

I don't need guest networks either.

I do have one switch in the theater room, from mono price. It's gigabit.

Most of my important devices are wired with gigabit, including my entire home theater. I am building a NAS box so the closest I'll get to gigabit transfers is that box.

Everything else is pretty much limited to my cable connection @ 25 Mbps which is plenty fast for what I do (or what I don't do).

Can you recommend a good router?

 

[thiggins]

Sounds like you are looking for a basic N300 router with good range. Unfortunately the ones we have in the charts are pretty dated.

Give a refurbed Linksys E900 a shot for $30 with 30 day no hassle return.

 

[pdxrealtor]

Thanks, but that does not have gigabit. Any other suggestions?

 

[thiggins]

Sorry, thought you already had Gigabit switches. If you do, you don't need them in the router.

5 port Gigabit switches are pretty cheap. A 5 port TP-Link is around $20 on Amazon. If you want it all in one box.

Going N300 and Gigabit in one box looks like you'll be spending around $50, D-Link DIR-655 is probably a reasonable choice.

 

[pdxrealtor]

I have a giga switch down stairs in the home theater. I'm not sure where my NAS will end up, could be downstairs as well.

My router and main computer is upstairs. Good chance I'll end up ripping movies upstairs and transferring to the NAS downstairs, which I think would mean I need a gigabit router. Correct or no?

I hate to go with another d-link. Is the quality of the DIR 655 better than the 855?

 

[thiggins]

You need a gigabit switch in both places. The switch can be inside or outside the router. Unless your internet connection is 100 Mbps or greater, you don't need Gigabit ports in the router itself.

All routers have problems. But if you don't like D-Link, go ahead with another brand. Have a look through the Router Ranker.

 

[pdxrealtor]

Gotcha.

Does the dir-855 have good range? Maybe the 855 is just a lemon. It works real well, but is always resetting itself. Hmmm..

 

[thiggins]

Sorry, but I have no test data on the DIR-855 that is directly comparable to that in the charts. I used a different method and it was awhile ago.

Routers do go bad. Could just be a bad power brick, too.

 

[pdxrealtor]

Thank you for your help

 

[thiggins]

You're welcome. Choose one and try it. Amazon gives you 30 days to return.

 

[stevech]

Thanks, but that does not have gigabit. Any other suggestions?

just use a $25 external gigabit switch.

 

[pdxrealtor]

So I limped my router back to operational mode, but it died for good tonight. I went out to the only store open and grabbed a Linksys N60 / EA 2700.

However, with my new NAS box and the tons of movies and other files I need to transfer I want to get the router with

1) The BEST routing speeds. I'm wired with cat 6.
2) Decent range since we have a 2300 sq/ ft two level home and our wireless toys (ipads) need to operate in the home theater, other side of the house lower level.

Wireless speeds are last on the list because well, we're 95% wired.

So.... what's the mega router for transferring files from my PC to my NAS?

THanks!

 

[thiggins]

Consumer routers don't route LAN side traffic. The switch handles it and there is no practical difference in Gigabit switches in these products.

 

[stevech]

Consumer routers don't route LAN side traffic. The switch handles it and there is no practical difference in Gigabit switches in these products.

Nor any difference in a router without gigE ports connected to a cheap gigE ethernet LAN switch.

 

[pdxrealtor]

Thanks both.

I can't believe how much faster this this Linksys EA2700 is. It's like night and day!

Plugged in I"m getting 60-70 mbps off Comcast. That's 20-30 faster than my d-link dir 855.

Guess I'll just keep this one.